Posts by John Speak
New career opportunities
Are you developing the foreign language skills of your staff? Does your company employ people who use foreign language skills on a regular basis? If yes, do you know how many people have those skills? Which languages does your company use? Does your company give temporary placements to overseas students? Applications are being invited from…
Read MoreNew Scholarship opportunity for wool/textile industry language student
An opportunity has arisen for the John Speak Language Trust to offer a language Scholarship to one lucky student. To apply for this scholarship you must be studying textiles/fashion design with direct connections to the UK wool industry. Are you/do you employ/do you teach a British-born citizen currently learning another language who has aspirations for…
Read MoreCase Study – Richard Freeman Germany 1961
In January 1961 (age 20) I boarded the train from Harwich via London followed by a short ferry journey to Holland. Another train journey took me to Breman Germany where I would stay for six months. On arrival in Bremen I was very homesick having never been away from home before. I arrived in January…
Read MoreFestive facts from around the world
France – France is widely known for its food and delicacies. People in the Provence region even go so far as to serve a sumptuous feast of seven main courses and 13 desserts at Christmas! Among the most popular festive dishes are: Fougasse (pancakes), nougat with honey and pistachios, pumpkin pie and dried fruits. Italy – In Italy…
Read MoreWishing you a very Merry Christmas!
The John Speak Trust would like to wish all it’s followers, scholars and past scholars a very Merry Christmas Feliz Nevada Feliz Natal vrolijk Kerstfeest 圣诞节快乐 Joyeux Noël Frohe Weihnachten …
Read MoreChristopher Wilson – Case Study, Germany 1969
“The John Speak Trust Scholarship was of great benefit to me personally and also to my career; a very useful and informative six months” At the age of 18, I was fortunate to receive a John Speak Language Trust Scholarship for six months. This allowed me to travel to Germany to improve my study of…
Read MoreGraham Moulson – Case Study 1963 to 1964
At age 72, looking back and having studied several foreign languages I have learned that language learning is similar to a jigsaw puzzle; learning one foreign language certainly helps when learning another. “Once you start dreaming in a foreign language it means you must have learnt it”. I was fortunate to have an Italian Professor…
Read MoreGeoffrey Padgett – Case Study, France 1953
In 1953 at age 22, I was fortunate to receive a Scholarship from the John Speak Trust to assist with my French studies. The Scholarship provided a small amount of funding towards my travel, lodgings and food during six months abroad. I received a mere £30 per month. I worked in the wool trade (salary…
Read MoreAnthony Kassapian – Case Study,
The year was 1960, I was nineteen years old, working in the wool trade for the family business, Kassapians (Combers) Limited. I applied for a John Speak Trust Scholarship to finance a six month study/voluntary working trip to France to improve my French and broaden my horizons. Unfortunately I had experienced a rocky start on…
Read MoreCongratulations to our new scholars!
We are very pleased to announce the Committee have recently awarded four new bursaries. Congratulations to our new scholars on receiving a John Speak Trust Scholarship! Keep checking the website for regular updates on how our new scholars are doing. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please click here for information about the…
Read MoreSamuel Franklin, March 2015
Following the start of lectures last month, I have had a relatively calm few weeks, but I did record a rap album.
Read MoreCongrats to Sian
Congratulations to our new scholar Sian! Sian has spent the first semester of her third year working in Strasbourg, France. She is studying a 4 year undergraduate degree in French, Spanish and European Union Studies. From September 2014 Sian has been working as a Marketing, Communication and Translation Intern for Decantala (a Barcelona-based wine merchant).…
Read MoreGood luck wishes Phoebe
Congratulations to our new scholar Phoebe! Phoebe will be travelling to Germany in March 2015 to study German at the University in Jena. In July 2015 Phoebe plans to start work in Germany We will keep you posted on Phoebe’s progress over the coming months! Good luck Phoebe
Read More快樂中國新年 Happy Chinese New Year
綿羊或山羊的一年 Year of the sheep (ram or goat) Ranking the eighth position of all the animals in Chinese zodiac, Sheep (Ram or Goat) represents solidarity, harmony and calmness. People born in the year of the Sheep are polite, mild mannered, shy, imaginative, determined and have good taste. On the negative side, they are sometimes pessimistic,…
Read MoreTony Lumb – Case Study, Germany (1959)
“I would most definitely recommend the John Speak Trust to others. My time spent abroad using a foreign language allowed me to learn a new language and culture in a different environment both physically and spiritually” In 1959 I was fortunate to receive a six month scholarship from the John Speak Language Trust. I was…
Read MoreManchester University – Love Languages Careers Panel, 5 March 2015
Love Languages Careers panel – 5 March 2015 Manchester University are currently recruiting alumni who use languages in their career to take part in our Love Languages careers panel event. You can find details of our previous events here. If you are interested in getting involved fill in this short survey or email richard.screaton@manchester.ac.uk
Read MoreJo Dawson – Case Study, France (1992)
Looking back, I can probably say that the 3 month scholarship from the John Speak Trust was one of the key defining points of my life – something for which I am extremely grateful. One of the many memories that I have of my John Speak Scholarship time in France was talking to the lorry…
Read MoreCongratulations Mark Green!
Many congratulations to Mark Green (John Speak Trust – Past Committee Chair) on being awarded the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany Well done Mark, keep up the good work!
Read MoreAmy Clark, Montpelier France – January 2015
Les vacances noëls ont terminés et je suis rentrée en France le 5 janvier, après avoir passé un trop bon noël avec ma famille et mes amis. J’ai fait beaucoup des choses différentes pendant les vacances; j’ai fait du shopping avec ma sœur, je suis sortie avec toute ma famille pour un repas et j’ai…
Read MoreCalling all previous John Speak Trust scholars – tell us your story
Have you received a John Speak Trust Scholarship or did/do you know someone who has? We would love to hear from you. Please contact the Trust and tell your story. Derek Platts received a Scholarship in 1954 and has very kindly provided his Case Study – read Derek’s story
Read MoreHappy New Year from the John Speak Language Trust
The John Speak Language Trust and the Trust Committee would like to wish you a wonderful and prosperous New Year. New Year Language Resolution – There is no better time to turn your dreams of learning a foreign language into a reality, new year, new start! Happy New Year …
Read MoreMichelle Dalgety – Case Study, Bilbao, northern Spain (1986)
The year was 1986; I was 21 years old and had just finished a Business Studies Course at Bradford College. I had taken a linguistics option with advanced French and beginners Spanish so when I learned about the John Speak Language Scholarships I was eager to go to Spain to bring both languages to a…
Read MoreDerek Peters – Case Study, Ascq, near Lille in France (1949)
Opening a recent news bulletin from the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, a reference to the John Speak Trust immediately caught my eye. I grew up knowing about the scholarships because my Dad was a fortunate recipient 65 years ago and the photographs and his tales about time spent in Northern France were a magical part…
Read MoreW. Brian Moeller – Case Study, Belgium & Germany (1963 & 1965)
At age 21 I travelled by train to Belgium to begin a six month John Speak Language Trust Scholarship. I studied French, stayed with a local family and worked for no pay whilst studying. In return for submitting a report each month (written in French) to the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, I received the princely…
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