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The day began with an inspiring talk titled ‘Why Study Languages?’, where students explored the many opportunities that studying languages can unlock. They learned that languages can be studied as part of joint honours degrees, allowing students to combine a language with subjects such as business, science, humanities or English. The session also highlighted the possibility of learning a new language from scratch at university and reaching A Level standard within a year, as well as the exciting prospect of a year abroad.

Students were encouraged to think broadly about future careers, discovering that languages can open doors to fields including law, advertising, teaching, finance and beyond. A key takeaway was that while English is widely spoken, not everyone speaks English, making language skills a powerful and valuable asset in an increasingly global world.

The group also explored cultural differences, including how even simple things like animal sounds vary across languages – from the English ‘buzz’ of a bee to the German ‘sum’ and the Japanese ‘buun’. This sparked curiosity and highlighted the richness of global communication. Students also reflected on Manchester itself, recognising it as a city rich in linguistic diversity, much like TEMA.

Following the talk, students enjoyed a campus tour led by university ambassadors, giving them a real sense of student life. A highlight was visiting the Samuel Alexander Building, home to the university’s language departments. Mr Eyres was delighted to share his own experiences of studying languages at The University of Manchester, helping students to picture what university life might be like and the opportunities that higher education can offer.

In the creative subtitling workshop, students had the opportunity to add Spanish subtitles to a range of silent film clips. This was a hugely engaging session, with Mr Bean proving a particular favourite as students applied their language skills in a fun and creative way.
The afternoon continued with a German taster session, where students experienced what it is like to learn a new language from scratch. They quickly picked up basic greetings, impressing everyone by confidently demonstrating their new German skills.

Overall, the visit was a fantastic opportunity for students to explore the value of languages and to experience university life first hand, leaving them feeling motivated and inspired about their future pathways.

It was a real pleasure meeting TEMA’s Year 10 linguists. The students were wonderful and did amazing work – despite the visit falling on the hottest day of the year! Gracias a todos.
Sonja Bernhard, The University of Manchester