Setting Up a Language Learning Environment in Microsoft Teams

The Language Zone at the University of Leeds, UK, is well established as a hub for language learners across the campus, both those on language courses and those studying languages independently for a variety of reasons. It has been operating entirely online since March 2020 and will do so until the campus fully re-opens. This written account gives a brief overview of the changes made to the Language Zone’s services and provision of learning materials in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including how the team members’ roles were adapted to ensure staff skills were taken into account. In addition to showing how services were maintained when the campus was closed at short notice and teaching was moved online until further notice, the study outlines how the Language Zone developed a platform to support the 2020 summer pre-sessional programmes to be delivered completely online. Finally, reflecting on the recent achievements and considering how to support students in the future, it aims to inspire other self-access centres to think about what they can do to develop their services in response to the crisis and beyond.