Promoting Less Widely-Taught Community Languages through Language Qualifications

On 9 November, the British Hungarian Educators’ Association (MOKKA), UCL SSEES and the Balassi Institute Hungarian Cultural Centre in London held a successful Public Engagement Open Day at UCL SSEES (see programme here). The event was attended by approximately 50 people from outside of UCL, including 30 potential future university students and their parents. The families form part of the fast growing Hungarian community in the UK, with the UK-born children learning Hungarian in their homes and in weekend community schools. The Language Promotion Open Day gave these young learners opportunity to use their heritage language in a more formal setting.

In addition, the event helped to raise awareness in the non-academic community of UCL SSEES’s activities and especially the important role of  Hungarian and area studies, within the languages and culture programme, at UCL SSEES. 

Feedback and comments on the programme of the day:

“Our teenage students turned up in great numbers because the topics were relevant and the number of candidates for the mock ECL exam also showed that you managed to tap into something that is important for them. I think this event helped them realise that their bilingualism is an asset and that the English establishment, represented in this case by UCL, appreciates and supports them, which, in return, helps their integration into this society. I think the format of lectures, quizzes, Q&A sessions, walks and mock-exams worked well and would welcome similar opportunities in the future.”

Comments by the Chair of the LMI+ Hungarian Community Weekend School