Celebrating the learning of Mandarin within Scottish schools

16 April 2024 (SCEN)

SCEN are keen to showcase and promote the learning of Mandarin within schools in Scotland. You are invited to create a short (around five minutes) video to celebrate the learning of Mandarin in your school.

Take a look at the video produced by Boroughmuir High School (and associated primaries) in Edinburgh sharing their thoughts as they continue their Mandarin journey.

Submissions will be promoted and shared on the SCEN website.

For further information, advice and support about making a short film in your school please contact youthvoice@scen.info.

Employing a Language Assistant in Scotland

16 April 2024 (British Council)

A Language Assistant can make a vital difference to students’ achievement and motivation to learn a language. It can also help schools fulfil Curriculum for Excellence requirements and support the 1+2 languages policy. 

Language Assistants are native speakers of French, German, Italian, Spanish or Mandarin Chinese. They bring the language and culture of their home country to life and motivate students to learn and develop their understanding of the world around them.

Visit the British Council website to discover more and submit your application to host a Language Assistant in session 2024-25 by 30 April.

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OU TELT course open for registrations

16 April 2024 (Open University)

TEachers Learning to Teach languages (TELT) aims to increase and improve language provision in primary schools. Teachers simultaneously learn a new language and the skills to teach that language in the classroom. The programme is General Teaching Council for Scotland approved, and can count towards postgraduate qualifications.

Available languages are French, German, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

Registration is now open for the programme commencing October 2024.

Visit the Open University website for more information.

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Certificate of Continuing Education (CCEd) in Mandarin

22 March 2024 (University of Strathclyde)

The online Certificate of Continuing Education (CCEd) in Mandarin at the University of Strathclyde is a qualification that, through live-streamed, evening classes, brings beginners to the equivalent of BA degree level (120 credits) over the course of three years. The course will, therefore, overtake the minimum 80 credits required by the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS) for teaching in a secondary school. For language teachers already in possession of a language teaching qualification accepted by the GTCS, the course will allow them to add Mandarin to the suite of languages they already teach. On completion of 80 credits, the course will include a four-week summer school in China (tuition, accommodation, and food provided) that will count towards the GTCS residency requirement for full registration. 

The course fees are £950 per year. For teachers who are currently employed in a local authority that hosts a Confucius Classroom hub (click this link for a list of participating local authorities), funding may be available to you from your local authority’s hub funding. Please ask your school/LA contact for details. Additional funding sources are currently being explored.

The university is currently accepting applications for the first three-year cycle of this new course, which will be delivered entirely online. Numbers permitting, the course will commence in September 2024. Further information and application details can be found on the University of Strathclyde website.

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Vacancy - Professional Development Assistant

19 March 2024 (SCILT/CISS)

Scotland's National Centre for Languages (SCILT) and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), requires a 1.0 FTE Professional Development Assistant to support its growing online Mandarin teaching programme. This is an exciting opportunity to work at a national level and drive forward the strategic languages’ agenda in Scotland. 

The Professional Development Assistant will be a GTCS registered teacher of Mandarin. They will be responsible for teaching a range of certificated and non-certificated Mandarin classes. It is likely that this will be done online from home, with the possibility of some face-to-face classes. They will also support a range of projects with the University of Strathclyde, our partners in the Confucius classroom hubs and communities.

Visit the University of Strathclyde's vacancy portal for more information and to apply. Closing date: 7 April 2024.

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Applications to host a Modern Language Assistant for 2024-25 are open now!

29 February 2024 (British Council)

Hosting a Language Assistant helps enhance language learning, boost student results and build cultural capital. Flexible hosting options are available with different placement lengths and sharing possibilities.

Applications to host a Modern Language Assistant for the 2024-25 academic year are now open (29 February – 30 April). To guarantee a Mandarin Chinese Language Assistant, you must submit your application by 28 March.

Our team is well-equipped to support you and we would love to hear from you if you would like to discuss how we could help make it work for you in 2024-25. To speak to a colleague, please email LanguageAssistants.UK@BritishCouncil.org. 

Visit the British Council website to find out more. 

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The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

22 February 2024 (University of Oxford)

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators is run by Queen's Translation Exchange, University of Oxford. The competition is free to enter and aims to promote language learning across the UK and inspire creativity in the modern languages classroom. 

• For students of French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish in KS3-5.
• In addition to the competition task, teachers receive up to 15 sets of resources for each language on translating poetry, fiction, non-fiction for use in the build-up to the competition.
• Deadline for competition entries: 28 March 2024.
• Winners selected for 10 geographical areas. National winners selected for each level in each language. All winners and commendations announced on our webpage.
• Last year over 14,000 pupils across the UK took part and the feedback from teachers was enormously positive.
• Teachers can register to receive classroom resources and competition tasks on the Anthea Bell Prize website.

For more information visit the website or contact: translation.exchange@queens.ox.ac.uk.

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Eric Liddell poster competition for primary schools

15 February 2024 (CISS)

The Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools is delighted to collaborate with The Eric Liddell Community to launch a poster competition celebrating the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell's legendary win at the 1924 Paris Olympics!

The competition is open to all primary schools in Scotland. The deadline for entries is Friday 8 March 2024.

Further details and the submission link can be found on the CISS website or see the attached flyer. Entries submitted via email will not be accepted.

To find out more about The Eric Liddell 100 celebration events, please visit the Eric Liddell Community website.

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Hermitage Primary pupils take part in Language Week Scotland

8 February 2024 (Helensburgh Advertiser)

Pupils at a Helensburgh Primary school “thoroughly enjoyed” a week of learning about different cultures around the globe.

Hermitage Primary pupils discovered all about a variety of countries and languages for Language Week Scotland which ran from Monday, January 29 to Friday, February 2.

Children participated in many fun activities including researching and presenting the impact global warming is having on the country their class focused on, listening to and watching short stories and fairy tales in the county’s native language, and learning and performing a traditional dance.

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Design a poster to celebrate 100 years since Eric Liddell won gold at the Paris Olympics!

30 January 2024 (CISS)

The Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools is delighted to collaborate with The Eric Liddell Community to launch a poster competition celebrating the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell's legendary win at the 1924 Paris Olympics! 

The competition is open to all primary schools in Scotland. The deadline for entries is Friday 8 March 2024. Further details and the submission link can be found on the CISS website or see the attached flyer. Entries submitted via email will not be accepted.

To find out more about The Eric Liddell 100 celebration events, please visit the Eric Liddell Community website.

Read more...

Register your interest in VETs Term 2, April – June 2024

25 January 2024 (CISS)

Scottish schools can now register interest in the next block of the Mandarin Virtual Exchange Teacher programme, running from w/c 22 April – w/c 17 June 2024.  

Over eight weeks, classes will be allocated a pair of student teachers who will work with their class to delivery weekly live streamed Mandarin lessons. The project provides classes for beginner level 1, 2 & 3. The courses are also suitable as L3 provision for BGE pupils in P5-7, as well as being suitable for Secondary BGE learners.

There will be an online information meeting (with a choice of two dates on either 8 or 20 February), to give an overview of the course and what is required of Scottish class teachers. Attendance at an information meeting is a requirement to participate in the programme, with the exception of teachers who have previously attended an information session and/or taken part in the VET programme within the last year. Teachers who are new to the programme are required to attend the meeting, even if the school has taken part previously.

You can find more information about the programme, as well as a link to register your interest and attendance at an information meeting (if required), on the CISS website.

Read more...

Year of the Dragon Education Pack

22 January 2024 (British Council)

Chinese New Year is set for 10 February 2024, marking the beginning of the Year of the Dragon and bringing in various traditional celebrations. 

The British Council Year of the Dragon Education Pack is designed to help primary teachers and pupils explore Chinese language and culture through activities and stories relating to the dragon.

Visit the British Council website to access the resource.

Read more...

Scottish Opera’s free Mandarin teaching resources; a musical and theatrical project for primary pupils

16 January 2024 (Scottish Opera)

Scottish Opera will be celebrating the Chinese Year of the Dragon with a new digital expressive arts project for P6 and P7 pupils: How the Dragon Was Made. Designed for one class of upper school pupils, How the Dragon Was Made aims to improve pupils’ comprehension of Mandarin vocabulary, as well as provide a creative opportunity for performance and an element of peer-to-peer learning. It includes online resources to facilitate a class of pupils to perform their own 20-minute musical show in class, which can be performed for Primary 1-3 classes in school but also families and other guests. 

More information and access to the resources are available on the Scottish Opera website.

Read more...

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

16 January 2024 (Queen's College Oxford)

Inspired by the life and work of the great translator Anthea Bell, the competition aims to promote language learning across the UK and to inspire creativity in the classroom. By providing teachers with the tools they need to bring translation to life, we hope to motivate more pupils to study modern foreign languages throughout their time at school and beyond.

The Prize is free to enter and open to all secondary schools across the UK. The Prize currently offers French (into Welsh and English), Spanish, German, Italian and Mandarin. Teachers can register for the prize at any point in the year. The competition will run from February to March in 2024. 

Visit the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators website for more information.

Read more...

eSgoil online courses for 2024-25

5 January 2024 (eSgoil)

Looking to broaden your learners' horizons and your school's curricular offer? We are offering a range of language NQs and work-related courses for 2024-25, delivered at no cost via live, online and interactive lessons.

Explore the details in the online brochure. 

Read more...

Free live streamed Mandarin NQ classes with CISS for 2024-25: Registration of interest now open!

7 December 2023 (CISS)

Do you have learners who would like to add another language qualification to their portfolio, but don’t have time or capacity within the department to run this? CISS can help! Our Discovering China Live online classes prepare learners for National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Mandarin qualifications. 

You can now register interest to take part in our online National Qualification Mandarin classes with our GTCS Mandarin teachers.

Please see the flyer below for more information, a teacher testimonial, and the link to register your interest. The registration link is also available here:

• Link to register

For full details of the course, please see the CISS website. The 2024-25 handbook will be added shortly.

Read more...

Certificate of Continued Education (CCEd) in Mandarin

17 November 2023 (SCILT/CISS)

SCILT is currently in the planning stages with the faculty of Humanities and Social Science (HaSS) at the University of Strathclyde and partners in China to develop a Certificate of Continued Education (CCEd) in Mandarin. It is envisaged that the online, live-streamed course will be aimed at GTCS registered teachers of languages who would like to add Mandarin to the repertoire of languages they are qualified to teach. The course will be delivered over three years offering a full 120 credits, plus a summer school in China that will count towards the GTCS residency requirement. We are considering ways to make funding available for teachers in state schools in Scotland to help meet the costs of fees and to contribute to the cost of their salaries once they are fully qualified and teaching the language to National Qualification level. We are hopeful that the first cohort of this new CCEd course will start their studies in September 2024.

If you think this might be of interest to you, in order to help us plan and ascertain the potential appetite for such a scheme, we would be grateful if you could fill out this form or scan the QR code below to register your interest by Friday 1 December 2023.

RZSS Programmes for Schools

12 October 2023 (RZSS)

RZSS Science in the Language Class - Many free language resources are available on the Science in Language Class website. There are a wide range of resources for Mandarin, Spanish and French along with free outreach sessions. Next year look out for further resources available in German and Gaelic and a new upper primary course for Spanish. 

Mandarin course - The Mandarin upper primary course is 3 weeks virtual sessions followed by an expert for the day!  (An in-person outreach visit to your school which can include other sessions for additional classes.)

Giants - A free outreach session aimed at upper primary level which can be linked to either Spanish or Mandarin. 

Stripy Tails - A free outreach session aimed at upper primary level which can be linked to either French or Mandarin. 

Contact srobb@rzss.org.uk for bookings. All are fully booked to December but there are still a few opportunities left from January 2024. 

See the Beyond the Panda webpage for details and resources. 

Read more...

Invite a team of Strathclyde Language Ambassadors to your school!

28 September 2023 (University of Strathclyde)

At the University of Strathclyde, beyond supporting the Language Ambassadors Online and the Language Explorers Programme, we are still offering on-site visits in 2023-24.

So, get your learners to discover the joys of discovering a new culture and learning and being able to use another language by organising a visit from one of our Language Ambassadors teams to your school!

Our Language Ambassadors are students of French, Italian, Mandarin or Spanish, on various degrees, including BA Honours in French and Spanish, International Business and a Modern Language, Law and a Language but also Engineering and Science degrees and they are keen to share their experiences of learning and using their languages as well as discovering new cultures.

This programme is free of charge and provides student role models to promote languages to young people in your school. We aim to encourage your learners to engage with young adults who have decided to study languages at university and to have a positive impact on the number of learners who choose languages as part of their high school curriculum.

We can deliver a range of activities, such as:

• A presentation about their experiences as university language learners and their experiences abroad;
• Q&A sessions about the benefits of studying a language;
• A small group discussion for Senior phase students who have already selected a language;
• Micro-presentations as part of a school-wide event

Want to book a visit from a Language Ambassadors team in 2023-24? Simply contact Cédric Moreau now!

New job profile on SCILT's website

8 September 2023 (SCILT)

The job profiles on our website demonstrate a range of careers where languages are being used. The latest addition comes from Simran Kaur, Equality and Diversity Engagement Officer at the University of Strathclyde.

Simran's language skills have enabled her to work as a translator and they also prove useful in her role at the university where so many different languages are spoken on campus.

Teachers, use Simran's profile along with others on our website to highlight the benefits of language learning to your pupils.

Read more...

SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages: new resources to support with performance-talking

1 September 2023 (SQA)

From session 2023-24, the Advanced Higher Modern Languages performance-talking coursework task returns to its usual format, with a duration of approximately 20 minutes. The requirement to discuss aspects of the portfolio has also been reinstated. 

We have created two new SQA Academy courses to help you with this coursework task. An updated performance-talking audio presentation is also available from our Understanding Standards website.

SQA Academy course – Performance-talking

This course provides an overview of what the Advanced Higher performance-talking assessment involves – including its purpose, structure, preparation for the assessment, the Subject Topic List (STL) form and how performance-talking is assessed.

SQA Academy course – A day in the life of a visiting assessor

This second course outlines the role of the Modern Languages performance-talking visiting assessor and describes what happens before, during and after the assessment of performance-talking. You may find it useful to share this course with your learners.

Access the courses from the SQA Academy website

SQA Understanding Standards – updated audio presentation

An updated audio presentation on the Advanced Higher performance-talking for session 2023-24 is also available from the Modern Languages pages of the Understanding Standards website (select the language, then ‘presentations’ from the page menu).

View the performance-talking audio presentation.

Oh là là - concerns over uptake of languages Highers

10 August 2023 (TES)

New Scottish national data shows a drop in uptake of languages at Higher since 2019, the last year before the Covid pandemic.

The decrease in French entries is particularly steep and, after many years as the most popular language in Scottish schools, uptake is now lower than for Spanish.

However, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (widely known as SCILT) says there is better news in National 5 figures, which suggest there may be the beginnings of a comeback from the Covid years.

(Note - subscription required to access full article)

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Readers reply: what languages do native speakers of Mandarin and Arabic find the hardest to learn?

9 July 2023 (The Guardian)

Mandarin and Arabic often top the list of languages that are hardest to learn. But what do native speakers of those languages find the hardest to master, and why?

See what readers had to say.

Read more...

Scotland China Education Network - Administrative and Communications Officer

15 June 2023 (SCEN)

The Scotland China Education Network (SCEN) is seeking a part-time Administrative and Communications Officer to provide general administrative support for the Chair of SCEN, the Trustees as required, and in co-ordinating the work and various meetings of SCEN. They will also be responsible for the management and upkeep of the SCEN website, e-newsletters, and its social media accounts.

Full details can be found in the attached job advert and job description below.

CVs and Cover Letters are to be submitted to SCEN@ct.me by Monday 3 July at 4pm.

CISS Newsletter - Summer 2023

13 June 2023 (CISS)

The latest edition of the CISS newsletter has been published. Read about the many activities and initiatives going on across the Confucius Classroom Hub Network and CISS’s work to support the learning and teaching of Mandarin, including competitions, online learning and events. 

Read more...

Mandarin for BGE

25 May 2023 (Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools)

The CISS Virtual Exchange Teacher (VET) project is back for 2023-24, now open to all Scottish state schools. Offering eight-week blocks of free live-streamed Chinese language and culture classes for primary and secondary BGE. The next block runs from October to December 2023. Find out more about the programme here, and register your interest via this link by 30 June 2023.

RZSS Programmes for Schools

2 May 2023 (RZSS)

RZSS Beyond the Panda

Although the giant pandas are returning to China at the end of this year, Beyond the Panda is still continuing.

The new Mandarin upper primary course is 3 weeks virtual sessions followed by an expert for the day! (An in-person outreach visit to your school which can include other sessions for additional classes).

RZSS Science in the Language Class

Choose from one of the outreach sessions linked to Mandarin, Spanish or French. Resources also available in other languages. 

All resources, courses and outreach are free of charge. 

Visit the Beyond the Panda website for details.

Read more...

How a giant panda livestream celebrated International Chinese Language Day and promoted cultural exchange

27 April 2023 (My London)

April 20 this year marked the 14th United Nations Chinese Language Day, and also the 4th International Chinese Language Day, jointly initiated by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation and Chinese Plus.

To celebrate this festival for Chinese language enthusiasts across the globe, the School of Foreign Languages of Southwest Jiaotong University teamed up with Pandaful to launch the 'An Adventure with Pandas' series of five livestreams targeting Chinese language enthusiasts in the UK and the US, with support provided by the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

More than 9,500 students from some 430 primary and secondary schools in the UK and the US, including eight American universities, signed up for the event, with audiences putting forth more than 60 questions related to the giant panda.

Read more...

Open University TeLT programme - Registration now open!

20 April 2023 (Open University)

TeLT is the Teachers Learning to Teach Languages programme offered by the Open University, and developed in partnership with SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages. Now in its 7^th year, this professional learning opportunity is aimed at educators working in the primary sector and carries GTCS Professional Recognition.

Students learn a language – French, German, Mandarin or Spanish - and in parallel, get to put primary language pedagogies into practice with their own pupils. The programme is offered at two levels – beginners and post-beginners. 

Registration for 2023-24 intake is now open. Enrolment closes 7 September 2023. Modules begin in October. 

Visit the TeLT website for full details about how the course works and how to register. For further information please contact: Scotland-languages@open.ac.uk.

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The Panda Card Project

20 April 2023 (CISS)

To commemorate the final year of the Giant Pandas in Scotland CISS is excited to introduce the Panda Card Project - an opportunity for pupils to design a goodbye card for Yang Guang and Tian Tian, to wish them best wishes for their journey and new life back at home.

All submissions will be collated into a photo book which will be passed on to Edinburgh Zoo and then travel back to China with the pandas. 

Visit the CISS website for more information and submit entries by 26 May 2023.

Read more...

Modern Language Assistants

17 April 2023 (British Council)

Applications for Modern Language Assistants in 2023/24 are now open for schools, colleges and universities across the UK through the British Council website.  

Bringing authentic voices into French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, German, Italian and Irish lessons allows students to see the relevance of these languages alongside their cultural context. What's more, in 2021, 92 per cent of host institutions told us their Language Assistants helped improve exam results. These cultural ambassadors enhance lessons and develop intercultural awareness. From speaking practice to fresh cultural insights, their input and encouragement enriches pupil experience, preparing them for future success. 

Please note: The deadline to guarantee a Mandarin Chinese Language Assistant has now passed. We will however accept applications for Mandarin Chinese Language Assistant until 30 April 2023 but there is a chance you may be placed on a waiting list.

Our dedicated team are well-equipped to support with the administrative steps and flexible hosting options are available with different placement lengths and sharing possibilities. Throughout the challenges of the past few years, Language Assistants have proved to be a key tool, and in some cases a ‘lifeline’, for continued pupil engagement with language learning. Back in the classroom, their expertise not only motivates pupils, but provides teachers with in-house professional development and refreshed linguistic materials.

If you have any further questons, please contact us at: LanguageAssistants.UK@BritishCouncil.Org

Visit the British Council website for full details and to apply by 30 April.

Read more...

RZSS Programmes for Schools

16 March 2023 (RZSS)

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland runs a variety of opportunities for schools linking language learning and their conservation programmes. Follow the relevant links below to find out more about current initiatives:

• 'Stripy Tails' Family event at Dewars Centre, Perth on 14^th and 15^th April. StampIT has invited RZSS Stripy Tails along to their youth corner at the ASPS (Association of Scottish Philatelic Societies) Congress. Fascinating facts about the red panda from China and the ring tailed lemur from Madagascar and the programme links to French and Mandarin. Full details on Eventbrite - Stripy Tails at ASPS Congress
  Stripy Tails is also one of the 'Science in the Language Class' outreach programmes for schools. 
• Beyond the Panda, the RZSS Mandarin programme is fully booked for this school year but taking bookings for 23-24. Beyond the Panda is continuing even though the giant pandas will return to China later this year. RZSS is still a science specialist Confucius Classroom offering virtual sessions, in-person outreach and many resources linked to Mandarin language learning. Visit the Beyond the Panda website for more information.

Employ a Modern Language Assistant

16 February 2023 (British Council)

Modern Language Assistants are speakers of French, German, Irish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish who can help students in the UK build their cultural capital by developing their linguistic and cross-cultural skills. 

Applications to host Modern Language Assistants are now open.

Visit the British Council website to discover how the scheme works and the benefits it can bring to your school.

Read more...

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2022-23

2 February 2023 (Queen's College Oxford)

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators competition aims to promote language learning across UK and inspire creativity in the modern languages classroom. Participation is free and entry criteria is as follows:

• For students of French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish in KS3-5.
• In addition to competition task, teachers receive up to 15 sets of resources for each language on translating poetry, fiction, non-fiction for use in build-up to competition. 
• Deadline for competition entries: 3 April 2023. 
• Winners selected for 10 geographical areas. National winners selected for each level in each language. All winners and commendations announced on our webpage. 

Last year over 14,000 pupils across the UK took part and the feedback from teachers was enormously positive. Teachers can register to receive classroom resources and competition tasks on the Queen's College Oxford website or for more information contact translation.exchange@queens.ox.ac.uk. 

Read more...

RZSS Programmes for Schools

1 February 2023 (RZSS)

RZSS Stripy Tails

Free online resources are now available. Stripy Tails is one of RZSS language comparison projects, comparing the red panda from China with the ring-tailed lemur from Madagascar and links to either Mandarin or French. Resources are for upper primary level but may be useful for lower secondary. The resources all include sound files by senior pupils. See either Beyond the Panda - Stripy Tails or Science in the Language Class - French.  

Bookings taken now for the accompanying FREE Stripy Tails outreach sessions across Scotland in May and June - contact srobb@rzss.org.uk 

Giants

Don't forget there is also Giants a similar programme comparing the giant panda and the giant anteater for Mandarin or Spanish. RZSS Beyond the Panda and Science in the Language Class also have many other free resources and outreach programmes. 

Read more...

Portishead boy joins Mensa after teaching himself to read aged two

23 January 2023 (BBC)

A boy who taught himself to read as a toddler has been accepted as the UK's youngest member of Mensa.

Four-year-old Teddy, from Portishead in Somerset, can count to 100 in six non-native languages, including Mandarin.

Mensa accepts people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on an approved intelligence test.

Teddy's mother, Beth Hobbs, said he learned to read at just 26 months old "by watching children's television and copying the sounds of letters".

Read more...

Employ a Modern Language Assistant

16 January 2023 (British Council)

Modern Language Assistants are speakers of French, German, Irish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish who can help students in the UK build their cultural capital by developing their linguistic and cross-cultural skills. 

Visit the British Council website to discover how the scheme works and the benefits it can bring to your school.

Requests to host Modern Language Assistants will open on 15 February 2023.

Read more...

Year of the Rabbit Education Pack

10 January 2023 (British Council)

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, on 22 January 2023, we’ll be entering the Year of the Rabbit. This marks the start of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

This education pack for primary schools contains teaching resources and activities to help teachers and pupils learn more about this important spring festival and explore Chinese language and culture.

Download the pack from the British Council website.

Read more...

Free live streamed Mandarin NQ classes with CISS

9 January 2023 (SCILT/CISS)

You can now register interest to take part in our online National Qualification Mandarin classes with our GTCS Mandarin teachers.

Please see the flyer for more information, a teacher testimonial and the link to register your interest. If you cannot access the registration link through the flyer you can find the form here:

• Link to register 
• Link for the teacher testimonial 

All the information is also available on the CISS website.

Read more...

CISS Chinese New Year Poster Competition 2023

8 December 2022 (CISS)

CISS is delighted to announce a poster competition for primary schools to celebrate the forthcoming Year of the Rabbit!

Deadline for entries: Friday 13 January 2023

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN ENTRY - entries submitted by email will not be accepted.

The competition is open to all primary schools in Scotland.

DETAILS:

Design a poster to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit!

Entries will be judged against the criteria below. Please submit a high quality photo or scan of each entry.

Please make sure posters include:

• The rabbit
• Mandarin Chinese language/characters
• The year 2023

The winning entry will receive a prize and be featured online, and the poster will be used as the CISS Chinese New Year e-card!

CISS Winter Newsletter

8 December 2022 (CISS)

The most recent CISS Newsletter is now available to view online. 

You can read about events and projects that took place to celebrate 10 years of the Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools plus all the amazing learning and teaching of Mandarin across the hubs and beyond.

Read more...

RZSS Beyond the Panda

7 December 2022 (RZSS)

RZSS Beyond the Panda offers a range of FREE courses and outreach visits. Please see beyondthepanda.org.uk for full details. 

These include:

• 5 week course aimed at upper primary but may also be of interest to lower secondary. Four weeks live virtual sessions, followed by an in-person outreach. Linked to Mandarin language learning.

• Single outreach sessions which compare two RZSS projects and aimed at upper primary:
• Giants: the giant panda from China and the giant anteater from South America - available in either Mandarin or Spanish.
• Stripy Tails: (available from April 2023 but bookings open and best to book early) the red panda from China and the ring-tailed lemur from Madagascar - available in either Mandarin or French. 

There may also be availability for lower primary and some opportunities for secondary. For any of the sessions, contact srobb@rzzz.org.uk 

Please book in well in advance. Fully booked to April 2023 but spaces available in May and June. 

Read more...

Beyond the Panda

14 October 2022 (RZSS)

Beyond the Panda is a 5-week progressive programme for P4-P7. Four weeks live virtual sessions and 5^th week in person outreach. Now fully booked for the Nov-Dec and Jan-Feb blocks. However, there is availability in the Mar-Apr and May-June blocks. Book early as taken on first come, first served basis. Over the 5 weeks pupils will learn about various Chinese animals, threats, solutions, some Chinese culture while also learning about the Mandarin language and Chinese characters. Key objectives are in the attached pdf. 

Visit the website for further information.

Read more...

DYW Live Sessions: Languages and your career

11 October 2022 (e-Sgoil)

Following last year's 'Languages and your career' workshop, e-Sgoil in partnership with SCILT will be hosting a series of sessions over six weeks from the end of October through to early December 2022.

Schools can sign up for as many or as few as they wish; after a first general session, the remaining five weeks will explore how a different language each week can contribute to success in a range of jobs and career paths. These will be interactive workshops featuring input from people working with the language of focus each week. These sessions aim to introduce learners (S2-S4) to the importance of languages and their associated skills in the workplace, break down stereotypes of careers that use languages, identify appropriate career pathways, and hear examples of people who use languages in their daily work.

Visit the e-Sgoil website for more information and to register interest in the sessions.

Read more...

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2022-23

3 October 2022 (Queen's College Oxford)

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators competition aims to promote language learning across the UK and to inspire creativity in the classroom. By providing teachers with tools to bring translation to life, and to introduce more authentic texts into the classroom, we hope to motivate more pupils to study modern foreign languages throughout their schooling and beyond. 

Schools can register interest in the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2022-23. You will receive creative translation resources for five languages (French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish) and competition tasks. The resources will be made available in September 2022, January 2023, February 2023, and the competition window will be open from mid-February until the end of March 2023.

Visit the website for more information.

Read more...

The Language Ambassadors Programme

23 September 2022 (University of Strathclyde/SCILT)

The Language Ambassadors family has grown!

For 2022-2023, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Stirling will be working together to offer an even greater variety for our visits.

In the coming session, we will be back offering on-site visits, as well as virtual visits.

So, get your learners to discover the joys of learning and being able to use another language by organising a Language Ambassadors visit to your school!

Our Language Ambassadors are students of French, Italian, Mandarin or Spanish, on a range of degree programmes. These include BA Honours in French and Spanish, Professional Education and Languages, International Business and a Modern Language, Law and a Language, Psychology and a European Language, but also Engineering and Science degrees and they are keen to share their experiences of learning and using their languages as well as discovering new cultures.

This programme provides student role models to promote languages to young people and encourage your learners to choose languages as part of their high school curriculum. It is free of charge but we expect the school to cover travelling expenses for ambassadors.

We can deliver a range of activities, such as:

• A presentation about their experiences as university language learners and their experiences abroad;
• Q&A sessions about the benefits of studying a language for future study and/or employability;
• A small group discussion for Senior phase students who have already selected a language;
• Micro-presentations as part of a school-wide event

Visit the Language Ambassadors Programme website to find out more, and how to book a visit for your school starting October 2022.

If you have any questions about The Language Ambassadors programme, please contact Cédric Moreau and Cristina Johnston.

SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages course reports 2022

22 September 2022 (SQA)

The SQA has published this year's course reports for Advanced Higher French and Advanced Higher Chinese languages.

These can be found on the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage under Course Reports.

Read more...

S4-S6 Language Experience

23 August 2022 (RZSS)

An exciting opportunity for senior students studying French or Mandarin to take part in this programme and to put their language skills into practice.

Two groups will be chosen, one studying French and one studying Mandarin, to create sound files and new resources for a programme called 'Stripy Tails'. Stripy Tails compares two different animals from two different countries and looks at two different languages. The ring-tailed lemurs from Madagascar and the red panda from China, linking French and Mandarin. Further details at beyondthepanda.org.uk If interested contact srobb@rzss.org.uk by 6 September 2022.

Read more...

Giants

23 August 2022 (RZSS)

This is an in-person outreach session (limited availability). Giants looks at two very different animals from two very different areas of the world and at two very different languages. The giant anteater from South America and the giant panda from China. The session can be for Spanish only or for Mandarin only or can compare both languages. The pupils will learn about the threats facing these animals along with some of their unique biology. 

Visit the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland website for full details.

Read more...

S4-S6 language experience: French/Mandarin

18 May 2022 (RZSS)

An exciting opportunity for senior students studying French or Mandarin to take part in this programme and to put their language skills into practice. Two groups will be chosen, one studying French and one studying Mandarin, to create sound files and new resources for a programme called 'Stripy Tails'. Stripy Tails compares two different animals from two different countries and looks at two different languages: the ring-tailed lemurs from Madagascar and the red panda from China, linking French and Mandarin. 

Musselburgh Grammar School took part in the 'Giants' programme over 2021-2022 which compared Spanish and Mandarin, looking at the giant anteater from South America and the giant panda from China. The students created sound files which are now on the Beyond the Panda website, under 'Giants'. In addition, they designed a fantastic game about a tour around Edinburgh Zoo - also available to download. 

“This was a highly valuable and enjoyable experience for our Senior pupils. It was fantastic to give them an opportunity to put their language skills into practice and see how languages can benefit them in the world of work. Pupils loved using their language skills to learn about other countries, cultures and animals across the globe. This opportunity gave pupils the chance to work together as a team, gain experience of the world of work and combine what they are doing across a range of subjects. I have seen how much my pupils' confidence has increased from doing this, which has consequently increased in uptake as pupils who didn't think about a career in languages have found that it opens other doors.”  Ms Coats, Musselburgh Grammar. 

Excellent opportunity for an employability group. If you have a French or Mandarin group of students who would like to take part in this over 2022-2023, ask them to think of innovative ways to complete the following sentence: "We would like to take part in this opportunity because..."  Any questions and replies email to Sandie Robb by the end of August 2022. Please state which language. For this year, only French and Mandarin will be considered. Judges will decide on the best answers and the chosen classes will be contacted in September 2022 with further details. 

Anyone interested, please take a look at the 'Giants' programme as an example. The students would be expected to create the individual sound files (just as mp3 or mp4) and design one game resource. Design of all the games and activities incorporating the sound files along with the other resource materials are created by the RZSS Language Project Coordinator. 

Beyond the Panda - P4-P7 course

18 May 2022 (RZSS)

The new five week progressive course has four virtual sessions followed by an in-person outreach visit. For full details with key objectives and CfE links in science, topical science, social studies, language and literacy see the Beyond the Panda website. Over the five weeks, the pupils learn a short introduction in Mandarin, using the phrases and sentence structures they learn about the animals and then relating it to themselves. 

Bookings taken now for this hybrid course starting in August 2022. Contact Sandie Robb for more information and to book.

Key objectives are attached. 

How language assistants can transform MFL teaching

27 April 2022 (TES/British Council)

Language assistants can be a critical tool for unlocking the joy of language learning in the classroom.

The benefits of learning a language at school are vast.  

Of 2,000 UK adults surveyed for a study commissioned by the British Council in November 2020, 73 per cent cited how much easier it made international travel, 70 per cent said it boosted the ability to appreciate and understand different cultures, and 72 per cent said it could broaden career opportunities, too. In fact, people with a second language have a salary up to 7 per cent higher than their colleagues that don't. 

And the benefits of learning a language go beyond the practical. Research also shows that learning a language can improve concentration and alertness, it can make us more empathetic, and far more creative and eloquent in our native tongue.

All of which is perhaps why nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of those adults surveyed by YouGov wished they had continued with the foreign language skills they first developed in school.

For teachers, though, the reality is that trying to inspire and motivate students to study modern languages in the classroom can sometimes feel like an uphill battle.

Read more...

Teach UK students about China to tackle knowledge ‘deficit’, say experts

31 March 2022 (The Guardian)

Experts have called for additional government funding to build “China competency” in the UK education system in the face of “a severe national deficit” in China literacy and Mandarin speakers.

Despite the growing importance of China in the world, research by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) concluded the UK lacks sufficient knowledge and understanding of China to “make sensible decisions”.

The report cited the government’s decision to remove Huawei from UK networks in light of perceived security risks, which was estimated to cost BT £500m, “a cost that arguably could have been avoided if there had been greater understanding and awareness of China within the UK government”.

According to Hepi, the number of Chinese studies students has not increased in the past 25 years and there has been a decline in the number of Chinese studies departments in UK universities offering single-honours undergraduate degrees, down a third from 13 to nine between 2019 and 2020.

In schools, modern China is “largely absent” from curricula and most pupils will not engage with China at all during their studies. There has been some progress in the study of Mandarin in schools, but the qualifications are “problematic”, the Hepi report says, and numbers are small.

Read more...

CISS NQ Mandarin offer 2022-2023

31 March 2022 (CISS)

CISS is happy to be able to share the first details of our offer of live-streamed Mandarin NQ classes for the upcoming 2022-2023 session. This will allow schools to expand their provision for Mandarin, particularly those who do not have access to a GTCS registered teacher of Mandarin and are therefore unable to offer NQ classes. The details in the attached document will allow these courses to be added to course choice forms. The offer consists of three courses: National 4, National 5, and Higher. The start date is tentatively scheduled for early to mid-June 2022.

Please see the attached document for further information and register your interest by Friday 8 April at this link: https://hass.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dcG8IXkQ4ZLsTf

Employ a Mandarin teacher - funding available

25 March 2022 (SCILT/CISS)

State schools in Scotland can apply for funding to employ a Mandarin teacher. So if you are interested in introducing Mandarin as part of your Modern Languages curriculum and want to find out more join the information session on 28 March, details are on the attached flyer.

Applicants wishing to be considered for our new round of funding for GTCS registered teachers of Mandarin Chinese should complete the short form before 5pm, Monday 16 May 2022.

Read more...

Employ a Modern Language Assistant in 2022-23

24 March 2022 (British Council)

Bring language and culture to life by hosting a Modern Language Assistant in 2022-23! 

Modern Language Assistants are speakers of French, German, Irish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish who can help students in the UK develop their linguistic and cross-cultural skills. 

Requests for hosting a Modern Language Assistant in 2022-23 close on 3 May 2022. Should you wish to host a Mandarin Language Assistant, requests should be submitted by the earlier deadline of 31 March 2022. 

Read more...

Registration now open for OU/SCILT TeLT programme

18 March 2022 (SCILT/OU)

TeLT is the Teachers Learning to Teach Languages programme offered by the Open University in partnership with SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages. This professional learning opportunity is aimed at educators working in the primary sector and carries GTCS Professional Recognition.

Students learn a language – French, German, Mandarin or Spanish - and in parallel, get to put primary language pedagogies into practice with their own pupils. The programme is offered at two levels – beginners and post-beginners. More information here about how the course works.

Registration for 2022-23 intake is now open. Enrolment closes 8 September. Modules begin in October. More details here on how to register.

Information sessions for local authority officers and prospective applicants will take place in May and June. Dates are to be confirmed.

Read more...

SQA update to Advanced Higher Modern Languages revision support

14 March 2022 (SQA)

The SQA has published updated revision support notes for learners of Advanced Higher modern languages.

Visit the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage. Updated documents can be found in the 2022 revision support for learners dropdown section.

Read more...

Host a Modern Language Assistant in 2022-23

3 March 2022 (British Council)

Applications for Modern Language Assistants in 2022/23 are now open for schools, colleges and universities across the UK through the British Council website until 2 May 2022.

Building cultural capital with MFL

Join us on 16 March for our free webinar exploring how to maximise the potential of MFL to build cultural capital, develop learner confidence and improve exam results. Keep up to date with the conversation on Twitter with #CulturalCapitalMFL. Register here for the webinar.

How Language Assistants can make a difference

Bringing authentic voices into French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, German, Italian and Irish lessons allows students to see the relevance of these languages alongside their cultural context. What's more, in 2021, 92 per cent of host institutions told us their Language Assistants helped improve exam results. These cultural ambassadors enhance lessons and develop intercultural awareness. From speaking practice to fresh cultural insights, their input and encouragement enriches pupil experience, preparing them for future success.

Our dedicated team are well-equipped to support with the administrative steps and flexible hosting options are available with different placement lengths and sharing possibilities. Throughout the challenges of the past few years, Language Assistants have proved to be a key tool, and in some cases a ‘lifeline’, for continued pupil engagement with language learning. Back in the classroom, their expertise not only motivates pupils, but provides teachers with in-house professional development and refreshed linguistic materials.

Contact us

Please contact us at LanguageAssistants.UK@BritishCouncil.Org if you have any further questions.

Read more...

Teaching in a Chinese bilingual school: a guide

1 March 2022 (TES)

Co-teachers, a Chinese curriculum, different pedagogies – teaching in a bilingual school in China can be a steep learning curve but very rewarding, too, as these teachers explain.

Read more...

Mandarin for BGE

25 February 2022 (CISS)

Do you want to include Mandarin in your school's curriculum but don't currently have the resources?

CISS is offering 10-week blocks of live-streamed language and culture classes commencing September 2022. Two courses are available, one for Primary learners, the other for S1-S3. To find out more about each, follow the relevant link:

• Primary Mandarin
• Secondary Mandarin

Register interest by 18 March 2022.

Investment in Languages Education Could Return Double for UK Economy

22 February 2022 (RAND Corporation)

A new study from the University of Cambridge and the not-for-profit research institute RAND Europe, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, shows that investing in languages education in the UK will return more than the investment cost, even under conservative assumptions.

By quantifying the wider economic benefits to the UK economy of extending languages education in schools, researchers found that the benefit-to-cost ratios for increasing Arabic, Mandarin, French or Spanish education are estimated to be at least 2:1, meaning that spending £1 could return about £2.

Researchers used a macroeconomic model to examine UK economic performance between now and 2050 if more pupils aged between 11 and 16 — Key Stage 3 (KS3) and Key Stage 4 (KS4) — learned to speak one of four different languages so they could later use it effectively in business. The modelling was based on the Government's successful Mandarin Excellence Programme, in which extra hours are devoted to language learning without affecting other EBacc subjects and lessons are fast-paced and engaging.

Read more...

Royal Zoological Society of Scotland programmes for schools

22 February 2022 (RZSS)

The RZSS offers a variety of activities for schools. Bookings are now open for the following programmes:

Beyond the Panda

A 5-week progressive programme for P4-P7. Four weeks live virtual sessions and 5^th week in person outreach. Bookings open now for sessions starting in August 2022. Over the 5 weeks pupils will learn about various Chinese animals, threats, solutions, some Chinese culture while also learning about the Mandarin language and Chinese characters. Key objectives are in the attached pdf. 

Giants

This new live virtual session looks at two very different animals from two very different areas of the world and at two very different languages. The giant anteater from South America and the giant panda from China. The session will introduce some basic vocabulary in both Spanish and Mandarin and will be aimed at upper primary level. Suitable for any class already studying Spanish or Mandarin or both. Bookings open now for a limited number of sessions starting April 2022. 

Further information for both programmes at beyondthepanda.org.uk

Read more...

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2021-22

22 February 2022 (University of Oxford)

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2022 is now open! Teachers from all over the UK can submit their students' translations of poetry, fiction and non-fiction in French, German, Italian [new!], Mandarin and Spanish, covering all year groups at secondary school from age 11 to 18. Submission deadline is 8 April 2022.

Visit the competition website for more information and to register interest. 

Read more...

10th Anniversary Gift Design Competition

8 February 2022 (CISS)

The Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2022. To celebrate this milestone CISS is launching an interdisciplinary competition for secondary students across the nation to showcase their business, design and language skills.

We have set two categories which students can choose from and encourage school departments - be that business, design technology or languages - to support and encourage interested students as they develop their pitch.

See the attached flyer and visit the competition webpage for more information. Submit entries by 27 May 2022.

Read more...

Host a Modern Language Assistant in 2022-23

8 February 2022 (British Council)

The British Council Language Assistants team is delighted to announce that applications are open for host institutions to request a Modern Language Assistant for the 2022-23 academic year. The programme has a proud history of supporting the teaching and learning of languages in Scotland and has had a positive impact on the young people who have worked with language assistants in the classroom. Language assistants can support host institutions’ language departments in many ways:

• Targeted speaking practice
• Intercultural project work
• Resource material development
• Refreshing teachers’ contemporary vocabulary and language use
• Bringing language alive for our young people

If you want to see our assistants in action, please follow the link to our website where there are videos of assistants in various locations around Scotland.

You will also find detailed guidance on how the programme works and how to request an assistant.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Languageassistants.UK@britishcouncil.org

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British Council Year of the Tiger education pack

18 January 2022 (British Council)

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, we enter the Year of the Tiger on 1 February 2022.

Our Year of the Tiger education pack celebrates Chinese New Year. Featuring activities to help teachers and pupils learn more about this important spring festival and explore Chinese culture, you can learn about the South China tiger, make a kite, and take part in a Chinese language lesson. 

Visit the British Council website to download the education pack.

Read more...

Chinese dialects in decline as government enforces Mandarin

16 January 2022 (The Guardian)

Two years ago, Qi Jiayao visited his mother’s hometown of Shaoxing in eastern China. When he tried to speak to his cousin’s children in the local dialect, Qi was surprised. “None of them was able to,” recalls the 38-year-old linguist, who now teaches Mandarin in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

The decline in local dialects among the younger generation has become more apparent in recent years as China’s president, Xi Jinping, has sought to strengthen a uniform Chinese identity. Mandarin is now being spoken by more than 80% of China’s population, up from 70% a decade ago. Last month, China’s state council vowed to increase the figure to 85% within the next four years.

But the popularisation of a standard national language is often at the expense of regional languages, including dialects of the Han majority and ethnic languages such as Mongolian and Uyghur. In Inner Mongolia, for example, local regulations in 2016 allowed ethnic schools to use their own language for teaching. This policy was aimed at developing students’ linguistic skills and cultivating bilingualism. But four years later it was reversed to favour Mandarin, a move that sparked protests from the ethnic population.

Read more...

Pick the habit: the best podcasts to get you into a new hobby

11 January 2022 (The Guardian)

Want to learn a language, start gardening, read more, or get into meditation for the new year? There’s a podcast for that …

Coffee Break Languages

Radio Lingua was among the first to recognise the potential of podcasts for language learning, launching Coffee Break Spanish in 2006. Now the network has a huge range of free materials for learners at every level – and not just Spanish but also French, German, Italian, Chinese, Swedish and English.

Read more...

CISS Chinese New Year Poster Competition 2022

17 December 2021 (CISS)

The Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools has announced a competition to celebrate the forthcoming year of the tiger! The competition is open to all primary schools in Scotland and the winner will be selected by CISS staff.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN ENTRY - entries submitted by email will not be accepted.

Deadline for entries: Friday 21 January 2022.

DETAILS:

Design a poster to celebrate the Year of the Tiger!

• Make sure to include the tiger in some way.
• Include what you know or have learnt about Chinese language and culture.
• Entries can be handmade (a high quality photo or scan of entry) or designed on the computer/tablet etc.

The winning entry will receive a prize and be featured online, and the poster will be used as the CISS Chinese New Year e-card!

CISS Winter 2021 Newsletter

17 December 2021 (CISS)

The Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools is delighted to publish the brand new Winter 2021 Newsletter, featuring news and updates from CISS projects, Confucius Classroom Hubs, Chinese Exchange Teachers and more updates on Mandarin learning across Scotland. 

Read more...

Learning Languages by Distance Learning at the University of Dundee

23 November 2021 (University of Dundee)

At the University of Dundee, we have a long-established tradition of language teaching, both with students at the University and via distance learning. We offer the opportunity of learning languages at various levels via Distance learning. We use a combination of online tools to give students a range of experiences in the language. Experienced staff are responsible for the course design, delivery and student support.

Short Courses:

• If you are interested in starting to learn a new language, you could enrol in our 25-Week Intensive distance learning courses (Languages modules offered in Chinese, French, Gaelic, German and Spanish). These courses start in the week commencing 10 January 2022. Registration is now open.
• If you already have some knowledge of Chinese, French, Gaelic, German or Spanish, such as a rusty Higher, GCSE, or O-level, then you may consider enrolling in the 10-week revision languages courses. These courses start in the week commencing 25 April 2022.  10-Week Revision Courses. Registration is now open.

2-Year online French, German and Spanish Graduate Diplomas

These 2-Year Graduate Diplomas by Distance Learning for part-time study are accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland. They are ideally suited for Secondary MFL teachers seeking an additional qualification in French, German or Spanish, and also attract a wide range of professionals from across Britain, Europe and beyond.

The Graduate Diplomas aim to provide the challenges of an undergraduate curriculum in the relevant language. At the end of their studies, students achieve an advanced understanding and knowledge of the language being studied.

 Through an interdisciplinary process (Teaching Spanish in addition to French for example) and by interacting and exchanging ideas with other students from other parts of the UK, Europe and Overseas, students will be able to develop a critical understanding of their practice and education as a whole.

The Graduate Diplomas carry a rating of 120 SCOTCAT points (SCQF Levels 9-10).  The qualification outcome is bench-marked at C1 in the Council of Europe Reference Framework for Languages. Applicants will normally have a pass at Higher level (or equivalent) in the language. This level can be achieved through completion of one of the University of Dundee‘s Distance Learning Intensive or Revision courses Languages | University of Dundee.

The diplomas place emphasis on reflection, inquiry, critical analysis, personal consideration of research findings and actively promotes the values, principles and practices of equality, social justice, integrity, trust and respect, and professional commitment in all areas of work.

Registration of the 2022-2024 Graduate Diplomas (2-Year part-time French , German and Spanish graduate-level diploma courses) is now open. The diplomas start in the week commencing 26 September 2022.

For more information visit the University of Dundee website, or to discuss any aspects of the courses or your application , please contact humanities@dundee.ac.uk.

Read more...

SQA vacancies - Visiting Assessors (VAs) of Advanced Higher Modern Languages performance-talking

9 November 2021 (SQA)

SQA is currently recruiting additional Visiting Assessors (VAs) of Advanced Higher Modern Languages performance-talking. VAs who have previously carried out this role do not need to reapply.

We would welcome applications for the following languages:

• French
• Gaelic (Learners)                       
• German
• Mandarin (Simplified)
• Spanish

VAs will receive training/support and will complete a training exercise prior to attending a briefing event on Saturday 29 January 2022 in Glasgow.

Centre visits (dependent on Scottish Government health guidance) will be completed throughout mid-February to late March 2022. Up to 5 release days may be required to fulfil this role (number of release days is flexible).

Release fees and/or own time fees would be paid, as well as travel expenses.

Further detail, including selection criteria, is available via the link below, where you can submit your application. Deadline: 12 December.

If you need any further information, please contact elaine.clusker@sqa.org.uk.

Read more...

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

24 September 2021 (Queen's College Oxford)

Registration is now open for the second year of the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators, open to all teachers of French, German, Italian [new this year!], Mandarin and Spanish.

The prize launches this month with ready-made teaching resources designed to be used around European Day of Languages (26 September) and International Translation Day (30 September). The prize is for students of French, German, Italian, Mandarin, or Spanish aged 11-18.

Bringing more international culture into the classroom is a central aim of the prize, and so all texts will be rich in cultural content, and creativity in the translation will be rewarded.

All interested teachers will receive a teaching pack for the first lessons, to be run any time from late September onwards. Following the first lesson, which focuses on translating poetry, teachers will be asked to confirm their registration for two further teaching packs (on translating fiction and non-fiction) and for the competition phase. The competition phase will be open from 21 February to 1 April 2022.

For more information and to register, please see the prize webpage.  

Read more...

SQA update to Advanced Higher Modern Languages coursework

21 September 2021 (SQA)

The SQA has published Advanced Higher Modern Languages Portfolio Answer Booklets. These can be found under the Coursework section of the SQA's AH Modern Languages webpage.

Read more...

Evening language courses at Dundee

17 September 2021 (University of Dundee)

Registration for the following year-long courses at the University of Dundee is now open until 27 September 2021:

• French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish, and British Sign Language (BSL).

For more information, please visit: https://www.dundee.ac.uk/languages/courses/forall/

To register please go to: https://www.buyat.dundee.ac.uk/short-courses/languages-for-all

If you have any queries, please contact: Veronique Malcolm : v.malcolm@dundee.ac.uk

RZSS Beyond the Panda FREE virtual programmes

6 September 2021 (RZSS)

P1-P3 Two live virtual sessions available after the October break until December but only on Thursdays. Advisable to book now as limited places. Choose from 'Intro to the giant panda' or 'I can see, hear, smell, taste and touch'. Both are based around the giant panda and include some basic Mandarin language learning. Limited places. Contact Sandie Robb - srobb@rzss.org.uk for further details and booking. 

P4-P7 Seven week progressive programme through live virtual sessions. Book now for delivery in January to March 2022 (already fully booked for 2021). Covers many topics on China, its wildlife, endangered species and culture. Ideal for L3 Mandarin or China topic. Includes some basic Mandarin language learning. Key objectives are on the flyer. Limited places. Contact Sandie Robb - srobb@rzss.org.uk for further details and booking. 

All sessions are delivered on Microsoft Teams within GLOW. Enabled by our partnership with CISS and eSgoil. 

Further details and additional resources can be found on the Beyond the Panda website.

Read more...

New SCEN website

14 August 2021 (SCEN)

The Scotland China Education Network (SCEN) has just launched their new website designed to be more accessible, informative, and user friendly. The website hosts information about SCEN and its work, as well as from partner bodies involved in the teaching of Mandarin across Scotland.

The main new features of the site are the Learning Zone, Teaching Zone, and the Opportunities section. 

Read more...

Language learning gives me ‘richer experiences with a broader mindset’

4 August 2021 (British Council)

How do international experiences and language learning shape our perception of the world? We asked Dame Caroline Wilson DCMG, British Ambassador to China and Generation UK: China Network Champion.

Read more...

Can digital learning be a good thing? How e-Sgoil is creating success stories across Scotland

6 June 2021 (Press and Journal)

Emily Crawford had never met her teacher when she won a UK-wide mandarin speaking competition.

She proved the value of digital learning when she took first place at the British Council Mandarin Speaking Competition in May, outperforming students who had more experience with the language and more traditional instruction.

Emily started her language journey through e-Sgoil, the Stornoway-based digital learning school that connects students to learning opportunities they can’t get where they live.

The school was founded to connect schools spread across the Western Isles. Now it connects students and teachers around the world.

When schools were closed during lockdowns, digital learning dominated conversations about education. At e-Sgoil, leaders, teachers and students hope to prove digital learning can be a positive experience.

Read more...

The trials of teaching a ‘new’ script in a virtual world

24 May 2021 (THE)

Imagine you’re 18 years old and you’re just beginning to learn how to read and write in a language you’ve never heard or spoken before. Not only that, but you have to learn it remotely, sitting online in front of a machine with a keyboard that, most likely, doesn’t have the letters of the language you’re about to learn. You’d be forgiven for asking yourself why you’re learning this language. And why you’re learning these strange-looking scripts.

This is likely the current situation of many students who are willing to learn a non-Roman language with a completely different script and great heritage, such as Arabic, Chinese or Hebrew.

But there are many other challenges that will arise during the learning process, particularly when doing so online. First, students face scripts that are inherently different from Roman languages. In the case of Arabic and Hebrew, students have to write from right to left. Written Chinese, as a logo syllabic script, contains different components and needs to follow certain stroke orders to write each character appropriately. 

When choosing a tech tool to incorporate in a language classroom, teachers need to examine the tool closely because many technological tools are Roman-languages oriented.

Read more...

Zoo Fun with Mandarin (virtual course)

12 May 2021 (RZSS)

This unique course introduces you and your family to the Mandarin language and Chinese characters while also learning about some Chinese animals and their habitats. Designed for 8 years right through to adults but children must be accompanied by an adult. The course is a series of three, one hour live virtual sessions spread across three days. Two opportunities to book. The course will run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10am on 20-22 July and repeated on 27-29 July. The course is for beginners and has had great reviews from previous participants: "Great balance of listening, interaction and engagement. Brilliant resources and a great experience."  Booking is through Eventbrite - Zoo Fun with Mandarin

Read more...

Beyond the Panda CLPL

5 May 2021 (RZSS)

Beyond the Panda is the RZSS giant panda and Mandarin education programme. RZSS is a science specialist Confucius Classroom and offers a unique programme covering science while learning some of the Mandarin language and Chinese characters. It is designed for cross curricular learning where students investigate and discover more about China, its culture, language, geography, giant pandas and other Chinese wildlife. 

This virtual CLPL course will hope to engage and inspire teaching staff to use the Beyond the Panda online resources with their students in order to develop a love of nature, animals and conservation and in particular to realise the biodiversity of China and the relevance of the Chinese language and culture. Delivered through Microsoft Teams within Glow. 

In partnership with DYWLive and eSgoil, there are three opportunities to book, starting at 4pm on either Tuesday 25th May, Thursday 10th or Thursday 17th June. Booking is through DYWLive, under Professional Learning - Beyond the Panda CLPL 

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United Nations youth ambassador accolade for Carnoustie’s Alexandra on Chinese Language Day

29 April 2021 (The Courier)

An Angus student has been named among a select band of youth ambassadors in a United Nations celebration of the Chinese language.

Alexandra McCombie, from Carnoustie received the honour during the organisation’s Chinese Language Day celebrating one of the six official languages of the UN.

The seven recipients received the accolade during a live video ceremony from Geneva.

Alexandra, together with brothers Robin and Owen Wilson of Irvine and Elgin’s Brodie Lawrence were nominated for a short film project they completed.

The work, Spring Memories, explored their experiences whilst studying Mandarin and Chinese culture for a year in China in 2017.

The four initially met in 2016 whilst attending a short summer immersion school in Tianjin and Beijing.

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Stornoway Primary School Boy Wins Gaelic Award Four Years After Arriving From Syria

26 April 2021 (Stornoway Gazette)

A Stornoway Primary School Pupil, whose family moved to Lewis from war-torn Syria, has gone viral this week after receiving an award for the progress he has made in learning Gaelic.

Ten year old Abdullah Al Nakeeb moved to Stornoway from Homs, four years ago. Now in Primary Six, Abdullah has a good grasp of the local language.

The Al Nakeeb family said: “We are really proud of Abdullah, he loves going to school here and Gaelic has become one of his favourite subjects.

"Addullah always works really hard and it is nice to see him get praise for all his efforts.

“We never expected our son to learn the language but since moving here he has managed to pick up Gaelic very quickly.

"His younger brother Majd has also got a good grasp of the language and received a certificate for his progress in December.

“Hopefully Abdullah’s brothers will continue to follow in his footsteps, it would be great to have them all speaking a new language.”

Read more...

Employ a language assistant at your school, college or university

20 April 2021 (British Council)

Bring language and culture to life by hosting a Modern Language Assistant in 2021-22! 

Modern Language Assistants are speakers of French, German, Irish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish who can help students in the UK develop their linguistic and cross-cultural skills. 

Requests for hosting a Modern Language Assistant in 2021-22 close on 30 April 2021 at 23:59 BST.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply.

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Teachers Learning to Teach Languages: OU-SCILT Programme

1 April 2021 (Open University/SCILT)

Registration for the Open University (OU) and SCILT online CPD programme in primary languages, known as TELT, is now open for the 2021 intake. The modules begin on 2 October with induction activities starting on 20 September, and finish in July 2022. The fee in Scotland is £264.00 per module place. Please request registration packs by 30 June 2021.

You can find important information about the programme at our dedicated TELT programme website. There you can see which languages and levels we offer, FAQs and what our past students say.

To register, please contact the OU corporate registrations team by writing to corporate-enquiries@open.ac.uk. NB please also copy scotland-languages@open.ac.uk into your email.

Please note it is important for prospective TELT students to plan ahead and ensure that they will be able to dedicate sufficient time to their study, because, once the module start date has passed, deferral is not possible. The fee will still be payable and cannot be refunded if students decide to defer or withdraw from studying the module.

Should you have any questions about this programme please contact scotland-languages@open.ac.uk.

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The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

1 April 2021 (University of Oxford)

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators is a brand new competition for MFL learners aged 11-18. The scheme is inspired by the life and work of the great translator Anthea Bell. It aims to promote language-learning across the UK and to inspire creativity in the classroom. By providing teachers with the tools they need to bring translation to life, we hope to motivate more pupils to study modern foreign languages to National 5, Highers and beyond.

In its first year, the prize is for learners of French, German, Mandarin and Spanish.

All interested teachers receive teaching packs for the prize, with ready-made resources designed to be used in class, for home learning or for extra-curricular activities.

See the attached document for more information and visit the website to register.

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Beyond the Panda free virtual sessions

2 March 2021 (RZSS)

Beyond the Panda is taking bookings now for live virtual sessions for next school year, we are fully booked for this year until end of June. Beyond the Panda has an exciting 7/8 week progressive programme for upper primary level, P4-P7. The key objectives are detailed on the second page of the pdf attached. This programme is an exciting introduction to the Mandarin language while learning lots of science. Sandie Robb, a registered teacher but has been working with RZSS for many years and manages the Science Specialist Confucius Classroom delivers these interactive sessions using skulls, models and language games. The programme also links with a native Chinese teacher. Sessions 1- 7 are delivered as live virtual sessions but it is hoped that the 8th session may be delivered as an outreach when restrictions are lifted. In addition, there are two individual sessions for lower primary, P1-P3. Sessions are delivered on Microsoft Teams within Glow.

Further information on the Beyond the Panda website. To book contact srobb@rzss.org.uk 

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Multilingual Debate 2021

25 February 2021 (Heriot-Watt University)

Heriot-Watt University's Multilingual Debate is an annual event that showcases the interpreting skills of undergraduate students on our Languages (Interpreting and Translating) degree programme, as well as the developing professional skills of postgraduate students on our MSc Interpreting and Translating programmes.

The event takes the form of a formal debate with two multilingual teams arguing for and against a motion of topical interest in a range of languages. The teams deliver their views in their various native languages (French, German, Spanish, English, Arabic, Chinese, British Sign Language (BSL)).

The Multilingual Debates 2021 will take place online via Zoom on Wednesday 24 March and Friday 26 March. 

Visit the Heriot-Watt Multilingual Debate webpage for more information and to register for the free event.

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New job profile on SCILT's website

23 February 2021 (SCILT)

We have a bank of job profiles on our website from a diverse range of occupations where languages are being used. Teachers use these to promote the benefits of language learning to pupils and to encourage uptake in schools.

Our latest addition comes from Leah Duncan-Karrim, who is studying Mandarin at university. Leah tells us how her knowledge of the language has opened up niche opportunities for her in her role as a sales assistant for luxury fashion brands.

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How I create fun and effective Mandarin Chinese lessons

22 February 2021 (British Council)

Mandarin teacher Frank Fan tells us how he uses learning activities and games in his classroom – as well as a sense of humour.

Mandarin Chinese is not difficult, just different.

I believe that anyone with positive learning attitude can make good progress in Mandarin Chinese language learning. 

Chinese is a tonal language. When we join words and tones together, the rhythm and tone is a bit like rap music. 

Many of my students like the visual aspect of written Chinese. Chinese characters originate from drawings. These origins can be seen in many characters, for example:  

日 Sun  

月 Moon 

火 Fire 

人 Person  

When introduced to these characters, many of my students tell me: ‘Sir, it’s like a picture and I can see the meaning!’

The Chinese language is also logical. Some students can use their imagination to figure out the meaning of words, for example: 

Rocket 火箭 (literally ‘fire’ and ‘arrow’) 

Train 火车 (meaning ‘fire’ and 'vehicle’ – in reference to coal-fuelled trains) 

Computer 电脑 (literally ‘electric’ and ‘brain’) 

Telephone 电话 (the words for ‘electric’ and ‘talking’) 

I introduce and reinforce vocabulary in the classroom through learning games.

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Mandarin for BGE 2021

18 February 2021 (CISS)

Do you want to include Mandarin in your school's curriculum but don't currently have the resources? CISS is offering 10 week blocks of live-streamed language and culture classes for Primary P5-P7 and Secondary S1-S3 to start in August 2021.

Further information can be found in the attached flyer. Register interest by 12 March 2021.

Keeping up the Chinese New Year tradition in the north of Scotland

6 February 2021 (Press and Journal)

Celebrations for Chinese New Year would normally see flamboyant parades across the north and north-east.

But with the streets empty, will the Spring Festival still be marked by the Scottish Chinese community?

The beat of the drums and a shimmering burst of colour, as a fiery red dragon weaves its way through the streets.

A resplendent lion rears up on its hind legs, yellow tassels shaking in time to the music.

People line the pavements to take in the spectacle, which reaches a frenzied firework finale.

Chinese New Year is celebrated around the globe, and is also referred to as the Spring Festival in line with the traditional Chinese calendar.

It marks the end of winter and the beginning of the spring season, and is one of the most important holidays in China.

It is a time of hope, of new beginnings – with family coming together at a reunion dinner after giving their house a thorough clean, in a bid to sweep away any ill fortune and make way for good luck.

China may be thousands of miles away, but there is a vibrant Scottish Chinese community.

From Inverness to Aberdeen, we could normally look forward to learning more about another culture with colourful parades and shows.

Just as Covid-19 called a halt to Hogmanay, it also means that these very public displays of celebration have been impacted around the globe.

But that does not mean to say that February 12 will pass by unmarked, for there is no forgetting traditions which span back centuries.

Your life spoke to those who have still found a way to celebrate the occasion, and discovered what Chinese New Year is really about.

Read more...

Chinese New Year resources

4 February 2021 (CISS)

Learn about Chinese New Year and the Year of the Ox with a range of resources collated on the CISS website. They include some fun videos on this important festival created by the CISS Chinese Exchange Teachers. 

Read more...

CISS Nat 4, Nat 5 and Higher online Mandarin offer 2021-2022

2 February 2021 (CISS)

CISS is happy to be able to share the first details of our offer of live-streamed Mandarin NQ classes for the upcoming 2021-22 session. This will allow schools to expand their provision for Mandarin, particularly those who do not have access to a GTCS registered teacher of Mandarin and who have, therefore, been unable to offer NQ classes.  The following details will allow these courses to be added to course choice forms.  The official start date is still to be decided and will be confirmed as soon as circumstances allow.

Please register your school’s interest now

The offer consists of three courses: National 4, National 5 and Higher.

National 4
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
14.00-15.00		14.00-15.00	9.30 – 10.30
National 5
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
	14.00-15.00		14.00-15.00	9.30 – 10.30
Higher
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
9.30 – 10.30	15.00-16.00	9.30 – 10.30	15.00-16.00	14.00-15.00

 

Please read carefully the following information:

• Learners can access the course from at school or at home. All they will require is access to the internet and their Glow account. All assessments will need to be undertaken in school under controlled conditions, supervised by a teacher.
• The online teacher is PVG checked and GTCS registered.  She will provide and mark all teaching and assessment materials, and gather evidence of learners’ attainment. Schools will be responsible for:

• obtaining approval to present these qualifications from SQA
• presenting candidates for the relevant SQA qualifications
• administering exams
• ensuring that any assessment arrangements to which pupils are entitled are in place.

A designated GTCS class teacher must be assigned to support the delivery of Mandarin in your school. This teacher will be responsible for:

• attendance and supervision of learners for each lesson
• regular liaison with the GTCS Mandarin teacher via email/ virtual face-to-face conversation
• co-ordinating reporting to parents
• accessing and distributing class materials on Glow and uploading pupil work.
• facilitating assessments.

The class teachers will not have responsibility for language teaching.  However, there is an expectation that they will help facilitate the learning.  They will also require time to deal with the administration associated with the course(s). This, therefore, requires a timetabled commitment from a member of staff.

Teaching materials, resources and assessments will be available for download.

Once notes of interest have been collated, further details will follow.  An online meeting will be arranged for all participating schools.  This will give an opportunity for staff to network with each other and to clarify any questions they may have.

Please get in touch at ciss-info@strath.ac.uk should you require additional, specific information.

British Council Mandarin Speaking Competition 2021

18 January 2021 (British Council)

The British Council is pleased to announce that a digital Mandarin Speaking Competition will take place in a series of online events. The competition provides a great opportunity for secondary school students to practise and improve their Mandarin language skills.

Taking part in the competition:

• increases students’ motivation for learning the language
• develops vocabulary and improves pronunciation
• raises confidence for oral examinations
• encourages students to interact with their classmates
• inspires students to discover more about Chinese culture.

Applications are now open until 12 February 2021. Visit the British Council website for more information.

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Chinese New Year 2021: when is the celebration, what is this year’s Zodiac animal - and traditions explained

15 January 2021 (The Scotsman)

While Christmas and New Year may seem like a distant memory, the Chinese New Year is still to come.

The biggest event on the calendar in China, Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of the new Lunar calendar.

Learn about the event in the explainer video.

Read more...

Year of the Ox Education Pack

11 January 2021 (British Council)

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, we enter the Year of the Ox on 12 February 2021.

These education resources contain information and activities to help teachers and pupils learn more about this important spring festival and explore Chinese culture. Your pupils can read a version of the traditional story of the New Year Race, create shadow puppets of the main characters and make a traditional Chinese lantern.

These resources are suitable for primary years and adaptable for early secondary years and older.

Read more...

University of Dundee distance learning courses

11 January 2021 (University of Dundee)

Registration for the University of Dundee 25-Week Intensive courses by distance learning in French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish is now open and extended until 15 January 2021. 

These courses are accredited at 20 SCQF credits. They will take students from the basics up to a standard equivalent to a Scottish Higher and beyond. They are taught by online distance learning via the University of Dundee virtual learning environment. From week 1, students on the courses will have a weekly online session with a native language tutor to give them the chance to practice what they have learnt and to clarify any queries they may have.  

More information is available on the University of Dundee website. 

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Why Speak Chinese 2020

8 December 2020 (Chinosity)

Create and share a 1-minute engaging video about any shocking, funny, or weird experiences you had while learning Chinese for the chance to win two round trip flights to China! Please showcase your Chinese speaking skills in the video as well. Open to all learners of Mandarin aged 13 and over. Submission deadline 15 January 2021.

Visit the Chinosity website to find out more.

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Discovering China is back!

3 December 2020 (CISS)

Beyond the Panda free virtual sessions

18 November 2020 (RZSS)

FREE virtual Beyond the Panda sessions available for all primary levels linking science with Mandarin language learning. Delivered on Microsoft Teams within Glow. Fully booked this term but taking bookings now for the new year. Booking up fast! Email srobb@rzss.org.uk.

Also see the Beyond the Panda website for follow-on resources.

Read more...

£10m Mandarin scheme set for expansion despite teacher recruitment struggles

24 October 2020 (Schools Week)

A £10 million programme to improve children’s fluency in Mandarin is set to be extended.

The government-funded Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) was launched in 2016 to get “at least 5,000 young people on track towards fluency in Mandarin Chinese by 2020” and train “at least 100 new qualified Chinese teachers by the end of the programme”.

When the programme, run by University College London’s Institute of Education (IOE) and the British Council, started there were 1,000 pupils across England learning Mandarin.

The IOE said the 5,000-pupil target had been exceeded by the last academic year.

The contract has been extended to this year, with about 7,000 pupils now taking part in 75 schools nationally.

But in contrast, 69 teachers have achieved qualified status on the UCL IOE Chinese Language PGCE – 31 shy of the target.

An IOE spokesperson said by summer next year, 83 IOE PGCE graduates will have finished their courses, adding that “in collaboration with other providers a grand total of more than 100 newly qualified teachers of Chinese will have been trained since 2016”.

A spokesperson for the Association for Language Learning praised the MEP for its success, but said it wanted “to see the funding of such projects extended to other languages to allow everyone access to learning a language”.

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Vacancy: General Manager (CISS)

6 October 2020 (CISS)

Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), based in Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT) requires a General Manager to support the network of Scotland’s Confucius classrooms across Scotland. This is an exciting opportunity to work at national level and drive forward the strategic languages agenda in Scotland.

The successful candidate will be part of the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools team based within SCILT at the Ramshorn building in Glasgow’s city centre but flexible working is supported. The centre leads 46 Confucius classrooms across Scotland, including secondary, primary and specialist classrooms.

The General Manager will support the Director with the strategic overview, management and quality assurance of CISS projects. S/he/they will take a lead role in the promotion of Chinese language and culture in response to the Scottish Government’s China Strategy and the 1+2 languages policy. S/he/they will contribute to the development of corporate and operational plans in order to achieve the strategic aims and objectives of CISS, in line with priorities determined by Scottish Government, Confucius Institute Headquarters (CIH), the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) and the University of Strathclyde.

The successful candidate will be a fluent Mandarin speaker and able to use language to negotiate and conduct business. The candidate will have substantial management experience within institutions/organisations. An understanding of the Scottish education system would be an advantage. An excellent networker with an entrepreneurial flair, will be able to work effectively with a wide range of Chinese and UK stakeholders in government, academia and industry. S/he/they will be confident to develop strong partnerships with all stakeholders. 

For full details and to apply visit the University of Strathclyde's vacancy portal. Closing date for applications is 19 October 2020. 

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Autumn immersion week

1 October 2020 (Language Learning Scotland)

Calling all S5 and S6 Modern Languages students studying French, German Spanish and Mandarin. From 12-16 October 2020, Language Learning Scotland is running a virtual language immersion week. Come along to learn more about the culture, the course and so much more!

Meet like-minded language lovers and hear talks from native young people and industry professionals. Get help and advice on navigating your way through Higher and Advanced Higher with tips for memorising grammar and vocabulary.

Visit the LLS website for more information and to apply. 

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The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

17 September 2020 (University of Oxford)

The Queen’s College Translation Exchange is inviting expressions of interest in our new competition for schools, The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators. The prize launches this month with ready-made resources designed to be used around European Day of Languages (26 September) and International Translation Day (30 September). The competition is for students of French, German, Mandarin, or Spanish across four levels in Key Stages 3-5. 

The competition is inspired by the 'Juvenes Translatores' competition run by the European Commission, for which UK students are no longer eligible. 

More information can be found on the attached document or on the competition website.

Read more...

e-Sgoil Study Support Webinars

11 September 2020 (e-Sgoil)

Young people from across Scotland are participating in a series of live study support webinar lessons being delivered by e-Sgoil. 

Building on the success of the e-Sgoil ‘lockdown’ offer - where over 3,000 young people from across the country participated in real-time e-Sgoil lessons from their homes - the package of study support seeks to complement the work being done by schools by providing free, live, interactive webinar lessons in an extensive range of courses at Level 5 (National 5) and Level 6 (Higher). 

Twenty courses are currently on offer in the evenings, in a range of subjects including French, Gaelic, Gaidhlig, Mandarin, Spanish, Business Management, Chemistry, Computing Science, Eachdraidh, English, History, Maths, Music, Physics and RMPS. 

e-Sgoil Study Support live webinar lessons are scheduled to run for a period of eight weeks in the first instance and employ a ‘flipped’ learning approach, where participants undertake prior learning using supplied resources before attending the real-time 45-minute webinar lesson, hosted in Glow. All e-Sgoil live webinar lessons are delivered by subject specialists and are scheduled after school in the evening.  

Angus Mclennan, Head Teacher of e-Sgoil commented:
“e-Sgoil is delighted to offer Senior Phase pupils from across Scotland the opportunity to participate in a wide-range of live webinar lessons that will reinforce school-based learning. Each webinar lesson is a stand-alone learning experience, so new participants are welcome to sign-up to join future sessions”. 

Young people can sign-up directly by simply accessing the e-Sgoil Study Support registration form at www.e-sgoil.com

(Pupil Glow login details and Scottish Candidate Number (SCN) are required as part of the registration process). 

StampIT language learning resources

7 September 2020 (StampIT)

StampIT offers resources to help teach primary learners different languages using the medium of stamps. Follow the relevant link below to find out more about the latest additions to the resource bank:

• Let's Look at China - StampIT’s new Let’s Look at China Mandarin learning pack with workbooks, Powerpoint presentation for teachers; detailed CfE links across literacy, arts, language and social studies aimed at upper primary level. Investigates the culture and language of China.  
• Find out all about StampIT - Sandie Robb, Association of Scottish Philatelic Societies Development Officer and Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Language Project Coordinator, explains the concept in this video and how the various courses and resources can assist with language learning but also include links to the wider curriculum.  

CISS Alumni Association webinar series

1 September 2020 (CISS)

The CISS Alumni Association has organised a webinar series which aims to showcase the various experiences the alumni have had with further education, jobs, internships and Mandarin.

The webinars take place on Zoom on 8, 15 and 22 September at 6:30pm and will last just over an hour. 

The speakers are all alumni who will talk about their experiences after the scholarship and the impact the scholarship has had on such opportunities. (Please note - the scholarship opportunity is only available to Confucius hub schools, however all pupils considering studying abroad will hear about the resulting benefits of pursuing similar initiatives).

The details of each webinar are below:

• 1st Webinar – Education
  8 September at 6:30pm
  Speakers: Sara Cassidy, Leah Duncan-Karim, Grace Paterson

• 2nd Webinar –Jobs
  15 September at 6:30pm
  Speakers: Cameron Smyth, Connor Cloughley, Natalie Hotchkiss

• 3rd Webinar – Internships and Summer jobs
  22 September at 6:30pm
  Speakers: Erin Duffy, Owen Wilson, Robin Wilson

All school pupils and teachers are welcome and we kindly ask you to pass on these details to all interested parties. 

Please register via this link and the details of the Zoom will be made available to you.

 

Teachers Learning to Teach Languages: OU-SCILT Programme

20 August 2020 (Open University/SCILT)

Teachers Learning to Teach Languages (TELT) is an innovative, distance learning professional learning programme offered by the Open University in partnership with SCILT. The course begins in October and lasts nine months. TELT is open to all primary teachers, and secondary teachers with a secondment in primary, across Scotland. The course materials and tutorials are all delivered online, and we hope to be able to have an optional face to face day school in May 2021 dependent on pandemic safety advice at that time.

Typically Scottish local authorities sponsor their teachers, however a small number of previous participants have financed themselves. If you are interested in finding out if sponsorship is available for you please contact the Languages Development Officer in your local authority.

For more information about self-funding please contact Scotland-languages@open.ac.uk

The aim of the programme is to increase and improve language provision in primary schools. Teachers simultaneously learn a new language and the skills to teach that language in the classroom. The languages strand is offered in four languages – French, German, Mandarin and Spanish – and at two levels – beginners and post-beginners. The pedagogy strand covers a diverse range of pedagogical approaches i.e. embedding an additional language, exploring target language cultures, play and games, interdisciplinary contexts.

What’s the course really like though?  Hear what Mel and Gwen, two previous participants have to say. 

The modules all begin on 3 October, with some induction activities ahead of that, and the fee per module place in Scotland is £258.00

Details of the commitment in terms of time and effort on these modules at the TELT website’s FAQs.

Potential sponsors can use an online Expression of Interest form to let us know about any teachers who are interested in the programme and would have their fees paid by sponsorship from their local authority or individual school. The deadline to submit Expressions of Interest for sponsored places is 31 August. Submitting the Expression of Interest form doesn't commit organisations to going ahead with sponsorship at this stage, or to a particular number of places. Formal registration paperwork would be issued after submission this online form, and the number of places can be increased or decreased following that.

Teachers who are interested but would be paying their own fees (self-funding), should contact  scotland-languages@open.ac.uk The registration deadline for self-funding students is 10 September.

Visit the Open University TELT webpage for more information on the programme.

Similarly, for any other questions you have please don’t hesitate to contact scotland-languages@open.ac.uk

Read more...

StampIT website updated

10 August 2020 (StampIT)

StampIT is the Association of Scottish Philatelic Societies youth programme where children can discover a world of stamps through interactive games and activities. StampIT also provides a number of ideas for teachers to use stamps across the curriculum. Stamps are a great medium for learning about a wide range of subjects including arts, music, history, geography, science, sport, culture and languages.

StampIT is launching ‘Stamp over October’. This series develops various skills and increases knowledge across the curriculum for the broad general education phase. The range of activities cover experiences and outcomes in many areas within expressive arts; language and literacy; mathematics; sciences; social studies and technologies. The activities will also last beyond October!

See the attached flyers for more information and visit the website for a range of games and activities for learners of French, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese.

Read more...

Heriot-Watt’s search for £9m cuts puts university’s languages department at risk

6 August 2020 (The Times)

A Scottish university is reviewing the future of its entire foreign languages department as it looks at how to cut its wage bill by £9 million over two years.

Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh, widely seen as Scotland’s centre of excellence for translation studies, has commissioned an external review into French, German, Spanish and Chinese classes.

Read more...

Genes And Musical Ability Both Affect How People Hear Tonal Languages

27 May 2020 (Forbes)

In some languages, the meaning of each word is not only conveyed by the order of its syllables, but also by the pitch. Tonal languages such as Cantonese, Mandarin or Yoruba are difficult to learn for people who are used to non-tonal languages like English. They require you to be able to pick up on subtle pitch differences, and new research suggests that your ability to do so may be genetic. However, they also noted that genetics only played a small role. Whether or not someone had taken music lessons was more likely to affect how well they hear lexical tones.

Read more...

Around the World resources

8 April 2020 (British Council)

We all know the importance of keeping connected whilst distancing. That’s why we’ve curated a special collection of our favourite resources about life and culture in different countries around the world. Designed by specialists and tested by teachers, our resources are packed with ideas and projects to help you plan face to face or online classes and support parents with home-learning.

Why not plan a virtual trip around the world for your students and choose which countries you’d like to explore together? We’re always here to help you bring the world into your classroom, wherever your classroom is.

Read more...

SCEN surveys

31 March 2020 (SCEN)

SCEN has drawn up two short surveys, one to gather information ahead of our website revamp, and another to gather information on people's experience with our events and ambassador programme. 

Together, they take under ten minutes to fill out, and would be a great help to us in gaining a better understanding how we can improve our engagement and communication. 

If you could please complete the surveys from the two links below, and share them with any peers, colleagues, students, or friends you know have an interest in or affiliation with SCEN, it would be much appreciated.

We ask that you please complete the surveys by Monday the 20th of April, so that we can act on the data gathered as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your participation. 

SCEN Website Survey - 3 Minutes to Complete
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KD7CH37

SCEN Events and Ambassadors Survey - 4 Minutes to Complete
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KQJCNQD

Read more...

Online beginner Mandarin classes

30 March 2020 (CISS)

Beyond the Panda resources for home learning

30 March 2020 (RZSS)

New online books for home learning. Everyone can access these and they include a good mix of science and Mandarin. These are different from our other online content as they don't require to be downloaded and printed. They also all include sound files and Mandarin learning points. 

At present, there are books which provide an online experience of the giant panda expert visit aimed at upper primary level and the Chinese Endangered Species outreach. In addition there is a book version of the Science Specialist Confucius Classroom 'China's animals and habitats'. Finally, a section comparing China and Scotland. This China/Scotland project is in partnership with the JASS scheme.

All the books are available on the Beyond the Panda website.

Read more...

The Great Languages Challenge

26 March 2020 (British Council)

The Great Languages Challenge can be completed during a planned lesson or also set as a language-themed homework task. We even have a blank version available that students can use to design their own challenges for their classmates or peers in their partner school overseas.

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Modern Languages webinars

19 March 2020 (SCILT/CISS)

Along with our partners at e-Sgoil, the SCILT and CISS teams are currently working on live webinars to support youngsters working on National Qualifications in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin and Gaelic. This will compliment the work already being done by teachers across the country so that youngsters due to sit National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications do not have their learning interrupted. We will give further information via our usual networks and social media. 

Vacancy: Professional Development Officer

3 March 2020 (SCILT/CISS)

Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT) requires a Professional Development Officer to support the network of Scotland’s Confucius classrooms and the learning and teaching of languages across Scotland. This is an exciting opportunity to work at national level and drive forward the strategic languages agenda in Scotland. The successful candidate will be part of the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools team based within SCILT as the Ramshorn building in Glasgow’s city centre. The centre leads 44 Confucius classrooms across Scotland, including secondary, primary and specialist classrooms.

The Professional Development Officer will be responsible for developing and delivering a broad range of support measures to develop the learning and teaching of Mandarin in Scottish schools and communities. This would include, for example, leading professional learning workshops and managing projects such as national awards/competitions and other promotional events.

The post holder will support practitioners to turn policy into practice in order to create a positive impact on learners. This will be based on identification of practitioners’ needs, with particular reference to the place of Mandarin and languages in general, within the National Improvement Framework and the Scottish curriculum. The post holder would, therefore, need extensive experience of leading recent initiatives that promote and support language learning.

Please note, the successful candidate need not be a fluent Mandarin speaker.

Visit the University of Strathclyde's vacancy portal for full details about the post and to apply by 22 March 2020.

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Mandarin dream: The UK pupils vying for a trip to Beijing

17 February 2020 (BBC)

Pupils from across the UK headed to London for the national final of a Mandarin speaking competition.

At stake is an all-expenses-paid trip to Beijing where they can test their language skills for real.

See the video.

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Modern Language Assistants 2020-21 applications open

14 February 2020 (British Council)

The British Council Language Assistants team is now welcoming requests from host schools, colleges, universities and local authorities for the 2020-21 academic year.

Language Assistants are an invaluable resource for the development of language skills and the raising of inter-cultural awareness. Language Assistants can help learners build their confidence while gaining new cultural insights. Assistants are native speakers of French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin from our 14 partner countries around the globe.

Visit the website to apply or contact the Language Assistants team for more information at Languageassistants.UK@britishcouncil.org

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Scotland-China Association primary schools competition 2020

6 February 2020 (Scotland-China Association)

Open to all pupils in P5, P6 and P7 in Scottish schools, this year's competition from the Scotland-China Association asks students to design a kite.

Kites have been made and flown all over the world for thousands of years, and are very popular in China. The aim of the competition is to inspire the creativity of Scottish primary school pupils and to encourage them to learn more about Scotland and China. Entries should explore ideas which demonstrate understanding of links between Scotland and China through the design for a kite. We are working in partnership with RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, where the prize giving will be held.

Individual or group entries are welcomed and should take one of the following forms:

• Painting
• Drawing
• Craftwork (for example an actual kite)
• Writing
• Photography
• Video/media/film (no more than 10 minutes long)
• Embroidery/stitching/textile

See the attached flyer for more information and the entry form, which must accompany all submissions. The deadline for entries is 15 May 2020.

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Science Specialist Confucius Classroom / Beyond the Panda

29 January 2020 (RZSS)

The RZSS offer the following education programmes to support the teaching and learning of Mandarin in schools.

• Science Specialist Confucius Classroom - limited FREE sessions at Edinburgh Zoo extended to June 2020. We have two sessions available within our Specialist Classroom. Please note the updated conditions. Please see the attached pdf for details. 
• Beyond the Panda - new booklet available which details the overall Beyond the Panda programme and provides guidance on the website. The booklet includes a planning and learning map detailing various Mandarin language topics, the games within the programme and where to find them. See the attached pdf for more information.

Language competitions

22 January 2020 (RZSS)

RZSS and our partner StampIT have launched language competitions. All are based on a fantastic activity which covers many curriculum objectives starting with just one postage stamp. Tell the story of a Spanish, French, Chinese or in fact any country/language stamp. Full details are on the attached pdf leaflets. There are specific leaflets for Spanish, French and Mandarin. There is also another leaflet 'Stamps from around the World' and for this competition any topic (including any language) can be entered. This activity links to the RZSS & StampIT language series.

The competition will continue to run each year, therefore there is no time limit for entries. However for entries to be shown in the 2020 Scottish Annual Congress, please send by 1 March 2020. Entries are encouraged from all age groups. Example pages are shown but younger pupils can still enter and possibly draw around the stamp and write a word or two in the language as appropriate. Pupils can enter more than one of the competitions.

Check out the attached leaflets for more information on each of the competitions. If anyone has difficulty in finding stamps, please contact Sandie Robb - SRobb@rzss.org.uk.

Multilingual Debate 2020

21 January 2020 (Heriot-Watt University)

Heriot-Watt University's Multilingual Debate is an annual event that showcases the interpreting skills of undergraduate and postgraduate students. The event takes the form of a formal debate with two multilingual teams arguing for and against a motion of topical interest in a range of languages. The teams deliver their views in their various native languages (French, German, Spanish, English, Arabic, Chinese, British Sign Language (BSL)).

The audience is mainly made up of pupils coming from Scottish and English secondary schools, along with university undergraduate students considering entering the interpreting profession, as well as government and local authority representatives, The audience participates by listening to the arguments, putting questions to the speakers in the languages represented and voting on the motion.

The Multilingual Debate 2020 will take place on Wednesday 25 March at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus. Two sessions are available and bookings are now being taken. Schools can book up to 15 tickets free of charge.

Visit the website for more information.

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Mandarin eclipses French, say private school heads

8 January 2020 (TES)

Mandarin is the best language for pupils to learn in today’s world, while French lags far behind in importance, according to girls’ school headteachers cited in a poll published today.

The survey, conducted by the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA), which represents independent all-girls schools across the UK, found that 38 per cent of heads feel Mandarin is the most important modern language for pupils to learn.

This is despite pupils' quicker progress in European languages, according to a language expert, who also argues that more job opportunities area available for French and German speakers.

Spanish was the second most popular option among the headteachers polled, with 31 per cent choosing it as the most important language, while 7.1 per cent chose Russian.

Just 2 per cent of those surveyed said French is the most important language for pupils to know.

A further 21 per cent selected “other”, with many commenting that any modern foreign language is useful for pupils.

[..] But Teresa Tinsley, who wrote the British Council’s 2019 Language Trends report, said schools needed to consider the practicalities of opting for Mandarin over languages spoken by geographical neighbours, such as French and German.

[..] Ms Tinsley said she supported the introduction of Mandarin to give pupils more variety in the languages they learnt, but said European languages tended to support pupils’ literacy in English, which could not be said of Asian languages.

(Note - subscription required to read full article).

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Why we offer Mandarin and Spanish, not German and French

20 December 2019 (TES)

Secondary head Chris Woolf explains why he ditched the modern language stalwarts in favour of giving all students the chance to learn Mandarin and Spanish.

It was very quiet. There was no one to talk to. There were no phones to ring. There was no one knocking on the door. Getting in early to make some progress before students and staff arrived for the day was pointless: they wouldn’t be here for another nine months. It was June 2015 and I had been appointed founding headteacher of Pinner High School.

Much of the next year was spent making and enacting plans. But foremost in my mind, on those quiet days when the school had not yet come into being, was the curriculum. What should it look like?

A lot of it would be traditional, of course: English, maths, science. However, there was an opportunity to make it a bit more exciting, too. This is how we came to ditch French and German, teaching Mandarin and Spanish to every child in the school instead.

Mandarin teaching has increased over the past 20 years but it is still offered by only a minority of state schools. Even then, it is usually in addition to the more traditional languages. We didn’t want it to be an add-on – we wanted it to be the main event.

Meanwhile, the number of students taking Spanish at GCSE has soared, while French has fallen markedly. But trying to counter the former and respond to the latter were not our only drivers.

Governors asked appropriately challenging questions. Why? What’s wrong with French and German? Through telling audiences about our language options as I toured local primaries to promote the school, I honed my response. When schools first started teaching modern foreign languages, we looked to our nearest neighbours in Europe for the most useful ones to learn: French and German.

But the world has changed. If we look to the future, we want jobseekers of the 2020s to be equipped for success, and that means a more dynamic approach. Teaching students in an English-speaking school Mandarin and Spanish means that they get to study the top three most widely spoken languages in the world. That must be a good thing.

Having settled on Mandarin and Spanish, I had to consider who would be eligible for these languages. This was an easy decision: everyone. We are a truly inclusive school and we believe that everyone can access the same curriculum, given the proper support.

Then I had to actually make it happen. I had expected recruiting Mandarin teachers to be difficult. However, when I advertised, there was a strong field to pick from and we now have brilliant colleagues.

(Note - subscription required to access full article).

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Chinese New Year

19 December 2019 (British Council)

Get ready to celebrate Chinese New Year on 25 January 2020!

This education resource from the British Council is packed full of exciting ideas and activities from across the curriculum, helping you and your pupils celebrate Chinese New Year 2020 and the Year of the Rat.

Play the sound files and practice saying the names of different Chinese festivals and greetings in Mandarin. Read a traditional story about a pair of ambitious rat parents trying to find a husband for their daughter. Get creative making rat finger puppets, Tangram puzzles and steamed rice dumplings. Learn together about Tomb Sweeping Day, the Spring, Moon and Dragon Boat Festivals and read letters from Chinese children about how they celebrate with their friends and families.

This resource is suitable for primary years and adaptable for early secondary years and older.

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Scottish school pupils show off their language skills in Mandarin Speaking Competition

6 December 2019 (CISS)

Over 40 pupils from 14 Scottish Schools put their linguistic skills to the test on 26 November as they bid to be crowned Scotland’s best Mandarin speakers. They took part in the Glasgow heat of this year’s British Council Mandarin Speaking Competition, held at the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) within Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT).

The winners of the heat will be announced next month after all the UK heats have been completed, and they will be put forward to the final in London in February 2020 with the overall winner winning a fully-funded educational and cultural visit to China. Now in its sixteenth year, the national competition aims to build interest in Chinese language and culture.

Mr Jiayi Chen, Teacher of Mandarin at Kinross High, said:

“Learning Mandarin has been incredibly important at Kinross High and our pupils gain so much confidence when using the language and taking part in the competition.  We’ve seen a big impact from the opportunity to put language skills to use outside of a classroom setting. It’s also great to see that many of our students have been inspired to continue studying languages to a higher level.”

As the most spoken language in the world, Mandarin is recognised as a valuable skill for young people in the UK to acquire. 77 per cent of British business leaders surveyed in 2018 saying that speaking Mandarin will give school leavers a career advantage. Research by the British Council has found that Mandarin is the second most important foreign language for the UK’s influence on the global stage.

However, the numbers of pupils studying Mandarin are low when compared to other languages. This year, in Scotland for example, just 232 pupils took the Scottish National 5 exam in Mandarin compared to more than 10,720 students who took French and over 7000 pupils who took Spanish.

Jackie Killeen, Director, British Council Scotland said;

“It’s wonderful to see so many Scottish Schools and pupils involved in the Mandarin Speaking Competition this year – and we’re delighted to help host this event in Glasgow. Mandarin Chinese is a vital language world-wide and this competition provides a powerful way for students not only to enhance their language skills but also to broaden their horizons for life and work in the global economy. We wish all the pupils and Schools the very best for the heats and the final”.

Fhiona Mackay, Director, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, added;

“SCILT is delighted to host the Scottish heats of the British Council’s annual Mandarin Speaking Competition.  These events highlight the importance of languages as key skills for life and work and showcase the talents of youngsters across the country who are enthusiastically learning Mandarin. It’s certainly not easy an easy task to speak in a language you are learning in front of a panel of distinguished judges and I am impressed by the young people’s courage, motivation and commitment.  The confidence that is developed by taking part in such an event will serve them well throughout their school careers.  Regardless of the outcome of the judges’ final decisions, everyone who takes part is a winner!”

Since 2003, around 3,000 young people from across the UK have entered the competition – with some of these pupils later going on to graduate in Mandarin Chinese.

Pupils can compete in the Individual Language Ability or the Group Performance section. In the Individual section, contestants give a short presentation in Mandarin and translate sentences from English into Mandarin. In the Group Performance section, groups of five students of mixed Mandarin experience perform a piece of drama in Mandarin, involving imaginative performances and drama.

The national final of the Mandarin Speaking Competition will take place in London on 5 February 2020.

Celebrate Chinese New Year 2020 in Edinburgh

28 November 2019 (The List)

Kick off the Year of the Rat in the Scottish capital, with ceilidh dancing, larger-than-life art installations, language tasters and more.

Known for their charming nature and spirited wit, those born under the sign of the Rat will have extra reason to celebrate their astrological year in 2020, as the capital prepares to usher in Chinese New Year with a dynamic cultural programme to be found throughout the city.

The larger-than-life lantern spectacular returns to light up Edinburgh Zoo as Giant Lanterns: Lost Worlds (until Sun 26 Jan) transports visitors back 570 million years into Earth's pre-history. Come face-to-face with dinosaurs, beasts of the Ice Age and forgotten megafauna in this spectacular display of over 600 beautifully crafted lanterns. The zoo will also be hosting a Chinese New Year Reception to start the year on the right foot, with the date yet to be determined. Another welcome return to this year's programme is the Edinburgh Official Chinese New Year Concert (Tue 21 Jan), which will take place beneath the hallowed dome of Usher Hall and showcase the talents of the Guizhou Song and Dance Troupe.

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Internships in China for undergraduate and postgraduate students and recent graduates

12 November 2019 (British Council)

Whatever your ambitions for the future, your internship will help you stand out from the crowd. New industries and work opportunities in China are rising faster than the skyscrapers that accommodate them, and China may soon overtake the US as the world’s largest economy. Companies across the world will value your experience of China's culture and business practices. 

You’ll also benefit from weekly Mandarin lessons and take part in business and cultural activities, offering you valuable insight into the customs and traditions of China.

Read more...

New job profile on SCILT's website

8 November 2019 (SCILT)

We have job profiles on our website covering a wide range of careers where languages are in use. Our latest addition comes from Mark McLaughlin, a Researcher in International Law, whose language skills have enabled him to live and work in China. Mark tells us learning the language of the place you're living really helps you get an understanding of the country's culture. 

Teachers use this resource with your pupils to support the Developing the Young Workforce initiative and highlight the benefits of language learning as a life skill.

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RZSS China Mobile Library - What's on offer?

7 November 2019 (RZSS)

The RZSS China Mobile Library is available throughout Scotland free of charge. Choose from the 'panda pack package' which includes panda expert visits with free panda packs of resources or Chinese Endangered Species outreach sessions. More information can be found on the attached pdf flyer. Please include all the details requested in your email if you wish to book. 

RZSS Science Specialist Confucius Classroom - What's on offer?

7 November 2019 (RZSS)

RZSS Specialist Confucius Classroom has limited free places for two sessions at Edinburgh Zoo.

• Our P3-P4 'It makes Panda Sense' session is available to book from October through to December.
• Our P5-P7 'China's animals and habitats will be available from January to April but bookings are being taken now. The P5-P7 session is in our new amazing immersive space!

Please read the attached pdf flyer for more information and please include all the details requested in your email if you wish to book. 

The best languages to study for future job opportunities

6 November 2019 (The Telegraph)

Your Year 9 French teacher was right: learning a language can open a lot of doors. Not only will your fluency allow you to travel to distant corners of the globe, but having a degree in a language can make you highly employable.

Mastering a language has always been impressive to employers: it shows tenacity and commitment, but can also come in handy if they work with overseas clients. 

Now, language skills are more sought after than ever, given the potential impact of Brexit on British industry, according to the CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Report 2018. “The need for languages has been heightened by the UK’s departure from the European Union,” the report states.

The British Council has also stressed the need for young people to learn a foreign language in order for Britain to become a “truly global nation”. In their most recent Languages for the Future report in 2017, the British Council listed the following as the most important languages for the UK’s prosperity: Spanish, Mandarin, French, Arabic, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese and Russian. 

Even though multilingualism is needed for the UK’s prosperity, just 1 in 3 Britons can hold a conversation in a foreign language, according to the report from the British Council. 

So, those who can speak another language are more needed than ever - as is clear from the 2018 CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Report, which surveyed almost 500 British employers and calculated which languages are most desirable to them. The following are the results from that report and, thus, the best languages to study for graduate employment. 

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The Ramshorn and Graveyard Digital Trail - now available!

23 October 2019 (SCILT)

If you find yourself in the Merchant City area of Glasgow why not complete our new 'The Ramshorn and Graveyard' digital trail? Pupils from Glasgow Gaelic School, Holyrood Secondary, Shawlands Academy and St Roch's Secondary worked with SCILT and Global Treasure Apps to create a multilingual trail around the new SCILT and CISS premises. The trail encourages visitors to learn about the history of the area by following clues set by the pupils, and gives people the chance to test their language skills.

The Ramshorn and Graveyard Digital Trail is available to download from Global Treasure Apps in Arabic, English, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Mandarin, Polish, Spanish and Urdu.

Find Global Treasure Apps on the App store or Google Play. 

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Prestigious Scottish school to open Chinese campus

22 October 2019 (ECNS)

Architects have begun construction on the Chinese outpost of a top-ranked Scottish school that will offer bilingual education to elementary and high school students.

Fettes Guangzhou is a collaborative venture between Chinese education company Bright Scholar and Edinburgh-based Fettes College, opened in 1870, which counts former United Kingdom prime minister Tony Blair among its alumni.

Set to open in September next year, Fettes Guangzhou will be the brand's first international campus.

The school will be dual-curricular, offering up to 2,000 students aspects of both the British and Chinese education systems. Fettes Guangzhou will teach boys and girls and take full boarders as well as day students.

"Fettes Guangzhou will be a true reflection of Fettes College internationally, fully adopt our ethos, provide an outstanding academic education, focus on sector-leading pastoral care and introduce a wealth of co-curricular activities to broaden the horizons of all of its students," said Bruce Dingwall, who is deputy chair of the Fettes Trust.

Situated on the northern outskirts of Edinburgh, Fettes College was named Scotland's top independent secondary school in 2018 by The Sunday Times School Guide, which uses results from General Certificate of Secondary Education, A-Level, and International Baccalaureate exams to determine its rankings.

Several high-profile individuals have attended Fettes, including 2015's Nobel Prize in Economics winner Angus Deaton, Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton, and sinologist Roderick Mac-Farquhar, who served as director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University.

Bright Scholar is China's largest operator of international and bilingual schools, and the company has made a string of investments in British education in recent years.

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SQA Advanced Higher Languages Course Reports 2019

14 October 2019 (SQA)

SQA has published Advanced Higher Gaelic (Learners), German, Italian and Chinese languages course reports for the 2019 exam diet.

The reports provide information on candidates’ performance.

Visit the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage to access the reports.  

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Chinese tourism boom makes businesses mind their language

21 September 2019 (The Times)

They come for castles, clan history and clootie dumpling only to be thwarted by the language barrier.

Crowds of Chinese tourists who travel thousands of miles to visit Scotland every year are being wooed by canny restaurateurs and retailers keen to help them spend their currency and now Roy Brett, owner and head chef at the Ondine seafood bar, is looking for Mandarin-speaking serving staff.

Subscription required to read full article

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Autumn term Chinese classes

19 September 2019 (Confucius Institute for Scotland)

The Confucius Institute for Scotland in Edinburgh offers a diverse programme of evening classes for the general public to enjoy learning Chinese. Autumn 2019 courses will start week beginning 30 September and booking for these classes is now open.

Visit the website for more information.

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British Council Mandarin Speaking Competition 2019/20

10 September 2019 (British Council)

Applications are now invited for the British Council Mandarin Speaking Competition 2019/20.

The competition provides a great, fun opportunity for secondary school students to practice and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills along with the chance to win a week in Beijing!

Heats will be held in Belfast, Glasgow and London during November and December 2019 with the final taking place in London on 5 February 2020.

See the attached flyer for more information and visit the website for eligibility and entry criteria.

Entry deadline: 14 October 2019.

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Yakety Yak Language Cafés

26 August 2019 (Yakety Yak)

Improve your foreign language conversation in a local café, in a small group with an experienced tutor. 

We meet

• in the relaxed atmosphere of local cafes and bistros in Edinburgh and Glasgow
• in small groups of similar level of fluency
• with a tutor who is a native speaker for each group 
• each session normally has a minimum of 2 tutors to cater for most abilities
• No need to book - just drop in. However, if it is your first time with us, we recommend you phone or email us to discuss your level and the best session for you first

Conversation classes commence from 2 September 2019. Visit the website for details of sessions running in both Edinburgh and Glasgow. 

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New job profile on the SCILT website

23 August 2019 (SCILT)

We have job profiles on our website covering a wide range of careers where languages are in use. Our latest addition comes from Stephanie Mitchell, a Civil Servant in the Scottish Government who has previously worked in Europe and Asia, thanks to her language skills. Stephanie shares her experiences and how vital languages have been throughout her life and career. 

Teachers use this resource with your pupils to support the Developing the Young Workforce initiative and highlight the benefits of language learning as a life skill.

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Beyond the Panda resources - update

19 August 2019 (RZSS)

The China Mobile Library panda packs are now available online and free! Although the expert visits and outreach have been free of charge since November 2018, the resources in the panda packs used to be either on loan or available to purchase. They are now available online to all - beyondthepanda.org.uk under the China Mobile Library section. 

Associated expert visits and outreach sessions are still free and include different materials and resources which are only available on booking. These enhance the learning from the panda packs. Free teaching training sessions can also be booked. See the attached document for more information and visit the website.

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OU/SCILT primary languages course

31 May 2019 (SCILT/OU)

We are happy to announce that registration is now open for the OU/SCILT primary languages course, which will be running again from October 2019. In light of positive feedback and popularity of the first year of the course, we are now also delighted to offer a second year, post-beginners’ course. The latter would be suitable for those who have successfully completed year 1 and wish to continue their studies, or for those who are looking to begin studying at a more advanced level.

• The courses will run from October 2019 to July 2020, and will develop language and pedagogy skills; language learning is provided by the Open University and pedagogy is provided by SCILT.  The courses are aligned to the Scottish curriculum and support the 1+2 languages approach.
• Both courses are delivered online with two opportunities to attend face-to-face day schools. 
• Learning is very flexible and participants can study at a time and place of their choosing.
• Each course carries a fee of £252, reflecting the input and student support for the language and pedagogy strands from both organisations.

Funding may be sponsored through your school or Local Authority who can register on your behalf.   Initial registration information must be submitted to the OU by Monday 17 June 2019 and LAs should contact Scotland-Languages@open.ac.uk.  
Students also have the option to fund the fee themselves. In this case, an interested teacher should contact the OU directly at Scotland-Languages@open.ac.uk.

Here is some further information:

Beginners level

• will be offered in a choice of four languages - French, German, Spanish and Mandarin plus study of primary pedagogy with direct application in the classroom.
• takes students to the end of the equivalent to level A1 of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages.
• allows students to gain 15 university credits for the language study.
• also gives students the option to gain GTCS recognition for the pedagogy study; all students will receive a certificate on successful completion from SCILT.
• study hours will be approximately five hours per week, including time spent on the direct application of the new skills in the classroom.

Post-beginners level

• teachers who have started studying one language in the beginners level of the course would need to continue studying the same language at post-beginners level.
• teachers who already have some basic knowledge in one of the four languages can directly enrol on the post-beginners level course to further develop their skills in that language and learn about primary languages pedagogy (without having to have studied beginners level).
• will follow the same format as the beginners level course and will be offered in the same four languages (French, German, Mandarin and Spanish).
• will teach primary languages pedagogy in more depth and cover:
  • the skills of writing and reading,
  • IDL with a special focus on outdoor learning as well as links with other key subject areas through CLIL,
  • learning and teaching of languages in multilingual contexts/communities.
• will have the same:
  • number of study hours,
  • assessment structure,
  • accreditation with 15 university credits,
  • optional GTCS recognition for the pedagogy strand, as above ;
• in their language study, students will reach the equivalent of the end of level A2 of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages (end of post-beginner level).
• after completing both courses, students would then be in a good position to go on to study one of the standard language courses at the OU should they want to improve their knowledge of the language even further.

Course codes are as follows:

Beginners level	LXT192 French	LXT193 German	LXT197 Mandarin	LXT194 Spanish
Post-beginners level	LXT191 (language choice will come as a second step once students have registered)

Queen Elizabeth II Can Speak This Foreign Language After Learning It Privately

5 November 2018 (International Business Times)

Queen Elizabeth II can speak at least one foreign language fluently after getting a private education by governess Marion Crawford.

Harriet Mallinson, a journalist for Express, revealed that Her Majesty can speak French fluently. French is regarded as the official language in 29 countries. But the Queen has used her knowledge in the language during her visits to France and Canada.

In 2014, the Queen went to Paris for a state visit and met with former President Francois Hollande. The two discussed the weather in French. During her fifth French State Visit at the Elysee Palace in Paris, the monarch also gave an address in both English and French. A year later, the Queen spoke with a schoolgirl from Dagenham in French.

But Mallinson noted that the most impressive instance was when the Queen went to Quebec in Canada and gave a speech in French for a straight 10 minutes. French language expert Camille Chevalier-Karfis commented on the Queen’s French-speaking videos.

“Her reading skills were excellent – both pronunciation and rhythm were very good, but you could feel she was quite tense,” she said.

In related news, the Queen isn’t the only royal that can speak French fluently. Prince Charles and the Queen’s three other children can all speak the language.

Read more...

New job profile on the SCILT website

2 November 2018 (SCILT)

We have a range of job profiles on our website where language skills are being used. The latest addition comes from Erin Duffy, a student of Spanish and Linguistics at the University of Glasgow.

Erin is currently teaching in Spain and tells us her knowledge of languages has also enabled her to study and work in China. Her language skills have been integral to the job opportunities she has acquired and helped her form friendships across the globe.

Teachers, share Erin's profile with your pupils to demonstrate the advantages and benefits of learning languages.

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Zoo fun with Mandarin - Free mini classes at Edinburgh Zoo

30 October 2018 (RZSS)

Zoo Fun with Mandarin is a mini Mandarin language course with a difference. It is an opportunity to learn Mandarin whilst also finding out about animals at the zoo and RZSS projects. The course is suitable for 8 years to adult and these are family learning sessions so children must be accompanied by an adult to attend.

RZSS Edinburgh Zoo hosts the first science specialist Confucius Classroom in the world.

Internships in China

25 October 2018 (British Council)

Spend two months in China with a Generation UK – China internship

Live in one of six booming Chinese cities while gaining experience in an industry of your choice. There are start dates throughout the year - choose the date which suits you.  

Applications are open now for current undergraduate and postgraduate students at UK universities, and those who have recently left university. The deadline is 2 December 2018 (23:59 BST).

Read more...

Get ready for Hallowe'en!

23 October 2018 (Various)

It's that time of year again and to help celebrate Hallowe'en in the languages classroom we've compiled a range of spooky resources! Click on the relevant link below for more information:

• Spooky goings on! (Primary Languages Network) - the network regularly produces seasonal resources for their members. For Hallowe’en this year non-network members can download the activity sheet as a “freebie” from the Active Lingo shop (just select your target language) and search for the sheet “Spooky Statements”.
• Five songs for Days of the Dead for elementary Spanish classes (Mundo de Pepita)
• MFL Halloween treats (TES) – resources in French, German and Spanish, some free, some paid.
• Euroclub Schools Halloween Zone (Euroclub Schools) - Halloween quiz with French, Spanish and Italian vocab).
• German ghost stories (FluentU) – some link to written narrative, some to audio versions. Contains list of spooky vocab.
• Le Chat Noir (Talk in French) - spooky French-English short story with audio narration.
• Hallowe'en activities with Camembear (Headstart Languages) - find out about Hallowe'en in France.
• Rachel Hawkes language learning website (Rachel Hawkes) - scroll down for Spanish Hallowe’en activities.
• German and Spanish Halloween vocabulary ppts (Teaching Ideas)
• Eight Evil Lessons for Halloween (Scots Language Centre)
• Chinese Halloween vocabulary (Transparent Language)

SQA course reports for Advanced Higher Modern Languages 2018

1 October 2018 (SQA)

The course reports for Advanced Higher Chinese, French, Gaelic (Learners), German, Italian and Spanish are now available on the SQA website.

Read more...

SCHOLAR online tutor sessions for Modern Languages

19 September 2018 (SCHOLAR)

The schedule of online tutor sessions for Higher and Advanced Higher Modern Languages 2018-19 is now available online.

Read more...

CLPL for Beyond the Panda

5 September 2018 (RZSS)

Would you like to find out more about 'Beyond the Panda' and what it offers to assist Mandarin language learning? As the first science specialist Confucius Classroom in the world, we would like to invite you to a FREE session for teachers at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo on Tuesday 6 November 2018. 

Find out answers to these questions and more:

• What is a 'panda box'?
• How can our programme mix science with language? 
• What else does the programme offer?
• What does a science specialist Confucius Classroom mean? 

Two CLPL sessions available 10.30-12.30 and 3.00-5.00 on Tuesday 6 November. Booking essential as limited to 20 teachers per session. Open to Primary and Secondary teachers. 

Meet Sandie Robb, the RZSS language specialist along with Hù Wáng, our Confucius Classroom teacher. 

Contact srobb@rzss.org.uk  or 07963 070654 to book a place. 

HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition 2018/19

3 September 2018 (British Council)

A great, fun opportunity for students to practise and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills. 

Taking part in the competition:

• increases students’ motivation for learning the language
• develops vocabulary and improves pronunciation
• raises confidence for oral examinations
• encourages students to interact with their classmates
• inspires students to discover more about Chinese culture.

The prize is a week in Beijing! Students will visit historical sites, interact with Chinese students and experience Chinese culture with the British Council, who have over twenty years’ experience in running cultural exchanges with China.

Applications for the 2018/19 competition are now open. Apply by Friday 5 October 2018.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to download the application form.

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Chinese tourists flock to North Yorkshire chippy

23 August 2018 (BBC)

A fish and chip shop in North Yorkshire has translated its menu for Mandarin and Cantonese speakers to cope with an influx of Chinese tourists.

Scotts Fish and Chips near York has seen coachloads of visitors wanting to try the traditional dish.

The passion for the chippy has been put down to the fish and chips Chinese president Xi Jinping shared with then Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015.

Manager Roxy Vasai said more than 100 Chinese tourists were visiting a week.

Read more...

New job profiles on the SCILT website

17 August 2018 (SCILT)

The job profiles on our website cover a range of professions where languages are being used. 

We have two new profiles for the start of the new school session:

• Lorne Gillies is an award winning journalist whose language skills have enabled her to connect with people around the world, whilst helping her understanding of English.
• Ian Ross is a specialist in international trade and investment. Dealing with several Chinese companies, he tells us cultural awareness is as important as learning the language.

Teachers use our profiles in the classroom to enhance learning about the world of work and how languages can play a part.

A-levels: proportion of students in England getting C or above falls

16 August 2018 (The Guardian)

The proportion of students in England gaining C grades or above in A-levels fell back this year, driven by a relatively weaker performance among girls, as schools and students continue to grapple with the introduction of new, more intensive exams.

[..] Modern languages continued their baleful downward trend, with nearly 8% fewer entries in French, German and Spanish. More A-level students took Chinese this year than German.

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Scottish youth to explore the way of the dragon...

13 August 2018 (4barsrest)

Carnoustie High School Band will head east this September to become the first youth brass band to tour China.

The remarkable opportunity came following a performance at the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow in 2016 for the renowned Confucius Institute for Scotland.

Such was the success that it led to the school's head teacher Donald Currie being contacted to set the ball rolling on the ambitious initiative — and now, after almost two years of research and fundraising the band will fly out on 7th September for 15 unforgettable days of music and cultural learning.

Confucius Hubs are based in schools and seek to make links with local communities throughout Scotland — with Carnoustie serving the Angus area. It promotes the joint planning of cultural activities, sharing ideas and resources to stimulate the learning and teaching of Chinese language and culture.

The band will fly out from Glasgow, and after a short stop in Dubai will carry on to China where they will enjoy seven days in Tianjin and seven more in Beijing before their return.

While in Tianjin, the band members will be learning Mandarin, as well as performing three concerts. They will also visit Chinese families and schools, enabling the young musicians to experience Chinese culture first hand with a chance to learn Gongfu (Chinese martial arts), Tai Chi, and the ancient arts of calligraphy and mask painting.

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Thousands more pupils to learn Mandarin ahead of Brexit

7 August 2018 (TES)

An expanding academy chain plans to teach Mandarin to thousands of pupils across its schools, to prepare them for life in post-Brexit Britain.

The Co-op Academies Trust will offer Mandarin Chinese to more than 10,000 students.

The trust, which runs schools in Greater Manchester, Leeds and Stoke-on-Trent, is working with the Swire Chinese Language Foundation, which supports the training of specialist Mandarin Chinese teachers.

(Subscription required to read full article)

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Shanghai teacher immersion course 2018

7 August 2018 (CISS)

A group of teachers from Scotland spent two weeks in July immersing themselves in new cultural experiences in Shanghai, China.

A typical day consisted of an early start, breakfast in the Shitang (canteen) followed by Mandarin classes. Everyone greatly enjoyed the lessons as beginners were well supported whilst the more experienced speakers were sufficiently challenged. 

This was followed by a cultural excursion or experience. For most this was the highlight of the trip as it allowed everyone to apply their learning and to experience authentic Chinese culture.

Highlights in Shanghai included a riverboat cruise by night, showcasing the breath-taking skyline, relaxing from the hustle and bustle experiencing Tai chi, and producing calligraphy and hearing stories behind the characters.

Middle class parents use harder GCSEs like Mandarin as a 'signalling device', says Education Secretary

31 July 2018 (The Telegraph)

Middle class parents are using “harder” GCSEs like Mandarin to signal that their children are high achieving, the Education Secretary has said.  

Damian Hinds said it is not just an “attainment gap” that separates rich and poor students, but also a gulf in expectations and knowledge about the system.  

“For middle class parents there is an awareness that there are harder and easier subjects,” he said. “As parents we encourage their children to do the harder ones - whether that's Maths, History or these days Mandarin - because we know they can be a signalling device to universities and employers. 

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Crisis as Scots businesses struggle to hire Mandarin speakers amid Chinese tourist boom

17 June 2018 (Daily Record)

Shop owners in Scotland’s busiest tourist traps are struggling to hire Mandarin speakers to cope with a spike in Chinese customers.

Retail outlets, hotels and restaurants are advertising in shop windows as well as online to try to attract staff with specialised language skills.

Balmoral Cashmere in Edinburgh have put out a call for applicants in a street-front display. Last week saw the first direct flight from China to Scotland. 

Official figures show 41,000 Chinese visitors are coming to the country every year.

Highlands hotelier Willie Cameron said: “The Chinese are also buying into hotels and investing so there is business tourism too. “I struggled to get a Mandarin-speaking receptionist. There aren’t very many Mandarin speakers in Drumnadrochit but the websites for all my hotels are translated into Mandarin.” 

Visits from Chinese tourists are worth an estimated £36 million to the Scottish economy, with the average spend per day exceeding £70. Chinese visitors spend about £900 per visit across 12 nights. 

Dr Nathan Woolley, director of the Confucius Institute at Glasgow University, said there is an increasing interest from students and business workers to study Mandarin to augment their skills.

Read more...

China to create cultural heritage centres in universities

15 June 2018 (THE)

The Chinese government has announced plans to establish 100 “cultural heritage” centres at universities throughout the country that will run academic programmes and conduct scientific research in a bid to promote traditional Chinese culture.

The ministry of education said that it will “build about 100 excellent Chinese traditional cultural heritage sites” in universities and colleges nationwide by 2020, including 50 this year, and support institutions to “focus on ethnic folk music, ethnic folk arts” and folk dances, dramas and operas.

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150 hours to learn Mandarin – and teach it

7 June 2018 (TES)

Hundreds of primary school teachers will have the chance to learn and teach new languages within seven months, under a scheme being expanded after a successful trial.

The distance-learning programme - the first of its kind in the UK – sees primary teachers study either French, Spanish, German or Mandarin and develop the skills to teach the language in the primary classroom at the same time.

After a pilot involving 54 teachers from 49 Scottish schools across nine local authorities in 2017-18, next year the scheme will be available throughout Scotland. Welsh and Northern Irish schools are also expected to sign up.

Teachers taking part will spend about five hours a week from October to June - around 150 hours in total - but they will start teaching the languages to pupils before completing the course.

The scheme, run by The Open University and SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, will be launched in Edinburgh today.

Read more...

Press Release: Teachers to learn to teach languages in the classroom

7 June 2018 (SCILT/OU)

An innovative scheme teaching primary teachers languages and how to teach those languages to pupils is being expanded across Scotland for the first time. The first of its kind in the UK, the distance learning programme will see primary teachers study French, Spanish, German or Mandarin and develop the skills to teach the language in the classroom at the same time. 

Launching across Scotland today (Thursday 7 June) at an event in Edinburgh where guests will hear from pupils and teachers, the programme is now available to primary school teachers in all local authorities following a successful pilot which featured 54 teachers from 49 schools across nine local authorities in 2017/18. The programme is a partnership between The Open University and SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages based at the University of Strathclyde.

Designed to support the Scottish Government’s ‘1+2’ language policy, which aims to enable all pupils to learn two additional languages from primary level onwards, the programme will link up with the cultural organisations of France, Spain, Germany and China to facilitate immersive summer schools for participating teachers. At the same time, schools will also have the opportunity to make connections with schools in the countries whose language pupils are learning.

Dr Sylvia Warnecke, lecturer in languages and programme lead at The Open University, said:

“The key thing about this programme is its flexibility, meaning that teachers in every part of Scotland – whether urban or rural – will be able to learn together and share their experiences and ideas, helping each other to bring the language they’re learning to life in the classroom.

“We’ve already had teachers from the pilot project tell us that their pupils love it and are really engaged. They have been instrumental in starting after school language clubs and making links with schools in other countries. It’s exciting that all teachers, schools and pupils in every part of Scotland now have the chance to learn together through this programme.”

Fhiona Mackay, Director of SCILT, said:

“We see this as an important collaboration between our two universities, local authorities and teachers. The course is focused on developing teachers’ confidence so they are able to create exciting and motivating lessons for their pupils. In this way we can make sure that languages feature as an integral part of the Scottish curriculum and that youngsters are given their full entitlement to language learning.

“The teachers’ commitment to developing their skills is humbling. Their willingness to embrace their own learning in order to benefit their pupils’ experience highlights the professionalism and dedication that is the mark of the teaching profession.”

Gwen McCrossan, Principal Teacher for 1+2 Languages, Argyll & Bute, said:

“This course is ideal for the geographical situation of Argyll & Bute. We are delighted to be able to take part, as it provides a quality learning experience for teachers who would otherwise find it difficult to access language training. The course is also unique because it is tailor-made for primary school.”

The pilot project has been shortlisted in the partnership category in this year’s Herald Higher Education Awards. Such is the interest in the programme following its pilot phase and ahead of its wider rollout, it is expected that teachers from Wales and Northern Ireland will join the next presentation starting in October 2018.

A short video featuring teachers who participated in the pilot talking about their experience of the programme is available on YouTube.

Further information on how to sign-up for next year's course is available on SCILT's website

More and more British children are learning Chinese – but there are problems with the teaching

6 June 2018 (The Conversation)

A drop in the number of secondary school students learning languages in UK schools is fuelling concerns about the country’s global competitiveness, particularly after Brexit. Discussions among both politicians and the media centre on the worry that the UK is being held back globally by its poor language skills. The UK economy loses roughly £50bn a year due to a lack of language skills in the workforce.

British Council and British Academy reports all critique modern foreign language (MFL) teaching in the UK. They also express concern about the lack of learning in state schools compared to independent schools and the widening gap between disadvantaged children and an internationally mobile elite. It is well acknowledged that there is a need to move beyond relying on English as a lingua franca.

In line with this, Chinese, an emerging key world business language – and widely predicted to be key to UK business post-Brexit – has become a foreign language option for some UK students in recent decades. Teaching is beginning to thrive across schools and universities as a principle modern foreign language.

Unsurprisingly, private schools – recognising the language as a new source of cultural capital – were the first to offer the new subject. But some newly established schools, especially particularly poor and disrupted schools in the state sector, have also shown interest in featuring Chinese in the school curriculum. They have been able to do so due to the Confucius Institute programme and the related Confucius Classroom programme initiated by the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) in 2004.  

The Confucius Classroom program partners with UK secondary schools or school districts to provide teachers and instructional materials. The costs of such programmes are shared between Hanban and the host institutions (the UK colleges, universities, schools or school districts). By adopting Chinese as one of the taught languages in the curriculum, disadvantaged British schools hoped to indicate to parents that they provided something special and ambitious.

Read more...

Word Wizard Final 2018: Motivating young people in their language learning

18 May 2018 (SCILT/CISS)

S1-S3 pupils from across Scotland took part in the national final of Word Wizard at the Scottish Parliament on 11 May 2018. Word Wizard is a multilingual spelling competition for pupils learning French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish. Forty-eight learners from ten local authorities and independent schools competed in the final in front of an audience of teachers, supporters and guests.

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Aberdeen primary school announces official launch of Mandarin language hub

7 May 2018 (Evening Express)

An Aberdeen primary school has announced its new hub for promoting the teaching of Mandarin.

Danestone School launched its Confucius Classroom, which will be a central location for all Aberdeen-based primary schools teaching the language to pupils.

It aims to boost skills in children in line with Scotland’s 1+2 languages policy, which allows every child the opportunity to learn two languages in addition to their mother tongue by 2020.

The hub concept promotes joint planning of cultural activities, sharing ideas and resources to stimulate the learning and teaching of Chinese language and culture. The launch event included children singing in Mandarin, and a mixture of Scottish music and dance.

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Yell school joins Chinese culture programme

1 May 2018 (Shetland News)

The Chinese ambassador to the UK was in Yell on Tuesday (1 May) to launch Shetland's second Confucius Classroom Hub.

Mid Yell Junior High School is now part of the Confucius programme, which aims to teach Scottish youngsters about Chinese culture and Mandarin language, after Sandwick Junior High School joined in 2016.

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming and his wife Hu Pinghua visited Yell alongside minister-counselor for education Wang Yongli and representatives of the Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools.

They met councillors and staff from Shetland Islands Council, as well as Mid Yell pupils who entertained the guests with traditional Shetland music and songs - as well as Chinese songs and dance.

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Arabic to be taught to Syrian refugee children in Scotland

28 April 2018 (The Scotsman)

E-Sgoil is now being expanded to teach a range of subjects to pupils all over Scotland after initially being created in response to teacher recruitment problems in the Western Isles. 

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Tories attack language teaching ‘failures’

26 April 2018 (The Times)

The number of pupils taking Higher French and German has fallen as interest in Italian and Chinese rises.

The number of pupils studying any Higher modern languages fell 6.2 per cent between 2016 and last year. Pupils studying Higher French fell by 14 per cent to 3,918 and German was down 13 per cent from 1,020 to 89. The number of students taking Higher Spanish hit 2,809, up 8 per cent on 2016; Italian rose 21 per cent to 264; Chinese languages grew in popularity by 16 per cent to 129; and Urdu rose by 13 per cent to 104. Those learning Gaelic at Higher level fell by 18 per cent, to 69.

(Subscription required to read full article).

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Irvine brothers wine and dine with First Minister in China

20 April 2018 (Irvine Times)

Two Irvine brothers have hosted a dinner with Nicola Sturgeon in China after winning a year-long scholarship in the Far East.

Twins Owen and Robin Wilson wined and dined the First Minster last week during her current visit to China.

The brothers, who are 18, flew out to Beijing last year after both winning a place on the coveted Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) Scholarship Programme which, in partnership with Strathclyde University, sees 23 students picked to live in China and attend Tianjin Foreign Studies University for a full academic year.

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China stories: 500 words competition

17 April 2018 (University of Liverpool)

A new 500-word short story competition – with entries judged by best-selling author Philip Pullman – is being launched ahead of the 2018 Liverpool Literary Festival.

The China Stories competition is looking for submissions across a broad range of categories. Winners will see their work published in a special anthology and take part in a writing session with the Royal Society of Literature, as well as receiving vouchers to spend as they wish.

Stories can be about anything, but to coincide with Liverpool’s China Dream season all entries should have a Chinese theme.

Entries are invited from primary and secondary students and should be submitted by 20 July 2018.

Further information can be found on the University of Liverpool website.

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Glasgow hotel to teach staff 10 new languages so they can welcome international guests

16 April 2018 (Glasgow Live)

A city centre hotel is extending a warm welcome to guests from all over the world - and in 10 different languages too.

Apex City of Glasgow’s concierge and reception staff are learning key phrases from 10 of the most commonly spoken languages among the hotel’s guests.

The move is part of a #WarmerWelcome project rolled out across Apex hotels, the Bath Street branch included.

Staff will be learning a how to speak in German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Swedish, Norwegian, Japanese and Danish.

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How Netflix’s increasing use of foreign language content is helping to fight xenophobia

14 April 2018 (The Independent)

Netflix’s increasing use of foreign languages is building a global community where English isn’t king.

And it’s about time, as we need every tool we have to fight rising xenophobia.

Narcos may have kicked off this trend, but it goes way beyond just reading the subtitles. An audience of 104 million Netflix subscribers are devouring content in Spanish, German and Arabic. 

Nielsen released viewer numbers on two original Netflix programmes that debuted the same week: the sci-fi movie Cloverfield Paradox drew in 5 million viewers in the first week, and Altered Carbon, a television series based on an English book, brought in 2.5 million viewers. In both instances, leads spoke a language other than English throughout its run time. Chinese actor Zhang Ziyi plays an engineer in Cloverfield, and all her lines are recited in Chinese. Mexican actor Martha Higareda’s dialogue in Altered Carbon is primarily English, delivered with a hint of accent. However, she frequently reverts to her native Spanish in the series, as do the actors who play her family members. Co-star Waleed Zuaiter, who plays her partner, also speaks Arabic in key scenes.

The streaming service is producing popular programming depicting foreign and first-generation English-speaking actors, each communicating in their native tongue. The English speakers simply respond without skipping a beat. The implication is that they understand one another and choose the language they’re most comfortable responding in.

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Mandarin will give school leavers career advantage

11 April 2018 (UCL/CISS)

More than three in four British business leaders believe speaking Mandarin will give school leavers a career advantage over their counterparts, according to a survey published today.

Amongst over 1,000 senior business decision makers questioned by YouGov for the UCL Institute of Education-delivered Mandarin Excellence Programme, more than three quarters of respondents said that speaking a high level of Mandarin would be beneficial to school pupils in their future careers. 

On average, 28 per cent thought that the advantage would be ‘significant’ – with this rising to 31 per cent amongst those working for companies with an annual turnover of £10 million or more.  

While 69 per cent of those surveyed felt that Mandarin Chinese skills, particularly speaking, would be important for British business and the economy in future, 66 per cent said that it was currently difficult to recruit fluent speakers from within the UK workforce. When asked about language learning more widely, 82 per cent agreed that language teaching in schools “should reflect important potential growth markets for British trade and business”.

You can read the full article on the UCL website.

Opening Doors in Scotland

There is no doubt that languages, including Mandarin, open doors to a range of opportunities. For example, the pupil immersion course which offers young people the opportunity to attend a language and culture immersion course in China. For more details please see the CISS website.

CISS also offers 6th year school leavers the opportunity to apply for the Tianjin Scholarship. To find out more about this exciting chance to learn mandarin in Tianjin for a year, please see our website where you can read blogs from our present Scholars.

There are also activities provided by CISS through our partners, for example Scottish Opera and Edinburgh Zoo. Please visit the CISS website for more details or get in touch with ciss-info@strath.ac.uk.

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Scottish students in China

8 April 2018 (Scottish Government)

Scottish students will get the opportunity to live and study in China through funding for the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools Scholarship Programme.

The £754,000 investment in the work of the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) was announced as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met some of the current scholars in Beijing on the first day of her visit to China. She learned how the scheme has helped to build links between young people in both countries, improving language skills and widening horizons for those taking part.

Applications for the programme are open to 6th year pupils in Confucius Classroom Hubs around Scotland. So far 70 Scottish students have been awarded scholarships.

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The state secondary school where the only language taught is Mandarin

22 March 2018 (TES)

In a school serving one of the most deprived areas of Edinburgh, Mandarin is the only language on offer. 

Learning Mandarin has tended to be an opportunity only available to a minority of Scottish pupils, often in private schools.

But in a school serving one of the most deprived areas of Edinburgh, Mandarin is currently the only language on offer.

In October, when Castlebrae Community High's only modern languages teacher left for maternity leave, it struggled to replace her – but then the school received some external investment to teach Mandarin.

This enables it to share a teacher with several other schools in the city. The subject is taught in the first and second year. Next year, some pupils hope to continue it in their third year, with the aim of achieving a national qualification in the language.

In October, 12 pupils will head to Beijing to experience Chinese language and culture for themselves.

Read more...

Chinese Arts and Culture Festival, Edinburgh 3-5 August 2018

18 March 2018 (SCEN)

Last year over 2,000 people attended the Third Chinese Arts and Culture Festival at Edinburgh Fringe. This year a Chinese Youth Arts and Culture Festival will be added. Jie Song, Chairman of the Scotland-China Chamber of Commerce, says that the organisers are now selecting and registering Chinese youth performances, all from famous schools/youth organisations in China

Jie Song explains that during the festival, she is looking for more engagements and links with local education sectors in Scotland. If any local education sectors/companies/organisations would like use these opportunities to build up relationships and business links with these Chinese visitors, please forward your proposal to Jie Song, so that it can be included in the Festival plan.

SCEN Digital Map

18 March 2018 (SCEN)

After the work of the Mapping Chinese Working Group, driven by SCEN and the Confucius Institute for Scotland, SCEN has created a Digital Map of schools, colleges and universities in Scotland involved in the teaching and learning of Chinese and about China. The principal aim is to encourage more sharing and collaboration.

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OU/SCILT languages course for primary practitioners

15 March 2018 (Open University in Scotland/SCILT)

Due to the success of the initial pilot of the course developed by the OU and SCILT, LXT192/4 Learning to teach languages in primary school (French/Spanish), we are delighted to now be able to extend the offer to all Local Authorities. The course will be offered for the following languages: French (LXT192), German (LXT193), Spanish (LXT194) and Mandarin (LXT197).

For the next presentation of this course starting in October 2018, registration will open on 1 April 2018. The course fee is £240.00 per student.

The course will be available to all primary practitioners but also secondary teachers who teach at primary level. We have produced an FAQ document with further detail about the course for your information.

In order to make the enrolment process as smooth as possible, we advise that in the first instance Development Officers contact Sylvia Warnecke at the Open University (s.warnecke@open.ac.uk ) with a list of the names and email addresses of teachers planning to study this in their Local Authority. We aim to complete enrolment by late June 2018 to allow time for planning staffing and timetabling.

And last but not least, we are planning to offer teachers, who enrol on the course, a summer school experience which will offer immersion in the language to boost confidence and provide ample opportunities to learn more about the cultures in which the language they are studying is spoken. The summer school is not part of the course, it is optional and can be booked separately. More information on this will be published in due course.

Policy makers, local councils, local authorities, MSPs and Consulates may also be interested in an event celebrating last years' pilot course, Primary school teachers learning to teach languages - A celebration, being held in Edinburgh on 7 June 2018.

Multilingual Debate 2018

15 March 2018 (Heriot-Watt University)

The Multilingual Debate 2018 takes place on Wednesday 21 March at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus. As with previous years, the event is being streamed live over the internet. Schools should visit the website for information on how to participate in the online stream.

Read more...

Employ a language assistant for 2018/19

12 March 2018 (British Council)

Language Assistants provide an interactive language resource for your classroom. We recruit our assistants directly from their home countries, meaning their language and resources are always up-to-date and, importantly, authentic.

Native speakers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese and Irish, they help pupils to build their confidence, develop conversational skills, boost motivation for learning, and better understand other cultures. Feedback from schools with a Language Assistant noted an improvement in pupils’ listening and speaking skills.

Not only that, many teachers have found that having a native speaker to talk to and share teaching ideas with can reinvigorate both their teaching practice and their own love for language learning. 

So, with applications now open for the 2018/2019 academic year, there hasn’t been a better time to ensure your classroom has access to the best language learning resource around – a native speaker.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply for your language assistant by 31 March 2018. Please note that the deadline for Chinese Language Assistants is 1 June 2018.

Read more...

Have we reached peak English in the world?

27 February 2018 (Guardian)

One of Britain’s greatest strengths is set to diminish as China asserts itself on the world stage.

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Edinburgh Zoo hosts Scotland's biggest celebration of Chinese New Year

15 February 2018 (Herald)

The Giant Lanterns of China at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo is set to host Scotland’s biggest celebration of Chinese New Year, which begins on Friday, February 16 to welcome the Year of the Dog featuring traditional performers and street food native to China.

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There must be easier fads to follow than teaching Mandarin

15 February 2018 (Guardian)

The Foreign Service Institute of the US state department says it takes a native English speaker roughly 2,200 hours to become proficient in Mandarin. To learn Spanish – or French, or any number of other nontonal languages that use the Roman alphabet – the FSI estimates it takes roughly 600 hours. I may be wrong about this, and am happy to be proved so, but my hunch is that my children will never be proficient in Mandarin, in spite of the New York public school system’s vague belief to the contrary.

Read more...

Opening of the Confucius Hub at Culross Primary School

14 February 2018 (Queen Anne High School)

A group of QAHS pupils and staff attended the opening of the Confucius Hub at Culross Primary School yesterday. The Hub is a fantastic learning and teaching resource for our cluster primary schools and we look forward to working collaboratively with the Culross Hub to deliver an engaging Chinese language and cultural curriculum.

S3 pupils Bethany McIntosh, Katherine Smith and Abbie Carrie gave an eloquent presentation, delivered in Mandarin, about their experiences of learning the language. After musical performances from Culross pupils, three of our senior pupils (Fiona McArthur, Erin Moyes and Matthew Godsell) demonstrated their skills on the Chinese drums to rapturous applause from the audience!

Our Story: Chinese New Year in Perth

13 February 2018 (BBC Radio Sotland)

BBC Radio Scotland recorded a radio programme called Our Story: Chinese New Year in Perth. This tells the story of the Chinese Community in Perth. As part of the programme the BBC visited Kinross High School to record pupils being taught Mandarin, preparing a Chinese dance performance and discussing their summer Bridge camp experience.

Read more...

Ricefield workshop and merchandise catalogue

30 January 2018 (Ricefield)

Ricefield has just released its new merchandise and workshop catalogues, offering a range of Chinese art and craft supplies and the opportunity to bring Chinese culture into the classroom for a varied learning experience.

Ricefield Arts & Cultural Centre is Scotland's leading charity and social enterprise for the exploration and promotion of Chinese culture, contributing to the diversity of cultural fabric with an excellent reputation for delivering original and inspiring creative experiences for schools, community organisations, and art audiences.

Please note there is a charge for resources and workshops.

Scotland China Association's Chinese Competition for Primary 5, 6 and 7

23 January 2018 (SCA)

The Scotland-China Association national competition for pupils from Primaries 5, 6 and 7 has been launched. If pupils from your school plan to enter, please let the organisers know by 23 February 2018. Entries should be submitted by 18 May 2018 and winners will be invited to the awards ceremony in June at Edinburgh Zoo, where they will enjoy a talk and a visit to the Zoo, as well as receiving their prizes. The overall winning school will receive a RZSS Beyond the Panda Outreach visit to their school and hold the Tom Murray Trophy until the next competition.

Please see attached document with entry details and a sample of the Chinese Scottish tartan which is a resource for the competition. SCA hope you will encourage your school to take part and that pupils will find the competition interesting and fun!

The year of the dog: primary education pack

23 January 2018 (IOE / British Council)

To help primary schools celebrate Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dog, UCL IOE and the British Council have developed some creative teaching resources.

The education pack is free to download. It contains information and activities to help teachers and pupils learn more about this important spring festival and explore Chinese language and culture. 

Your pupils can read a traditional story to find out how Er Lang and his dogs captured the Monkey King and learn to give commands in Chinese to our animated dog called Dumpling (Jiaozi). You can also read letters from Chinese children about their pets and get creative making clay dogs and paintings and cooking Chinese dumplings!

Read more...

‘The future’s still Mandarin’ despite lack of interest

12 January 2018 (TESS)

Undeterred by a low uptake, campaigners vow to keep pushing the language in Scotland

Subscription required to access full article.

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Bai Meigui Translation Competition now open!

9 January 2018 (Writing Chinese)

The University of Chinese Writing Chinese Network runs an annual translation competition. This year it is open exclusively to secondary school students. The winning writer will be mentored by a professional translator and have their translation published in a journal.

The competition deadline is midnight (GMT) on 26th February 2018.

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Mapping the learning of Chinese and about China in Scotland

23 November 2017 (SCEN)

SCEN are keen to give all young people in Scotland the opportunities they need, and to that end, it is looking to find out the current situation with regard to learning Chinese and about China in Scotland. SCEN has published a report, 'Mapping of the Learning of Chinese and about China in Scotland's Schools' following on from a survey carried out by SCEN and the Confucius Institute for Scotland. Access the report through the link below.

For further information or to comment, please contact Dr Judith McClure, Chair of SCEN.

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Report on Sixth China Youth Summit on 3 November 2017

8 November 2017 (SCEN)

Great thanks to distinguished guests, talented presenters, and all delegates! SCEN's Sixth China Youth Summit was a great success. This magnificent set of photos taken by Fraser Nelson of Simon Jones Media provide a taster of the day.

Presenters were described in the adjectives contained in the scores of glorious emails SCEN has received: Fantastic, Impressive, Energetic, Keen, Inspiring, Exciting!

The President of SCEN, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT KSMG FRSE, said that he was delighted to hear the presenters of all ages speaking Mandarin with a commendably accurate and natural use of tones and accents.

See the comments of the students brought together by Ellena Zhou from St Ninian's High School, East Renfrewshire.

Word Wizard 2018 - new semi-final added!

3 November 2017 (SCILT/CISS)

SCILT's Word Wizard competition is returning for its fifth year and we are delighted to announce we are adding a fourth semi-final date!

In addition to the semi-finals already taking place at the Universities of Strathclyde, Aberdeen and Dundee, in collaboration with the UCMLS, this year we will be holding another semi-final at Edinburgh College. 

Word Wizard is a multilingual spelling competition open to S1-S3 pupils learning French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin or Spanish. The competition provides a perfect opportunity for language teachers to address The Attainment Challenge by allowing pupils of all levels the chance to excel in language learning. Word Wizard develops skills in acquisition of vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, recall and public speaking; not to mention the many literacy outcomes it addresses. This hugely motivating competition encourages links with other curricular areas and with health and wellbeing, culminating in a high profile celebration of language learning.

Visit SCILT's Word Wizard webpage to find out more about this year's competition and to register your school.

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Tianjin scholarship

13 October 2017 (CISS)

The application process for the Tianjin scholarship 2018-2019 is now open. Further information about the scholarship which offers young people the opportunity to study Mandarin in Tianjin can be found on our website. The closing date for applications is Monday 6 November 2017.

Please note that we can only accept applications from current 6th years in an authority with a Confucius Classroom hub.

If you have any questions or would like any further information, please contact ciss-info@strath.ac.uk.

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Inside the UK’s first bilingual English and Chinese primary school

7 October 2017 (Financial Times)

As a girl growing up in an English-speaking household in Singapore, Prema Gurunathan grudgingly studied Mandarin. Now a mother in west London, she is taking no chances with her own son.

When he turned one Ms Gurunathan insisted their household in Hammersmith speak Mandarin for half of each week. She recruited an au pair from east Asia (she prefers not to say exactly where, for fear of tipping off the competition). And last month, she and her husband enrolled the three-and-a-half year-old at Kensington Wade in London, Britain’s first primary school to offer full Mandarin immersion for its pupils.

“It’s intellectual, it’s cultural and it’s ‘future-proofing’, if you will,” said Ms Gurunathan, a self-confessed “tiger mom” and policy wonk, explaining her school choice. “And it’s fun.”

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2017-18 Tianjin Scholars Blogs now live

6 October 2017 (CISS)

The first blog entries from a number of Tianjin Scholars are now available to read on the Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools website.

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Glasgow named one of the top cities in the world to learn about Chinese language and culture

20 September 2017 (Glasgow Live)

Glasgow is officially home to a world leader in the teaching of Chinese language and culture.

The Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools (CISS) has been appointed a Model Confucius Institute by the global headquarters, Hanban.

The centre, based at the University of Strathclyde, is one of only 40 facilities out of 500 across the globe to be given the status.

Bosses have also announced the institute, which is open to people from all over the country, is set for a move to a new HQ at the university's Ramshorn Theatre.

The Grade A-Listed building is being given a £2 million refurbishment - which includes a substantial investment by Hanban - to develop it as a publicly-accessible hub for learning and cultural exchange.

The new premises will have the capacity to host performances, conferences and exhibitions.

A plaque marking the new status of the institute was unveiled at a conference attended by Scottish Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville.

Liu Xiaoming, China’s Ambassador to the UK, was also a keynote speaker at the event, held to mark the fifth anniversary of the foundation of the Institute.

Strathclyde Principal Professor Sir Jim McDonald said: “As a leading international university, we are extremely proud of our academic links around the globe and our diverse student and staff community.

“This prestigious accolade for our Confucius Institute reflects the important role it plays in improving understanding of Chinese language and culture across Scotland, and we congratulate everyone involved on their fantastic achievement.

“I’m particularly pleased that the Institute’s move to its new headquarters on campus will enable even more schools, businesses and community groups to benefit from increased educational and economic opportunities, with a further 10 Confucius Classroom Hubs being announced today.”

Read more...

HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition 2017/18

19 September 2017 (British Council)

A great, fun opportunity for students to practice and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills. The competition also offers the chance to win a week in Beijing.

Find out more about the competition and how to apply. Entry deadline is Friday 6 October 2017.

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Former Carnoustie High pupils in dream China scholarship trip

16 September 2017 (The Courier)

For most young university freshers, leaving the nest for the first time is a daunting experience. But two former Carnoustie High pupils have taken a bigger leap than most by flying half way around the world as part of a prestigious scholarship programme.

[...] The pair are two of only 22 young people from across Scotland to be awarded a full scholarship to study Mandarin at Tianjin Foreign Studies University for the 2017/18 academic session.

They both studied the language at the school’s Confucius Classroom Hub - one of only 34 in Scotland - and were active members of the Mandarin Club.

The pair successfully interviewed for the programme after initially attending a 17-day language immersion course in Tianjin last year, organised by the university’s Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS).

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Chinese language classes

12 September 2017 (Confucius Institute Edinburgh)

The Confucius Institute for Scotland's programme of Chinese classes for the autumn term will start 25 September 2017.

Classes on offer range from beginner to advanced levels. This autumn, in addition to our usual evening classes, we will also offer a short daytime course running 2.5 hrs per week for five weeks - Chinese for Travellers. Ideal if planning a visit to China or just as a taster course.  

Visit the website for course details and registration, or to find out about other events and opportunities offered by the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

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International teacher mentoring conference for Hanban teachers across Scotland

24 August 2017 (CISS)

On Friday 10 November, CISS will be facilitating our international teacher mentoring conference for Hanban teachers across Scotland and their mentors in Scottish schools.

Please ensure that the teacher who is mentor attends the day with their mentee as we will have a range of speakers and workshop facilitators including SCEL, GTCS, Staff Development Strathclyde and ourselves. We would like to include other teachers who are interested in mentoring as well as our Hanban teacher mentors so please contact CISS to register.

While it is essential the Hanban teacher mentor can attend, other interested teachers are welcome.

What not to do: Tips from a returning Tianjin scholar

21 August 2017 (CISS)

Having returned from her year on the scholarship programme, Maeve MacLeod shares her experiences and advice on making the most of China.

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Vocab Express League of Champions 2017

21 August 2017 (Vocab Express)

The next League of Champions competition from Vocab Express will be taking place from 28 September to 4 October 2017.

It's a fantastic way to engage students in vocabulary building by challenging them to compete against other schools across the UK and from around the world.

The challenge will feature French, Spanish, German, Greek, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Urdu, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin competitions.

The challenge is free to all schools subscribing to Vocab Express. In addition, there are 150 free school places available to non-subscribers, each for up to 150 students. Free spaces are still currently available!

Visit the website for more information and to register your school.

Teachers can also sign up for guest access to a free trial of the Vocab Express platform using their school or academic e-mail address.

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Beyond the Panda programme for schools

15 August 2017 (RZSS)

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) Beyond the Panda programme has been further revised and contains some new materials, in particular the new P1-P3 panda boxes. 

The programme now has two main parts:

1. China Mobile Library - loan of the panda boxes followed by an expert visit
2. Outreach workshops - Education Officer led workshops

See the attached brochure for full details of the Beyond the Panda programme. 

There's also an opportunity for schools to book a Beyond the Panda special event at Edinburgh Zoo during 'The Giant Lanterns of China' installation between December 2017 and February 2018. The session will include whole class interactive activities and Mandarin language games. See more information and how to book on The Giant Lanterns of China brochure attached.

You can also visit the website for more information about the RZSS and its activities.

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Braehead Primary School Stirling - Getting to grips with languages!

15 August 2017 (SCILT/CISS/Braehead PS)

The children of Braehead Primary have been making languages come alive through a collaborative project with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) at Stirling Castle. This project saw P5 pupils working in groups on a number of different tasks. The end result was a virtual tour of Stirling Castle in Chinese, signage in Chinese, language training for castle tour guides and maps of the castle in Chinese. Learners' literacy skills benefited from the project, and their understanding about the world of work increased.

You can see the film in Chinese, set within the castle walls, on the school’s YouTube channel. The film will be entered for the British Film Festival awards in London in October.

There are six classes at Braehead learning Chinese as L3 from P4 to P6. The P5s are the trailblazers and have been learning the language for nearly two years.

Read the full case study of the project for replicable ideas for your own school context to support partnership working and help your school deliver on Developing the Young Workforce.

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Which language should we teach in school?

2 August 2017 (MEITS blog)

Increasing motivation for language learning in UK schools and encouraging children to maintain their languages study past the point at which they have the chance to stop is an ongoing challenge. One important question here is: to what extent are success and motivation linked to the particular language pupils study?

The myth of the monolingual Brit, who refuses to speak foreign languages, has been supplemented in recent years by the narrative that we are not only unwilling, but also unable to speak foreign languages. For example, the 2012 European Survey on Language Competences, which sought to provide comparable data on standards of achievement in 15-year old learners across 16 participating countries, showed pupils in England languishing at the bottom of the table, where the learning of the first foreign language (French) was concerned.

The figures, however, tell a slightly different story when we consider the learning of the second foreign language. For example, Sweden, which had topped the charts for English proficiency, languished at the bottom when it came to the learning of the second foreign language (Spanish); learners in English secondary schools who were studying German as a second language did better.

Leaving aside the difficulty of providing robust data from such surveys, this study provides support for the idea that the language learned really does matter. Motivation for English learning is so strong in most parts of the world that for many learners it is now a life skill as much as a foreign language. Motivation for studying the second and third foreign languages, however, can be as difficult to achieve in other parts of the world as it is for the first in our own setting.

In Europe and the rest of the world English’s position as the foreign language of choice remains unassailable. For example, the 2017 Eurodice Report, which provides key data on teaching languages at school in Europe, reports that in 2014 virtually all EU students (97.3 %) studied English during the entire period of lower secondary education. After that came French (33.7 %), German (23.1 %) and Spanish (19.1 %), with other languages rarely studied.

The question of which language should we teach our learners in England remains a source of debate.

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Bonnyrigg school establishes links with China

21 July 2017 (Midlothian Advertiser)

It’s been a very busy time for Hawthornden Primary School.

Following their successful school show ‘Hairspray’, Hawthornden pupils have excelled themselves again by performing at the launch of the Confucius Primary Hub.

The audience was entertained by P7s performing a Dragon Dance, a Fan Dance and Looking for a Friend. P6s performed a colours song in Mandarin. P3 pupils, who attend Mandarin classes at the Children’s University at Queen Margaret, amazed everyone by reading and translating a Mandarin story. Chinese colleagues praised their accents and pronunciation.

S4 Lasswade High School pupils also performed a dance to show primary pupils how Mandarin can be continued in high school.

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A traffic-light system to drive pupils towards learning Chinese

7 July 2017 (TESS)

Forgive me if I get straight to the point, but I know time is sparse for teachers and this message is important. There are five key reasons that every child should learn Mandarin Chinese. And they are as follows:

1. China is one of the world’s oldest and richest cultures, with more than 5,000 years of history and the world’s longest continuous writing system. Learning Mandarin Chinese will open the door to a wealth of literature, poetry and art and gives students a unique insight into a fascinating culture.
2. China is also the most populous nation in the world and Mandarin Chinese is spoken by more than one billion people. In many countries, Mandarin Chinese is becoming the most popular foreign language and it is likely to become Asia’s future lingua franca. Speaking Mandarin will create opportunities for work and travel throughout Asia – and beyond.
3. Almost a quarter of internet usage is conducted in Chinese, while China’s economy is the second largest in the world. Proficiency in Mandarin Chinese is hugely beneficial for a career in business or the diplomatic service, and it is now one of the priority languages for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
4. Learning Mandarin Chinese is mentally stimulating and challenging; research has shown that while English speakers only use the left temporal lobe, speakers of Mandarin use both left and right. One advantage of this increased brain activity is that Mandarin speakers are more likely to have perfect pitch. In addition, learning to write characters can help with motor skills and visual recognition.
5. The unique challenges of learning Chinese engage and motivate learners who might not be your “typical linguists”: mathematicians enjoy the logicality of the language; artistic children may enjoy “drawing” characters; musical children can distinguish and recall the tones more easily; children who struggle with dyslexia find relief in not having to learn another set of spelling and phonology rules.

That’s all very well, you might claim, but the school timetable is crowded and integrating a new subject area would take up that time we don’t have.

To counter this line of argument, I offer you a traffic light of options to ensure every child in your school can learn Mandarin.

Read the full article in TESS online, 7 July 2017 (subscription required).

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SQA update - National 5 Modern Languages

SQA (23 June 2017)

The following documents will be available for all National 5 Modern Languages courses by the afternoon of Friday 23 June:

• Coursework assessment task - assignment (writing)
• Coursework assessment task - performance (talking)
• Course support notes

The course support notes will be added to the National 5 course specification as an appendix. The course specification will then be updated to version 2.0 and the date will change to June 2017, but there is no further change to the content of this document.

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Chinese intensive courses

22 June 2017 (Heriot-Watt University)

The Scottish Confucius Institute for Business and Communication at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh is holding two Chinese summer courses in July.

Follow the appropriate link below to find out more about the course and to book your place:

• Intensive beginners 1 (10-14 July 2017) - for complete beginners with little or no knowledge of Chinese
• Intensive beginners 2 (17-22 July 2017) - for those who have either completed Intensive beginners 1 or have equivalent knowledge of the Chinese language

New earpiece translates foreign languages as you have a conversation

20 June 2017 (The Independent)

A new device that delivers foreign language translations directly to your ear almost instantly has just gone on sale.

The Translate One2One has been hailed as a real-world equivalent of the Babel fish, the famous fictional creature from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

It’s powered by IBM’s supercomputer, Watson, and takes between three and five seconds to complete a translation and play it to you.

It currently works across English, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German and Chinese.

However, both people in a conversation need to be wearing one.

Lingmo International, the company behind it, claims the Translate One2One is clever enough to avoid common translation stumbling blocks.

Read more...

Modern Language Assistants (MLA) Projects 2016-17

15 June 2017 (SCILT / British Council)

Every year language assistants try to make languages really come alive for young people in Scotland's schools, e.g. by initiating a language exchange, participating in language competitions, or by organising immersion days. 

In this blog you can browse through the work of last year's assistants. You can search the slides either by language or by school year group. Enjoy, and we hope you will be inspired to follow in their footsteps!

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Funding available to partner with schools in China

9 June 2017 (Access China UK / Education Scotland)

Funding is available for schools to set up a successful sister school partnership with China or if you already have a sister school this can be used to re-activate the partnership. The funding is provided by Access China UK Education, which specialises in setting up and supporting schools with active relationships. The deadline to access the fund is 26 June.

Visit the website for more information.

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Are Chinese-English bilingual schools the future of primary education?

7 June 2017 (The Telegraph)

There are just two classrooms at Kensington Wade, a shiny new independent prep school opening in west London in September, and at a glance, they look the same. Colourful charts cover the walls, storybooks line the shelves, the odd toy lies around. Peer a little closer, however, and a certain difference becomes clear.

“There isn’t a word of English in here,” the headmistress, Jo Wallace, says as we pause in one of them. It’s true – the charts contain only Chinese symbols, the books are in Mandarin, and laid out are traditional oriental fans, scrolls and artwork. Even the school’s world map, which might normally have Europe at the centre of the picture, instead shows gives Asia and the Pacific the limelight.

“That’s what we mean by this being totally immersive learning,” Wallace says, “the children will switch as soon as they’re in here, and that’s how they’ll begin to think in two ways.”

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Mandarin success in Scottish schools

6 June 2017 (Spectrum Sino)

Recently-launched efforts to teach Mandarin in Scottish schools have been hailed for the interest they have created amongst children to learn more about Chinese culture, history and language.

Schools across the country have celebrated the opening of their Confucius classroom hubs.

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Celebrating BLC success!

2 June 2017 (CISS)

Pupils from Lasswade High School were presented with certificates and a badge each on Wednesday 31 May for completing an app which they designed for young Chinese visitors to Edinburgh Castle.

The S3 pupils had researched Edinburgh Castle, making a visit before and after designing the trail (the latter visit to test it). With the support of the app company, 'Global Treasure Apps', they created a trail for young speakers of Chinese who might visit the castle. This is an age group the castle want to attract to the premises more effectively; moreover, the number of tourists from China is increasing all the time. After London, Edinburgh Castle is the second favourite spot for Chinese visitors to the UK.

The S3 pupils worked in teams and the winning team all received a phone charger from the app company.

The pupils will build on their success and most will continue with Mandarin into S4.

This is a good example of a Business Language Champions (BLC) project impacting on uptake in the Senior Phase: working together with outside partners such as Historic Environment Scotland, the app company and CISS.

Visit the BLC pages of our website for more information about the scheme and to find out how schools and businesses can get involved.

Which language would ease our way in the post-Brexit world?

24 May 2017 (The Guardian)

We Brits are pretty settled in our role as monoglots. Our default tactic of “speak English slowly and loudly so others can understand you” served us well enough – and then Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, put the boot in by claiming recently that “English is losing importance.”

Is this really the case? Experts are divided.

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CISS Spring 2017 newsletter

24 May 2017 (CISS)

The Spring 2017 CISS newsletter has now been published online. It is a great showcase of all the fabulous work being done across Scotland to promote Chinese language and culture.

You can view and download the newsletter on the CISS website.

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Chinese Language Assistants grants

23 May 2017 (British Council)

The British Council and HSBC are providing up to ten grants of £3,890 to cover the costs of hosting a Chinese language assistant. Schools can apply individually, or with up to two other schools if intending to share an assistant. Apply by 31 May 2017.

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China Bridge for school leaders in the UK

23 May 2017 (British Council)

Applications are open for China Bridge, a professional development and networking opportunity in China for primary and secondary school leaders, heads of languages and heads of further education colleges in the UK.

Funded by Hanban (Confucius Institute Headquarters) and delivered by the British Council, the programme enables successful applicants to visit China to connect with Chinese schools and learn more about teaching Chinese language and culture.

Participants will receive support to help them initiate and sustain Chinese school links before, during and after the visit. Travel, accommodation and expenses in China are covered by the programme. Schools must pay for their own flights.

The deadline for applications is 12.00 on 23 June 2017. Visits will take place from 28 October – 5 November 2017.

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Young Language Learner Award - 2017

15 May 2017 (B small publishing)

The Young Language Learner Awards are back!

B small publishing are inviting children and young people to write a four-page story in a foreign language they are learning (choose from Chinese, English, French, German, Italian or Spanish) to be in with a chance of winning books worth £50.

One winner will be picked from the under 6 category and one winner from the 6 and over entries.

Visit the website for full details and to submit entries by 15 June 2017.

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Language Perfect World Championships 2017

12 May 2017 (ALL)

This year's Language Perfect World Championships take place from 15 - 25 May.

Students participate in the world's largest online languages event over 10 days with the chance to earn certificates and qualify for awards and prizes by translating between their target language and English. The competition is relevant for everyone, whatever their ability.

The first 500 schools to register will receive 50 free entries. (ALL members can register all students for free).

Find out more about the competition via the ALL webpage and the competition website.

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Update to CISS Professional Learning Menu 2016-17

11 May 2017 (CISS)

The CISS 2016-17 professional learning menu 'Making Chinese work for you' has been updated to include two new cross-sector workshops:

• Parent/carer engagement with the learning of Mandarin
• Coaching and mentoring for your Hanban teacher/volunteer

Visit the Professional Learning page of the CISS website to find out more and to arrange a learning event.

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Consul General Pan Xinchun Visits Fettes College

9 May 2017 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China)

On 4 May, Consul General Pan Xinchun paid a visit to Fettes College where he delivered a speech to the students and had a cordial meeting with the headmaster Michael Spens.

In his speech, Mr. Pan spoke highly of the Fettes College for its outstanding achievements in education. He indicated that well-educated students with global vision need knowledge about China. As the second largest economy, China has made huge contributions to the global development. He introduced the close links between China and Scotland by giving examples of people's daily life. Mr. Pan said, the demand in other countries for Mandarin speakers is increasing as China's cooperation with the rest of the world is deepening with a growing number of people learning Chinese language and culture. In Scotland alone, nearly 30,000 students from primary and secondary schools are learning. He encouraged the students to work hard and gain more understanding about China so as to build a bridge of friendship and cooperation between China and Scotland.

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Apply now for a fully funded Chinese Language Assistant!

28 April 2017 (British Council)

The British Council and HSBC are pleased to announce that up to ten grants of £3,890 will be offered to cover the costs of hosting a Chinese language assistant for the academic year of 2017/18.

This is a pilot scheme for UK schools in 2017/18 and is intended to support the Sustainable Development Goal “ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning”. Successful schools will have the full costs of hosting a Chinese Language Assistant covered from mid-September 2017 to the end of June 2018.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to download an application form.

Application deadline: 31 May 2017.

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Biscuits galore!

20 April 2017 (CISS)

For some S2 pupils from Elgin Academy, the term began with a busy and exciting visit to Walkers Shortbread HQ in Aberlour, Moray.

The pupils have been studying Mandarin since January with the support of the Hanban teacher Sufang Wang and under the guidance of Jerome Lestienne, PT of Modern Languages. The pupils presented to members of the International team from Walkers and the HR team. The presentations reflected what they had learnt so far, which included simple greetings, some numbers (and how to express numbers with hand gestures) and explanations of what is peculiar to the Chinese language such as learning tones, characters, etc.

The presentations also incorporated advice on effective “dos and don’ts” of Chinese Business Etiquette. These were well received by the International Team, who later explained they are increasingly doing business with China. It is now one of the top ten countries with whom they deal and in the near future will be opening an office in Shanghai.

Pupils were judged on presentation skills, clarity of delivery, content, structure and language skills. (The latter were judged by members from CISS and the Hanban teacher.) The winning group were generously rewarded with a prize and all pupils left with a goodie bag.

Pupils were asked questions by the team regarding how they found learning Chinese. They replied they had found it interesting and were grateful to have the chance to learn some Chinese whilst at school.

The Director of the International Team thanked them for the useful and stimulating presentations. He highlighted the fact that future employees with such knowledge would be most welcome for the company to employ.

China visit a Scottish first for brass band

14 April 2017 (Guide and Gazette)

Carnoustie High School Brass Band will play in the People’s Republic of China following a concert they performed earlier this year in the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow.

The concert was for the Confucius Institute for Scotland who were so impressed by their standard of playing that they set in motion a plan to have the youngsters visit China in a cultural exchange.

The institute contacted Donald Currie, headteacher at Carnoustie High School, and requested the band make the trip next year.

Carnoustie High is the Confucius Hub for Angus and the Confucius classrooms are hubs based in schools and serving the local community.

The hub concept promotes joint planning of cultural activities, sharing ideas and resources to stimulate the learning and teaching of Chinese language and culture.

Read more...

Summary of SQA Course Reports for Higher and AH Modern Languages 2016

16 March 2017 (SCILT)

We have summarised the Course Reports for Higher and Advanced Higher Modern Languages and Gàidhlig. These reports highlight areas where candidates performed well in the 2016 exam and areas where they encountered difficulty.

They contain sound advice for both teachers and pupils in the run up to this year's exam diet.

The full report for each language can be accessed on the SQA website under the Verification and Course Reports tab.

The summary reports are attached below and can also be found on the Senior Phase, Essentials for Planning page on the SCILT website under the SQA Qualifications tab.

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Chinese L3 resources

13 March 2017 (CISS)

In order to build capacity for L3 in Scottish schools throughout Scotland, CISS has focused on developing a variety of resources. The latest L3 materials can be used to support the introduction of Mandarin as the L3 by using stimulating cultural contexts, whilst carefully building in progression. They are the first of a series of L3 resources which will support non-specialist Chinese teachers – including complete beginners! – as well as specialist Chinese teachers. The resources favour a gentle progression and will help practitioners embed Chinese into their learning context. These resources can be used as stand-alone resources or in conjunction with The Happy Emperor ebooks 1-5.

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Mapping Chinese survey

9 March 2017 (SCEN)

At the meeting of Confucius Institute Directors last year, we all decided that it would be a great help if we shared information about the teaching and learning of Mandarin at all levels in Scotland. We want to map all the opportunities to learn Chinese accurately, and to share it with everyone to help with productive links between schools, colleges, universities and businesses.

We would like to invite primary and secondary school teachers to complete our online survey to help gather this data.

Visit the SCEN website for the survey link. Please complete by 31 March 2017.

Read more...

New Job Profile on the SCILT website

3 March 2017 (SCILT)

For relevant, labour-market focused career advice on languages, direct from the workplace, read our latest Job Profile from Sandie Robb, Senior Education Officer for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).

Working on conservation projects around the globe, Sandie explains how knowing even a little of a language is respectable and polite when working with colleagues worldwide.

Teachers, use this resource in your classroom to enhance learning about the world of work.

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New job profile on SCILT's website

17 February 2017 (SCILT)

For relevant, labour-market focused career advice on languages, direct from the workplace, read our latest Job Profile from Katie Targett-Adams, a professional singer and harpist currently based in Hong Kong. Teachers, use this resource in your classroom to enhance learning about the world of work.

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Chinese New Year comes home to roost for students

14 February 2017 (Falkirk Herald)

Pupils from all over the Falkirk area gathered at Larbert High School for a double celebration with a far Eastern flavour. The youngsters, including pupils from Graeme High School and Ladeside Primary School, marked Chinese New Year and also acknowledged Larbert High’s new status as a Falkirk Council Confucius Hub with song and dance performances, Chinese cuisine and art displays during the event.

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Boost language attainment with a Modern Language Assistant

8 February 2017 (British Council)

Modern Language Assistants bring authentic language and culture to the classroom. In a recent survey of host schools, Heads of Languages reported improved exam results – raising standards in under-performing students and motivating talented students to achieve more. The support of an Assistant is particularly valuable with the on-going focus on languages in the 1+2 initiative, and can particularly help to complement the development of language teaching in primary schools.

The British Council Language Assistants programme draws on over 100 years of experience with overseas education authorities to provide a trusted, high quality service.

Applications are now open! For more information visit the British Council website.

In 2016 the Erasmus+ UK National Agency awarded nearly €1.2m+ to Scotland’s schools and colleges for Key Action 2 (KA2) Strategic Partnerships, and 70% of Scottish applications for school-only partnerships were successful. The next Erasmus+ funding deadline is 29 March. If you are planning to apply, access our tailored guidance for school-only applications and school education applications; pre-recorded videos; and telephone support sessions.

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Many Languages, One World - 2017 student essay contest

7 February 2017 (Many Languages One World)

The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), in collaboration with ELS Educational Services, Inc., (ELS) invites students, 18 years and older, who are enrolled in a full-time course of study at a college or university, to participate in the Many Languages, One World Essay Contest.

The essay should discuss global citizenship and cultural understanding, and the role that multilingual ability can play in fostering these and must be written in one of the six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish).

Visit the Many Languages, One World website for more information about the competition and how to enter. Submission deadline is 16 March 2017.

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The made-up language with just one speaker

3 February 2017 (BBC)

When it comes to learning languages, it's often thought the Swedes are rather good at it, the Dutch brilliant, and the British, rather poor. Student, Melissa May, who is from southern England, is perhaps the exception that proves the rule. Not content with mastering many languages including German, French and Spanish, she decided to invent a completely new one, with its own unique script. It is called Skénavánns. She told James Menendez about it.

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Principal Assessor and Deputy Principal Assessor - Higher Chinese languages

23 January 2017 (SQA)

SQA is inviting applications for a Principal Assessor in Higher Chinese Languages to lead the team as well as a Deputy Principal Assessor (DPA) in Higher Chinese Languages. The DPA is a new role in a slightly altered structure which will become operational for Diet 2017. The primary role of the Deputy Principal Assessor is to support the Principal Assessor.

Details of both roles can be found by following the relevant link below to the SQA website:

• Principal Assessor in Higher Chinese Languages
• Deputy Principal Assessor in Higher Chinese Languages

Training and support will be provided for both roles.

Scottish Education Awards 2017

19 January 2017 (Scottish Education Awards)

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.

There's still time to submit nominations for the Awards, so get your entries in for the Making Languages Come Alive (Primary) and Gaelic Education/Duais Foghlam Gàidhlig.awards before the closing date of 15 February 2017.

Visit the Scottish Education Award website to make your nomination.

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Pass the Panda across Scotland

19 January 2017 (RZSS)

Conservation charity the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is excited to announce the official launch of its brand new ‘Panda Pass It On’ game for schools. The game, which is part of the conservation organisation’s Beyond the Panda education programme, launched at four schools in all four corners of Scotland on Tuesday 17 January: St. Patrick’s, South Ayrshire; Lasswade High, Midlothian, Portree Primary, Isle of Skye and Forehill Primary, Aberdeen.

With only four copies of the game available, the intention is for schools to keep the fun, learning resource for a week before passing it on to other schools. The panda games will hopefully make their way across Scotland, with each school logging their location through a QR code on the back of the game, which will allow RZSS to follow the games as they travel.

Sandie Robb, Senior Education Officer at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: “I’m incredibly excited about the launch of the Panda Pass It On game. It is the first of its kind and is a fun way for children to learn more about China, its history, culture and language as well as their famous animals, the giant pandas. It will be really interesting to track the games as they travel to different schools.”

The game forms an introduction to the Beyond the Panda education programme, which is designed to promote cross-curricular learning, with pupils investigating and discovering more about China. The materials cover Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes in science, topical science, social studies, language and literacy. This is delivered through an outreach programme with fun, interactive games led by an education officer from RZSS, or in the case of the Panda Pass It On game, by itself.

The programme is sponsored by the Confucius Institute for Scotland at the University of Edinburgh with support from the Scotland China Education Network and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools at the University of Strathclyde.

For more information, please visit the RZSS Beyond the Panda website.

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CISS professional learning menu update

16 January 2017 (CISS)

The CISS CLPL menu for 2016-17 'Making Chinese work for you!' has been updated.

Visit the CISS website to view the brochure and for information on booking a professional learning session.

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SQA update to AH Modern Languages guidance on past paper usage

16 January 2017 (SQA)

The SQA has produced updated guidance documents on the use of past paper questions for Advanced Higher Modern Languages (Chinese, Italian, French, Spanish, German and Gaelic learners).

These can be found on the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage under the 'Specimen Question Papers and Marking Instructions' section.

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How Mandarin can unlock our children's potential in an increasingly connected world

10 January 2017 (The Telegraph)

With over one billion speakers worldwide, the global significance of Mandarin Chinese cannot be denied. But with the continued growth of English as a lingua franca of business, travel and international relations, do we really need more young people in the UK to learn it?

The reality is that, at a time when the UK is repositioning itself on the world stage, young people across the UK need to have the knowledge and skills to unlock their potential in an increasingly connected world - and to my mind at least, there are few abilities more valuable than speaking Mandarin Chinese.

The good news is that parents across the UK seem to think so too. Research released last week as part of the Mandarin Excellence Programme highlighted that those with children aged under 18 see Mandarin Chinese as the ‘most beneficial’ non-European language for their children's future – followed by Arabic and Japanese. As well as 51 per cent of those surveyed believing that speaking Mandarin would boost their children's career prospects, 56 per cent saw it as a skill that would open their children's minds to an ‘exciting and dynamic culture’.

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Parents think Mandarin is most useful language for children, survey says

5 January 2017 (BT)

Mandarin Chinese is the most useful non-European language for children to learn, UK parents believe.

It will boost their child's career prospects, according to 51%of parents, while 56% felt it would open their children's minds to an "exciting and dynamic" culture.

Arabic and Japanese, which both picked by 14% of parents, were the other key non-European languages.

The figures were gained after 1,138 UK adults with children aged under 18 were questioned in a Populus survey commissioned by the Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP).

French, Spanish and German were the top choices overall for young people in the UK to learn after being picked by 57%, 54% and 40% of parents respectively.

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Eilidh’s next year of study is full of Eastern Promise

1 January 2017 (Milngavie Herald)

Eilidh McConnell, a sixth year pupil at Douglas Academy in Milngavie, has won a scholarship to study and work in China next year.

Eilidh, who will defer her University place for a year, competed with other Scottish pupils and was interviewed in Strathclyde University for the place. The opportunity is offered by the Confucious Institute of Scotland which seeks to promote Chinese language and culture in Scotland.

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Generation UK – China Scholarship programme

14 December 2016 (British Council)

Through Generation UK, the British Council have opened up a range of opportunities in China, giving students the chance to experience the country, language and culture while gaining valuable skills for the future.

One student from the University of St Andrews shares her experience of taking part in the Generation UK - China Scholarship programme.

Read Victoria's story and find out more about the opportunities available on the British Council website.

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Report shows progress in promoting modern foreign languages in Welsh schools

14 December 2016 (Welsh Government)

The number of pupils learning Mandarin has more than doubled according to a new report on a drive to increase the use of modern foreign languages in Welsh schools (Weds 14th Dec).

In October 2015 the Welsh Government published Global Futures, a plan to improve and promote modern foreign languages in Wales and today a new report on the progress made has been published.

It comes as the Education Secretary will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Spanish Government to improve and promote the teaching and learning of the Spanish language in Wales.

The MOU builds on a range of activity being carried out in Wales by the Spanish Embassy Education Office.

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Heriot-Watt Multilingual Debate 2017

12 December 2016 (Heriot-Watt University)

Heriot-Watt University's Multilingual Debate is an annual event showcasing the interpreting skills of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The 2017 Debates will take place on Wednesday 22 March with two multilingual teams arguing for and against a motion of topical interest in a range of languages. There are two Debates; one in the morning, one in the afternoon.

The Multilingual Debates are open to schools, colleges and universities and aim to stimulate interest and dialogue among young people in the international politics and social issues of the modern world whilst also setting language acquisition in a realistic context.

The topics for the 2017 Debates have just been announced and can be viewed on the YouTube video.

Visit the Heriot-Watt website for further information.

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Chinese Language Pack 2017 - Year of the Rooster

5 December 2016 (British Council)

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, we enter the Year of the Rooster on January 28, 2017. This education pack for UK primary schools contains information and activities to help teachers and pupils learn more about this important spring festival and explore Chinese culture and language.

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High Fives for the Fifth SCEN Summit

5 December 2015 (SCEN)

Read an account of the Fifth SCEN China Youth Summit.

Which languages should be taught in schools and why?

29 November 2016 (The Guardian)

The Polish prime minister Beata Szydło has called on Theresa May to introduce Polish classes for children in English schools.

It raises interesting questions about what languages we teach in schools and why. Szydło also called for more support for the 831,000 Poles living in Britain. Introducing the language could help communities feel more integrated.

In the past language choices have been for different reasons. In 2010 the government decided to train 1,000 Mandarin teachers to work in secondary schools in England due to China’s increasing influence on the global economy. Those in favour of the move said the next generation would need to understand Chinese culture and use its language.

Which languages do you think children should learn and why? Should an emphasis be put on how useful that language may be in the future? Or should the decision be made based on the needs of the local community?

Which languages have been most or least helpful to you? Which one did you enjoy learning and why? Did you grow up speaking another language at home? How would you have felt if your fellow pupils had studied it in school? Share your views with us.

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Media Release: Confucius Classroom launches in Moray

29 November 2016 (All Media Scotland)

A facility dedicated to promoting closer cultural links between school pupils in Moray and their counterparts in China was formally opened today.

The Confucius Classroom is part of a growing network of hubs – currently standing at more than 20 – being set up across Scotland to help promote Chinese language and culture in schools.

The Moray hub is based at Elgin Academy and will be resourced for children and young people from across the area to study all aspects of Chinese life.

It will also serve as a base for two teachers from China who will work closely with a total of 14 local secondary and primary schools during the current session.

The teaching posts are funded by Scotland’s National Centre for Languages at Strathclyde University where the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools is based.

Opportunities will also exist for teachers from Moray schools to undertake exchange visits to China, while pupils will also be able to take part in language immersion courses in Chinese schools.

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Metro Deaf School to make history with Chinese sign language

27 November 2016 (Star Tribune)

St. Cloud State University and the Metro Deaf School in St. Paul have joined forces to include deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a first-of-its-kind cross-cultural exchange. The Metro Deaf School has opened a “Confucius classroom” for students to learn Chinese sign language, history and culture.

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Rapping up Mandarin

18 November 2016 (TESS)

If you want to get an insight into what your YouTube-fixated, viral-hungry students are looking at online this year, you won’t go far wrong if you spend some time with a few Asian hip hop artists. Be it the viral thrust and wry wit of Indonesia’s Rich Chigga, the America-breaking ferocity of South Korea’s Keith Ape or China’s hottest new hip hop property, Higher Brothers, this is one of the year’s most dominant, and credible, trending genres.

This rise of Asian hip hop comes at a fortuitous time for London teacher Adam Moorman. While his approach to teaching Mandarin to key stage 5 students at Fortismere School in North London was not inspired by his students’ preoccupation with the new stars of rap, it certainly feeds into it: he’s getting his class to rap in Mandarin themselves.

“It’s much easier than you think,” Moorman says. “Mandarin is a monosyllabic language with a much more limited range of sounds than English. If you discount tones, there are around 400 syllables in Mandarin, compared with more than 8,000 in English. So it’s a lot harder to come up with rhymes in English than in Mandarin.”

Students are asked to create raps as preparation for their speaking exam. Guided on content by the key topics in the qualification (pollution, for example) and on complexity by the exam marking criteria, they write, practise and then perform the raps, which are recorded. Moorman explains that rap is a useful tool to get students talking for a number of reasons. First, he says that Mandarin is an inherently musical language, so it lends itself to the genre. Second, learning a language requires repetition, and keeping that engaging is tough – writing and performing a rap gives students a compelling reason to go over sentences again and again. Third, the nature of rap means that dexterity of vocabulary is rewarded – so there is an incentive to learn more phrases and be innovative with them.

“Many teachers find that, as students move through KS4-5, they become frustrated by the difficulty of constructing longer passages of speech,” Moorman explains. “Some of the fun, freshness and simplicity of language-learning at KS3 disappears.

“This approach tackles that by combining rhythm, rhymes and repetition in an enjoyable and memorable way that shifts the focus from painstaking book-based learning, but achieves the rewards of independent research, drafting and practising.”

The full article can be accessed in TESS online, 18 November 2016 (subscription required).

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Grab opportunities in this Century of Asia

16 November 2016 (The Scotsman)

Scotland’s people have, historically, been our greatest asset, making a significant impact both within the UK and abroad. The impact made overseas by Scots has been remarkable given our small population.

The Scottish Government’s own strategy incorporates “the Four Is” s as highest priorities, beginning with “Investing in our people and infrastructure in a sustainable way”. But are we doing enough to unlock the true potential of Scotland and embrace the opportunities that arise, even in a post-Brexit environment?

A critical factor for Scotland will be the ability of its companies and institutions to engage effectively with many new markets. The majority of these sit in Asia and require a special knowledge of practices and customs to ensure success. Since most companies in Scotland are SMEs this means that they need to wake up to the need to create market entry strategies and produce the right products and services to attract both investors and customers or clients.

[..] Learning starts at an early age. The Scotland China Education Network (SCEN) was founded in 2006 by Dr Judith McClure to bring together individuals, national agencies and associations keen to promote the teaching of Chinese language and culture in Scottish schools.

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Language assistants risk being lost in translation

11 November 2016 (TESS)

Most schools still do not have access to a modern language assistant, new figures show, amid fears that the scheme will wither away if a key source of funding is stopped.

Native speakers of foreign languages have long come to Scotland to work in schools and help teachers to bring those subjects to life. But as local authorities cut budgets, their numbers fell as low as 72 by 2013-14.

Figures obtained by TESS show that the provisional number of modern language assistants (MLAs) has risen to 146 this year, including 23 in independent schools.

The data from British Council Scotland – which arranges for MLAs to work in the country – show increased numbers in all five languages that are part of the scheme: French, German, Italian, Mandarin and Spanish.

But there is still some way to go to match the 278 MLAs that were working in schools in 2005-06 – the highest number since existing records began in 2003.

The picture also varies markedly around the country: 18 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities have no MLAs, while Edinburgh has the most with 25, and even a small council like Angus has as many as 19.

Lucy Young, head of education at British Council Scotland, said that councils often used funding from the Scottish government’s 1+2 languages programme to recruit MLAs at an annual cost of about £10,000 per assistant.

Under the programme – being rolled out in all primary schools – pupils are expected to have knowledge of two languages other than their own by the time they reach secondary.

But this key funding is due to be stopped in 2020 – putting schools’ access to MLAs at risk.

Read the full article on TESS online, 11 November 2016 (subscription required).

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First Chinese classroom to open for Moray school pupils

4 November 2016 (Press and Journal)

School pupils in Moray will be transported from the north-east to the Far East with the opening of the region’s first Chinese classroom.

The Confucius base is scheduled to open at Elgin Academy at the end of the month with language and culture lessons for students. Two Chinese-speaking teachers will be based in the classroom, but will take lessons at five other secondary schools and eight primary schools in the region.

The initiative will also open up the opportunity for pupils and staff to take part in courses in the Asian country.

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By the numbers: the decline of specialist subjects

4 November 2016 (TESS)

Although archaeology is going to be withdrawn as an A-level option, there are other subjects that attract far fewer students.

[..] In Scotland, the lowest number of entries for a subject at Higher was for Gaelic as a foreign language, with 84, while 92 students took Urdu.

The full list of lowest entry A Levels / Highers is available in TESS online, 4 November 2016 (subscription required).

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Word Wizard 2017 - registrations now open!

4 November 2016 (SCILT/CISS)

SCILT's Word Wizard competition is returning for a fourth year and we are delighted to announce that registrations are now open!

Word Wizard is a multilingual spelling competition open to S1-S3 pupils learning French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin or Spanish. The competition provides a perfect opportunity for language teachers to address The Attainment Challenge by allowing pupils of all levels the chance to excel in language learning. Word Wizard develops skills in acquisition of vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, recall and public speaking; not to mention the many literacy outcomes it addresses. This hugely motivating competition encourages links with other curricular areas and with health and wellbeing, culminating in a high profile celebration of language learning.

Visit SCILT's Word Wizard webpage to find out more about this year's competition and to register your school. 

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Europe's first ever bilingual Chinese-English school to open in London

19 October 2016 (The Independent)

The first school in Europe to teach all its students in both English and Chinese is to open in London next year.

Founders of Kensington Wade, a dual language independent prep school, say children as young as one will be taught in Chinese, and all those who attend the school will leave fluent.

Provisions for the school’s opening come amid renewed emphasis from the British government on the importance of teaching Chinese as a second language, in order to prepare future generations for the global market.

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Inverclyde Academy pupils’ modern languages day is a winner

6 October 2016 (Greenock Telegraph)

Inverclyde Academy youngsters explored other cultures as part of a day celebrating modern languages.

Third year pupils also served up coffee and cakes to their guests, who included language ambassadors from Strathclyde University and Mandarin speakers.

Principal teacher Sarah Bell invited along experts in British Sign Language, as she widened out the European day of languages.

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Generation UK – China

6 October 2016 (British Council)

The British Council is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Scottish Government to support more students from Scottish universities to undertake internships in China through the British Council’s Generation UK – China campaign. The partnership will be focused on supporting Scottish students from low-income backgrounds to gain international experience in the world’s second-largest economy.

Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for Scottish students to develop highly valuable knowledge and skills working in one of the world’s fastest-growing and most dynamic economies. The Scottish Government’s support for this programme underlines our commitment to investing in Scotland’s future workforce and further strengthening our growing engagement with China.”

The Generation UK – China campaign will assist the Scottish Government in delivering its International Framework and in further strengthening relations with China. It will also develop the academic achievement and employability of students and recent graduates of Scotland’s higher education institutions.

“My experience interning in Beijing was fast-paced, exciting and always engaging,” said Justine Porter, a graduate of the University of Dundee who completed a two-month internship at a law firm in Beijing through the Generation UK – China campaign last year.

Visit the British Council website for more information.

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The world's quirkiest phrases

29 September 2016 (BBC)

To celebrate International Translation Day, we asked translators from across the globe to tell us their favourite expressions. Here are 11 of the most surprising.

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Scotland strengthens links with China: top Scottish legislator

29 September 2016 (Xinhua)

The links between Scotland and the Chinese side are going from strength to strength in parliamentary, economic, cultural, and educational sectors, said a top Scottish legislator Wednesday evening.

Addressing the reception to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Chinese Consulate-General in Edinburgh, Scottish Parliament's Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh reviewed the exchange of visits of top-level officials from both sides, the Chinese language mania in Scotland, the Chinese students studying in Scotland, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

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The top 9 languages for the highest-paid jobs in Britain

26 September 2016 (The Independent)

Learning a second language can be extremely lucrative for your career opportunities.

And after jobs search engine Adzuna analysed over 1 million live job postings on its website, it found out that some languages are more likely to get you a higher paid job than others in Britain, when employers advertised for jobs looking for someone who was at least bi-lingual.

Considering the UK voted to leave the European Union — dubbed a Brexit — and the nation does not know what that would entail for the jobs market, Adzuna's cofounder pointed out that having a second language could become even more sought-after, especially if businesses look to relocate overseas.

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Language Immersion Days for Higher and Advanced Higher

20 September 2016 (UWS)

The Languages for All team at University of the West of Scotland (UWS) are offering language immersion classes in French, German, Mandarin or Spanish to support Higher and Advanced Higher students.

The half-day classes are designed to suit the academic needs of students who wish to enhance essential skills in language such as reading, writing, speaking and listening. These classes will prepare students for their SQA final exams.

The classes can either be held in one of the UWS campuses - Ayr, Dumfries, Hamilton or Paisley. Alternatively UWS lecturers can travel to your local authority facilities.

To find out more and how to arrange a session, visit the UWS website.

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New student profiles on the SCILT website

16 September 2016 (SCILT)

New additions to our job profile section this term come from students currently undertaking courses which also allow them to develop their language skills.

Our two latest profiles come from students in the Tourism sector:

• Amy-Jo Fairbairn, who is studying for a HND in Travel and Tourism at the City of Glasgow college.
• Gail Leslie who, after completing her HND course in Travel and Tourism, is now embarking on a degree in Business Studies at UWS..

Whilst choosing different languages to learn, both can see the value of language skills for their future careers and personal lives.

Read their profiles and others on our website.

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CISS new staff members

9 September2016 (SCILT/CISS)

We are pleased to welcome 3 new members of staff to the CISS team!

We have recently been joined by Li Tian, who takes over as the Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools Chinese Director, and Yi Zeng, teacher of Mandarin. Also joining the team is our new modern apprentice, Briony Burns.

You can find out more about our new staff members via the 'contact us' section of our website.

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HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition

8 September 2016 (British Council)

The competition, organised by HSBC and the British Council, offers a fun opportunity for secondary students to practise and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills.

Participating students have the chance to win a week in Beijing, visiting historical sites, interacting with Chinese students and experiencing Chinese culture.

Visit the British Council website to find out more and to apply by 7 October.

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Pupils across England start intensive lessons in Mandarin

7 September 2016 (UK Government)

A new £10 million Mandarin excellence programme will see at least 5,000 young people on track towards fluency in Mandarin Chinese by 2020.

Hundreds of secondary school pupils in England have already begun intensive lessons in Mandarin Chinese as the first initiative of its kind is rolled out across the country.

Secondary school pupils will study Mandarin for 8 hours a week over the course of the next 4 years through the programme - a significant increase on the time pupils currently spend on the subject.

Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world, and is seen as important for young people in the UK to master in order for the country to remain globally competitive in the future.

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Vocab Express League of Champions 2016

1 September 2016 (Vocab Express)

Share in the excitement and energy generated by the Vocab Express League of Champions. The championship will run from Wednesday 28 September until Tuesday 4 October 2016. It's a fantastic way to engage students in vocabulary building by challenging them to compete against other schools across the UK and from around the world.

The challenge is free to all schools subscribing to Vocab Express. In addition, there are 150 free school places available to non-subscribers, each for up to 150 students.

There are currently 84 free non-subscriber school places left. Visit the website for more information and to register now!

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Fresh drive for Chinese investment in Ayrshire

29 August 2016 (Carrick Today)

The drive to bring fresh investment and new jobs to South Ayrshire has been taken to an international audience from China.

South Ayrshire Council has hosted a delegation from Shanghai, in a visit which marks growing links between Scottish and Chinese cultures.

Chinese visitors currently contribute more than £100 million to the Scottish economy, with more than £530 million of goods shipped from Scotland to China in exports. China itself is the world’s largest goods exporter, reaching out to markets across the world.

[..] South Ayrshire Council has been actively working with the Confucius hub, jointly funded by the Scottish Government and Hanban Confucius Institute Headquarters, to promote Chinese language and culture in our secondary schools.

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Cultural Classes in China

25 August 2016 (Claire Smith / CISS)

For 2 weeks in July I had the opportunity to visit Beijing on a language immersion course with a group of 20 teachers from all over Scotland. We were there as guests of the Beijing Culture and Language University to learn Mandarin and experience the culture of this amazing and, at times, intense city.

Language classes were held every morning, with the focus on vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure and pronunciation. As Mandarin is a tonal language it is a challenge to learn but it proved useful when exploring a city where English is not widely spoken! In the afternoon cultural activities were organised. We visited the main landmarks of Beijing, including Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. A trip north took us to the awe-inspiring Great Wall. On the afternoons when we weren’t sightseeing, we stayed on the university campus to learn calligraphy, tai chi and experience a traditional Chinese tea ceremony.

This fantastic opportunity to further my knowledge of Chinese language and culture has enabled me to develop my practice – in both the teaching of Mandarin and China as an interdisciplinary topic. This term, I will also run a calligraphy class, where pupils will learn an ancient skill and the story behind the Chinese characters. For my own professional development, I am continuing to learn Mandarin through books and podcasts and in December I will take the HSK 1 exam.

This experience, along with the friendships I made and strengthened, is something I will never forget. Beijing is a city like no other – a mixture of ancient architecture and modern structures, of chaos and calm, of communism and capitalism, of east and west. At times it seemed daunting, but led by Meryl, Professional Development Officer from CISS, we were in excellent hands!

SCEN Newsletter

23 August 2016 (SCEN)

The latest newsletter from SCEN is now available online. This includes dates of upcoming events for Autumn 2016.

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Business Language Champions at Broughton High School

15/08/2016 (SCILT)

Pupils at Broughton High School in Edinburgh had the opportunity to find out how languages are relevant to a career in hospitality when they visited The Balmoral Hotel.

S3 pupils attended a series of workshops to develop their understanding of the hospitality industry as well as their intercultural awareness and interview skills.

The Modern Languages Department at Broughton High School found this to be an invaluable experience for the pupils, particularly the impact of visiting a workplace.

A pupil who took part in the project said: “I learned a lot about cultural awareness and about how The Balmoral Hotel goes about things. I have learned to think more about my response to someone of a different culture.”

The visit to Harvey Nichols was part of the wider Business Language Champions project running in the school. Business Language Champions is run by SCILT and helps schools and businesses to build exciting and sustainable partnerships to equip young people with international communication and employability skills for their future careers.

After the initial visit, learners were tasked with developing an internal information leaflet which would support the hotel, sharing their knowledge of relevant Chinese language and culture with the hotel staff.

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Beyond the Panda

1 August 2016 (RZSS)

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's 'Beyond the Panda' programme for schools has been designed to enable learners to explore a variety of topics within the overall context of giant pandas and China. The programme offers different activities to cater for primary and secondary pupils.

See the attached flyer for more information and how to get involved. Or visit the RZSS website for more information about the organisation and their work.

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SCHOLympics competition

24 June 2016 (Heriot-Watt University)

The SCHOLympics is a multi-disciplinary, scholarly competition that is open to all students who have access to SCHOLAR via their individual username and password. It features an extensive range of questions from the subjects that are currently available in the SCHOLAR programme, including a Mandarin listening comprehension which requires speakers or headphones, and questions from our brand new, soon to be published, English courses. The questions are set at Higher level or below.

The competition will be open between Monday 25 July until Wednesday 28 August 2016.

Visit the SCHOLAR website to find out more.

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Vocab Express League of Champions 2016

20 June 2016 (Vocab Express)

Create a languages buzz around your school to kick-start the new academic year!

Share in the excitement and energy generated by the Vocab Express League of Champions. The championship will run from Wednesday 28 September until Tuesday 4 October 2016. It's a fantastic way to engage students in vocabulary building by challenging them to compete against other schools across the UK and from around the world.

The challenge will feature French, Spanish, German, Greek, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Urdu, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin competitions.

The challenge is free to all schools subscribing to Vocab Express. In addition, there are 100 free school places available to non-subscribers.

Visit the League of Champions website to find out more and to register for one of the free school places. 

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Word Wizard Final 2016!

10 June 2016 (SCILT/CISS)

S1-S3 pupils from across Scotland took part in the National Final of Word Wizard at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 24 May 2016. 46 learners from eight local authorities and independent schools competed in French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish in front of an audience of teachers, supporters and guests.

Visit our Word Wizard Final 2016 webpage to read the full list of prizewinners and to see photos from the event.

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Visit China with Chinese Bridge for UK schools

6 June 2016 (British Council)

Are you interested in encouraging the teaching and learning of Mandarin in your school?

Chinese Bridge is offering an exciting opportunity for school leaders, heads of languages, and local authorities. If you want to invest in your own professional development, link with a school in China, or encourage teaching Mandarin and Chinese culture in school, this Hanban funded visit could be just what you need.

Travel, accommodation and expenses in China will be covered by the programme, but schools must pay for their own flights.

Successful applicants will be offered a place on a week’s visit to China from 22- 29 October 2016 and will be invited to take part in a pre-departure briefing to prepare for the visit.

Only 60 places are available, so visit the British Council Schools Online website to find out more and make sure you apply online by 12 noon on 7 July.

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SCILT publishes new Business Language Champions case study

02 June 2016 (SCILT)

Business Language Champions helps schools and businesses to build exciting and sustainable partnerships to equip young people with international communication and employability skills for their future careers. A partnership between Walkers Shortbread and Elgin Academy demonstrated to S3 pupils the importance of languages in the food and drink industry, and the importance of this industry to the Scottish economy. The project demonstrated how the learning of a language can enhance their career prospects as well as developing their skills for learning, life and work.

Pupils were tasked with creating cue cards for the Walkers Shortbread International Sales Team to use on future trips to China. The cue cards had to be in Chinese. They then worked with the Chinese teacher to create the content for these cue cards, carrying out research in their own time. To conclude the project, the young people delivered presentations to support the work they had done on their cue cards directly to the International Sales Team, an impressive achievement and one which was positively acknowledged by staff at Walkers Shortbread.

Read more...

Chinese Consul General Pan Xinchun Attends the Scotland-China Association Primary School Art Competition Prizegiving

1 June 2016 (Chinese Consulate General, Edinburgh)

On 27 May, the Scotland-China Association (SCA) Primary School Art Competition Prizegiving was held in the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Chinese Consul General Pan Xinchun attended the event and presented the prize to the winners.

Consul General Pan expressed his congratulations to the winners, sayiing he was very pleased to see so many students entered the competition and created lots of excellent art works centered on China. Though they have never been to China, the works of Chinese Dragon, Giant Panda and Zodiac Monkey they created are so lively and impressive. With the development of the China-Scotland relations, Chinese language and culture become more and more popular among Scottish teenagers. So far, 5 Confucius Institutes have been established in Scotland, and more than 20,000 primary and secondary students are learning Chinese language and culture.

Read more...

CISS Spring 2016 Newsletter

27 May 2016 (CISS)

The latest edition of the CISS Newsletter has been published. It includes stories from the Hanban teachers and news from the hubs, including recent accolades and hub launches. You can read the newsletter online on the CISS website.

Read more...

SCILT publishes new Business Language Champions case study

20 May 2016 (SCILT)

Business Language Champions helps schools and businesses to build exciting and sustainable partnerships to equip young people with international communication and employability skills for their future careers. A partnership between Johnstons of Elgin and Elgin Academy demonstrated to S2 pupils the importance of languages in the textile industry as well as developing employability skills within an interdisciplinary context. Learners considered marketing strategies for promoting textile goods in China and delivered a presentation to a “Dragon’s Den” judging panel.

Read more...

Internships in China

9 May 2016 (Generation UK/British Council)

Whether you’re looking to pick up an internship in accounting, architecture, engineering or just about any other industry, Generation UK-China can help provide funding for your trip and make sure you make the most of your time in China.

Companies across the world are looking to engage with China, and value employees with experience in China immensely. New industries and work opportunities in China are rising up faster than the skyscrapers that accommodate them. Developing a connection with China could be the smartest choice you can make right now.

There are two-month internships available for applicants aged 18 years and over who are currently enrolled full-time at a UK university or who have graduated from a UK university within the past year. Whilst the ability to speak Mandarin is not essential, it is recommended successful applicants learn some of the basics.

Full details of the available opportunities, funding and application process can be found on the British Council's Study, Work, Create web portal.

Read more...

Study a language at LSE this summer

25 April 2016 (LSE careers blog)

Did you know that the LSE Language Centre offers summer courses? Each year, ‘Summer Languages’ has grown to include more languages, levels and courses of different levels of intensity. You may want to consolidate the language skills you have learned during the academic year, or you may want to try learning a language as a beginner. You could even restart learning a language you were taught at school.

More information about all the courses and languages available can be found on the LSE Summer Languages website.

Read more...

Brian’s ‘staunin ma lane’ as a Chinese poem interpreter

21 April 2016 (Southern Reporter)

Borders language expert Brian Holton is launching his 16th book this evening in Melrose – unveiling a collection of Chinese poetry translated into Scots.

Staunin Ma Lane is a fairly unique specimen, in that the author translates classic Chinese poems into not only English, but also Scots as well.

In fact, Brian is listed in Wikipedia as “the only currently-publishing Chinese-Scots translator in the world”.

“One of my aims is to show Chinese poetry is not necessarily as serious as people might expect,” he says. “There are a good range of voices to be heard.”

It turns out that there are social similarities between Chinese poets of the eighth century and Scots of today, and their poems can bring to light an affinity with alcohol, loneliness and philosophical meandering.

Read more...

SQA National 5 Modern Languages Course Reports Summary

19 April 2016 (SCILT)

We have summarised the SQA National 5 Course Reports for all languages. These reports contain important information on how candidates performed in last year's exams. Teachers may find it useful to share some of the key messages of these reports with candidates in advance of this year's exams.

The summary document can be found on the Essentials for Planning in the Senior Phase section of our website.

Read more...

SCEN Letter April 2016

10 April 2016 (SCEN)

The latest news and events from the SCEN are now available in this April 2016 Letter.

Angus and Shetland Launch their Confucius Classroom Hubs

10 March 2016 (CISS)

The Confucius Classroom Hubs have launched in Angus and Shetland. The launches coincided with Chinese New Year and the CISS Sichuan Opera theatre tour.

The Angus Confucius Classroom will be located in Carnoustie High School, and the Shetland Confucius Classroom will be hosted by Sandwick Junior High School.

Both launches were a testament to the hard work of all staff and pupils involved. You can read more about the launches on the CISS website:

• Launch of Shetland Confucius Classroom Hub
• Launch of Angus Confucius Classroom Hub

Making Themselves Heard: Chinese Sign Language & Deaf China Online

7 March 2016 (What's on Weibo)

February 21st marked the United Nations International Mother Language Day, so-named for its recognition of mother tongues across the world. It was also the day that sign language interpreter and performer Xiaoshu Alice Hu (Austria/China) called attention to the inclusion of sign languages, Chinese Sign Language in particular, in the celebration of international mother languages.

Hu, who speaks Chinese, Austrian and English sign language, posted a picture of herself holding a sign, saying: “Please don’t ignore our Deaf’s Mother Language-Chinese Sign Language!” with the hashtag #中国手语 (ChineseSignLanguage).

Spoken Chinese is commonly perceived as one of the world’s hardest languages to master. Aside from the hours spent deciphering thousands of characters, learners are also confronted with four subtly differing tones that are at first almost indistinguishable to the foreign ear. In day-to-day conversation, a perfect combination of light inflexions and stresses on each syllable can make-or-break a sentence from native fluency into complete nonsense.

With this in mind, it is rare to find discussions on what it is like to master Chinese without hearing the sounds and tones that so famously characterise it, yet for the Chinese Deaf community, this is a daily means of communication.

Read more...

How to…teach a trilingual primary curriculum

4 March 2016 (TES)

Blending English, Thai and Mandarin Chinese into a seamless experience.

(Read the full article on pages 44-45 of TES online - subscription required).

Read more...

Employ a language assistant in Scottish schools

26 February 2016 (British Council)

Employing a British Council language assistant is a unique way to broaden your students understanding of the world, improve their language skills and increase their cultural awareness.

Language assistants are dynamic, enthusiastic native speakers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Russian, and are usually undergraduates or recent graduates. As we recruit language assistants directly from their home countries, their language is up-to-date, the classroom resources they provide are relevant and authentic, and they will be well placed to connect with students on their own level . Simply put, employing a language assistant provides the kind of learning experience that cannot be found elsewhere.

The deadline for applications has been extended to 31 May 2016. Visit the British Council website to find out more and to apply. Follow the relevant section on the webpage to find out specifically about employing a Chinese language assistant.

Read more...

Bairns enjoy access to Chinese culture

23 February 2016 (Shetland News)

A HUB providing access to the teaching of Chinese language and culture for pupils throughout Shetland was officially launched in Sandwick on Tuesday.

The event was attended by representatives of the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), along with councillors, staff and pupils from ten schools throughout the islands.

There were also short performances by the Chongqing Sichuan Opera House – which also gave a free show at Mareel on Monday night – and young fiddle and accordion players from the South Mainland.

The creation of a Confucius hub in Shetland, one of 16 across Scotland and funding by the Scottish and Chinese governments, will provide resources and support to allow young people the opportunity to learn more about Chinese language and culture.

Since October, Ying Zhang has been teaching Mandarin Chinese to pupils at Sandwick and other primary and secondary schools in Shetland. Lessons include language skills as well as broader aspects of Chinese culture, such as food and music.

Ms Zhang also offers language workshops for school staff and provides a link to her home school, Tianjin 102 High School, in the Tianjin municipality in north east China.

Read more...

North-east councillors assert commitment to Doric… and Mandarin

5 February 2016 (The Press and Journal)

Aberdeenshire councillors have cemented their commitment to both the region’s native dialect – and a far Eastern tongue.

Both Doric and the Chinese language of Mandarin have been earmarked as priorities in Aberdeenshire’s schools.

Councillors were given an update on the implementation of the “one and two languages initiative” across Aberdeenshire Council’s schools at yesterday’s education, learning and leisure committee.

The progress of the scheme – which ensures that youngster learn two languages in addition to their mother tongue – was hailed by councillors.

Read more...

From language assistant to Chinese government official

5 February 2016 (British Council Voices)

When Abbey Heffer arrived in China in 2013 as a language assistant, she could barely order dinner at a local restaurant in Mandarin. Now, the first female foreign national in history to work for the Chinese government, she can talk and write to her friends and colleagues in Chinese.

Read more...

Bring Chinese language and culture alive in the classroom with a Modern Language Assistant

3 February 2016 (British Council)

Mandarin is a vital language of the future - the Chinese economy is expanding rapidly, almost a quarter of internet usage is in Chinese, and it is the most widely spoken language in the world.

Give your students an opportunity to practice, improve and enrich their language skills with a native speaker. There is nothing as satisfying or rewarding as communicating in Mandarin and being understood by someone who speaks the language.

Support your students in becoming effective communicators and prepare them to be global citizens.

Read more...

Shakespeare Lives 2016

25 January 2016 (British Council)

This Shakespeare Lives schools’ pack has been created by the British Council in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016.

Specially designed to encourage learning across the curriculum, the resource is split into five key themes; Leadership and Power, Family and Relationships, Identity and Equality, Fate and Destiny, Justice and Rules. Within each themed section you will find a wide range of activities for pupils aged 7-14. These can be used as starting points in individual lessons or as elements of a cross-curricular project, which could be carried out with a partner school overseas.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to download the pack. On the site is a link to a number of videos created as part of the celebration. In addition to the English version, the 'Shakespeare Lives in 2016' animation is also available on YouTube in French, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Mandarin.

Read more...

Chongqing Chuanju Theatre Sichuan Opera Group Tour

21 January 2016 (CISS)

To celebrate Chinese New Year CISS is delighted to welcome the Chongqing Chuanju Theatre Sichuan Opera Group to Scotland for a tour of Chinese Opera performances in February 2016.

We have a number of free tickets available for schools in three locations:

• 20 February at the Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen
• 22 February at Mareel, Shetland
• 24 February at Platform Theatre, Glasgow

Please see the attached flyer for more details.

Tickets will be issued on a first come first served basis and the allocation per school is a maximum of 30 tickets.

Please contact ciss-info@strath.ac.uk by Monday 1 February 2016 to request tickets.

Multilingual Debate 2016

19 January 2016 (Heriot-Watt University)

Heriot-Watt University's Multilingual Debate is an annual event that showcases the interpreting skills of undergraduate students on our Languages (Interpreting and Translating) degree programme, as well as the developing professional skills of postgraduate students on our MSc Interpreting and Translating programmes. The event takes the form of a formal debate with two multilingual teams arguing for and against a motion of topical interest in a range of languages. The teams deliver their views in their various native languages (French, German, Spanish, English, Arabic, Chinese, British Sign Language (BSL)).

The audience is mainly made up of pupils coming from Scottish and English secondary schools, but also university undergraduate students considering entering the interpreting profession, as well as government and local authority representatives. The audiences participated in the debate by listening to the arguments, putting questions to the speakers in the languages represented and voting on the motion.

The Multilingual Debate 2016 takes place on Wednesday 23 March at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus.

To find out more about the debate topics and how to sign up to attend a session, see the video presentations in Arabic, BSL, Chinese, English, French and Spanish on the Heriot-Watt website.

Read more...

SCEN in 2016: Empowering, Enterprising, Networking, Bridging!

18 January 2016 (SCEN)

The latest news update from SCEN has been published.

SCEN Learning of Chinese Project

14 January 2016 (CISS)

Plans are once again in action for the SCEN Learning of Chinese Project in East Lothian primary schools. A wide range of schools will be participating in the programme which started in 2012 and which is growing in momentum as the years progress. The programme is supported by Chinese student volunteers from Edinburgh University via EUSA and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools along with research led by Bilingualism matters and evaluative evidence collected, analysed and presented by an Educational Consultant in languages.

You can read more about this project on the CISS website.

Read more...

New guest blog: Tim Nash, Minute Mandarin

12 January 2016 (Speak to the Future)

We are pleased to share the following piece written by Tim Nash of Minute Mandarin - 'Mandarin Chinese is 87% easier than we thought.'

Read more...

Many languages, one world - student essay contest

11 January 2016 (ELS Educational Services)

Full-time university students are invited to write an original essay (2,000 words or less) discussing global citizenship and cultural understanding and the role that multilingual ability can play in fostering these. The essay should reflect your personal, academic, cultural and national context.

Essays must be written in an official language of the United Nations that is not your first language or primary language of instruction during your primary or secondary education.

Essays should be submitted by Thursday 31 March 2016.

Visit the competition website for more information..

Read more...

SQA Higher Modern Languages Course Reports (2015)

7 January 2016 (SCILT / SQA)

We have summarised the Higher Modern Languages Course Reports and highlighted the key messages across all the languages.

These reports contain information on how candidates performed in the 2015 exam diet and give important advice on how to prepare candidates for forthcoming examinations, as well as for the Performance of Talking

The full reports can be accessed on the SQA website.

Read more...

Year of the Monkey education pack

17 December 2015 (British Council)

Discover what 2016's Year of the Monkey symbolises using our new pack filled with fun activities for primary pupils based on Chinese culture and traditions. Start preparing for Chinese New Year, explore the mythology behind the Chinese zodiac and uncover what the Year of the Monkey actually means in 2016. 

Read more...

CISS Winter Newsletter 2015

16 December 2015 (CISS)

The CISS Winter Newsletter 2015 has now been published. This edition includes stories on trips to China, recent hub launches and pupils meeting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Beijing.

To read more about the fabulous work being done across Scotland to promote Chinese language and culture see the newsletter on the CISS website.

Read more...

Take part in the Mandarin taster classes

15 December 2015 (British Council)

This year British Council is offering schools the opportunity to apply for a free Chinese language assistant to deliver a one hour taster class to their students during February.

The classes are ideal for schools who are considering the introduction of Mandarin to their curriculum in the future.

Visit the British Council website to find out more and to apply by 18 December.

Read more...

SQA updates - Advanced Higher Modern Languages

14 December 2015 (SQA)

The SQA has updated a number of files on their Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage.

A list of updates is attached and the files can be accessed on the SQA website.

Read more...

SCILT Christmas webpage now live!

3 December 2015 (SCILT)

Are you looking for ways to bring the festive season to your languages classroom?

SCILT have compiled resources from around the world for use with your pupils, from songs and games to interactive advent calendars. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in France, Germany, Spain and around the world!

Read more...

Scotland China Association competition for primary schools

3 December 2015 (SCEN)

The aim of this competition is to stimulate interest in Chinese culture amongst primary schoolchildren in Scotland. Children are encouraged to explore Chinese culture and to enjoy expressing what they learn.

The subject of the 2016 competition is:

• Celebrating fifty in the year of the monkey

Read more...

SCEN December update

3 December 2015 (SCEN)

The latest news and events from SCEN are now available.

This latest update includes a report on the Fourth SCEN China Youth Summit, held at Heriot-Watt University on 27 November.

You can also read about the Royal Zoological Society for Scotland's China Mobile Library as well as take notes of some important dates for 2016.

Word Wizard 2016 - last chance to register!

26 November 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

Registrations for Word Wizard 2016 close on Monday 30th November, don't miss out on the chance to enter this motivating and challenging competition!

Open to S1-S3 pupils to compete in French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin or Spanish, Word Wizard provides learners with the opportunity to improve their vocabulary, pronunciation and memory skills in a competition format. 

In partnership with UCMLS this year we have semi-finals in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. Sign up now to receive the first set of word lists and start practising!

Read more...

Scotland-China Association Primary Schools Art Competition 2016

23 November 2015 (SCEN/SCA)

For 50 years, the SCA has been a society of people in Scotland furthering interest in the culture, history and modern progress of China. Help to celebrate this connection in painting, drawing, calligraphy, poetry, video or sound.

There are 3 entry categories:

• P1-3
• P4-5
• P6-7

The closing date for entries is 25 March 2016.  Prize-giving will take place on Friday 27 May 2016, with the Tom Murray Memorial Prize to be awarded to the school with the best standard of entries.

Please register your interest by the end of 2015 with: scacompetition2016@scotchina.org

For more information, visit the SCA website.

Read more...

Generation UK: China Network

23 November 2015 (SCEN)

Managed by the British Council, the Generation UK: China Network aims to: 

• create a vibrant network of UK nationals with experience in China from across different industries, professions and age groups
• provide a platform for UK nationals with experience in China to interact with one another to develop entrepreneurial, business and academic connections related to China 
• extend and deepen the engagement of young British nationals with China once they have returned to the UK, strengthening the legacy of student exchange and the Generation UK-China campaign
• showcase the benefits that experience of China brings to an individual’s employability and skills development

To find out more and join the group visit their LinkedIn webpage.

Read more...

Miss Scotland Mhairi Fergusson jets off to bid for world beauty crown

21 November 2015 (Evening Times)

MISS Scotland 2015 Mhairi Fergusson has jetted off to China ahead of competing in the 65th Miss World 2015.

And learning some of the Chinese language and culture is one of the challenges she has set herself.

Miss World 2015 takes place in Sanya, China on December 19 and the fashion student at Glasgow Caledonian University is hoping to bring home the coveted crown.

Read more...

Meet the Mandarin-speaking Chelsea wonderkid who's pledged his allegiance to Scotland: Ruben Sammut

16 November 2015 (The Herald)

Playing for Chelsea and being fluent in Mandarin, it's fair to say midfielder Ruben Sammut isn't your average young Scottish player.

But the exciting 18-year-old is determined to use playing for Scot Gemmill's Under-19 squad this week in Ireland as a launchpad to a long career for club and country, thanks to help from the likes of John Terry.

Read more...

Word Wizard 2016 - regional semi-finals added!

5 November 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

Registrations for Word Wizard 2016 are now open for your French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish pupils to develop their vocabulary, spelling and memory skills.

This year we have 3 semi-finals in venues across the country - in the Universities of Strathclyde, Dundee and Aberdeen. Schools can now choose to attend the semi-final which is most convenient for them.

The Stage 1 word lists were sent to registered schools this week, so sign up now to take part in this exciting and motivating competition!

Read more...

Tianjin Scholars

3 November 2015 (CISS)

The latest post from the Tianjin Scholars is up on the blog. This month scholar Amy Lewis writes about settling into life in Tianjin, travelling to classes and the delights of Chinese street food. Check out her post ‘Learning. Travelling. Eating’.

Read more...

Languagenut supports 1+2

3 November 2015 (SALT)

Languagenut is a professional teaching tool that offers teaching resources across 19 world languages, including French, Spanish, German, Italian, Gaelic and Mandarin. Languagenut also supports EAL students by offering 80 native languages as support to learn English.

It is the perfect tool to support the 1+2 approach to language learning, as all audio files are recorded by native speakers. With a range of games, songs and stories, Languagenut supports the four key skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

In addition, Languagenut offers special integrated tools which allow teachers both create their own classes and content, and also set and track homework, generate certificates and evaluate students’ progress in real time. These timesaving tools help teachers to deliver more personalised teaching and customise lessons to fit each individual.

Accessible at school and at home and through GLOW, Languagenut helps to bridge the gap between classroom and home learning and is free for all Scottish schools.

Read more...

Hatching little Chinese speakers at Britain's first bi-lingual Mandarin-English nursery

31 October 2015 (The Telegraph)

At just two-years-old Barclay can already say “hello”, “bubbles”, “wash hands” and several other words in Mandarin. Ursula, also two, can say “fish”, “horse” and “more food” and her Mandarin vocabulary already stretches to more than 50 words.

But this isn't Beijing or Shanghai, and neither are Barclay's or Ursula's parents Chinese. Both children are English and this is a day care centre housed in a Welsh Presbyterian chapel in the City of London.

Welcome to Hatching Dragons, Britain's first bilingual English-Mandarin nursery.

Here children like Barclay and Ursula are just as likely to sing a Chinese nursery rhyme as an English one. Numeracy games are played with Chinese characters as well as Roman numerals and lunch includes not just sandwiches, but spring rolls and fried rice.

Read more...

Edinburgh leading the way in pupils studying Mandarin

31 October 2015 (Edinburgh Evening News)

Thousands of children across the Capital are studying Mandarin – as schools here surge ahead of counterparts in the rest of Scotland.

New figures show 2576 youngsters were taking lessons in the language last year, with 29 city primary schools and 12 secondaries now providing dedicated tuition. And a further five high schools have expressed an interest in participating.

Read more...

Word Wizard 2016 - registrations now open!

30 October 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

Scotland's National Centre for Languages and Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools, in partnership with The University of St Andrews, are proud to announce the return of Word Wizard for its third year!

Motivate your French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish pupils by taking part in this spellbinding multilingual spelling competition! 

Building on the success of last year's competition, this year we are holding 3 semi-finals across the country - hosted by the universities of Strathclyde, Dundee and Aberdeen. 

Visit our Word Wizard 2016 webpage for more information and to download the Teacher's Pack and Registration form. 

Read more...

Ulster University language staff in Confucius Institute closure warning

23 October 2015 (BBC News)

Modern languages staff at Ulster University (UU) have warned its vice-chancellor that its Confucius Institute may have to close.

Opened in 2012, the institute aims to develop academic, economic and social ties with China.
The university's vice chancellor Prof Paddy Nixon has said the institute is not at risk.

UU decided to close its school of modern languages earlier this year as part of a response to budget cuts.

However, it said they would "continue to support the teaching of Chinese" in schools across Northern Ireland.

Read more...

Language class demands in NI can be met by FE colleges, says UU vice-chancellor

21 October 2015 (BBC News)

The vice chancellor of Ulster University (UU) has said demand for modern language learning in Northern Ireland can be met by further education colleges.

Professor Paddy Nixon was giving evidence to the Stormont Committee for Employment and Learning.

In September, UU said it would close its school of modern languages.

He said the university was "no longer funded to provide the degrees people might like."

Responding to a question from committee chair, UUP MLA Robin Swann, Prof Nixon said that FE colleges could teach languages at the level needed in Northern Ireland.

"The FE provision in languages is actually - particularly when it's about spoken languages as opposed to what a university should be doing, which is a different thing altogether - quite extensive."

"So there is an ability for the system in Northern Ireland to support language provision at the level we need it for business and industry."

Read more...

UK-China School Partnerships Programme

15 October 2015 (British Council)

What's the UK-China programme all about?
 
The programme promotes learning and exchange between UK and Chinese teachers and students. 
 
Both you and your Chinese partner school will work together on a joint project, either Shakespeare Lives or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) between 1 January and 31 December 2016.

Grants of £1500 per school are available to be used during the project for teacher visits, professional development courses or project expenses.

Visit the UK-China School Partnerships Programme website to download the application form. The deadline for applications is 15 November 2015.

Read more...

All pupils to learn two foreign languages by high school

13 October 2015 (Edinburgh Evening News)

It's the pioneering programme aimed at making ­language learning as easy as un, deux, trois.

Every pupil in the Capital will receive lessons in at least two foreign languages by the time they leave primary school under radical plans aimed at helping them keep pace with peers across Europe.

City bosses have confirmed they want to introduce the new scheme, called 1+2, by the start of 2017 – three years ahead of a national deadline set for 2020.

Youngsters will be offered classes in core languages including French, Spanish and Mandarin, as well as Gaelic, Scots and “heritage” tongues such as Polish and Farsi.

The Edinburgh roll-out is part of a Scottish Government-led initiative which will see all children learn a second language from P1 and have experience of a third from P5 at the latest.

Parent leaders in the city have hailed the development and said it would help prepare youngsters for the modern world.

Read more...

SCHOLAR Modern Languages sessions

8 October 2015 (Heriot-Watt University)

The SCHOLAR programme offered by Heriot-Watt University offers a number of support sessions in a variety of subjects for students undertaking National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher examinations.

Attached is the programme of online events taking place from October 2015 to March 2016 to support Modern Languages.

For more information about the SCHOLAR programme visit the Heriot-Watt SCHOLAR website.

Read more...

‘British students should jump at the chance to learn Mandarin', says Chinese School teacher

6 October 2015 (TES)

One of the stars of 'Are Our Kids Tough Enough? Chinese School' says schools should embrace the opportunity to teach the language as an essential 21st-century skill.

This is proving an exciting year for Chinese Mandarin teachers in this country. Despite education facing budget cuts, putting thousands of teaching posts at risks and threatening the quality of teaching and learning, chancellor George Osborne announced a £10 million investment towards helping schools to teach Mandarin, with the aim of getting an additional 5,000 students speaking the language by 2020.

It might be controversial to many British teachers, who teach core subjects and deliver the essential knowledge and skills, but it is certainly music to the ears of many Mandarin teachers, and to those who are about to train to teach the language in the UK.

Read more...

'More of us need to say 'nǐ hǎo' to Mandarin Chinese'

5 October 2015 (The Telegraph)

Languages are crucial for work and life in the global race, and Mandarin Chinese is one of the front-runners, says Vicky Gough.

At the end of last month, George Osborne vowed to invest £10 million in UK schools so that more pupils can learn Mandarin Chinese, just like his daughter, Liberty.

But should we really be encouraging more of our young people to say ‘nǐ hǎo’ (‘hello’) to Chinese? ‘Shì de’ (yes), we should!

The reality is that languages, in general, are crucial for work and life in the global race, and Mandarin Chinese is one of the frontrunners. Not only is it already spoken by more than a billion people worldwide, but China is recognised as the world’s second biggest economy with many expecting it to wrest the top spot from the US by 2050.

Read more...

Chinese language scholarship opportunity 2016-2017

2 October 2015 (CISS)

The Confucius Institute for Scotlands Schools and our Chinese partners, the Tianjin Education Commission and the Tianjin International Chinese College, are delighted to offer selected Scottish pupils a one-year scholarship to learn Chinese in Tianjin for the academic year 2016-2017. This life-changing opportunity is one of a kind in Europe and rewards the commitment that Confucius Classroom Hubs in Scotland have demonstrated in the promotion of Chinese language and culture.

Attached is a letter with further details and an application form. We would be grateful if you could circulate to your hub schools as soon as possible. The closing date for applications is Friday 6 November 2015.

Applications should be returned to katie.hawkins@strath.ac.uk.

Many thanks for disseminating this information to interested pupils.

Why Mandarin is Not the Future Language of Business

1 October 2015 (The Examiner)

For decades, Mandarin has been touted as the future language of business. China has the largest population in the world and has enjoyed unprecedented economic growth to become one of the global industry powerhouses. Around 955 million people are speakers of Mandarin which is more than 14.4% of the world’s population. These statistics support the claim that it will be the language of the future, but it’s not that simple. There are many factors that suggest that Spanish, not Mandarin, will become the ultimate business language.

Read more...

Mandarin lessons to get £10m boost, says Chancellor

22 September 2015 (BBC News)

Mandarin in English schools will get a £10m boost, and 5,000 more pupils will learn it by 2020, George Osborne has said on a visit to China.

The cash will be used to recruit and train teachers to teach the language to GCSE level, said the Chancellor in a speech to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Mr Osborne suggested Mandarin would be more "relevant" than traditional options like French or German.

He revealed his daughter, Liberty, was already learning China's main language.

Read more...

Tianjin Scholars' Blog

11 September 2015 (CISS)

Each year, CISS facilitates scholarships for school leavers at the Tianjin International Chinese College, China. On Sunday 6 September 2015, the 2015-16 cohorts of Tianjin Scholarship left Scotland and began their year living and studying in China.

The scholars will we be updating us on their adventures in the Far East, on their blog. The first post is by scholar Gregor McIntyre. Keep checking back for their monthly updates.

Read more...

Young Applicants in Schools (YASS)

10 September 2015 (Open University)

The Open University's Young Applicants in Schools Scheme (YASS) gives S6 students in Scotland the opportunity to study at higher education level without leaving friends and family behind. Study fits around school work and social lives, encourages independent learning and builds confidence.

YASS is designed to bridge the gap between school and full-time university and help able and motivated students stand out from the crowd. Over 500 young people from more than 100 schools took Open University modules last year.

YASS is a unique opportunity for S6 students in Scottish schools to bridge the gap between school and full-time university through independent learning. Run by The Open University in Scotland, YASS offers motivated and able students a chance to study a range of university level modules in school alongside their other studies. Language options are available in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.

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Happy Emperor and other stories

4 September 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

We are very pleased to publish the 5th animated e-book in the Happy Emperor series. This new adventure sees the Happy Emperor and his friends celebrating the Moon Festival and will help teachers develop children’s talking and listening, reading and writing skills in Mandarin.

Including interactive activities for use on a whiteboard, PC or tablet, the e-book presents an engaging way of introducing and practising simple vocabulary including food, clothes and telling the time. We hope you’ll enjoy using the e-book and would love to hear what you think of it and how you’ve used it with your learners.

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HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition

2 September 2015 (British Council)

Entry is now open for the HSCB/British Council 2015/16 Mandarin Chinese speaking competition!

The competition is a great, fun opportunity for students to practise and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills. It is open to UK secondary schools and further education colleges and entrants must be non-native speakers of Chinese.

Visit the British Council website to find out more and apply by 9 October and your students could win a trip to Beijing.

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SQA vacancies - Visiting Assessors for AH Modern Languages

28 August 2015 (SQA)

SQA is currently seeking to recruit additional Visiting Assessors (VA) to conduct Talking assessments at Advanced Higher level in Modern Languages.

Applications can be found following the relevant links below. You will also find information here relating to contract specification, selection criteria and key performance measures.

• Chinese languages
• French
• Gaelic learners
• Gàidhlig
• German
• Italian
• Spanish

Closing date for all applications: 1 November 2015.

Reversing the modern language trend

24 August 2015 (SecEd)

With a focus on Mandarin, Dr Judith McClure discusses the need for local partnerships to inspire pupils to take up languages – an essential skill for the 21st century.

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Jon Bon Jovi sings Chinese love ballad

21 August 2015 (BBC)

Jon Bon Jovi is aiming to woo his Chinese fans by releasing a music video of him singing the most famous Chinese love ballad.

Set in a recording studio, it starts in soft focus as the soulful opening strains of The Moon Represents My Heart cue up.

The song popularised by Taiwanese superstar Teresa Teng in 1977, is sung from the perspective of a woman whose love is being questioned - her answer is that her love is as eternal as the moon.

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Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival - Moon Festival

20 August 2015 (British Council)

The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is the second most important festival in the Chinese lunar calendar after Chinese New Year. This year the festival will fall on 27 September.

To tie in with the Festival, the British Council has developed an education pack to help primary schools celebrate the event with lesson plans, an assembly plan, activities and supporting materials.

Download the free pack now from the British Council website.

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HSK Chinese Proficiency test success

20 August 2015 (St Ninian's High School Glow blog)

Many congratulations to the pupils who attended the HSK Chinese Proficiency Test in June and achieved a pass.

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Press Release: Scottish Scholars showcase their year in China

14 August 2015 (CISS)

PRESS RELEASE
14 August 2015

Scottish Scholars showcase their year in China

On Wednesday 12th August 2015, the 12 Scottish young people, who were pioneers on the very first Tianjin Scholarship, showcased their year in China. The Scholarship Showcase was held in the Technology and Innovation Centre, at the University of Strathclyde. The event was organised by the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools based at the University of Strathclyde and was attended by Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, the Vice Consul General Zhang Huazhong, the upcoming Tianjin Scholars of 2015-16 and family and friends.

The showcase was an opportunity for the scholars to demonstrate their language skills and tell about their adventures living and travelling in China. This is the only scholarship of its kind in Europe and is highly competitive

Katie Hawkins, Project Coordinator for CISS said, “I could hardly believe my ears when the young people spoke at the showcase, their level of fluency was incredible! Everyone at CISS is so proud of what these young people have achieved over the last 10 months. Not only have they acquired a new skill, which will undoubtedly stand them in good stead for the future, but they have grown in confidence and become true global citizens!”

ENDS

Photo:
(L-R) Iesha DeSwarte, Gemma Haggerty, Jamie Lindsay, Kathryn Cowie, Taniya Mobarik, Peter Reid, Deputy Consul General Zhang Huazhong, Chris McNulty, CISS Director Fhiona Fisher, Greg Kennedy, Connor Cloughley, Cameron Smyth, Natalie Hotchkiss



NOTES TO EDITORS

The Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) is based within SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, at the University of Strathclyde. It is a national centre funded by the Scottish Government and Hanban, the Confucius Institute headquarters of China. Hanban and SCILT have agreed to strengthen educational cooperation between China and Scotland; support and promote the development of Chinese language education; and increase mutual understanding among people in China and in Scotland.

The Tianjin Scholarship runs yearly from September to July. School leavers from Confucius Classroom hubs across Scotland can apply. The Tianjin Municipal Education Commission cover all in country costs, including accommodation, food and tuition. The young people cover the cost of their airfare.

For more information please contact Sarah Macfarlane on 0141 444 8163 or scilt@strath.ac.uk.

Website: www.strath.ac.uk/ciss/
Twitter: @CISSStrathclyde
Facebook: http://bit.ly/cissfacebook
Instagram: @cissstrathclyde

Vocab Express League of Champions 2015

14 August 2015 (Vocab Express)

Create a languages buzz around your school to kick-start the new academic year! The championship will run from Wednesday 30 September until Tuesday 6 October 2015. It's a fantastic way to engage students in vocabulary building by challenging them to compete against other schools across the UK and from around the world.

The challenge will feature French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Urdu, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin competitions.

The challenge is free to all schools subscribing to Vocab Express. In addition, there are currently still 50 free school places available to non-subscribers, each for up to 150 students.

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West Lothian teenagers take part in Chinese Bridge Summer Camp

13 August 2015 (Daily Record)

West Lothian teenagers have had the chance to learn about Chinese culture first hand during a visit this summer.

Ross Bertram, Katie Lumsden, Gemma Shearer, Shannon McManus of The James Young High School in Livingston and Thomas Hendry of Bathgate Academy jetted out to China to take part in a two-week language and culture immersion course with more than 80 other young people from across Scotland.

The Chinese Bridge Summer Camp ran from July 12 to 27 and welcomed young people from all over the UK. The programme offers young people the opportunity to immerse themselves in Chinese culture and sample it firsthand whilst also learning Mandarin.

Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) worked with schools around Scotland to put forward Scottish pupils to take up this exciting once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

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Word Wizard 2015 final - now with photos!

13 August 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

After announcing the Word Wizard 2015 prizewinners back in June, we have now published the photos from the Final in the Scottish Parliament on 29th May. 

Visit our Word Wizard 2015 Final webpage for the full list of prizewinners and to view the photos via our Flickr album. 

You can download any of the photos by right clicking on the image and selecting 'Save as'.

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Press Release: Scottish pupils meet First Minister in Beijing

11 August 2015 (CISS)

PRESS RELEASE
11 August 2015

Scottish pupils meet First Minister in Beijing

On Sunday 26th July 2015, 86 pupils and 14 teachers from across Scotland met with the Rt. Hon Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister for Scotland at the Kerry Hotel in Beijing. The event was organised by the by the Scottish Affairs Office at the British Embassy in Beijing to give the First Minister an opportunity to hear from the pupils about their time in China.

The pupils were in China taking part in a two week language and culture immersion course. The First Minister spent time talking to the pupils about their language learning and culture classes as well as their visits to local landmarks, schools and host families.

Katie Hawkins, Project Coordinator for the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), based at the University of Strathclyde said, “The Chinese Bridge Summer Camp offers a unique and exciting opportunity for Scotland’s young people. In Beijing the pupils met the First Minister and showed her what they had learned. It was a true mix of cultures!”

The Chinese Bridge Summer Camp ran from 12-27 July 2015 and welcomed young people from all over the UK. The programme offers young people the opportunity to immerse themselves in Chinese culture whilst learning Mandarin. CISS worked with schools around Scotland to put forward Scottish pupils for this opportunity.

ENDS 

 
NOTES TO EDITORS

The Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) is based within SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, at the University of Strathclyde. It is a national centre funded by the Scottish Government and Hanban, the Confucius Institute headquarters of China. Hanban and SCILT have agreed to strengthen educational cooperation between China and Scotland; support and promote the development of Chinese language education; and increase mutual understanding among people in China and in Scotland.

The Chinese Bridge Summer Camp runs yearly in July. Fifth year pupils from each of the Confucius Classroom hubs in Scotland take part. The Confucius Institute Headquarters, Hanban, cover all in country costs, including accommodation, food and transport. The Scottish Government makes a contribution towards the cost of the international airfare. The young people also make a contribution towards the cost.

For more information please contact Sarah Macfarlane on 0141 444 8163 or scilt@strath.ac.uk.

Website: www.strath.ac.uk/ciss/
Twitter: @CISSStrathclyde
Facebook: http://bit.ly/cissfacebook
Instagram: @cissstrathclyde

Scots university link with China

11 August 2015 (Evening Times)

A SCOTS university is hoping to increase its involvement with China and its higher education institutions.

University of the West of Scotland has formed a partnership with Young Chinese Professionals Scotland which unites and promotes young Chinese in the living and working in the country.

The new agreement will also result in the university increasing its China-related research and cultural activities.

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Language study bounces back after a decade of decline

10 August 2015 (The Herald)

A long-term decline in the number of pupils studying languages at Higher appears to have been reversed.

New figures show most modern languages have seen an increase in entries in 2015 after years where numbers have fallen.

Statistics from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) show French has seen a 10 per cent increase with entries rising to 4,572.

Spanish continues a remarkable rise over the past decade with entries rising 28 per cent to 2413.

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The teaching of Chinese in the UK

10th August 2015 (British Council)

Alcantara Communications have published a report on the teaching of Chinese in the UK. The report puts forward a framework of seven key objectives with recommendations within each mapped to different groups of stakeholders. These are:
Policy-focused recommendations:
1. Align high level aspirations with appropriately-targeted and resourced action on the ground
2. Build a UK-based teaching force for Chinese in UK school systems
3. Coordinate efforts and monitor the success of the strategy
Recommendations relating to teaching and learning:
4. Provide a coherent ‘learning journey’ for pupils starting in primary school or in the first years of secondary school through to higher education
5. Develop capacity in the management of Chinese in UK school systems
6. Develop a body of expertise and shared professional understanding in the teaching of Chinese language and culture in a UK context
And:
7. Provide advocacy for Chinese to enhance appreciation of the benefits of a knowledge of Chinese language and culture amongst pupils, parents, teachers, school leaders and the general public.

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Insight: Why Scots face a language barrier

8 August 2015 (The Scotsman)

Our children’s lack of foreign language skills cry out for a shake-up in education policy, and yet constant upheaval in our schools may be one of the problems, writes Dani Garavelli.

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Bannerman High pupils success in Shanghai

28 July 2015 (Glasgow City Council)

Three pupils from Bannerman High School, who are attending the Shanghai International Youth Summer Camp with young people from 22 countries, have been awarded second place for their presentation and exhibition about Scotland.

S4 pupils Heather Finlay, Alicia Harvey and Emma Hastings, who are studying Chinese at the school, are accompanied on this international trip by their teacher, Jenny Chang.

Fhiona Fisher, Director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools (CISS) based at the University of Strathclyde and who facilitated the trip said: 'This is an outstanding achievement for the pupils from Bannerman High School and their teacher. They have shown the world how great young people from Glasgow can be!'

The Shanghai International Youth Summer Camp runs from 21-30 July 2015 and welcomes young people from all over the world. CISS worked with schools in Scotland to put forward three pupils for this unique opportunity.

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First and Second Level Modern Languages Learning Map Updates

27 July 2015 (Education Scotland)

Updates to first and second level learning maps are now available on the Education Scotland website.

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Confucius institute head to host First Minister event in Beijing

26 July 2015 (CISS/University of Strathclyde)

The head of a University of Strathclyde-based centre for the promotion of Chinese language and culture has hosted an event welcoming Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, to Beijing.

Fhiona Fisher, Director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), was invited by the British Embassy in the Chinese capital to provide the opening remarks and introduce Ms Sturgeon at the event, which was held to mark the start of a summer immersion course for school pupils from Scotland.

In the course, 80 pupils, accompanied by 14 teachers and three CISS staff members, are spending two and a half weeks in Beijing and Tianjin, learning Mandarin and visiting places of cultural and historical interest.

The First Minister met pupils on the course at the event, held at the Kowloon Ballroom of the Kerry Hotel, Beijing, on Sunday 26 July. She also met Xu Lin, the Director General of Hanban, an agency affiliated to the Chinese Ministry of Education.

The First Minister also announced that Scotland is to benefit from a further 21 Confucius Classroom hubs to teach primary pupils Mandarin and boost their language skills.

Mrs Fisher said: “I am delighted to have been invited to host this event in Beijing. The First Minister’s presence underlines the importance of the work we do in CISS to promote understanding and awareness of China - the world’s most populous nation and one of its fastest-growing economies.

“Hearing a language used by native speakers, in a country where it is the national language, is a valuable way of developing linguistic skills. The participating pupils will benefit greatly from the immersion course, not only in enhancing their understanding of Mandarin but also in the opportunity they will have to gain insight into Chinese culture.

“China is one of Strathclyde’s most significant overseas markets. Our role at Confucius is in keeping with the University’s international ethos and is designed to cultivate knowledge of China in prospective future students.”

Hanban will provide additional funding to extend the Confucius classroom hub programme. It will also offer Local Authorities help to fund partially an extra six Mandarin teaching posts across Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon said: “We want our young people to be better prepared for life and work in a multicultural, global marketplace and Mandarin is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages.

“Evidence shows that early language learning improves literacy and that young children learn languages more easily. Extending the Confucius Classroom learning programme to primary schools will improve language learning opportunities to more Scottish pupils, in addition to the 20,000 who already benefit.

“We now have the golden opportunity to make a difference in how language skills are offered and delivered to our young people. I am determined to give all of our young people every opportunity to improve their language and literacy skills and raise attainment for every child in Scotland.”

The immersion course is jointly funded by CISS and Hanban. It is accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority on successful completion.

CISS was established in 2012, after the Scottish Government made the initial proposal for the Institute to Hanban. The Institute’s work is aligned with the Scottish Government’s ‘1 + 2’ policy, which aims to ensure all pupils learn two languages in addition to their own, and has secured the place of Mandarin Chinese in the programme.

In partnership with Hanban, the Scottish Government, Tianjin Education Commission and other stakeholders, CISS has established, and currently leads, 16 Confucius classroom hubs around Scotland, covering 21 local authorities, and works with around 20,000 pupils in more than 300 schools. It has increased the number of Confucius classroom hubs in Scotland from nine to 16.

CISS was named global Confucius Institute of the Year by Hanban in 2014, in recognition of its enhancement and promotion of the teaching of Chinese language and culture.