Goethe Institut: Creating the world of Wuschel
2026-03-17 08:00 - 2026-07-31 17:00 (Europe/London) | Goethe Institut, 50 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2PH, United Kingdom
Exhibition of Axel Scheffler’s original sketches and illustrations for Wuschel auf der Erde

In this exhibition, visitors are invited into the imaginative world of Axel Scheffler through a series of original illustrations. Known to many for iconic works such as The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, Axel here reveals his work created for Wuschel auf der Erde, the Goethe-Institut’s primary German textbook published in autumn 2024.

Already part of the learning journey of more than 3,600 young language enthusiasts across the UK, the book introduces Wuschel and Miki—two new characters whose universe is both fantastical and warmly familiar.

Presented together for the first time are early character studies, developmental sketches, and final artworks that illuminate Axel’s distinctive creative process. The evolution of these images—along with the typography and visual language that accompany them—offers an intimate glimpse behind the scenes. What emerges isa vibrant constellation of creatures, forms, and ideas, each stage revealing the careful shaping of a world designed to spark curiosity, delight, and linguistic discovery

Goethe Institut: Wuschel German Day – Taster Session - KS2
2026-06-16 10:15 - 15:30 | Goethe Institut, 50 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2PH, United Kingdom
Taster day German
Key stages2 – Little to no prior knowledge of the German language
Activities:

Interactive Wuschel exhibition: Pupils learn their first German words and help “Wuschel” with his mission by working in teams to solve tasks and riddles at multi-media stations (approx. 2 hours)
Pupils learn more about Axel Scheffler’s creation process of Wuschel by viewing original sketches
Afternoon: Movie showing “Das fliegende Klassenzimmer”

Depending on age and language level of the students, you can pick from a wide range of activities, making the most suitable program for you at the Goethe-Institut London.
Group prices:1-25 students – GBP 17525-50 students – GBP 35051-65 students – GBP 455
Participation is free of charge for accompanying teachers.
UPDATE 17.05.26. To celebrate the festival, we’re delighted to offer a special 10% discount on this event for participating school groups. With the voucher code GERMAN10, receive 10 % off and join us for inspiring encounters, interactive experiences, and an authentic taste of contemporary German culture.

A taster in ... Dari!
2026-06-16 17:00 - 18:00 | London
POSTPONED

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Dari taster planned for 5pm on 16th June 2026 has been postponed. As soon as a new date has been confirmed we will post it here.

Thank you for your understanding.

A taster in … Sylheti/Siloti!
2026-06-16 19:30 - 20:30 | London
An online event.

Sylheti is spoken by an estimated 20 million people worldwide — including the majority of British Bangladeshis (over 400,000 speakers in the UK).It has its own ancient script, its own folk music tradition, and is still seeking recognition as a language in its own right.👋 Join us this free online taster and discover a language with a rich oral culture, tonal sounds unlike anything in standard Bengali, and a vibrant diaspora community right here in the UK.Whether you’re (re)connecting with your Sylheti heritage or a non-speaker curious about one of London’s most widely spoken community languages, this is going to be a great session!

Registration: Send an email to the project to receive more information and a link to the Google Meet platform.

Disclaimer

This event will be organised and delivered by an external provider. Responsibility for content, security and safeguarding rests with the organiser. LCoL does not moderate or manage external events.

St Mary's University Modern Language Poetry Live event
2026-06-17 18:00 - 20:00 | London
Competition – Poetry Live … en français, auf deutsch, en español
By invitation.
What is it?
Poetry Live is a competition, organised and hosted by St Mary’s University, for Year 8 pupils from schools who regularly host St Mary’s trainee teachers on placement. The focus is on spoken poetry performance in French, German and Spanish. There are three main aims of the competition:
• To celebrate language learning for pleasure and challenge
• To develop memorisation and pronunciation skills
• To explore literature and culture through poetry in another language
We have identified Year 8 pupils for this competition to motivate and encourage them at a crucial stage in their language learning. Please note that the competition is aimed at non-native speakers of the language.

A taster in … Sylheti/Siloti!
2026-06-18 20:00 - 21:00, 2026-06-20 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-21 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-06-23 19:30 - 20:30, 2026-06-25 20:00 - 21:00 | London
An online event.

Sylheti is spoken by an estimated 20 million people worldwide — including the majority of British Bangladeshis (over 400,000 speakers in the UK).It has its own ancient script, its own folk music tradition, and is still seeking recognition as a language in its own right.👋 Join us in this free online taster and discover a language with a rich oral culture, tonal sounds unlike anything in standard Bengali, and a vibrant diaspora community right here in the UK.Whether you’re (re)connecting with your Sylheti heritage or a non-speaker curious about one of London’s most widely spoken community languages, this is going to be a great session!

Registration: Send an email to the project to register.

Disclaimer

This event will be organised and delivered by an external provider. Responsibility for content, security and safeguarding rests with the organiser. LCoL does not moderate or manage external events.

A taster in ... Tamil!
2026-06-19 13:00 - 14:00 | London
Step into a language where every greeting carries warmth, every good wish feels like a blessing, and even simple phrases unfold with musical elegance. Tamil – one of the world’s oldest living classical languages – offers a script that flows like art and sounds that dance with rhythm.In this taster, you’ll explore how Tamil expresses likes and dislikes with charm, how its alphabet is built on melodic patterns, and how everyday greetings open doors to connection and kindness. You’ll also try a few practical exercises to taste the beauty of the language for yourself.

It’s a gentle, joyful introduction to a language with over 2,000 years of literary history and a living global community.

This free event for adults will be held online using Microsoft Teams. Click here to register.

A taster in … Albanian!
2026-06-24 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
Did you know that the Albanian language is a branch of its own within the Indo-European language family? To explore some of the features that make this language so unique, join Dr Mirela Xhaferraj, Albanian Language Tutor at UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies Short Courses, for an engaging introductory taster session.
During this one-hour session, you will have the opportunity to hear the sounds of Albanian, become familiar with its alphabet, learn a few simple phrases, and discover aspects of the fascinating Albanian language and culture in an interactive and fun way.
Come along and take your first step into the Albanian language and culture!
This free event for adults will be held online using Microsoft Teams. Click here to register.

Goethe Institut: Special German Day – Culture and Society - Pride Month - KS3/4
2026-06-25 10:15 - 15:30 | Goethe Institut, 50 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2PH, United Kingdom
Taster day German
Key stages2 – Little to no prior knowledge of the German language
To celebrate queer culture and society in Germany, we offer a Special German Day during Pride Month.
Activities:

Workshop on queer culture and society in Germany
Young Goethe Presentation
Library Hunt
Film screening

Group prices:1-25 students – GBP 17525-50 students – GBP 35051-65 students – GBP 455
Participation is free of charge for accompanying teachers.
UPDATE 17.05.26. To celebrate the festival, we’re delighted to offer a special 10% discount on this event for participating school groups. With the voucher code GERMAN10, receive 10 % off and join us for inspiring encounters, interactive experiences, and an authentic taste of contemporary German culture.

A taster in ... Danish!
2026-06-26 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
With its shared Germanic roots, Danish has more in common with English than many people realise. This interactive taster offers a fast-paced introduction to the language – and you may be surprised by how much you can understand (and say) in just one session.
We’ll work with core structures and high-frequency vocabulary to get you communicating quickly, while also exploring the distinctive sounds of Danish.
By the end, you’ll be building simple sentences, spotting familiar patterns and showing off some real, usable Danish.
The taster is delivered by Anne Grydehøj, Associate Professor in Danish at UCL.
This free event for adults will be held online using Microsoft Teams. Click here to register.

Disclaimer

This event will be organised and delivered by an external provider. Responsibility for content, security and safeguarding rests with the organiser. LCoL does not moderate or manage external events.

A taster in ... Portuguese!
2026-06-26 18:30 - 19:15 | Online
Try, hear, and enjoy Portuguese in a fun and welcoming taster session!

As part of the London City of Languages – Festival of Languages 2026, this interactive taster session offers a welcoming introduction to the Portuguese Language — one of the many languages that shape London’s rich linguistic landscape.
Spoken by over 260 million people worldwide, Portuguese is a global language — and in London, it is also a language of community, identity, and belonging.

This free event will be held online and will be hosted by Biblioteca Brasileira Casa do Livro and Escola de Português Sabiá Dúvida Click here to register.

What to Expect
This beginner-friendly session is designed for anyone curious about the Portuguese language.
You will:

Learn basic expressions in Portuguese
Explore pronunciation through fun, guided activities
Discover cultural elements connected to language
Engage in interactive and participatory learning

No prior knowledge is needed.
Why This Matters
Languages are more than tools for communication — they are carriers of culture, memory, and identity.
This session also offers insight into the role of community-led and heritage language education in cities like London, where over 200 languages are spoken.
Who Is This For?

Adults curious about learning a new language
Families interested in multilingualism
Educators and researchers
Community members and cultural enthusiasts

This session is a collaboration between:
Casa do Livro – Biblioteca BrasileiraA community-led initiative promoting access to Portuguese-language literature and cultural engagement in the UK.
Escola de Português Sabiá DúvidaA heritage language school dedicated to teaching Portuguese through inclusive, culturally responsive practices.

Online Business Lunch: German and a career in the public sector
2026-06-29 11:00 - 12:00 | London
The Goethe website has full details of this event and a link to registration.

Excerpt:

In a live online conversation on Monday, 29th June, Sophie Bailey (Derby City Ambassador in Osnabrück, Germany) will speak to the Goethe-Institut about her career and experiences with learning German.

Participation in the event is free of charge but we ask teachers to collect questions from their students and share them with the Goethe-Institut (email to gimagine@goethe.de) before the event.

To make to talk more interactive and engaging for all participants are prividing a template for a speaker’s profile which participants may complete during the talk:

Speaker’s Profile – for print(PDF, 175 KB)

Speaker’s Profile – interactive PDF(PDF, 184 KB)For additional ressources and teaching materials, please visit: Fit for the GCSE: Topical Exam Preparation

The event will be held in English with a short introduction in German at the beginning.

Target group: Y9 – Y13 / S2 – S6

Disclaimer

This event will be organised and delivered by an external provider. Responsibility for content, security and safeguarding rests with the organiser. LCoL does not moderate or manage external events.

Where will languages take me?
2026-06-30 09:00 - 10:00 | Online
A lively, uplifting online session designed to help pupils see the real possibilities that languages open up and to encourage them to continue their language studies to GCSE level and beyond! Teachers can register and project the session ‘live’ in classrooms, or access the recording later to share with classes.

Speakers from across London will share their own language journeys: the languages they’ve learned, the places to which they have travelled, the people they’ve met, the skills that learning languages have brought them and how they use languages in their work.

Organised by the British Council in partnership with London: City of Languages.
Registration required.
Join online and access the accompanying pupil booklet.
Schools from across the UK are welcome to attend.

A taster in ... Japanese!
2026-06-30 13:00 - 13:50 | London
What does Japanese culture and language mean to you?

There is a vast geographical distance between the United Kingdom, located on the Western edge of Europe, and Japan, located on the Eastern edge of Asia. However, the UK and Japan share a surprising number of similarities, from their island heritage to their traditional culture. But what about language? Why not take this opportunity to experience a little Japanese for yourself and discover how learning the language can deepen your understanding of the connections between our two countries?

Join our Japanese taster session and take your first step into the language and culture of Japan!

Date/Time: 30th June 2026Format: Online (Zoom)

What to ExpectThis is a beginner-friendly session designed to benefit those with no experience of studying Japanese or those who have never been to Japan.

During this session, you will:

Participate in an interactive 50-minute-lesson using PowerPoint.Learn more about the geography of Japan.Discover Japan’s location and geographical features.Learn Japanese place names and words used to describe nature.Learn some Japanese kanji characters – how to write them and their meanings.You do not need to have any prior knowledge of Japan or Japanese!

Who can join?This session is for people aged 18 and over.We will prioritise applications from those who have never been to Japan or studied Japanese.

Delivered by:Rui Lee Sensei from the University of Warwick.The taster session will be held using materials developed by The Japan Foundation, London (Rui Lee Sensei was one of the collaborators on this project).This event is part of the London Festival of Languages (part of the London City of Languages project).

Register for the Japanese Language Taster here.

Date/Time: 30th June 2026 (Tuesday), 13:00 to 13:50 (50 minutes)

Disclaimer

This event will be organised and delivered by an external provider. Responsibility for content, security and safeguarding rests with the organiser. LCoL does not moderate or manage external events.

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A taste in ... te reo Māori
2026-06-30 13:00 - 14:00 | London
Kia ora!

Join this lively introduction to te reo Māori, the language of the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

This friendly and interactive session will introduce you to a language that has experienced remarkable revival in the past 30 years, and is now a part of everyday life in Aotearoa.

We’ll learn some simple phrases for greeting and farewelling people, some fun colloquial sayings, and gain a brief insight into the cultural world of Māori.

Kiwiroa Marshall is a London-based Māori educator and cultural advisor, and senior member of Ngāti Rānana, the London Māori Club.

Nau mai, haere mai.

A taster in … Georgian!
2026-06-30 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Georgian is one of the most unique and fascinating languages in the world, with its own ancient script and a rich cultural heritage that sets it apart from any other language family. Curious to discover something truly different?

Join us -Keti Kalandadze and Marine Tigishvili – for a one-hour introductory session. We will guide you through the basics of this beautiful and distinctive language.

You will get a first taste of the beautiful Georgian alphabet, pronunciation, and simple expressions, while also exploring intriguing cultural insights from Georgia’s long and vibrant history. Through interactive and enjoyable activities, you will get the chance to try speaking Georgian.

We look forward to seeing you!

Register to join us on the British Council Microsoft Teams platform here.

Goethe Institut: German Day - Careers with German - KS4/5
2026-07-02 10:15 - 15:30 | Goethe Institut, 50 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2PH, United Kingdom
Target audience: Key Stage 4-5 with minimum two years of learning German
Activities:

Workshop “Karriere mit Deutsch”
Young Goethe Presentation
Library quiz
Movie showing “Into the Beat” or “Der ganz große Traum”

Depending on age and language level of the students, you can pick from a wide range of activities, making the most suitable program for you at the Goethe-Institut London.
Group prices:
1-25 students – GBP 175
25-50 students – GBP 350
51-65 students – GBP 455
Participation is free of charge for accompanying teachers.

Spanish and Latin American Literature Book Group
2026-07-02 19:00 - 20:00 | London
A monthly Online Book Group in Spanish – each month, we read a book from a different Spanish-speaking country and discuss it online in Teams. This is a free activity; the only requirement is fluency in Spanish. It is free to participate; you only need to get your book or ebook. We meet the first Thursday of each month except for August.

Register to join via the website here

Any queries, please contact Event organiser:

Disclaimer

This event will be organised and delivered by an external provider. Responsibility for content, security and safeguarding rests with the organiser. LCoL does not moderate or manage external events.

Explore, Learn, Connect: A Festival of Languages and Cultures at Goldsmiths
2026-07-03 10:00 - 15:00 | Goldsmiths, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom
This is a private event, by invitation only.

The Arabic Teachers’ Council in London and Southern England in collaboration with the Teachers’ Centre at Goldsmiths, University of London, are hosting a one-day festival of languages and cultures for language teachers to celebrate London City of Languages.
Language teachers will participate in:

Taster sessions in five languages including Arabic, French, German, Mandarin, and Spanish
Creative and reflective multilingual and intercultural activities

Language teachers will have the opportunity to experience language learning from a learner’s perspective, gaining fresh insights to enrich their own teaching practice. They will explore innovative and creative approaches to multilingual and intercultural learning, while connecting and collaborating with a diverse community of fellow language educators. This festival offers a unique space for professional learning, inspiration, and reflection.

Date: Friday July 3rd 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (including a middle eastern lunch)
Venue: Goldsmiths, University of London

Registration is by invitation and participants must register for the full day.
https://arabicteacherscouncil-london.com/home

Goldsmiths, University of London | Goldsmiths, University of London

Hackney Languages Conference
2026-07-03 12:30 - 16:45 | The Urswick Secondary School, Paragon Road, London, E9 6NR
Download programme here.

Aims of the annual conference:

● To share examples of good practice in Hackney and beyond and to lookforward to personal and school developments next year

12.30 Lunch and networking

13:10 Gillian Machin, Lead for Languages at the DfE, on progressfollowing the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR)

13:30 Paul Thomas (Executive HT of Parkwood), Robin Warren (Executive HT of The Blossom Federation), Dele Rotimi (HT of The Urswick School TBC)Talk about their language visions plus a Q&A

14:00 Raquel Tola Rego leads a practical session on teaching DT through Spanish with Year 10 students from The Urswick School

14:40 Michael Slavinsky (Languages for All) on the innovative projects to boost language A level numbers

15:20 BREAK

15:50 Bernadette Clinton on supporting Multilingual Learners plusInternational Opportunities through Erasmus+ projects

16:30 Evaluation and Exit ticket

16:45 Finish

Registration and Logistics● 50 available places at the conference (please register early to secure a place)● No parking available at the school● No charge for schools to attend● Register by 26 June by emailing Bernadette.clinton@hackney.gov.uk

Goethe Institut: German Day - Careers with German - KS4/5
2026-07-07 10:15 - 15:30, 2026-07-16 10:15 - 15:30 | Goethe Institut, 50 Princes Gate, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2PH, United Kingdom
Target audience: Key Stage 4-5 with minimum two years of learning German
Activities:

Workshop “Karriere mit Deutsch”
Young Goethe Presentation
Library quiz
Movie showing “Into the Beat” or “Der ganz große Traum”

Depending on age and language level of the students, you can pick from a wide range of activities, making the most suitable program for you at the Goethe-Institut London.
Group prices:1-25 students – GBP 17525-50 students – GBP 35051-65 students – GBP 455
Participation is free of charge for accompanying teachers.
UPDATE 17.05.26. To celebrate the festival, we’re delighted to offer a special 10% discount on this event for participating school groups. With the voucher code GERMAN10, receive 10 % off and join us for inspiring encounters, interactive experiences, and an authentic taste of contemporary German culture.

A taster in ... French!
2026-07-09 13:00 - 14:00 | London
This session will offer a lively introduction to French through the lens of the Francophone community in London. Often described as the “sixth largest French city” due to its large and vibrant French-speaking population, London provides a unique setting where French is actively used in everyday life. The session will focus on practical, real-world language drawn from cafés, cultural events, as well as schools and workplaces across the city. You’ll explore how French is spoken within these communities while building a good understanding of the basics of the language and gaining confidence in listening and speaking through interactive, accessible activities.

This free event for adults will be held online using Microsoft Teams. Click here to register.

Thirukural: The Ancient Tweet
2026-07-11 11:00 - 12:00 | East Ham Library, 328, Barking Road, London, E6 2RT, United Kingdom
Come and explore Thirukural: The Ancient Tweet—a fascinating look into a Tamil classic that serves up universal wisdom in bite-sized pieces. Presented proudly by the Directorate of Heritage Language Education (UK) in partnership with Newham London, this special event is a wonderful part of our South Asian Heritage Month 2026 celebrations, honouring the deep richness of South Asian culture and history!

Whether you are deeply familiar with the Thirukural or discovering it for the very first time, this presentation is open to everyone. Let’s celebrate South Asian culture and heritage together!

A taster in … Estonian!
2026-07-13 18:30 - 19:30 | Online
“Estonian is a language spoken in North-Eastern Europe” – right or wrong? Actually, you can hear Estonian even in the UK, as there are about 10,000 Estonians living here. It sounds so different from English. Of course, it is not even an Indo-European language. It is the second largest Finnic language with approximately 1 million speakers worldwide. It has the strange-looking vowel “õ”, and three durations for both vowels and consonants.

Curious about learning a bit more about Estonian and Estonian culture? We offer a taster session for learners with no prior knowledge, where you will get an introduction to everyday Estonian, pronunciation, simple phrases, and some insights into Estonian culture. Whether you are planning to travel, interested in languages, or looking for a new intellectual challenge, this is a great opportunity to try something different and meet like-minded learners. So, do come along!

This free event for adults will be held online using Microsoft Teams and will be led by Katrin Hiietam, Lecturer in Estonian, UCL.

Click here to register.

A Taster in ... Arabic!
2026-07-21 13:00 - 13:45 | London
Discover a language where everyday words carry generosity, where expressions of hope and goodwill are woven into conversation, and where the sound of the language has a calm, resonant clarity. Arabic has grown across centuries of scholarship, storytelling, and artistry, and its script – instantly recognisable – forms elegant shapes that invite curiosity.

During this taster, you’ll get a feel for how Arabic handles likes and dislikes in a straightforward, expressive way, explore how its letters connect to form flowing written lines, and learn how greetings reflect a culture known for warmth and hospitality. You’ll also take part in simple, hands‑on activities to experience how the language works in practice.

This session offers a relaxed introduction to a language with a long intellectual heritage and a lively global presence.

This free event for adults will be led by LCoL Steering Group member, Dr Fatima Khaled, hosted by British Council and held online using Microsoft Teams. Click here to register.
