Junior CULP – an award-winning programme that gives young people the chance to take up a language not on offer at their own school – is to be introduced to 20 new schools in the region under a government drive to increase language learning.

The expansion is part of “Routes Into Languages”, a nationwide campaign to increase the take-up of languages throughout the country. Up to 20 teachers will be trained to use Junior CULP, with as many as 1,200 pupils set to benefit.

Junior CULP has been developed at the University's Language Centre and combines face-to-face teaching with online learning. It is aimed at pupils aged 14 and above, particularly those who are less motivated to study languages at Key Stage 4. Lord Dearing singled out the programme for its ability to stimulate teenage interest in languages in his 2007 report on the demise of the subject in schools.

“We hope to develop the programme over the next three years,” Anny King, Executive Director of the University Language Centre said. “The involvement of other universities beyond Cambridge will act as a stepping stone towards further expansion, so hopefully before long young people in other regions will be able to use Junior CULP as well.”

In all, £615,000 have been awarded to an East of England Consortium of regional universities under the “Routes Into Languages” scheme. This will support both the expansion of Junior CULP and a number of other initiatives devised to inspire the region's young people to take up a new language.

The other Consortium members are Anglia Ruskin University, the University of Bedfordshire and the Open University.
Source: By University of Cambridge