Events

Online

The theme for our secondary Big Question workshops this year is Developing a linguistic mindset; we are looking at what that means, why it matters and how we can create a learning environment which encourages it, to the benefit of our learners. 

If you haven’t looked at it before, you may find this report useful in considering this concept.

Workshop 3: Experiencing Language

Thursday 14 May 4.00 – 5.15

In this workshop we will discuss the notion of developing a linguistic mindset through the language that learners experience. How can we ensure that this is age-appropriate, relevant to them, and will lead to authentic linguistic experiences and practices? There will be lots of opportunity for discussion, hearing from Heather Wilson, our special guest practitioner and asking questions. Come and join us! 

Look out for information and booking details for our final Big Question workshop in this series (Workshop 4 title: Celebrating Language on Thursday 11 June @ 4pm) later this term.

All of our seminars are free to attend and are open to all secondary languages teachers and student teachers. The Big Question sessions will be hosted on MS Teams and will not be recorded.

For more information and to book your place, visit the website.

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Online

Join the Twinkl TeachMeet to explore how to use puppets in primary languages to encourage communication and engagement, and to develop speaking and listening skills.

Learn how to create simple, low-cost puppets in minutes - no crafting experience needed! - and discover a range of engaging ways to use them in your language lessons to build confidence and communication skills.

Visit the website for more information and to book your place at the free, online event.

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Online

This seminar will offer clear guidelines for designing effective assessment tasks - from choosing the right exercise type and writing strong prompts to selecting meaningful distractors and distributing gaps strategically. With practical examples and up to date linguistic tools, the session will show how to create activities that meet real communicative needs and genuinely motivate learners.

The event is organised by Cursos Internacionales – University of Salamanca, Editorial Edinumen, and partner institutions and led by Ana Mª Vázquez (Universidad de Salamanca). Fee: 5€ (Free for ELEUK members).

Visit the website for more information and to register.

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Online

Join the Linguascope webinar where Michaël Vidon, French teacher and freelance Spoken Word artist, will perform his poems and raps, show activities derived from them and invite participants to write their own poems and lesson plans.

Alongside curriculum time activities, he will show projects he runs in and out of his classroom to inspire colleagues with ideas of projects to implement in their settings.

Visit the website for more information and to register for the free, online event.

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Glasgow

The French men’s team that won the World Cup in 1998 was heralded as celebrating the diversity of French society. That victory demonstrated the potential for sport to play a powerful role in promoting diversity, equality and inclusion.

Over the past few decades, however, attempts to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in sport have often met with a sustained backlash, and there are still regular instances of racism, misogyny and homophobia whether on the field of play, in the stands or on social media.

In the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, we speak to Lilian Thuram, Strathclyde honorary graduate, World Cup winner with France in 1998 and anti-racism activist to discuss whether, in an increasingly polarised world, sport really can be a motor for positive social change.

Visit the website via the link above to register. The event is free and open to all.

Venue: TL325 Learning & Teaching Building,  49 Richmond Street,  Glasgow.

Enquiries to corporate-events@strath.ac.uk

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Online

Part of the Goethe-Institut's Business Lunch series, Christoph Weaver (former general manager at Bayern LB London) will speak to the Goethe-Institut about his career and experiences with learning German in a live online conversation on Friday 22 May.

The free event is aimed at pupils S2-S6 and teachers are asked to collect questions from their students and share them with the Goethe-Institut (email to gimagine@goethe.de) before the event. 

Visit the website for more information, additional resources and to register.

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Edinburgh

The East German Stasi has often been described as a ‘secret police.’ Historical literature has emphasised the incredible power it wielded over society through mechanisms of surveillance and secrecy. In 2018 a research team embarked upon exploring what East German citizens could know about the Stasi, and how whatever they might have known was (clandestinely?) shared, in order to manage or at least live with the risk that the agency posed. The team explored this question in relation to four sections of society: the East German protestant church; literary authors; employees in state-owned industries; and people who had led the antifascist resistance during the Third Reich.

In this session we will look at what we found about how systematic strategies alongside rumours and guesswork allowed the production of knowledge during GDR times. We will briefly explain the research then screen the film The Open Secret (30min) which also highlights how much more complex it is to research such a question after the fall of state-socialism and German unification. After discussion, we will share materials produced for bringing the project to younger audiences, such as the graphic novel ‘What did you know?’ (‘Was wusstest Du?’).

This will be an interactive discussion-based session where we respond to questions, queries and comments seeing where this will take us. Interested participants will be provided with links to additional resources produced during the project with a focus on secondary school teaching.

Visit the website via the link above for more details and a link for registration.

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Online

Presented by Joe Dale, independent languages consultant from the UK, this session explores how AI-powered chatbots can give your students greater independence and agency in practising all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Educational chatbots offer an encouraging and moderated environment where learners can engage in real conversations, receive instant adaptive feedback, and set their own learning goals.

Visit the website for more information and to register for the free, online event.

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Edinburgh

Organised by the Spanish Education Office in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and the Regional Government of Castilla y León, this free professional development event will run from 9:15 to 15:00 and will include:

• Four practical, hands-on workshops led by specialists in ELE teacher training
• A networking lunch featuring products from Castilla y León (dietary requirements will be catered for)
• The opportunity to win scholarships for Spanish language courses in Spain
• An official certificate of participation issued by the Spanish Embassy Education Office

The day will be a great opportunity to discover innovative teaching ideas, exchange experiences with colleagues, and strengthen professional connections in an inspiring setting.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visit the website for the full programme and to register.

If you previously expressed interest in attending but have not yet completed your registration, we kindly encourage you to do so as soon as possible to secure your place.

We would be delighted to welcome you in Edinburgh and hope you can join us for what promises to be an engaging and enjoyable day!

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Birmingham

How can school leaders drive sustainable and inclusive language education?

In a time of educational reform and shifting policy landscapes, school leaders are uniquely placed to shape and secure the future of languages education.

Developed by ASCL and the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE), this timely and thought-provoking conference invites school and system leaders to explore how to lead languages strategically, ensuring they thrive within inclusive, sustainable, and globally-minded curricula.

Visit the website for full programme details and to book your place (fee applies).

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Aberdeen

We are delighted to open registration for the third Future of French en Écosse conference, with a 2026 theme of French Forward.

Co-organised by SCILT and the University of Aberdeen, and supported by the Institut français d’Écosse, this free one-day conference will give us the opportunity to:

1. Take stock of the situation in Scotland across the primary, secondary and higher education sectors, with a specific focus on learners' voices;

2. Share good practice and initiatives that promote language learning in general and French in particular;

3. Plan a French Forward approach for learners!

To support attendees who may struggle to access this event due to the travel and distance involved, we are delighted to share that we are offering a limited number of bursaries to support travel or accommodation costs. If you are travelling from north of Dingwall or the Scottish Islands, you can apply for a £100 bursary by completing this online form by 22 May.

Visit the website via the link above to register for the event. Programme details are attached below.

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Online

Explore a wide range of games and memory-boosting activities that make vocabulary learning exciting and effective.

Designed with busy teachers and TAs in mind, these low-prep ideas can be easily adapted across year groups and languages.

Visit the website for more information and to register for the free, online event.

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Cardiff

This funded opportunity will bring together teachers from the UK and Germany to explore how a whole-school curriculum can become meaningful and authentic whilst preparing young people for their future and work. This will include insights on policy and practice from experts, workshops, and visits to local schools to see successful curriculum implementation in action, with participants developing project ideas and action plans for their school.

Open to primary, secondary, and SEN schools. No German language skills required.

Applications close at 23:59 on Tuesday 28 April.

Visit the website for more information and to apply.

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Online

The Institut français d’Ecosse is organising a four-day online training session in June/July 2026.

This professional development opportunity is designed to support primary teachers teaching French in schools in Scotland with:

• Classroom-ready activities: Practical methods and resources that you can use with your learners.
• "French for holidays": Specific training to boost your own language skills and confidence for travel.

Our experienced trainers

The sessions will be led by Valérie and Sophie, from our experienced teaching team.

Valérie Laplanche-Ferguson has taken part in various training courses organised by the Scottish Government (from its inception as the MLPS programme, later revised and rebranded as the 1+2 Approach) and regional officials, covering courses with specific language objectives as well as professional development training.

Sophie Samalens has also taken part in numerous training courses aimed at promoting the French language and supporting the professional development of primary and secondary school teachers (MLPS, PLL and the 1+2 Approach), accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) across Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

Once you have registered, our teachers Valérie and Sophie will contact you and send you the link to connect.

The course is aimed at teachers from primary schools, with little knowledge of French and will be held online via MS Teams.

Cost: £10

Minimum threshold = 5.

Visit the website via link above to register before 19 June.

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Edinburgh

This event, organised as part of the European day of Languages, will provide an update on the work undertaken so far on the curriculum and how it will support improved language learning experiences for Scotland’s learners.

The event is aimed at educators and anyone with an interest in education.

Free to attend, but booking is advised.

Visit the website for more information and to secure your place.

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Falkirk

What career opportunities can open up when you learn German at school or university? The Career Roadshows highlights just how diverse and relevant German can be for both personal and professional development.

Together with Falkirk Council, we invite you to bring your pupils (aged 14+) along to a varied and engaging day! The event is also open to UK university students.

Visit the website for further information and to book.

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