Wed 14 Dec 2011 - Language Training Website Developed by BY GMIT and 7 EU Partners
LANGUAGE TRAINING WEBSITE DEVELOPED BY GMIT AND SEVEN EU PARTNERS
NOW AVAILABLE IN IRISH
Award-winning website trains kitchen and restaurant workers in 12 languages
An award-winning language training website developed by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) and seven other EU partners is now available in 12 languages including Irish.
www.eurocatering.org, the free professional training website for the restaurant and catering industry, is accessible in Irish, English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Galician, Slovenian, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Polish and Italian.
The interactive language website has 34 sections showing individual scenes in a kitchen and restaurant environment. Each scene stimulates learners to acquire more words and terminology pertinent to the task. The scenes are supported by real-life dialogues with attractive characters and backgrounds.
The web-based language package will enable students to learn vocabulary and communicative skills for placements abroad in a kitchen or restaurant. It includes a portal which students and trainees use to consult extra reference material about their placement or to report on their stay abroad by means of a blog, photo album or video material. All developed materials can be used independently or as an add-on to any language course in the professional sector.
GMIT (representing Ireland) and partners in Belgium, Spain, Norway, Poland, German, Italy and Finland developed the EuroCatering Language Training Project over three years with funding from the European Commission’s Leonardo programme (€400,000). Already the online language learning tool has scooped six European Language Label Awards and CALICO 2010.
Delegates from the participating countries gathered in GMITon Thursday 24 November, to develop the next phase of the learning tool which will train workers in Reception, for a complete Hotel and Catering package.
GMIT’s Hotel School and Humanities School have worked together on the project along with the other EU partners.
Anne Brindley, Lecturer in French in the GMIT School of Humanities (and Ireland’s leader on the EuroCatering Language Training Project), says: “It’s a fantastic learning tool for all hotel students, trainees and workers in the restaurant, catering and hospitality industry.”
“We have 45 students currently using the website - they are assessed and graded on the website course which is now part of the GMIT Bachelor of Business in Culinary Arts programme. The students find it an excellent learning tool.” explains Ms Brindley.
Colin Gilligan, Lecturer in the GMIT Hotel School, says it is the perfect training tool for Hotel and Catering students going on European placements. “Every year we organise placements for our Hotel students in quality hotels and restaurants across Europe. This website course helps them communicate effectively in any kitchen and restaurant environment so they’ll feel confident on their first day on the job.”
Picture caption: GMIT EuroCatering Language Training Project
Members of the award-winning EuroCatering language training website pictured in GMIT last week (Thurs 24 Nov), l-r: Linde van Ishoven Linguapolis, Antwerp, Belgium, Mary MacCague, Head of GMIT Humanities School, Anne Brindley, Irish Project leader and French lecturer, Jim Mullin, Executive Director Leargas, Deputy Mayor of Galway City Ollie Crowe, Colin Gilligan, EuroCatering project and lecturer in Hospitality Studies, GMIT Hotel School, Christian Goethals, EuroCatering Project Manager, Belgium , and Cáit Noone, Head of GMIT Hotel School.
Regina Daly
Communications Office
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Dublin Road
Galway
Tel: 091-742 826 / 087-961 8355 (m)
Email: regina.daly@gmit.ie
Source: RAI
