On Wednesday 30 October 2019, the Department of Modern Languages hosted its second Modern Languages Teaching Forum, inviting language teachers from across Kent and the south east.

The Forum is designed to bring together teachers of modern languages at all levels to share good practice and discuss the challenges facing the sector, support language teaching and encourage pupils to continue to study languages and develop their confidence.

Guests were welcomed by Dr Alvise Sforza Tarabochia, Head of the Department of Modern Languages, and Dr Wissia Fiorucci, Director of Education and Modern Languages Co-ordinator. Wissia gave a brief introduction to the University’s approach to co-teaching and Erasmus+ Training, for which she was awarded a Humanities Faculty Teaching Prize in summer 2019.

The University’s language lectors presented on a range of topics following the theme of ‘Speaking’, including
• ‘How to Deal with Lack of Confidence in Speech’
• ‘Promoting Communication in Mixed-Ability Classrooms: a Ludological Approach’
• ‘Spatiality and Oral Skills in the Language Learning Classroom’
• ‘Barfing at the Wrong Tree: a Comical Approach to Mispronunciation’

Carla Winchester of Radnor House School in Sevenoaks also presented on ‘Willingness to Communicate in a Foreign Language and its Relevance in the MFL Classroom’

Speaking after the event, Dr Alvise Sforza Taraboachia said: ‘It was great to see the room packed with lecturers, lectors, teachers and even students who wish to embark on a teaching career. The papers were very thought-provoking and inspired many of the teachers present to experiment with new approaches to encourage in-class speaking in the target language. We look forward to the next forum!’