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
Paris, France 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.…
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…
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