Modern Languages Blog

EU Multilingualism Commissioner was in London today (2 April) for the launch of an innovative project combining foreign-language learning and football training run by Arsenal football club.

This year’s edition of the English Premiership club’s ‘Double Club’  initiative, which the EU executive described as an “innovative project aimed at schoolchildren, combining language learning with football training,” sees youngsters from London and the surrounding area attend language courses of six to eight weeks, followed by football sessions.

Lessons are inspired by football and Arsenal-related themes, and are supported by contributions from the club’s French, Spanish and German-speaking players in their native languages. 

The success of Arsenal’s Double Club’ project has already seen several other Premiership clubs adopt similar schemes.

English Premiership club Arsenal first launched its ‘Double Club’ initiative in 1998. Since then, it has helped over 2,000 students from 80 schools in London and south-east England to learn German, French and Spanish. The EU executive is particularly keen to boost language-learning in the UK amid fears that the European institutions will likely face an acute shortage of English interpreters by 2015.

http://www.euractiv.com/en/culture/orban-launches-arsenal-languages-scheme/article-180929

Categories: Community languages, European initiatives, Funding, German, Spanish, Take-up of languages