In October 2021, the Languages section of CLCC was approached by a colleague from the CDT React team based at White City with a request for a bespoke German course. All 20 participants are doctoral students within the department of Chemistry and funding was kindly made available from the German chemical company BASF, with whom some PG students hold PhD scholarships.
The 15-week course, taught by Ms Julia Dörfler and offered at the White City campus in the evenings, runs at beginners’ level, with a small number of colleagues with existing language skills able to join at a later stage. Although the course covers grammar and syntax essentials, content is tailored to technical topics with the main aim of enabling students to communicate basic concepts about their PhD projects in presentations during a visit to Ludwigshafen, Germany.
In addition to technical and scientific language, general everyday communication skills are also included in the 1.5 hour classes. Overall, the standard four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) are covered with the main focus is on the acquisition of oral as well as aural ability.