Care Home Classes
About our Classes
Lingo Flamingo exists to make language learning interactive and accessible. We do this because we want everyone to experience the joy of learning a second language and to gain from the health benefits of bilingualism.
We do this by offering unique foreign language classes to older adults and to those living with dementia in care homes, day centres, and community locations across Scotland.
Our classes put the well-being of participants first through facilitating confidence building, creating connections between learners, stimulating the mind and offering something new and exciting. Incredibly, this has been shown to improve the participants’ decision-making and multi-tasking skills, heightening their ability to concentrate and communicate, meaning language learning is an activity unlike anything else on offer.
But don’t just take our word for it - here’s what our students have to say:
“At the beginning, I thought it would have been really difficult at my age, you don’t expect to be able to learn a new language. But the lessons were lovely and we got along very well. It’s good to try new things. It was really nice to have our Wednesday mornings together. It was nice to chat to everybody and have something to do and something to look forward to during the week. After the first lesson I wasn’t feeling shy anymore, because I knew it would be a lot of fun.”
— Betty, 85, Glasgow
“Learning a new language is fun and good exercise for your brain. You meet other people and realise you are not as old as you thought. There’s plenty of life out there - go out and meet it and make the most of it.”
Since launching in 2015 we’ve worked with individuals at all stages of dementia diagnosis. Over this time, the vast majority of our students have expressed their love for the classes and say they felt an increased sense of confidence and self-worth. What’s more, as carers and family members are allowed to join in, they are also able to draw great benefit from the experience.
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Well, the purpose is three-fold.
Firstly, language learning is unique in its ability to stimulate the mind and keep the brain young and healthy. Research shows that those who can speak a second language tend to develop dementia 4 to 5 years later than those of us who can only speak one. Being bilingual also makes you far more likely to recover from a stroke. These astounding facts mean that speaking a second language has greater benefits than any treatments or pharmaceutical interventions currently developed for brain ageing.
Secondly, language learning is a fun way to bring people together to build confidence, experience something new, learn about a different culture, create new connections, and have a laugh. For all the health benefits of language learning, we still want participants to feel relaxed and have a good time. That’s why we like to say language learning is good for the brain and good for the banter. When we get the learning environment right that’s when the benefits start to be seen: improved concentration, enhanced communication, heightened multi-tasking ability, and bolstered over-all well-being!
Finally, we have recently attained Approved Centre Status by SQA (Scottish Qualification’s Authority) meaning that we can now offer National Level 2 qualifications to our care home/day centre learners as part of their Lingo course! This wonderful development serves to reinforce the Lingo ethos that it’s never too late to learn, and that learning should be a life-long endeavour that can live on beyond school!
“The cognitive benefits of directed language learning are evident after just one week!”
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How do your past experiences of language learning shape up? Mindless memorisation? Endless repetition? Boring grammar? Difficult vocabulary?… How ever you experienced learning a language in the past, fling your preconceptions out the door because Lingo Flamingo does language learning as you’ve never seen it before.
Our experienced tutors know how to create the kind of relaxed, informal environment best suited to learning. We want students to have fun, to connect with fellow classmates, and to enjoy the journey of linguistic and cultural discovery.
Our classes are able to account for the whole spectrum of abilities through our specially designed multi-sensory teaching techniques. This simply means our classes include exercises that encompass sound, touch, scent, feel, and taste. One week students might be singing That’s Amore in Italian, sculpting the elegant landmarks of France, or sipping away at Spanish wine. The next week they may be playing traditional German games, discovering the traditions of Spain through flamenco music, or reinforcing their Italian with a cooking session.
No matter the activity, our classes incorporate memory tips throughout to help our learners remember new vocabulary and ideas. By doing this we not only make language immersive, fun, and accessible for all, we also act as a type of social cognitive therapy, or a “workout for the mind” as we like to call it.
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The Open University: Learning Languages with Senior Leaners - A Pioneering Social Care Staff Professional Learning Course.
We are proud to announce the launch of a new professional learning course for carers and care professionals aimed to make language learning accessible to senior learners in any care setting to enhance their well-being while tackling social isolation.
Fruit of our long-standing collaboration with The Open University in Scotland, the course Learning Languages with Senior Learners covers a variety of study materials revolving around the theory and practice of learning languages for the well-being of senior learners.
Training and Subscription Services
Training and Subscription services are aimed at care providers who wish to enhance their offerings and give accessible and fun language learning opportunities to their residents in the unique Lingo Flamingo style! If you are a care home manager looking to enable your staff to do more, or a well-being coordinator who wants to add another valuable skill to your strengths: the Training and Subscription option may be just what you were looking for.
Our classes are arranged wholly with older adults in mind, and our materials have been expertly designed to be accessible and engaging. Scroll through the gallery below to get an idea of our colourful textbooks.
Alongside these textbooks we also use a range of sensory props and exercises that encompass sound, touch, scent and taste. Such an approach allows us to work in a way that wholly accounts for the medical, physical, and mental health of learners.
Materials
Pricing
The prices for our brain-boosting language lessons are £45 per group of up to 12 students. These prices are inclusive of travel expenses, tailored lesson plans, workbooks and teaching materials. Classes run for a block of 10 sessions
If you would like to try out a lesson, then please Book a Taster Class by filling out the form below.
As a not-for-profit social enterprise, an important part of what is to make language learning as accessible as possible for everyone. If you therefore feel our classes are out of your budget, then please still get in touch, and we will look at working out funding to meet your needs.
Interested in booking a course with Lingo Flamingo? Book a taster class to see if joining the flock is the right fit for you!
Please note: taster classes are not available for individual learners looking to join our Community Classes. They are only available to care and community organisations looking to book courses for community groups or older learners.
Download our Portfolio to find out more about what we do and who we are.
Book a Taster Class
Italian
“You may have the universe if I may have Italy.” So wrote Italian composer Verdi, and he may be onto something. From its food, the envy of the world, to Michelangelo’s masterpieces, not to mention the grandeur of Rome or the Renaissance splendour of Florence, the country almost groans under the weight of its own beauty, incredible history and cultural cachet. If you join our Italian lessons, you’ll soon know your Tuscan torta from your tiramisu, learn the local lingo, and give yourself a taste of that sun-kissed slow life the Italians are famed for.
Spanish
Spain is known as Europe’s most passionate country - where food and wine are obsessions and landscapes lift the spirit, where music courses through the nation’s soul and the good life is lived in abundance. In fact, we Scots swap the drizzle for the sizzle in Spain above anywhere else! If you’re a Flamenco fanatic or fancy yourself to be as passionate as a Spaniard, dive right into Spanish lessons and vives la vida española...
Gaelic
If you’re interested in learning the ancient language of the Gaels, then Gaelic could be the right choice for you! Think misty glens and scenic islands, traditional music and festivals coupled with a large dose of Scottish heritage! If you fancy engaging in some Skye small talk, then why not give Gaelic a go?
French
Do you fancy yourself a bit of an old romantic? Perhaps you’re an art lover, a cheese or wine connoisseur - or even a dedicated follower of fashion? If romance, style and indulgence are your raisons d’être, you might like our French classes! You’ll feel like you’re wandering the cobbled streets of Paris, ordering the plat du jour with ease in no time!
German
If you enjoy sleek precision and having the perfect word for every scenario, you might find your footing in our German classes! A nation with a multitude of identities, you’ll not only learn more about its bustling cities and invigorating culture but lose yourself in the soul-stirring scenery of half-timber towns, romantic charm and Gemütlichkeit (cosiness). You’ll soon know your Bauernfrühstück from your Bratwurst!
SQA Accreditation
We have been granted Approved Centre Status by the SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) for our care home courses. This means that as well as experiencing all the cognitive benefits of language learning, our care home learners will also be able to study for a modern language qualification in either Gaelic, French, Spanish or Italian at National 2 level. For many, this may be a first formal qualification, underlining our belief that it’s never too late to learn!
If you are interested in learning more about the SQA accreditation process, check ‘yes’ on the relevant section of the taster class enquiry form at the top of the page.
Lingo’s Social Impact in 2023
Lingo Flamingo supported 900 older adults, across 57 care homes, with 54 of our students achieving an SQA qualification in 2023! Check out this short video to learn all about the Social Impact of our care home classes.
And read our full report here: