Today, 17 students from Norðurþing completed an Icelandic workplace training course run by Húsavík Academic Centre. The course is part of the project. The Travelling Teacher – Icelandic at the workplace, which aims to take Icelandic language teaching out of traditional classrooms and into workplaces, where classes are held during employees' working hours. The project's aim is to improve the Icelandic language skills of immigrants and make it easier for them to take an active part in society.
The teaching took place twice a week under the direction of Icelandic teacher, Dóra Ármannsdóttir. Emphasis was placed on practical training related to real-life situations in the workplace. According to Dóra, the students showed significant progress in a short space of time, both in vocabulary and in their ability to use Icelandic in their daily work.
The project is a collaboration between Norðurþing and its Cultural Diversity Officer, Nele Marie Beitelstein. Norðurþing has invested in access to the app. Just a number to support students' Icelandic studies. Just a number allows students to learn Icelandic through their own mother tongue or in English, which has proven to be extremely useful.
In addition, a thorough analysis of the needs of the participating sites was carried out before the training began, with an emphasis on adapting the curriculum to the specific needs of each workplace. This approach has proven particularly successful where remote teaching is not a viable option.
The Travelling Teacher – Icelandic at the workplace has already delivered tangible results and has created important opportunities for immigrants to improve their Icelandic skills. The partnership between The Knowledge Network and Norðurþing promises further exciting projects in the field of Icelandic language teaching.
