Author: Sylvia Warnecke, Open University in Scotland
Primary teacher languages training programme pilot
The OU/SCILT training programme, ‘Learning to teach languages in primary school’, has started its first presentation as a pilot in French and Spanish with 55 students from nine local authorities stretching from Shetland to the Scottish Borders. Depending on the success of the pilot, the plan is to roll out the programme in French, Spanish and German to primary teachers in all local authorities across Scotland from 2018 onwards.
Open Educational Resource (OER) on Scots language and culture
The OU is in the process of producing an OER with the aim of contributing to the continuing professional learning of teachers and other tutors; in particular, to complement the past and continuing activity of Education Scotland in this field. The course focuses on Scots as a living language as well as the history and linguistic development of Scots. This short, badged course is produced in collaboration with Education Scotland and expert authors from this field. The course will be launched in spring 2018.
Languages modules uptake in the OU's Young Applicants in Schools (YASS) offering
The Open University in Scotland offers a range of fully-funded places on their Level 1 modules, including 12 languages modules, to pupils in S6 across Scotland to bridge the gap between school and university, college or employment. In 2017, 164 students from 28 local authorities across Scotland enrolled onto one of these languages modules. Most popular this year are Spanish and German, from beginners to Level B1, as well as Italian for beginners.
Find out more about YASS
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