Modern languages videos
Our students and staff are involved in various outreach projects. We are passionate about foreign languages and want to share this enthusiasm with young people.
You will find below recordings of outreach talks we frequently present in schools and beginners' taster videos to explore the languages we offer at degree level. Make sure you check out the language tasters our students have recorded for the Languages XP programme.
Why study languages?
Year 7-9
This is the talk we are most frequently asked to deliver in schools. It looks at the many ways languages can enrich our lives when it comes to future careers, cultural knowledge and being a citizen in the world and in a multilingual society. It aims to motivate students in Years 7-9 to consider modern languages as a GCSE option.
The talk is supported by further resources for students (with pre-, while- and post-listening activities) and resources for teachers:
Years 10-12
Hear from Alina, a PhD student at the University of Manchester. Alina studied French and Business at undergraduate level here and talks you through the options and opportunities with languages at university and beyond. Access her "Why Study Languages" talk on the "Talks for Secondary" website.
Language taster videos
Languages XP is a widening participation project delivered by our modern foreign language students in local schools. After attending training sessions, our students plan and teach four beginners' taster sessions in a local school or college. We asked the students of 2019-20 to share their experiences in a short film and give us a sample of their work. There is more to explore from our 2020-21 cohort further down the page, too.
Each video is supported by extension materials and can be enjoyed as a short beginners' taster lesson. The films also give you a flavour of the type of outreach work you could get involved in as a student at the University of Manchester.
French
Sophie studies French and Russian. She taught Russian at Fairfield High School for Girls in February/March 2020, but has kindly agreed to give us an insight into beginners' French here.
Extension materials for French (pdf)
German
Saule studies English Language and German. She visited Connell Co-op College in February/March 2020 and gives you a short taster here.
Extension materials for German (pdf)
Italian
Elena and Brigitta study French and Italian. They taught at Co-op Academy North Manchester and Co-op Academy Failsworth in February/March 2020 and show you a bit of Italian.
Extension materials for Italian (pdf)
Japanese
Adam completed a BA in Business Management and Japanese at the University of Manchester and now studies for an MA. He visited Sale High School for Languages XP in February/March 2020.
Extension materials for Japanese (pdf)
Russian
Zoe completed a BA in Russian and Spanish and now studies for an MA. Iona studies Politics and Russian. They taught Russian taster sessions at Blessed Thomas Holford College and Wellington School.
Extension materials for Russian (pdf)
Spanish
James studies French and Spanish. He delivered the Languages XP programme in February/March 2020 at Burnage Academy for Boys.
Extension materials for Spanish (pdf)
Want more languages and more sessions? Then scroll on down to see what our 20-21 cohort of XP students prepared.
Languages XP
Try a new language, have fun. Our students will introduce you to the languages they study.
Fancy something a bit different? Every year, University of Manchester languages students take part in the Languages XP project. They prepare fun language and culture taster sessions which they teach in local schools.
In 2021 Languages XP went online. Explore the language tasters below - and if you're curious what studying languages at university entails and what careers you could get into with languages, check out our Viva Languages page, too.
Arabic
Try Arabic with our students Saira, Ammar and Shomari.
Chinese
Our students Domante, Georgina and Joshua help you take your first steps in Chinese.
