They say that learning a language is much easier for those at an early age... fewer inhibitions, more time to learn, less to learn, and a brain designed for language learning. If you're like me, you would've also found learning a language to be a difficult task too (due to being an adult), and that has been in normal circumstances.
But can you imagine being 'forced' to move to a foreign country as a refugee, and NEEDING to learn a new language, but as an adult... where you have maybe the worries of trauma, of family, getting work, not knowing if you can stay etc etc.
In this episode of Hatrack Heroes! we welcome back Heinz Schiedemann, who along with the very special work he did for the Sri Lankans in 2004, has also become a foreign language teacher in Germany.
Heinz really gives us an insight in our chat into what it takes to be a foreign language teacher, especially to refugees. The need to be open, to be accepting, and the need to give someone an opportunity to learn in a positive environment, in order to give someone every chance to succeed.