Do you think you can use your ingenuity to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, interpret Tenji (the Japanese equivalent of Braille), or break the code of an Armenian railway map?
The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) is a national contest in which secondary school students must develop their own strategies for solving complex problems. These problems are based on fascinating languages from around the globe. AILO is run by the ADAPT Centre.
More than 14,000 Irish students have competed in the Olympiad to date. The Problem-Solving Initiative will facilitate further growth of the Olympiad, including the introduction of regional problem-solving workshops for students and teachers.
No prior knowledge of linguistics or a second language is required, as even the hardest problems require only logical thinking, patient work, and a willingness to think around corners.
AILO introduces students to the application of logic and linguistics (i.e. the study of human language) to problems of language understanding and translation. The goal is to develop students’ problem-solving skills and to inspire them to consider the fascinating range of careers at the intersection of computing, linguistics and language.
A survey of participants at the AILO 2016 national final in March 2016 revealed that 93% of participants claim that the contest has helped develop their problem-solving ability, thus enhancing the lateral thinking skills necessary for STEM careers. 81% said they would consider studying computing and languages at third-level, compared to 47% before the contest.
Already more than 2,700 students have signed up for AILO 2017. Don’t miss out! Sign up now to receive monthly sample puzzle packs to train your brain!
For more on the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad, visit www.adaptcentre.ie/ailo
