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Near Peers provides a platform for UCL language undergraduates to mentor, online, school students of languages.
The initiative is aimed at promising Sixth Form students from underrepresented socio-economic groups who want to refine their language learning while finding out more about the process of getting into a university like UCL.
Each UCL student is paired with a school pupil studying the same language. The course is driven by the individual student’s needs. Students have 24/7 access to advice and information from their UCL undergraduate mentor. Communication between each pair is on an assigned Discussion Forum to which can be attached document and sound files and url links. Communication is available for monitoring by the class teacher and project organiser.
If you want to find out more about the history of this initiative and read about the experience of a UCL student who participated, here is a review which includes an interview with the founder of the initiative, Terry King: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/feb/student-reviews-volunteering-near-peers.
If you are a student or teacher who would like to be involved please contact Terry King directly at terry.king@ucl.ac.uk
Quotes from teachers of schools which participated
“The best thing about this project is the regular contact with the university students and their supportive, encouraging messages have meant a lot to our students.”
Our students were very excited to take part in this project and it has had a positive impact on their transition from GCSE to Year 12. Our students became very quickly more confident in manipulated the language and showed engagement during this academic year.”
Quotes from school students who participated
“This programme enabled me to look into languages, both beyond the classroom, and in relation to higher education. It has been lovely to be able to share the passion of learning a language with someone, when I have never been able to do that before. The programme is extremely friendly and the atmosphere it creates is wonderful.”
I loved how I was able to learn a bit about uni life as well as getting some advice on how to revise for A level French. I was suggested some great shows and apps that have helped me to better my listening skills.”
Quotes from UCL students who participated
“I enjoyed being able to give someone the advice that I wish I had gotten during sixth form.”
It was very interesting to deal with the education system in the UK from a direct point of view. I had the feeling I have been useful by giving other students a glimpse of university life, of life abroad and of social contact through languages without barriers.”
The best thing about this project is the variety of people you get to interact with. Every year, the students I mentored all had different backgrounds and interests, which meant I could have interesting and varied conversationswith all of them."