Taking part in the MiHi Eurovision

We caught up with Modern Languages graduate, Poppy, to discuss the MiHi Eurovision project she took part in this year, what she got up to and how it has helped strengthen her confidence in her chosen career path!

Hello! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself - what did you study, how did you come about choosing to study a language at University of Liverpool, and how did you hear about/get involved with міні Eurovision?

Hi! My name’s Poppy and I’ve recently graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Italian Spanish and French. I chose to study languages because I love meeting new people and learning about our differences in life experiences and cultures. For me, learning a language allows you to explore all of these things and connect with other people all over the world! When I heard about the міні Eurovision project from Lisa, I thought this would be a great way to pass on my love for languages and culture to young people and hopefully inspire the next generation of linguists.

Do you have any personal anecdotes or stories from students/participants that stand out as particularly meaningful?

I remember at the end of one of our teaching sessions we did a Q&A session where the children could ask me questions about university, languages and my degree etc. One Year 4 boy put his hand up and asked me what qualifications he would need in order to study languages at university  - it was so sweet to know that we had an impact on sparking an interest in languages!

Did your involvement in this project change your perspective on language learning, music, & education?

I think it was just refreshing getting to see young people with an opportunity to learn something new, have fun and feel proud about their accomplishments after performing in front of a live audience. Languages are so undervalued in England compared to everywhere else in the world and there is no push from the government to make learning a second language compulsory so as a result, we’re getting left behind in society. Language learning aids with a child’s development  and opens so many more doors for them in the future, so hopefully with the міні Eurovision project we helped reinforce this message.

What do think the schoolchildren took away from this experience of celebrating languages and music?

The headteacher at the school where I helped out at, came to speak to me and said that she had just renewed the school’s language learning packs for next year, but this time had added Italian after seeing how much the children enjoyed learning the Italian song during the міні Eurovision project! This was the key moment for me throughout the experience because it reflects the real impact that we’ve had on the local community in spreading our passion for languages. Also, Italian has such little interest in schools here in England (I picked it up as a beginner’s language in my first year of studies and it’s now my favourite one) so it was really powerful to hear that the school had decided to start teaching it as a result of our project.

Is there anything else you'd like to add or share with readers about the міні Eurovision project?

Lisa deserves so much credit for the project, she was a star in organising and getting everyone sorted and worked around the clock to get us all to the finish line! The performance in The Tung Auditorium was so powerful to experience and we couldn’t have done it without her.

Are there any other extra-curricular activities that you explored whilst being a languages student?

I was on committee for the Modern Languages Society where we ran events to bring international students and those interested in/studying languages together; it was great meeting so many different people and I’ve made some of my closest friends during my involvement there.

Since you took part in this project – what are you up to now? Has the project influenced anything you’re doing/have done between then and now?

Right now I’m in the process for applying for tutoring; the міні Eurovision project gave me the confidence to teach and I’ve always enjoyed working with children. I’m saving up to hopefully go travelling in a year or so and put my languages to use!

Watch the video to see exactly what happend during the MiHi Eurovision!