Kletskoppen

Kletskoppen (‘Chatterboxes’) allows children from diverse backgrounds to discover the science behind language, so that they increase their enjoyment of language, broaden their view of science, and appreciate their own (multilingual) knowledge. Our activities include festivals in libraries and community centres, and lessons in schools about 'being a scientist' using language science. Festivals engage children and their families in science demos and games, complemented by cultural offerings. Lessons focus on topics like multilingualism, sign language, and language and DNA. Kletskoppen, an initiative of Radboud University and Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, increases the visibility of language science by showing that you can do serious science with language and that language is more than reading and writing. Migrant children feel empowered when their linguistic and cultural expertise is considered an asset rather than a liability, and girls can see language as a gateway into science. We collaborate with educational and social organisations at the local and national level to engage children with limited science capital. Everyone, young and old, is familiar with language. As such, everyone has the potential to become a language scientist.

Kletskoppen is the Project of 2023 Falling Walls Engage Winner Sharon Unsworth.