December 2013

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Arsenal Double Club Languages is an innovative, multi-award winning education programme that uses Arsenal and football as a theme to inspire schoolchildren to learn a language.

The perfect match

How does it work?

Arsenal in the Community produces fun, relevant learning materials in collaboration with specialist language partners. It currently has resources in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

These resources include colourful workbooks that are filled with language activities based around football, and also a DVD featuring one of the Gunners’ players speaking in their native language. All topics within the materials are in line with those covered by the National Curriculum (NC).

Like a football match, Double Club sessions are divided into two halves: classroom and football. A unique feature of the programme is the reinforcement of the language skills gained in the classroom out on the football pitch. The target language is used in both sessions to create a fun and practical learning experience.

At the end of the programme, all participating schools are invited to bring their students to the Emirates Stadium in Islington for a unique Double Club Language Day. This includes a stadium tour with a multilingual member of staff of Arsenal in the Community, a museum visit, language activities and prizes for all pupils.

Who is the programme for?

The programme is available to all schools at Key Stages 2 and 3. At secondary level, the programme aims to boost pupils’ enthusiasm for Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in advance of selecting their GCSE options. The programme is suitable for boys and girls.

Materials are provided for schools to deliver sessions either during curriculum time or after school. Sessions are generally delivered by an MFL teacher or another suitable member of staff, Foreign Language Assistants, teaching assistants (TAs) or language volunteers.

For the practical sessions, a coaching guide is provided, the text of which provides details of simple PE activities, complete with instructions on how to deliver them and what key words in the target language can be used within the drill. This guide allows any member of staff to deliver the practical sessions, irrespective of the subject area that they specialise in.

Many schools involve sixth-form students or capable Key Stage 4 students who have an interest in languages and/or sport. Having older students assist with delivering sessions, under the supervision of a member of staff, enables them to put their language skills into practise and supports forthcoming UCAS applications.

Are any other partners involved?

Each language module has its own specialist partner to help produce the resources. Partners include the Goethe-Institut London, Institut Français and Consejería de Educación. The programme is also supported by the European Commission (EC).

What impact has the programme had?

Since the programme started in 2006, more than 11,000 pupils from more than 400 schools across the country have taken part at primary and secondary levels.

Such has been the success of the scheme that the programme has won numerous awards, including the European Language Label in 2008 and 2010, and the 2012 Threlford Memorial Cup awarded by the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) for ‘fostering the study of languages’.

Project Coordinator, Steve Eadon, is immensely proud of the scheme’s outcomes to date: “Football is a great way to engage pupils in their studies – there are so many ways to create a link with language learning.

“We have received countless testimonials from teachers across the UK, commenting on greater pupil engagement and improved behaviour of pupils who had previously been difficult. There have been some fantastic stories of boys and girls taking inspiration from the programme, having been exposed to both linguistic and sporting role models.”

How can I introduce the Arsenal Double Club Languages programme at my school?

You can sign up on the Double Club website: www.arsenaldoubleclub.co.uk where you can order your materials, view sample resources in all languages and read through the FAQs.

Find out more...

To discuss the programme in more detail, please contact Steve Eadon at seadon@arsenal.co.uk

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