Language ambassadors from Starbank School experienced an immersive day of learning as they attended an Arabic Language Event run by the British Council.
Taking place at the Thinktank Science Museum in Birmingham, eight secondary pupils were introduced to the language by learning about Arabic culture while also practising calligraphy.
With over 400 million native speakers and a further 100 to 200 million people for whom it is their second language, Arabic ranks as the fourth most widely spoken language in the world and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations (UN).
Through talks and interactive workshops, pupils learned about the Arab world and the countries where Arabic is spoken, with an introduction to its food, music, geography and people.
One of the most engaging aspects of the event was a calligraphy workshop where pupils were taught how to form letters of the Arabic language. The handwriting technique has been found to engage the language portion of the brain, helping young people retain spellings of words better when writing it out by hand. The day culminated with a quiz where pupils could test their knowledge.
The event supported the pupils in their roles as the school’s language ambassadors. Their main responsibility is in promoting languages to pupils, such as organising extracurricular clubs, speaking in assemblies and organising the school’s European Language Day.
An important aspect of the role is in supporting other students with their language studies, including helping others with their homework and mentoring pupils who have English as an additional language.
After whetting pupils’ appetite at the event, the school’s Arabic club will introduce a wider group of pupils to Arabic culture and calligraphy through a programme of immersive activities, including virtual tours and food tasting.