Dearing interim review of languages published
14 December 2006
Lord Dearing published his interim report as part of the review of language policy today, 14 December 2006.
Announcing his interim findings Lord Dearing said, "For languages, the earlier the better."
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CILT, the National Centre for Languages has published a statement in response to Lord Dearing's analysis of the current situation.
Read the statement on the CILT website |
CILT Director disappointed in Leitch report
12 December 2006
Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages expressed disappointment at the fact that language skills do not feature in the Leitch Review of Skills.
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Skills for Business Network to address challenge of improving Britain's language skills
8 December 2006
Hard on the heels of the Leitch Report, key figures addressing a conference next week will consider the challenges of equipping the UK workforce with the language and cultural skills it needs for continued and improved success in the global economy. The event is organised by CILT, the National Centre for Languages.
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Advice on business success in Poland
4 December 2006
Over 25 local business representatives have learnt how to successfully do business in Poland after attending a specialist language and cultural briefing organised by RLN South West.
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RLN language survey: last week for responses
28 November 2006
The RLN North West Language Survey 2006 closes the end of this week. To help build a clearer picture of language skills in our regions, linguists and non-linguists are asked to share their experiences.
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Smart advice for doing business in Russia
21 November 2006
The three keys to success for doing business in Russia are good market research, access to professional language services and an understanding of the Russian business culture, writes Nicholas Goodwin for Overseas Trade.
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Fire safety message offered in second language
20 November 2006
A fire safety message is being sent to migrant workers - in their own language, reports the Somerset County Gazette.
Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is calling on businesses to hand out the leaflets to staff from abroad who do not use English as their first language.
More information |
Revised Standards provide new interpreting benchmark
20 November 2006
CILT, the National Centre for Languages has revised the National Occupational Standards in Interpreting.
More information |
Good news for exporters with their sights set to India
17 November 2006
The Export Marketing Research Scheme will now fund two rather than one research visits to India, according to the British Chambers of Commerce.
More information |
Don't miss the debate! - RLN on BBC One
17 November 2006
Language learning is in decline. What can we do to plug the gap? Watch the Politics Show on Sunday, 19 November at 12.00 on BBC One to hear Sir Digby Jones' keynote speech at the launch of the RLN Yorkshire & Humber's Business Language Champions Project.
More information |
RLN SW publishes business guide to India
3 November 2006
A new guide on the cultural aspects of doing business in India is launched this week by RLN South West with the support of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).
The booklet is packed with information on meetings etiquette, dress code, behaviour, presentations, negotiation, body language and going out for business meals.
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Too much English on the web, say experts
2 November 2006
More than 90% of the world's 6,000 languages are not represented on the internet. So what must be done to make the internet a truly global place?
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Further decline in number of pupils studying languages
1 November 2006
Four out of five state schools no longer require GCSE pupils to learn a foreign language, two surveys published by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, reveal.
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Top tips for doing business in a foreign language
17 October 2006
Our colleagues from RLN West Midlands have compiled a list of top tips to help you and your business succeed in overseas markets.
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RLN offers free podcasts
11 October 2006
RLN East Midlands has developed a range of free podcasts featuring interviews, country profiles and essential phrases in several languages. The pilot phase focuses on five growth markets - China, India, Russia, Turkey and Brazil, with more countries to follow.
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Languages recognised in Learning and Skills Council's statement of priorities
27 October 2006
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has made specific reference to languages in two of the four priorities in its Annual Statement. The priorities set the focus for the organisation's work and investment in 2007/08.
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RLN SW local advisor organises interpreters at twinning conference
24 October 2006
When the Douzelage twinning association conference failed to gain sufficient funding for its conference, Philada Rogers, RLN SW local advisor for Dorset & Wiltshire stepped in and organised volunteer interpreters.
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Open4Business call to language volunteers
23 October 2006
Volunteers with language skills in Dorset are invited to register their interest in a new interpreting and translation scheme at a special evening event being organised by RLN South West on Tuesday, 31st October as part of the Weymouth and Portland Open4Business week.
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Doing business with France
23 October 2006
Wessex International Network recently organised an evening workshop in Trowbridge where speakers from France and the UK advised delegates on how to develop business links with France.
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Going forward with a five-year plan
17 October 2006
UK Trade & Investment has announced its five-year strategy to assist businesses to internationalise and contribute to the prosperity of the UK. The strategy outlines plans for UKTI to become a streamlined, entrepreneurial organisation focusing on meeting the ever-changing needs of its clients.
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Spanish comes to life in language careers website
16 October 2006
A new language-specific area has been developed for the dedicated careers website, Languages Work and was launched on 12 October to celebrate Spain's National Day.
The new Languages Work Spanish materials include a factsheet, posters and webpages to provide advice, facts and real examples of people using languages in their work to place language learning in context.
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Rethink on school language lessons
13 October 2006
Education Secretary Alan Johnson announced on 12 October that he has asked Lord Ron Dearing to carry out a review of languages policy, to encourage more teenagers to get a languages qualification. Lord Dearing will be working with the DfES National Director for Languages and key partners and stakeholders as part of the review.
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North Devon language students go international with Reuters
12 October 2006
Four language students from North Devon ’s Pilton Community College are switching desks this month for work placements at Reuters, as a result of an education business partnership brokered by RLN South West.
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"Re-think on language learning"
6 October 2006
Secretary for State for Education Alan Johnson has signalled that the optional status of languages in the post-14 curriculum in England is to be reviewed.
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Your feedback wanted
6 October 2006
CILT, the National Centre for Languages, is drafting its Corporate Plan for 2007 - 2010. We would like stakeholders' feedback on how best to develop the nations' language capability.
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Business South West: Talking their language
27 September 2006
Businesses have the chance to find out how they can easily improve their business performance in developing export sales by making contact with RLN SW at Business South West, which takes place on 12 - 13 October in Exeter.
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European Day of Languages
26 September 2006
The Regional Language Network South West region meets on the 26th September – the European Day of Languages – in Somerset to celebrate milestone achievements in helping regional businesses improve their performance in international markets.
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Don't ignore Europe!
25 September 2006
"Why British business can't afford to ignore Europe" was the title of an event organised by UK Trade & Investment and the Ferndown Business Forum in Dorset. The seminar highlighted the potential of the Single European market to businesses.
RLN South West business advisors presented at the event.
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GCSE results: languages are 'in freefall'
24 August 2006
Teachers' leaders warn that new ways of teaching modern foreign languages must be found, as this year's GCSE results show a large drop in the number of entries for French and German.
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Increase in pupils studying languages at A level
21 August 2006
This year's A level results present positive news for languages taught to over-16 year olds, with increases in numbers of students in several modern languages.
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National Centre invites nominations
21 August 2006
Nominations are open for the award of Comenius Fellowships, which recognise distinguished service and high achievement in the promotion of languages nationally.
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South West economic review
14 August 2006
In 2005, the South West region's negative trade balance continued to decline, with exports growing faster than imports. The current year has started optimistically for South West exporters, reports SWRDA.
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Summertime is here! Get some useful holiday phrases
9 August 2006
You're going on holiday abroad. Could you order a meal in the local language? Or will you simply speak more loudly in English?
If you don't have time for a language course before you go on holiday, CILT, The National Centre for Languages, has collated a list of websites where you can learn some basic phrases at no cost.
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Dos and don'ts of business in India
2 August 2006
For once, you don't have to worry about language: tips for a successful business trip to India, by UK Trade International's India Business Consultant.
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Dos and don'ts of doing business in Japan
26 July 2006
Despite what some books say about the uniqueness of Japan, there is nothing mystical about doing business there. This article in the July issue of Overseas Trade gives an overview of Japanese business etiquette.
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Guide to doing business in China
26 July 2006
UK Trade & Investment has produced a 40-page guide to doing business in China. The guide advises on how to research and enter the market, best practice and features advice on business etiquette.
Click here to download the guide directly from the UKTI website (1.3 MB pdf document). |
Migration trends: new booklet gives insight into UK migrant population
26 July 2006
A booklet published this month by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) examines current and future migration trends in the UK.
It describes, among other things, how numbers of foreign nationals working in the UK rose strongly to top a million for the first time in 1998, and by 2005 had reached 1.5 million (4.1 per cent of all in employment).
Click here to download the booklet directly from the ESRC website (1.84 MB pdf document). |
Real communication a winner in language awards
25 July 2006
CILT, the National Centre for Languages, recently announced the twelve winners of the European Award for Languages.
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Learning French with System D
21 July 2006
If you would like to know more about how five Dorset business people learned French in four days (see this news item), you can now visit the website and order the DVD.
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Excuse my French
21 July 2006
The BBC has sent three celebrities to France on a challenge to learn French. We can watch their trials on BBC 2 every Tuesday at 9 pm.
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Hotels welcome foreign guests in their own language
19 July 2006
More than 30 employees from three Weymouth hotels have taken part in cultural awareness seminars run by RLN South West.
They can now offer a world-class welcome to international guests during the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships.
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Champion companies for business language awards
7 July 2006
Businesses from across the region were recognised on 5 July by the Regional Language Network South West as industry champions of good practice in using languages and cultural understanding to improve business performance.
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Banking on languages for vocational courses
27 June 2006
A new on-line resource bank for teachers specialising in vocational language courses has been launched this month by CILT, the National Centre for Languages. The site will help teachers provide practical and relevant language courses linked to vocational areas such as Tourism, Catering, or Health and Social Care.
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Multilingual volunteers welcome World Cup fans
27 June 2006
The World Cup is all about football. But perhaps more than any other, Germany 2006 is also about the fans. Most fans have nothing but praise for the welcome they have received in Germany, where thousands of multilingual volunteers meet and greet the guests in their own language, reports the BBC.
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Business culture: East is East and West is West
20 June 2006
In this article, Phillip Khan-Panni advises on the seven key differences between Eastern and Western cultures.
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Dorset language students learn about international trade
12 June 2006
James Piriou, RLN South West local advisor for Dorset & Wiltshire, is going to support business and language students from Queen Elizabeth School in Wimbourne, Dorset during their International Global Trading event.
James will provide the students with case studies and links to local businesses. The event on 6 July focuses on trade and customs in three European countries, France, Germany and Spain. |
Protection Racket goes East
6 June 2006
RLN South West local advisers for Devon & Cornwall recently helped a small manufacturer of musical instrument cases in Cornwall on its first mission to Japan.
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Time is Money!
6 June 2006
Have you ever thought what a luxury it would be to dedicate 4 - 13 weeks to solving just one of the challenges you face in developing your organisation? Why not recruit a student on a project placement to tackle your business issues. There are several business partnership programmes available in the South West, lasting up to three years.
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The World Cup: How to explain the offside rule in German
6 June 2006
A light hearted round-up of language and cultural information on the the event and its hosts to save you from trawling the internet.
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Train to Gain: new service for employers
6 June 2006
Train to Gain is a new service for employers, designed to help businesses get the training they need to succeed. Training is free for employees for their first Level 2 qualification, and small employers will receive wage compensation.
Businesses benefit from improved productivity and competitiveness by ensuring staff have the right skills to do the best job.
For more information, visit the Train to Gain website at www.traintogain.gov.uk or phone Rhona Hope, tel. 08456 047047. |
Welcoming international visitors
31 May 2006
RLN South West local advisor Philada Rogers is introducing staff from Hollybush Hotels to aspects of culture and language in preparation for the arrival of foreign visitors.
There will be two events on 27 and 29 June in Weymouth where hotel staff will learn about cultural differences, expectations and pitfalls, followed by learning some simple phrases in a number of languages.
"It is amazing how a few words can go a long way to creating goodwill and a feeling of welcome", said Philada. "The aim of this session is to improve the skills and raise awareness of staff, to help them greet overseas visitors and create a positive impression." |
New survey counts cost of language skills shortage
24 May 2006
What is the lack of language skills costing business and the economy? The European Commission has commissioned CiLT, the National Centre for Languages, to undertake a study to assess this cost.
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2012 London Olympics: Go the extra mile to keep public in touch
24 May 2006
A special Roadshow will take the Olympic message to every corner of the UK, travelling over 3,000 miles during three weeks this summer.
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New vast online resource for language learners
22 May 2006
A new EU-sponsored website has been launched to help adults who want to improve their language skills.
Lingu@net Europa – a multilingual site in its own right – helps learners understand their strengths and weaknesses and points them towards ways to learn. It guides them in a choice of over 3,500 on-line learning resources, gives advice on overcoming common problems, and provides motivational tips. Those who want to practise the language they are learning can find key pals for e-mail exchanges, read and post weblogs, take part in live chat with other learners or even go into virtual worlds where they can learn the language.
Lingu@net website |
Business guides reprinted
16 May 2006
 RLN South West has reprinted a series of six business guides for exporting companies with support from UKT&I South West. The booklets are aimed at helping businesses with their foreign language and cultural needs.
Electronic copies of the six booklets are available for download in pdf format in the Publications section. |
Getting to grips with China
16 May 2006
Why is 'guanxi' so important in China, and what should you know about banquets?
Madeleine Sturrock, managing director of a consultancy specialising in China, explains the essentials of Chinese business culture.
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Dorset firms learn French in four days!
9 May 2006
Five Dorset based business people who aim to improve their international communications have taken part in an innovative pilot project to show that learning a language can be practical and fun. The Regional Language Network South West organised the four day intensive course in business French which offered a variety of activities including hypnosis and memory training.
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Spreading the word
May 2006
Steve Parrott, Business Language Champion and Director of Personnel at low cost airline Flybe, recently talked to a group of 50 students about the value of languages in business.
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Alien concepts: Britons working abroad
8 May 2006
In his article in the Guardian, Oliver Robinson explores how starting a job abroad may sound great, but the demands of coming to terms with a new language and culture can take their toll.
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Executives' opportunity to train in Japan or Korea
25 April 2006
The EU-sponsored Executive Training Programme (ETP) provides European executives with a unique opportunity to acquire and develop the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake top management jobs in Japan or Korea and to strengthen their company business presence in the East Asian region.
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Full steam ahead for languages in skills agenda
19 April 2006
The outlook for languages in specialised diplomas and apprenticeships has been given a major boost with the announcement by CILT of a new partnership.
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It's no longer enough just to say it louder
16 April 2006
A recent article in the Sunday Times warns that UK firms need to get up to speed on the languages and culture of their trading partners. It gives examples of companies which invest in language training for their staff, giving them a leading edge over their competitors.
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Languages lead to better jobs ... and a healthier economy
April 2006
The Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) has published a research report on learning modern foreign languages as part of vocational training courses.
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Britain still at bottom of table for speaking
foreign language
April 2006
Almost two in three Britons are unable to speak a language other than English, in effect the worst record in Europe, a survey for the European Commission has found. Sixty-two per cent of respondents from the United Kingdom admitted they could not speak any language other than their mother tongue.
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New CBI Chief is former FT editor
April 2006
Former Financial Times editor Richard Lambert has been named as the new head of the Confederation of British Industry in March.
Selected from over 300 candidates, Mr Lambert will succeed Sir Digby Jones, the current CBI director general.
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Multilingualism in the EU - new web portal
March 2006
The EU has launched a new web portal presenting information about its policies and activities regarding language learning and linguistic diversity. The site also explains about translating and interpreting in the EU, with its 20 official languages.
http://europa.eu.int/languages/en/home |
Avoid a fine in India!
March 2006
Do not hug or kiss in public - even when meeting at stations and airports - and do not smoke or consume alcohol publicly either.
These are some of the guidelines being given to tourists visiting a popular part of India's northwestern Rajasthan state to ensure they respect local culture. The guidelines come after a number of unfortunate cultural faux pas, including an Israeli couple kissing at their Hindu wedding ceremony who were subsequently fined $22.
If you are planning to visit India - or another foreign country - for business, have a look at the Country Guides on this website for some helpful background information to help you be aware of local sensitivities. |
Amazon leaves UK in search of multilingual workforce
March 2006
Internet store Amazon is closing its European customer service centre in Slough because it cannot find staff with the necessary foreign language skills - in particular French and German - in the area. The company is relocating to the Irish Republic where it believes it will be easier to find a plentiful supply of the multilingual people it wishes to employ, creating up to 450 jobs. |
Languages mean money - Update on foreign language guides for wildlife park
March 2006
Following publicity of the launch event in Cornwall, (see item below - Pupils create foreign language guide for wildlife park), Business Language Champion, Paradise Park, has already received three bookings from schools in France and Spain who want to come along and listen to the audio tour which was written and performed by the Hayle Community College students. |
Business Language Champions still going strong
March 2006
Although the Business Language Champions project in the South West has been completed, most of the businesses and schools continue to work together. Read an update on what the BLCs are doing.
More information |
Communicating across cultures
March 2006
In this article, Phillip Khan-Panni gives advice and presents a six-point plan to bear in mind when dealing with businesses abroad.
More information |
Pupils create foreign language guides for wildlife park
February 2006
Pupils from Hayle Community School in Cornwall have recorded three CD tour guides for foreign visitors to Paradise Park. Local TV and Barney the parrot attended the launch.
More information |
Global spread of English "is a threat to the UK"
February 2006
The global dominance of English now poses a major threat to the UK's international standing as the number of English speakers around the world nears 2 billion, according to a study commissioned by the British Council.
More information |
New guide for workers settling in the UK
February 2006
A new guide aimed at workers from abroad who are settling in the UK has been launched by Multicultural UK . The UK Guide for International Workers: Three Counties Edition will appeal to companies who employ international workers and need them to settle into the UK quickly and easily.
More information |
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