Projects
Some of our projects
The Languages Company supports a number of projects relating to languages and language policy, in the UK and abroad.
These are listed below – just click through to read more.
We were also a founder partner in Speak to the Future, the Campaign for Languages.
Language Policy and the Multilingual City
“Since 2009 The Languages Company has been centrally involved in language policy issues, in particular as it relates to the multilingual city. The city is a concentration of different, changing cultures which are creating new kinds of identity. They are important for a number of reasons:
- They are living examples of how diverse communities may interrelate.
- They are places where policy discourse can be created more easily.
- They are places where the constraints of national policies and national discourse can be modified or overcome.
- The city is the locus for multilingualism in all its functions – learning and using languages, and in all its sites – institutional, commercial, educational, and governmental.
- Cities also link to other cities, and provide the space where new generations are creating their new realities.”
Most importantly, cities are NOT national. They can be ‘beyond the nation’.
– Dr Lid King
2009-10: LETPP project Languages in Europe – Theory, Policy & Practice
In partnership with the London School of Economics, LETTP discussed the conditions which favour policies on Multilingualism in Europe and the obstacles to their success, looking in particular at languages & social cohesion, and languages and intercultural communication/employability.
2014 – : EUROMEC project European Identity, Culture, Exchanges and Multilingualism
In this project we aim to increase our understanding of how the city is becoming part of networked new identity spaces where the meaning of ‘here’ is changing because it relates less to national hinterlands and more to preference networks
2011-2014: LUCIDE project Languages in Urban Communities – Integration and Diversity for Europe
This project explored ways of managing multilingual citizen communities. We built up a picture of how communication occurs in multilingual urban settings across the world. The aim was help cities (governments, institutions and private citizens) make better productive use of diversity as an economic resource and to strengthen social cohesion by fostering better communication and mutual understanding.
2009-2012: Language Rich Europe project
Coordinated by the British Council, Language Rich Europe was a networking project which brought together 1200 policy makers and practitioners from 24 countries and regions in Europe to discuss and develop better policies and practices for multilingualism.
Language and Migration
“This has become a burning issue of 2017. How is language used to define and undermine the open society – whether by rejecting those who speak other languages or by using language for spreading hatred rather than understanding?
Council of Europe Language Education Policy
“Between 2002 and 2016 the Council of Europe offered support to member states (including regions and cities within them) to develop a Language Education Policy Profile. These provide a wealth of information and insights into language education across Europe
Teaching and Learning
2013 – 2015: TALES project Stories for Learning in European Schools
TALES investigated the educational impact of oral and digital storytelling in formal education. We worked with Goldsmiths University of London, a south London primary school and the esteemed drutsl’ya storyteller Shonaleigh Cumbers on new techniques for teaching languages.
2011 – present: Speak to the Future – the campaign for languages
The Languages Company has been a principal supporter of Speak to the Future - the Campaign for Languages in the UK.
2003-2015: Lingu@net & Lingu@net Worldwide
Developing online user interaction based on social media technology, including resources, in 32 languages.