Proficiency in East European Languages: Schools Visit to UCL

On Wednesday 26 April, we welcomed nearly 60 GCSE students onto campus, from three different schools, who have been working with language lecturers at UCL SSEES over the past year exploring their heritage languages and celebrating the power multilingualism can bring.

Students got the chance to meet project leads and teachers Ramona Gonczol (Romanian), Yordanka Velkova (Bulgarian) and Olga Volosova (Ukrainian), whom they had been working with online previously, for in an in-person language session. Current UCL student ambassadors then took students and teachers for campus tour, followed by a Q&A panel on student life over lunch, followed by an afternoon presentation by Ramona and Yordanka on the PEEL project's aims and achievements, and a talk by Lisa Walters, Student Recruitment Manager, on university applications.

The day concluded with awarding of certificates, recognising the dedication the students had shown to their heritage languages and cultures. Both staff and students thoroughly enjoyed the day, which was a wonderful way to conclude this year's project.

The PEEL programme focuses on delivering language classes and certifiable language qualifications to heritage speakers and on increasing participation in higher education among this group, which is currently underrepresented at this level, both at UCL and within the UK. For next year, plans are to continue working on raising aspirations for this group and delivering more in person workshops.