This autumn, Húsavík Academic Centre will be launching a new and exciting Icelandic course, Saman í málinu, which is especially aimed at parents of children taking part in sports and leisure activities, but is open to anyone who wants to improve their vocabulary in this area. The course has been developed in collaboration with Völsung and Norðurþing, and the project received a grant from the Ministry of Education and Children's Affairs to carry it out.
The course is based, among other things, on the findings of the interview study among foreign residents in Norðurþing – Towards inclusion. The Icelandic Knowledge Network's experience in developing and teaching Icelandic courses for adults has also been a motivation for it to take new approaches to Icelandic teaching.
What makes Saman í málinu special is the emphasis on practical Icelandic, which helps parents with communication related to their children's sports and leisure activities. Parents learn vocabulary and communication skills that help them to take a more active part in their children's activities, communicate with coaches and teachers, and better follow what is going on.
Teaching will be in-person, but digital and other learning resources will be available to allow them to practise at home. The aim is to create cards that parents can take home to play with their children, thereby practising the vocabulary. This will make language learning a part of the family's daily life.
The aim of the course is to boost parents' confidence in using Icelandic, strengthen their connections with the local community and increase their participation in their children's sports and leisure activities. The Knowledge Network hopes that the course will be an important contribution to increased participation and inclusion of families from diverse backgrounds.