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Lazarenko O., Petrunyk N.

Bukovyna State Finance Academy,Ukraine

LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

      Cambridge is known all over the world. It is the second oldest university in Great Britain after Oxford. In Cambridge students have a great opportunity to learn a large number of various foreign languages. They learn French, Spanish, German and Italian. All of them are studied at the highest level.

      Studying in Cambridge University students may choose Modern and Medieval Languages (MML). [1]

      There are several good reasons. Students study two foreign languages, one of which they can learn from scratch. They become fluent in both and have the chance to gain in–depth knowledge about the culture, history, cinema, literature, art, politics, philosophy, values and ideas of other countries. Students can learn linguistics. At first, they choose which areas and languages they want to focus on, tailoring the course to their interests. They develop multiple skills. Students are aiming to acquire virtually the same grammatical accuracy, expressive range, and fluency as a native speaker. They learn how to translate from and into the language, and write creatively and accurately in the language. [1]

      The MML course lasts four years, with their third year spent abroad. In the first year, students study two languages, at least one at post–A Level/IB Higher Level standard. They can start any language from scratch, with the exception of French where A Level/IB Higher Level standard is required. As their progress, they can start specializing in one language, and in their final year, they can choose options in one language only. However, most students keep up both languages throughout their degree. [1]

      Teaching is made up of lectures, seminars, language classes (many of which are in the target language), intensive oral work in small groups, and supervisions. For their supervisions, students prepare written work which they then discuss and explore the subject further. In their first year, they can generally expect around 12–14 hours of teaching time each week. [1]

      They can study two out of:

·  French

·  German

·  Italian

·  Portuguese

·  Russian

·  Spanish

 

      The course is divided into successive Parts – IA, IB and II – with an Honours examination at the end of each. [1]

      Student`s time abroad can be spent in one of three ways. They can attend a foreign university, become an English–speaking assistant in a school abroad, or seek voluntary or paid work overseas. For example, Cambridge students have spent their third year:

·       working with a law firm in Buenos Aires

·       studying art history in Rome

·       volunteering with the International Baby Food Action Network in Brazil

·       conducting an orchestra in St Petersburg

      Students can tailor their year to suit their interests and ambitions, the only formal requirements being that they must spend at least eight months of it abroad, and they must be in daily contact with the foreign language they're studying. [1]

      Now it is possible to learn Ukrainian as a second foreign language in Cambridge University. In Cambridge (UK) on a regular basis opens Ukrainian program in which students can learn the Ukrainian language and culture. The opportunity to learn Ukrainian language and culture will be provided to students not only the linguistics department, but also a cultural studies department. This means that they offer students courses in history. [2]

      As noted by S. Franklin, before opening Ukrainian Program in Cambridge Ukrainian program (initiated by the Department of Slavic Studies supported by Ukrainian businessman Dmitry Firtash) was operated. Its work was aimed at deepening knowledge about Ukraine in society and creating a new perspective and innovative approaches in the study countries. More than forty students have been studying Ukrainian language at Cambridge for two years. According to S. Franklin, financing of Ukrainian permanent programs is also implemented with the support of D. Firtash. [2]

      The head of Ukrainian Program in Cambridge University Rory Finnin noted that there is great need for continuous study of the Ukrainian language and culture among Europeans. [2]

      In Europe, there was no such program long ago. Much attention in the Ukrainian program Cambridge is paid to public education. The program holds popular annual Festival of Ukrainian Cinema, as well as public lectures and seminars about contemporary Ukraine. Also students study the works of Ukrainian writers of the XIX-XX centuries. [2]

      We can decline, that Cambridge University gives a great opportunity to its students to learn all wide-spread foreign languages. People of different countries and nations have to get along well with the progress in world trade and technology as well as with each other.

Resourses:

1. http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/mml/

2. http://education.unian.net/ukr/detail/189235