Events and the third mission
CLAssi in campo
On May 24, an original language games tournament dedicated to elementary school classes was held in Campo San Polo: about 120 fourth and fifth year elementary school children participated in CLAssi in campo, the project of Ca' Foscari's University Language Centre (CLA) organised thanks to the collaboration of the Educational Services Sector of the Municipality of Venice, the Veneto Regional Command of the Guardia di Finanza ( The Financial Police) and with the contribution of ELI Publishing Group.
The classes played four entertaining traditional games conducted in Chinese, Spanish, English and French that gave them the opportunity to learn basic elements of diverse subject areas of the language involved such as numbers, colours, food and animals.
Numbers in Chinese no longer have any secrets after competing in 夺旗 (Capture the Flag); our chefs discovered that they were a bit British with the game Ready, Steady, Cook!; no problem recognizing colours in French with Les SUPER feux de circulation (the Traffic Light Game); hours and animals in Spanish were the stars of Abuelita, abuelita, ¿qué hora es? (a game similar to What’s the time Mr Wolf).
Thanks to the contribution of the ELI Publishing Group, Italy's leading publishing group in primary schooling which focusses on foreign languages, and which also has various extracurricular products, educational games and storybooks, all participating classes were given board games and language readings to share in the classroom.
During the mid-morning break, the schoolchildren were very interested to see and take part in a demonstration by the Guardia di Finanza canine unit. The Guardia di Finanza also offered logistical support to the event with its regional headquarters located right in Campo San Polo.
This project illustrates the natural inclination of the University Language Centre toward public engagement, dissemination of research and educational experiences and involvement, at all levels, with the local community, which is part, along with other activities, of a multi-year plan.
Once upon a time in a Yurt...
Have you ever wondered what language Marco Polo spoke with Kublai Khan?
Would you believe that Mongolian is a simple, mathematical and melodic language?
On May 16th, in the Garden of Palazzina Briati, we tried to answer these questions by organizing free informative meetings open to all and dedicated to the language and culture of Mongolia.
A land rich in charm, culture, history and traditions that immediately brings to mind varied landscapes: from green steppes to enigmatic deserts, while passing across immense plateaus.
Therefore, a real Mongolian yurt-a structure traditionally used by nomadic peoples as a dwelling-was set up in the Garden of Palazzina Briati, welcomed the curious audience who came to listen to Elisabetta Ragagnin's engaging stories and snippets of Mongolian language and culture.
The project also included, with the collaboration with the Educational Services Sector of the Municipality of Venice, morning meetings with local elementary school classes who, thanks to fairy tales from Central Asia, were transported to a magical world of loveable little animals headed by the marmot and her faithful companions.
Not just words. The European Day of Languages at the CLA
On September 26, 2023, on the occasion of the European Day of Languages, the University Language Centre of Ca' Foscari University Venice organised "Not Only Words” in the garden of Palazzina Briati. The Day of Languages at the CLA, a day of celebration and festivity is open to all, and combined a mosaic of activities, variously related to the study of foreign languages in the fields of culture, art, music and food and wine, as well as inclusivity.
The University Language Centre, in the spirit dissemination and popularization, opened its doors by offering a program with the eloquent title "Not Only Words." The event ranged from the promotion of languages, for which there were 12 thematic lectures - one for each language - from Italian Sign Language to Korean, passing through Arabic, Chinese, French, hieroglyphics, English, Italian for foreigners, Russian, Spanish and German; to their permeation of the social, artistic and economic fabric of society.
The CLA for the city. The CLA gives away culture
As part of its inherent propensity for constant improvement, the CLA has long activated a process of innovation and digitization of its teaching resources.
Moreover, in the first months of 2022, the CLA will change location: from San Sebastiano, the Centre will move to the nearby and fully restored Palazzina Briati. New and beautiful spaces that, however, will not include, for organizational issues, a room for consulting teaching materials.
For the occasion, from December 20th to 23rd, 2021, the CLA offered the entire available educational corpus of the library/media library as a Christmas gift: over 1,100 visitors participated in the initiative and over 3,300 books and DVDs found a new home.
In fact, we are convinced that culture is timeless and always deserves to be disseminated, even if the way information is stored evolves, which is why we trust it can be useful again by finding a different location in "new" bookcases!
Last update: 09/07/2024