News from language & education organisations
5 December 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
Calling all young German learners in Scotland: Are you ready to show off your creativity and passion for learning German?
The competition is open to groups of pupils or entire classes from P6 to S6 in Scotland. The challenge to submit a creative video with a focus on your tips for learning German!
Teachers have until 7 February to submit entries.
Full details on the Goethe-Institut website.
Read more...
3 December 2024 (Japan Foundation)
The Japan Foundation invites students to share their thoughts and viewpoints, as well as show their creativity and have fun challenging themselves by entering this contest and using their Japanese!
JaLaChamp, or Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK, is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese. There are two categories - the speech category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice, and the video category where students are asked to create an original video either by individual or part of a group.
Students can choose the category/division they apply for according to their age and level of Japanese.
- Application deadline for Speech Category: Tuesday, 4 February 2025 at 15:00
- Application deadline for Video Category: Tuesday, 4 March 2025 at 15:00
Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and to apply.
Read more...
3 December 2024 (Open Book)
Come along to Open Book’s monthly Scots creative writing programme, a free series of creative writing sessions which take place via Zoom, and which are led by trained facilitator, author Alan McClure. These sessions are designed as a gentle introduction to writing in Scots and are open at anyone who’d like to give it a try in a friendly and welcoming setting. Beginner and more experienced writers are all welcome.
The next two sessions will take place on:
- Monday 9 December, 11-12:30pm
- Monday 13 January, 11-12:30pm
Sessions can be booked now via Eventbrite, and participants will be sent the Zoom link in advance of the sessions by email.
Read more...
3 December 2024 (Bethlehem Cultural Festival)
Whilst much of this year's Bethlehem Cultural Festival programme has been cancelled, the following events are still taking place in Glasgow:
- Carol Concert - 7 December at 5pm, Glasgow Cathedral. Free to attend and all welcome regardless of faith.
- Palestine Short Films + Q&A - 8 December at 2pm, Glasgow Film Theatre presents five short films which give insight into the stories of generations living under occupation.
Visit the website to discover highlights from previous year's Festivals and learn more about Palestine's rich and diverse cultural scene.
Read more...
3 December 2024 (SQA)
The SQA has added a guidance document on the use of pronouns and gender-neutral language to their Modern Languages webpage.
The document can also be accessed from within the Advanced Higher Modern Languages tab on the page.
Read more...
Jacqueline Munro-Lafon Essay Prize 2025
3 December 2024 (Franco-Scottish Society / Alliance Française)
In 2021, to mark the 100th birthday of Jacqueline Munro-Lafon, the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland and SCILT came together to create an essay prize competition to commemorate her life and work. The competition is currently run by the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland and the Alliance Française, Glasgow, with the co-operation of SCILT. The judging criteria for this prize mirror elements of the writing marking guidelines for AH French, offering pupils an opportunity to showcase their French writing skills in a national forum with a first-place prize of £500, sponsored by the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland, and two runner-up prizes of £100, sponsored by SCILT.
Eligibility:
- For learners of French at Advanced Higher level.
- This competition is not open to native French speakers nor those with a French heritage.
Requirements:
- The essay will be in French.
- Between 350 and 500 words in length.
- The essay will be reviewed and proofed once by you/the learner’s teacher before the final revision of the essay is submitted. This proof-reading and feedback, seen as a learning exercise, would be limited to drawing your learner’s attention to where improvements can be made in accuracy of language and style.
Timeline:
- Registration will be open for schools from Monday 6 January 2025 (registration link will be available in the new year).
- Registration will close on Friday 26 January 2025.
- All necessary information, including this round’s essay topic and supporting material will be sent to registered schools on Thursday 30 January.
- The deadline for submitting essays will be Friday 21 March 2025.
3 December 2024 (Institut français)
The Institut français d’Ecosse is happy to be part Languages Week Scotland!
Now in its seventh year, Languages Week Scotland 2025 on the theme “Our multilingual futures” will take place from 3 to 8 February at the Institut français d’Écosse.
Come to discover the diversity and richness of languages in Scotland with activities for all ages! There will be conferences, a film screening and a reading for children.
Join us for a fascinating exchange of personal experiences, ideas, poetic practices and languages with multilingual and Scotland-based poets Elodie Laügt, Paul Malgrati and Anne Pia! Event to be held in English, French and Scots.
Come and meet Tania Czajka and her Parisian garden friends as they embark on a charming bilingual adventure in the cold French winter. Tania will perform a short puppet show.
Keep an eye on our website!
Read more...
28 November 2024 (Argyll & Bute Council)
Suitable for P4-7 classes. French and Gaelic are now provided at two levels. Please sign up here.
Teachers learn alongside their pupils in real time and are supported to lead the learning in their own class. The lesson structure alternates between short bursts of direct teaching from the online teacher, followed by the class teachers leading their own class in a game. This format allows the learning to remain active and fully engage the learners. These courses provide on the job professional learning and help teachers make the time for languages in the curriculum.
Each lesson lasts approximately 40 minutes and will take place via GLOW Microsoft Teams. All resources will be available to download in advance of the session and will be stored in the GLOW Team.
Read more...
28 November 2024 (Lingobox Learning)
Our special individual subscription price of just £5.99 (usually £7.99) ends this Monday 1 December! Your subscription includes access to all our French Christmas resources including our popular, interactive French advent calendar! It’s packed with fun daily activities to keep kids engaged and excited throughout December. Included in your subscription you’ll get:
- A complete library of Early - Second French teaching resources
- Songs, videos, digital games and interactive lessons
- Ready-to-use materials for classrooms or at home
- Expert guidance to make learning effortless
But hurry - this offer is only available until 1 December! Don’t miss your chance to access these fantastic resources at our lowest price of the year. Subscribe Now for £5.99!
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26 November 2024 (Institut français)
Need extra resources to teach French? Try the French boxes from the Institut français UK.
Give your pupils the opportunity to discover more of the French language and culture. With our boxes you will have the resources at hand to work on various subjects, with authentic and popular French books.
Boxes are free to borrow but schools must organise and pay for delivery costs.
Visit the Institut français website to find out more and to book your box!
Read more...
15 November 2024 (Queen's College Oxford)
At an event on ‘Making the Case for German’ last week, led by a coalition of partners committed to promoting language learning, I (Dr Charlotte Ryland, Supernumerary Fellow and Founding Director of The Queen’s Translation Exchange) had lots of great conversations with some of my favourite people from my favourite profession – languages teachers in schools. These conversations are always a highlight, both because it’s such a pleasure to speak to fellow linguists, and because the insights from teachers into their experience of the languages classroom and curriculum, and how these interact with our Creative Translation programmes, are so helpful as we develop our work. Despite a vibrant community of motivated and committed teachers, our impression from these discussions is that an increasingly limited school curriculum has put languages in crisis.
[..] Conversations like this with teachers led us to found the Anthea Bell Prize, and those conversations have remained central to our programmes as they’ve expanded. The latest development in our work is entirely collaborative in this way. Find out more and how you, as a language teacher, can get involved in the project.
Read more...
French language teachers, we value your input!
15 November 2024 (Institut français)
Between September and November, the Institut français d’Ecosse has been organising free online teachers’ training workshops.
Aware that the days and times did not necessarily suit timetables from teachers across Scotland and wishing to reach out to most teachers teaching French in primary and secondary schools, we invite you to complete a short survey aiming at identifying the best day/time to conduct such trainings.
The survey will take you a few minutes to complete.
Please kindly complete the survey before the extended deadline of 1 December 2024.
The data collected will be stored and used for internal purposes only.
Thanking you in advance for your input!
Opportunities from Goethe-Institut
12 November 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut offers a range of opportunities for teachers and learners of German. Follow the relevant link below to find out more about their latest initiatives:
- Book Launch "Wuschel auf der Erde" - Based around the new story book illustrated by Axel Scheffler, younger learners are introduced to their first words of German through the adventures of the alien Wuschel and his friends. Includes comprehensive teaching materials for specialist and non-specialist teachers.
- Football camp with FC Augsburg - Aged 15-17 in February 2025 and passionate about German and football? Apply now to participate in a one-week football camp with the FC Augsburg, Germany, with likeminded young people from all across the UK and Northwestern Europe!
- “Exchange2Change” - A creative exchange programme for young people aged 14-17 who would like to develop a creative project with young people from Germany. The programme is directed at young people who do not learn German yet.
- “Unternehmen Deutsch” (Enterprise German) competition - A competition for secondary school classes and university students to get to know German companies in their region and develop a business idea themselves, with fantastic prizes for the best entries.
Posted in:
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News from language & education organisations
12 November 2024 (The Language Show)
If you missed last weekend's virtual event don't worry, everything is now available on catch up!
- recordings of nearly 80 sessions
- nearly 90 amazing speakers
- 50 talks for teachers
- talks for professionals
- talks for learners
All this for £12. Visit the Language Show website to obtain your on-demand ticket.
Read more...
12 November 2024 (Education Scotland)
Senior leaders, teachers in schools and local authority officers can use this Education Scotland case study to reflect on and review the Gaelic Medium Education (GME) secondary curriculum within their schools. Challenge questions form part of this resource which can be considered in support of planning for improvement.
In preparing this case study, a range of sources were used such as, interviews with staff and senior leaders at the Nicolson Institute.
Access the full resource on the Education Scotland website.
Read more...
The beloved Lapin is Hungry book in other languages!
12 November 2024 (Le Petit Monde)
The bilingual and accessible English/French picture book Lapin is Hungry by Tania Czajka is now available on TBR Books in: Chinese/French, Arabic/French, German/French and Spanish/French.
For the FREE AUDIO versions, go to Le Petit Monde Stories.
For discounted large orders, contact TBR Books at contact@calec.org
11 November 2024 (Lifelong Education Institute)
This thinkpiece explores the critical importance of incentivising the uptake of foreign language skills in the UK, both in schools and at university, as well as in the working world.
Highlighting the multiple positives and advantages to be gained in the learning of another language, it puts forward thoughts on the establishment of lifelong language pathways.
Read more...
31 October 2024 (SQA)
SQA recruits approximately 11,000 teachers and lecturers as markers for the National Qualifications exam diet every year. Recruitment for the 2025 exams is currently underway, with opportunities available across all subjects and levels.
SQA markers play a key role in supporting the exam diet, ensuring the consistent application of national standards. They gain valuable insight into SQA processes, procedures and national standards. It also provides the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge and gather evidence for continuing professional development. Full training and support is provided.
To find out more about the marker role and eligibility or apply, please visit the SQA website.
Read more...
31 October 2024 (Coffee Break Languages)
Starting on Monday 4 November, join a virtual treasure hunt across Europe and practise your language skills at the same time! In each of the four short episodes (about 8 minutes) you'll discover clues, solve the mystery and practise the language. But this is not just a language lesson – it's a competition, and by taking part you could win some amazing prizes for language learners! Ideally suited for those in S3 upwards. For everything you need to know about this mini series and how to take part in the competition, visit Coffee Break Languages Treasure Hunt.
The podcast episodes will be published on the main podcast feeds for Coffee Break French, German, Spanish and Italian, and as the week goes on the information will be added to the treasure hunt webpage.
Read more...
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German,
Italian,
Spanish,
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News from language & education organisations
31 October 2024 (University of Strathclyde)
The University of Strathclyde's Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL) offers opportunities to study modern languages as part of its day, evening and summer short course programmes. The languages offered vary from year to year. French, Gaelic, German, Italian and Spanish language classes are included this year, varying each term, with new courses in Mandarin now also available for the 2024-25 session!
Read more...
31 October 2024 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is about to launch a series of two courses aimed at university students.
These will be in the form of workshops, which will take place from Wednesday 20 November to Wednesday 11 December. The two workshops offered are:
- Translation Workshop - Wednesday, 1:25 pm - 2:55 pm (Level B1/B2)
- Conversation + Grammar - Wednesday, 3:05 pm - 4:35 pm (Level A2/B1)
The price for the 4 workshops is £60. All information is available on the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
30 October 2024 (Education Scotland)
This video learning resource for senior leaders and teachers working in Gaelic Medium Education shows how Bishopbriggs Academy has used the traditional Scottish sport of shinty to support Gaelic education in their setting through improved Gaelic-positive ethos and increased immersion opportunities.
Read more...
Opportunity to Host Chinese School Students in 2025
29 October 2024 (SCEN / Education Scotland)
Last year Grove Academy in Dundee successfully hosted a group of Chinese students (aged 13-14) for a three-day visit. The students participated in lessons and other school events, which sparked increased interest in Mandarin and Chinese culture within the school. The visit was at no cost to the host school.
Following the success of this venture other Scottish schools are being sought who would be interested in hosting a group of Chinese students in 2025.
To learn more and discuss possible options, please contact Andy Creamer of Education Scotland at andrew.creamer@educationscotland.gov.scot.
This invitation also applies to schools that might be interested in hosting beyond 2025. Additionally, there is a Chinese school interested in visiting Scotland in February 2025. If your school is interested in this opportunity, please contact Andy as soon as possible.
25 October 2024 (OU / PolicyWISE)
This briefing provides a snapshot comparative guide to some of the policies that have been used the address the language learning ‘crisis’ in the UK and Ireland in recent years and promote the learning of languages within schools. It argues that there is significant scope for more cross-nation learning to occur to help inform future solutions to this challenge, with careful consideration for contextual differences.
Read more...
Deaf young people in Scotland using BSL reflect on their education
24 October 2024 (BATOD Magazine)
In this journal article, Beverley Ferguson, Rachel O’Neill, Karen Faulds and Moira Ross share an insight into their FEAPDA Congress presentation about the development of a new case study for practitioners in early learning and childcare settings, schools, colleges, and universities to support all deaf children, young people, and their families.
See the attached pdf file for the full article.
Posted in:
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Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
FE,
HE,
Scotland,
Language Learning,
Research,
News from language & education organisations,
BSL
22 October 2024 (eSgoil)
eSgoil, in partnership with Edinburgh University and the Japan Foundation, are offering beginner courses for Japanese Language and Culture.
The courses are aimed at secondary school learners and will be delivered in Microsoft Teams via Glow. They are available at 3 levels: Beginners Level 1, Beginners Level 2 and Beginners Level 3.
Visit the eSgoil website for more information about the courses and dates from November 2024 to January 2025 and to register. Limited places available!
Read more...
22 October 2024 (Oxford German Network)
The 13th Oxford German Olympiad is now open!
This year's topic is: Spiel und Sport
The competition is open to upper primary and secondary learners of German, with further categories for group entries (2-4 participants) as well as the Discover German Taster category for those with no prior experience of studying the language.
Visit the Oxford German Olympiad website for full competition details and guidelines. Closing date for all entries is Thursday 6 March 2025 at 12 noon.
Read more...
21 October 2024 (Discovery Film Festival)
The 21st edition of Discovery Film Festival takes place 19 October to 3 November.
This year's schools programme will be entirely on-site at Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA). There are films for different age groups and in different languages with English subtitles. Accompanying teacher resource packs are also available.
Visit the Festival website for full programme details.
Read more...
21 October 2024 (BAAL LLT SIG)
The British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL) Language Learning and Teaching Special Interest Group (SIG) is offering a series of free webinars during the autumn term 2024 on AI, new technologies and language learning and teaching. These will pair research on language learning technologies with classroom insights from experienced teachers. Discover how innovative tools are shaping the future of education and learn from the experts.
The first event is 'What language educators need to know about AI' (by Zoe Handley and Ana Nino) taking place on 30 October.
Visit the registration website to sign up for this event and all remaining webinars in the series.
Read more...
Posted in:
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S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
All Languages,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Methodologies,
Teacher Education,
Technology,
News from language & education organisations
15 October 2024 (SQA)
The SQA has added the following documents to their Advanced Higher Modern Languages page:
- AH Modern Languages Portfolio Writing Answer Booklets published
- AH Chinese Languages, German, French and Gaelic course reports published
Read more...
10 October 2024 (Lingobox Learning)
Our first full French course for teachers starts on Tuesday 29 October. This course is designed to empower teachers at all levels of French to develop French language skills and build confidence by working with you to create a personalised learning plan which works for you!
Throughout this 6-week course, we’ll share learning materials every Tuesday (29.10.24 – 03.12.24) so you can work through all learning videos and activities in your own time. All school subscribers to Lingobox will have full access to course materials as ongoing.
The course also includes a full 2-months individual account access to Lingobox!
The course will cover:
Teaching primary French: Learn about the key aspects of primary French language learning and create a personalised learning and teaching plan which works for you.
A guide to French phonics: Your go to guide for understanding and teaching French phonics.
Language learning topics: How to plan for, learn and teach your choice of French topic language (eg weather, dates, numbers, school subjects, opinions etc.) in a quick and effective way.
Embedding language into practice: Simple and effective strategies for embedding language into classroom practice including classroom instructions, recycling topic language and some fun French interjections.
Planning across the curriculum: Explore how to maximise French learning by including language as a part of all interdisciplinary learning.
Planning language learning: Empower yourself with a French language learning plan which is progressive, meaningful and which builds skills and confidence. This session will also look at upcoming cultural contexts and will share a range of exciting ideas which you can pick up and use in class!
Existing individual Lingobox subscribers will be contacted with a course discount code if you would like to add this course onto your subscription.
All course participants will receive a certificate on completion of the course.
Visit the Lingobox Learning website to find out more.
Any questions, please contact ann@lingoboxlearning.com
Read more...
Music and writing workshop for secondary students
8 October 2024 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow, in collaboration with the hip-hop duo Lobo & Cotchei, is pleased to offer your school the opportunity to participate in a unique music and writing workshop which will allow students to work with two professional musicians and educators to write lyrics in French and create a complete song, including recording.
Aimed at students studying French at a National 5 or post National 5 level, this workshop can welcome up to 25 students and can be held as a full-day or half-day session (about 3hrs). As part of our outreach programme, it is completely free of charge. The workshop can take place at your school or at the Alliance Française de Glasgow, located at Park Circus.
The available dates for the workshop are between 18 and 22 November.
If your school would like to take part, please do not hesitate to contact us at admin@afglasgow.org.uk
Opportunities from Goethe-Institut
8 October 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut offers a range of initiatives to support the teaching and learning of German in schools. Follow the relevant link below to discover more about the upcoming opportunities:
Host a French-speaking trainee teacher
8 October 2024 (Haute école pédagogique Vaud)
The University of Teacher Education in the State of Vaud, Switzerland is developing an exchange programme to bring French-speaking trainee teachers to English-speaking countries to undertake two-month placements in secondary schools.
If you would like to host a participant in your school, see the flyer below for more information and to contact the programme coordinator.
Nihao China Association
8 October 2024 (SCEN)
The Nihao China Association aims to promote Chinese culture to primary and secondary school students in Scotland through recorded courses and in-person interactions, facilitating cultural exchange between China and the UK. We seek to help students gain a deeper understanding of traditional customs and contemporary developments in China, while also providing opportunities for Chinese university student volunteers in Scotland to foster cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.
See the attached pdf for a detailed outline of the Association's aims and for more information please contact Y.Shi-76@sms.ed.ac.uk
8 October 2024 (UK-German Connection)
We are delighted to launch applications for our School Partnership Bursaries! These bursaries are for schools (primary, secondary, SEN, FE) to keep their UK-German partnerships alive through supporting contact and collaborative engagement between pupils from September 2024 until December 2025.
The primary beneficiaries should be the young people and particularly those who would not otherwise have the opportunity to take part. The £1,000 bursary can support pupils' travel, accommodation and subsistence costs (some teacher costs can also be covered). Reduced bursaries are also available for virtual projects or joint activities for UK pupils during their German partner's visit in the UK.
Applications close 31 October 2024.
Before submitting your application, please visit the UK-German Connection website to familiarise yourself with our updated guidelines.
Read more...
3 October 2024 (Japan Foundation)
Free online course for teachers interested in setting up a Japanese club at their school, no Japanese knowledge necessary. Sign up now to receive a Japanese Club package (including teacher training) so your school can be ready to run a Japanese Club in near future! The course will start on 7 October 2024.
Visit the Japan Foundation website or see the attached flyer for more information!
Read more...
3 October 2024 (British Council)
The University of Edinburgh and Learning for Sustainability Scotland, in partnership with the British Council, have created two free short online courses on Coursera which will give you the chance to join a global professional and personal learning journey towards a sustainable future.
The five-week course with a focus on sustainability education and learning commencing 7 October aims to support those who want to bring some of the activities and issues covered into their own educational practice. The second ccourse commencing 11 November runs concurrently with COP29.
Visit the website for more information and to sign up.
Read more...
1 October 2024 (Japan Foundation)
Applications for JaLaChamp 2025 are now open! JaLaChamp, or Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK, is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese. There are two categories - the speech category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice, and the video category where students are asked to create an original video either individually or as part of a group.
There are different categories for students at different stages of their Japanese study and we welcome applications from heritage language speakers as well as learners, so please share this information with anyone who might be interested!
- Speech category deadline: 4 February 2025
- Video category deadline: 4 March 2025
Visit the Japan Foundation website for full details, to see videos from the 2024 JaLaChamp finals day and to apply.
Read more...
University of Stirling Language Ambassadors
1 October 2024 (University of Stirling)
Want to promote languages to your learners/young people? Why not arrange for one of the University of Stirling’s Language Ambassadors to visit your school?
We have students of French and Spanish willing to visit in-person and/or join an online session with school pupils to share their experiences of language-learning at university and the opportunities it has offered them. Many of our students undertake the study of languages alongside other subjects and can provide insights into the transferable skills they have gained combining languages with other areas. Several of them have also studied or worked abroad and are happy to talk about these experiences with young learners.
Language Ambassadors can provide various interventions and will tailor their offerings in line with what teachers/schools require.
If interested, please contact Fiona Noble (fiona.noble@stir.ac.uk).
1 October 2024 (University of Sheffield)
The University of Sheffield invites students of French in Years 12 and 13 in the UK to submit their translation into English of an original short French text.
The authors of the ten best entries will be invited to take part in a special online Translation Workshop in January 2025 organised by the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Sheffield, involving academics from the School, MA students in Translation Studies and alumni who work in translation-related fields. The authors of the three best entries will additionally each receive a prize of a £25 Amazon voucher.
Visit the University of Sheffield website for the competition text and how to enter. Submission deadline: 29 November 2024.
Read more...
1 October 2024 (Alliance Française)
If you're looking to learn or improve your French language skills, why not enrol for the next block of autumn courses at the Alliance Française in Glasgow? You can also register for the next round of French examinations taking place November/December. Follow the relevant link below to find out more.
- Light pace - a shorter 1.5 hour class session each week. Beginner, revision and conversational courses available.
- Examinations - an official provider of recognised French exam qualifications including DELF/DALF, TCF and the DAEFLE diploma for professional purposes.
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information about the organisation's various education and cultural programmes.
Read more...
1 October 2024 (UK-German Connection)
Is your school hosting a German Language Assistant? Would you like to support and encourage your Language Assistant to organise intercultural projects with pupils and develop competencies in leadership? Your Language Assistant can sign up to be a Cultural Exchange Ambassador!
This network is for Language Assistants in the UK and Germany to develop and lead intercultural projects, bringing cultural exchange and language learning to life beyond the classroom and fostering links between schools.
Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and to apply by 28 October 2024.
Read more...
25 September 2024 (UCL)
The European Day of Languages, celebrated annually on 26 September, raises awareness of the importance of language learning in order to enhance the linguistic diversity that has always existed across Europe and to improve intercultural understanding.
This is exactly what academics at IOE working in this field aim to achieve through our research, teaching and consultancy.
We believe that language learning is a process of cultural translation. For us, language learning is about learning different ways of meaning and sense-making.
Read more...
26 September 2024 (Institut français)
Know a teacher who deserves recognition for their great work teaching French? Here's your opportunity to nominate them for the French Teacher Award 2024!
Every year, two teachers of French (one in primary and one in secondary school) are selected by a national jury for their significant and committed contribution to French language education in their school and community.
Teachers can apply for themselves or can apply for their colleagues.
Visit the Insittut français website for more information and to submit your nomination by 21 November 2024.
Read more...
French Film Festival UK 2024 Learning Programme
26 September 2024 (French Film Festival)
The 2024 selection of French language films for schools in the French Film Festival Learning Programme are all free of charge to every school! The films will be available from 28 October to 18 December and each comes with its own language resources.
You will find full details of the four films – Divertimento, The Little Gang, Vicky and Her Mystery and Funny Birds – in the attached leaflet, along with the booking link. The programme is also available on the French Film Festival Learning Programme webpage.
To participate in the programme simply click the BOOK NOW AUTUMN link to book your films.
After booking you will receive an automatic email confirmation followed by information from the Festival on how to access the films.
PLEASE BOOK AT LEAST TWO WEEKS BEFORE DESIRED SCREENING DATES TO ENSURE YOUR FILM DOWNLOAD ACCOUNT IS IN PLACE.
There are two competitions open to all schools in Scotland this year:
- Write your own film review! The best reviews of a film in the programme will win a year’s subscription for their school to a French language magazine appropriate for their age group. Reviews can be up to 250 words, written in French or English, and can contain drawings. Prizes awarded by the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland.
See Page 5 of the Learning Programme.
- Fais ton cinema! Shoot a video in French to win a class immersion day at the French Institute in March 2025. Open to all primary and secondary schools in Scotland offering French and participating in the French Film Festival UK Learning Programme. Concours de la Francophonie 2025, organised as part of the Mois de la Francophonie.
Further information: Concours de la francophonie 2025.
If at any time you would like to amend your choices or have any queries please contact schools@frenchfilmfestival.org.uk.
24 September 2024 (e-Sgoil)
Registration for e-Sgoil's 2024-25 Study Support programme is now open!
Open to senior phase students in Scotland working towards national qualifications, the weekly evening Study Support webinars during term time cover a wide range of subjects and levels. Supporting materials are also available.
Visit the website now to see the timetable and register for sessions starting from 28 October 2024.
Read more...
23 September 2024 (SecEd)
Language learning can open up a world of possibilities for students, not just during their school journey, but in their future lives too.
And yet, too many students across the country feel that languages are not for them.
Research from Pearson (2023) reveals that more than half (56%) of 1,000 secondary-age students polled believe language learning is simply too hard. So, how can we ensure that every child sees languages as a fully inclusive and accessible subject?
Read more...
23 September 2024 (SQA)
From today (Monday 23 September), SQA will start publishing its 2024 National Qualifications course reports.
The reports provide teachers and lecturers with a summary of how learners have performed in their exams and coursework for each subject at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the past year.
First reports published include ESOL and Latin. Remaining subject reports will be available by the end of October 2024.
Read more...
Fiestas and Celebrations in Scotland and Valencia
19 September 2024 (International School Partnerships Scotland)
Are you looking for something to engage your class and bring learning Spanish to life? Join us to explore traditions, culture and celebrations in both Spain and Scotland and connect with a Valencian school partner.
This is a highly motivating, inter-disciplinary project for young learners, combining language learning with expressive arts, technologies, social subjects and global citizenship. It can help young people become culturally aware, to learn about their own traditions and celebrations as well as those of others, and foster tolerance and understanding of diversity. Through collaborating and sharing with international partners, young people develop a variety of skills and abilities, including teamwork, creativity, problem solving, inter-cultural competences, leadership, organisation, linguistic confidence, and more.
How can I get involved?
This project is open to primary 5–7 learners and secondary S1–3 learners in any school offering Spanish language.
We are seeking to involve 10 schools in Scotland and 10 schools in Valencia. We will match you with a partner school to work with on collaborative activities over a 3 month period (November to February). Throughout this time, we will support you with curriculum related resources and a series of activities as you get to know your partner.
The project will involve a series of teacher webinars, introducing collaborative activities for classes to take part in, centred around traditional fiestas and celebrations. Young people will learn about traditions and festivals in their partner country, and will research their own cultural events in order to share them. Schools are expected to collaborate with their partner on these activities and share their work.
Want to take the partnership further? We will offer support to schools who wish to take their partnership further and apply for funding to enable a visit to Valencia.
To register your interest, please contact ISPScotland@outlook.com
Living Languages Series 2024-25
19 September 2024 (University of Strathclyde)
Welcome to Living Languages, a series of conversations organised by Languages@Strathclyde and focussing on the theme of employability.
The Living Languages series is an opportunity to hear from high-profile guests, and early career graduates, from a variety of sectors, talking about the role languages have played, and continue to play, in their professional lives.
For this season, we are very pleased to introduce a very exciting list of guests who will share their experiences of using languages in a professional setting. For each event, the relaxed conversation format will also allow audience participation.
Living Languages 2024-25 Programme
- Tuesday 1 October, 5.30pm – From garage to global: building a successful language-based start-up
In conversation with Mark Pentleton, polyglot and CEO of Coffee Break Languages.
Tickets ► Eventbrite
- Thursday 31 October, 5.30pm – Chasing your dreams abroad: playing the game in Paris
In conversation with Finn Russell, professional rugby player and captain of Scotland.
Tickets available now ► Eventbrite
- Tuesday 26 November, 5.30pm TBC – Where are they now? Stories from recent graduates
In conversation with Tom Bell (Producer - Visual Radio – at the BBC), Marjorie Hogarth (Assistant Market Development Manager at Visit Scotland), Daniel Hayes (Sales and Account Manager at My Language Connection) and Kristina Bachtler, HR and Operations Manager at Coffee Break Languages.
Tickets available now ► Eventbrite
- Monday 3 February, 5.30pm – A conversation with Amparo Fortuny, Producer and Filmmaker
The evening will also feature a screening of one of Amparo's films.
Tickets available now ► Eventbrite
- Monday 25 February, 5.30pm – Multilingualism in Media: Providing a voice to a multicultural community
In conversation with Rhiannon J Davies, Editor-in-chief, Greater Govanhill magazine
Tickets available now ► Eventbrite
19 September 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut Glasgow together with the University of the West of Scotland are offering 90-minute workshops to S4-6 classes with existing German knowledge. These sessions will be held at your school and will give students a first insight into Politics as a subject and explore the political landscape in both Germany and the UK.
Complete the expression of interest form to receive available dates for the workshops (between October - December 2024).
Read more...
19 September 2024 (University of Strathclyde)
Time to book your in-school visit!
At the University of Strathclyde, while fully supporting the SCILT’s monthly Language Ambassadors online sessions and Scotland's Languages Explorer's Programme, we are also offering on-site visits.
So, get your learners to discover the joys of engaging with 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.
Language Ambassadors can deliver a range of activities, such as:
- Presentation aimed at various levels about their experiences as university language learners, transitioning from school to university, and their experiences abroad, followed by a Q&A session about the benefits of studying languages;
- ‘Meet & Chat Sessions’ for Senior Phase students who have already selected a language;
- Micro-presentations as part of a school-wide event.
Please visit the Strathclyde Language Ambassadors webpage or contact the programme leader Cédric Moreau to discover more and book a visit from a Strathclyde Language Ambassadors team in 2024/2025.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Ambassadors,
Promoting Languages,
Strathclyde University,
News from language & education organisations
19 September 2024 (UK-German Connection)
Don’t miss out on our upcoming opportunities for teachers and schools to promote cultural exchange in the classroom:
- Professional Enrichment Programme: funded CPD opportunity for teachers of any subject/sector to visit a school in Germany for 1-2 weeks in spring/summer 2025. No German language skills required. Applications close 27 September.
- Host a Teacher from Germany: free programme for teachers of any subject/sector to host a German colleague and boost your school’s international ethos across curriculum. Visits organised flexibly to suit your school. No German language skills required. Register by 27 September.
Visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more about our offers.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
German,
CPD,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Partnership Working,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
19 September 2024 (Institut français)
Calling primary and secondary teachers teaching French across Scotland. Between September and November 2024, the Institut français d’Ecosse will be hosting free online workshops for you on 2 different themes on the following dates:
- October 11, on the theme of Halloween
- November 15, on the theme of Christmas
Objectives: Top up your French and/or boost your confidence with language, pronunciation tips and culture around the theme of Halloween.
Contents: Taylor-made practical classroom activities around listening, talking, reading and writing skills.
Visit the Institut français d'Ecosse website for additional information and registration.
Read more...
17 September 2024 (British Council)
Language Trends Scotland is an in-depth survey for all primary and secondary schools across the country. The research will provide an independent overview of the teaching of modern languages in Scotland.
The Language Trends series show general shifts in data and seek to provide a springboard for teachers, school leaders, academics, inspectors, policymakers, school pupils, and the public to consider aspects of language learning more deeply.
How to Participate:
We've designed the survey in collaboration with an expert panel in Scotland - the estimated time to complete is 15 minutes.
Ready to make your voice heard? Visit the British Council Language Trends Scotland webpage for more information and to complete the appropriate survey for your sector.
For any further information, please contact Jane Halstead - Jane.Halstead@britishcouncil.org
Read more...
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival school programme
17 September 2024 (Consejería de Educación)
The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival 2024 takes place from 2-26 October!
The Spanish Embassy Education Office and the Consulate General of Spain in Edinburgh, who promote the teaching of Spanish language and culture in non-university education throughout the United Kingdom, are supporting the event with a programme for schools. This consists of the screening of two Spanish films: one in a face-to-face session in Edinburgh and the other accessible online for classroom viewing in schools in the UK.
‘The Teacher Who Promised the Sea’ - Screening in Edinburgh
The festival offers the opportunity for both students and teachers to attend an exclusive in-person screening of the film ‘El Maestro que Prometió el Mar’, directed by Patricia Font and nominated for 5 Goya awards in its last edition. The film was a great box office success in Spain with more than 270,000 spectators. The screening will take place on Wednesday 9 October at 10:30 am in the cinema hall of the Institut Français in Edinburgh.
View a trailer of the film on YouTube and read an authentic article about the true story of Antoni Benaiges that inspired the film’.
‘The Olive Tree’ - Online screening
The festival will also offer the possibility of facilitating access to all UK classrooms to watch the film ‘El Olivo’, directed by Icíar Bollaín in 2016 and the winner of a Goya award. To do so, it will only be necessary to request an access code that will allow secondary school classrooms to watch the film from 30 September to 4 October. The film will be accompanied by worksheets for the classroom.
View a trailer of the film on YouTube
Both films have been selected primarily for their pedagogical qualities, so we believe would be an excellent opportunity for secondary school students.
See the attached flyers for full details.
The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators
17 September 2024 (University of Oxford)
The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators is a UK-wide creative translation competition for students aged 11-18 studying French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Russian and Spanish. The competition also runs from French into Welsh. Last year, over 16,000 students from across the UK participated in the prize.
The 2024-25 prize will launch on 19 September, when our first set of creative translation teaching packs will be shared with registered teachers in time for European Day of Languages on 26 September and International Translation Day on 30 September. These teaching packs are designed to help teachers bring creative translation into the MFL classroom as well as to help students prepare for the competition task.
Teaching packs for poetry translation will be circulated to registered teachers on 19 September. Fiction resources will follow after October half term, and non-fiction will be released in early January 2025. To receive these resources, register for the prize.
The competition itself will run over several weeks from 3 February to 28 March 2025. Area and national winners will be announced in May or June 2025. All winners will receive certificates and national winners will receive book prizes. Visit the website to see the list of 2024 winners and commendations.
There are a number of related activities run by the Queen's Translation Exchange that teachers and pupils can participate in. See the Opportunities for Schools page.
If you have any queries regarding the competition, please contact the Translation Exchange team at translation.exchange@queens.ox.ac.uk.
Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Translation,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian
13 September 2024 (Maths Week Scotland)
Maths Week Scotland takes place 23-29 September 2024 with the theme Maths Tales, looking at how Maths is used to tell stories.
During the week a range of challenges are available to schools for pupils to test their numeracy, logic and creativity skills.
Maths wi nae Borders is inspired by the annual Mathématiques sans Frontières contest, this mini-competition combines a language element and is for any class to complete together.
The Maths wi nae Borders challenge opens on 16 September.
Read more...
12 September 2024 (ALL)
ALLNE, NfLNE and partners are once again organising an annual European Day of Languages writing competition for Schools, and in 2024 it is once more open to the whole country!
The organising committee invites language learners in any key stage to create a piece of text in a language they are learning on the theme: Together.
The intention is that this might form an activity in your school around the European Day of Languages itself (26 September), so the deadline for submission of entries will be Wednesday 9 October 2024.
Visit the ALL website for more information.
Read more...
10 September 2024 (GCHQ)
The 2024 GCHQ National Language Competition will run from Monday 18 November - Friday 22 November.
The National Language Competition (NLC) is a virtual competition where teams from around the UK compete against each other to solve language-based puzzles and score points. The overall winners are then invited to GCHQ’s headquarters in Cheltenham to receive their trophy!
The competition aims to inspire language learning by encouraging secondary BGE students to discover their aptitude for learning languages.
Visit the GCHQ National Language Competition website for more information, to register interest and try out some sample puzzles!
Read more...
CCEd in French at the University of Strathclyde
10 September 2024 (University of Strathclyde)
Are you interested in upskilling your French to GTCS-accredited standard? Then this could be the course for you!
The Certificate of Continuing Education (CCEd) is an intensive beginners’ class that will bring you up to first-year university standard in a year, with the option of continuing your studies into second year and up to university pass degree level within three years.
Classes will be in person on campus in Glasgow during term time.
Further information and application details will be advertised via the SCILT bulletin and SCILT website and the University of Strathclyde website and communication channels.
For more information and to register your interest, the course contact is Joan-Emilie Lefever-Rhodes (joan.lefever@strath.ac.uk).
10 September 2024 (RAF)
Language learners who are interested in combining a career using languages with a service career may be interested to find out more about the role of Intelligence Analyst Linguist. This is a role in the Royal Air Force (RAF) that requires listening to foreign language transmissions and gathering intelligence to support military forces deployed around the world. Recruits receive RAF and language training.
For learners who wish to go to university before joining, a bursary programme is available which offers a grant of between £3000 and £8000 per year to successful applicants.
You can try out a sound skills test to see how good your intelligence-gathering skills are through the link below!
Read more...
6 September 2024 (Lingobox Learning)
We are delighted to announce our first full French course for teachers, starting on Tuesday 29 October. This course is designed to empower teachers at all levels of French to develop French language skills and build confidence by working with you to create a personalised learning plan which works for you!
All sessions will be live and online every Tuesday (29.10.24 – 03.12.24) from 19.30 – 20.30 and then recorded and shared so you can access in your own time if you prefer. All school subscribers to Lingobox will have full access to course materials as ongoing.
The course also includes a full 2-months individual account access to Lingobox!
The course will cover:
- Teaching primary French: Learn about the key aspects of primary French language learning and create a personalised learning and teaching plan which works for you!
- A guide to French phonics: Your go to guide for understanding and teaching French phonics.
- Language learning topics: How to plan for, learn and teach your choice of French topic language (e.g. weather, dates, numbers, school subjects, opinions etc.) in a quick and effective way.
- Embedding language into practice: Simple and effective strategies for embedding language into classroom practice including classroom instructions, recycling topic language and some fun French interjections!
- Planning across the curriculum: Explore how to maximise French learning by including language as a part of all interdisciplinary learning.
- Planning language learning: Empower yourself with a French language learning plan which is progressive, meaningful and which builds skills and confidence. This session will also look at upcoming cultural contexts and will share a range of exciting ideas which you can pick up and use in class!
To find out more visit the Lingobox Learning website.
Please note, all school subscribers to Lingobox will have full access to course materials as ongoing (Early bird annual subscription price of just £150 for a 1-year school subscription available until the end of September 2024!).
Existing individual Lingobox subscribers will be contacted with a course discount code if you would like to add this course onto your subscription.
All course participants will receive a certificate on completion of the course.
Any questions, please contact ann@lingoboxlearning.com.
Read more...
5 September 2024 (FilmG)
The annual FilmG competition is now open!
With two distinct competitionss for Under-18s and Over-18s, participants are challenged to create Gaelic-language films under five minutes in length.
In a change to previous formats, filmmakers are no longer being asked to create a film based on a theme – entries are instead open to the creative license of any subject.
Visit the FilmG website for full details and submit entries by 9 December 2024.
Read more...
5 September 2024 (Eric Liddell Community)
The Eric Liddell Community has announced a new exhibition, ‘Eric Liddell and Weifang’, organised by the Weihsien West Civilians Concentration Camp Site Museum, showcasing the life and legacy of Eric Liddell – a Scottish Olympic gold medallist and missionary – and his time at the Weihsien Concentration Camp in China during World War II.
The free-to-attend and bilingual exhibition, which launched on Thursday 22 August, will run until Saturday 14 September and sits within the South Wing of The Eric Liddell Community in the heart of Bruntsfield, Edinburgh. Visitors can expect to see for the first time information and photographs to gain insights into how Eric Liddell is remembered and honoured in Weifang, China. It also highlights the deep historical and cultural connections between Scotland and China.
Read more...
3 September 2024 (NCLE)
Two-thirds (68%) of parents in England believe learning a modern foreign language in secondary school should be compulsory, according to a new poll.
Parents are now being urged to recommend foreign language GCSEs to their children, emphasising the growing importance of multilingual and international skills. The survey questioned 2,500 parents with children in Year 6, 7 and 8 about their attitudes towards language education. It follows an increase in entries for French, Spanish, German and other GCSE languages since 2023.
The research was commissioned by the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE) which has established a network of lead hub schools across England which train partner schools to enhance language teaching standards.
Read more...
Upcoming offers from the Goethe-Institut
3 September 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut offers a range of initiatives to support the teaching and learning of German in schools. The following opportunities are available during the coming term. Follow the appropriate link to find out more:
- Debating competition - the successful debating competition for secondary schools in the United Kingdom is finally returning! This is a great opportunity for students to actively use the German language in an authentic setting, debating social and cultural issues, while getting to know other secondary school students from across the United Kingdom. Rounds take place between November and March. Apply by 19 October 2024.
- Young Goethe Ambassadors - would you like to motivate your students to keep studying German? Invite our Young Goethe Ambassadors into your classroom. Our ambassadors are young German learners who can hold presentations about their experience with German and run small games depending on your needs.
29 August 2024 (Institut français)
Calling primary and secondary teachers teaching French across Scotland. Between September and November 2024, the Institut français d’Ecosse will be hosting free online workshops for you on 3 different themes on the following dates:
- September 13, on the theme of European Day of languages
- October 11, on the theme of Halloween
- November 15, on the theme of Christmas
Objectives: Top up your French and/or boost your confidence with language, pronunciation tips and culture around the theme of Halloween.
Contents: Tailor-made practical classroom activities around listening, talking, reading and writing skills.
Visit the Institut français d'Ecosse website for additional information and registration.
Read more...
29 August 2024 (Open University)
We have extended the deadline for all interested in-service practitioners teaching at any level in a Scottish school to register on the second presentation of the Scots Language Masters-level teacher CPD programme starting on 2 September 2024. The online programme is hosted by the Open University in Scotland and designed and delivered in partnership with Education Scotland and Banff Academy.
Through Scottish Government funding we are able to offer free places for all interested teachers on this exciting professional learning opportunity bringing together practitioners from across Scotland.
Teachers on the programme will be able to gain a GTCS professional recognition award for their study.
Visit the course landing page for more information and the online registration form.
The deadline to register and be one of only the second cohort of teachers to study the course has been extended to Monday 2 September 2024. Notifications to confirm places and instructions on how to access the programme will be issued as soon as possible after teachers have signed up.
For those who either already have some CPD commitments for the start of the coming academic year, of would prefer to have more time before committing, you are able to indicate whether you’d prefer to start studying in September 2024 or January 2025 in the online form.
Read more...
29 August 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 carries the GTCS professional recognition award, and can count towards the University of Strathclyde’s Masters in Education as accredited prior learning.
Available languages are French, German, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
A webinar on the programme was held in June and a recording of that information session can be found on the Open University YouTube channel.
Registration for the programme commencing October 2024 closes on 5 September.
Visit the Open University’s TELT website at the link below for more information.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
28 August 2024 (HR Review)
The ability to speak multiple languages has become an increasingly valuable skill for UK professionals.
Recent research conducted by City Lit has shed light on the heightened demand for multilingual workers across various industries, with European languages such as German, French, and Spanish emerging as the most sought-after.
The study analysed job advertisements across the UK, revealing that German tops the list of in-demand languages, appearing in 25 percent of multilingual job postings. French closely follows at 24 percent, with Spanish rounding out the top three at 15 percent. The demand for these languages is particularly pronounced in sectors like Management, Sales, and Technology.
Read more...
British Council Scotland has launched the first-ever Language Trends Scotland survey
27 August 2024 (British Council)
Language Trends Scotland is an in-depth survey for all primary and secondary schools across the country. The research will provide an independent overview of the teaching of modern languages in Scotland.
The Language Trends series show general shifts in data and seek to provide a springboard for teachers, school leaders, academics, inspectors, policymakers, school pupils, and the public to consider aspects of language learning more deeply.
How to Participate:
We've designed the survey in collaboration with an expert panel in Scotland - the estimated time to complete is 15 minutes.
Ready to make your voice heard? Click the relevant link below to start the survey for your school:
Language Trends Scotland joins a suite of language trends research conducted across the UK and by taking the survey, you'll contribute to a wealth of data that spans over two decades, offering unique insights into the evolution of language education across the UK.
Visit the British Council's Language Trends Research webpage to find out more.
You can also sign up to British Council Scotland's Education newsletter.
22 August 2024 (UK-German Connection)
Don’t miss out on our upcoming opportunities for teachers and schools to promote cultural exchange in the classroom:
- Professional Enrichment Programme: funded CPD opportunity for teachers of any subject/sector to visit a school in Germany for 1-2 weeks in spring/summer 2025. No German language skills required. Applications close 27 September.
- Host a Teacher from Germany: free programme for teachers of any subject/sector to host a German colleague and boost your school’s international ethos across curriculum. Visits organised flexibly to suit your school. No German language skills required. Register by 27 September.
Visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more about our offers and to sign up for Q&A webinars.
Read more...
22 August 2024 (RZSS)
There are still some opportunities for FREE in-person outreach sessions aimed at P5-P7 level across Scotland. The projects link to Spanish and French. Both programmes cover some basic greetings, numbers, colours, body parts etc in the relevant language.
- Spanish - learn more about the giant armadillo, the giant anteater and the two-toed sloth from South America.
- French - learn about the Partula snail story in the French Polynesia Islands.
Visit the Science in the Language Class webpage for more information and contact srobb@rzss.org.uk to book.
Read more...
20 August 2024 (e-Sgoil)
Registration is now open for Misneachd, e-Sgoil’s award winning support for primary pupils in Gaelic Medium Education.
Visit the e-Sgoil website for full details and the registration form.
Read more...
15 August 2024 (University of Strathclyde)
A University of Strathclyde researcher specialising in minority languages has been appointed to lead a group established by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to support the protection of indigenous tongues.
Dr Ingeborg Birnie, a Senior Lecturer in Strathclyde’s Institute of Education, has been named as rapporteur for the Ad Hoc Group (Provision of Education) and is one of only 20 experts worldwide to have been selected for the group.
Over the next three years, Dr Birnie and her colleagues will conduct an audit of current provision for indigenous languages. The group will also create a framework for communities, organisations and governments to carry out their own evaluation of provision.
The outcomes of the audit will be used to create a policy recommendation which considers knowledge of a language and culture, as well as the linguistic competences in the language, and ways in which these can be supported in and through education.
Read more...
19 August 2024 (ECML)
Celebrated each year on 26 September, the European Day of Languages (EDL) is a means of promoting awareness among the general public of the importance of language learning and protecting the linguistic heritage. With less than 6 weeks to go until EDL, we are excited to inform you about the developments for this year’s edition.
Read more...
16 August 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 carries the GTCS professional recognition award, and can count towards the University of Strathclyde’s Masters in Education as accredited prior learning.
Available languages are French, German, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
A webinar on the programme was held in June and a recording of that information session can be found on YouTube.
Registration for the programme commencing October 2024 closes on 5 September.
Visit the Open University’s TELT website at the link below for more information.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
Polish classes for teachers: An introduction to Polish language and culture
15 August 2024 (The Polish Social and Educational Society)
Teachers, how would you like to learn some basic Polish from a native Polish speaker? Would you like to give it a go? Read on and see if this language learning opportunity might just be thing for you!
The Polish Social and Educational Society in Glasgow will be running a series of online Polish language classes for teachers in the new term. The classes, led by a Polish native speaker, are designed to provide an introduction to Polish language and culture to support teachers working across all sectors. Whether it’s supporting Polish being taught as an L3 or engaging with Polish pupils and their families, our classes will provide you with some useful phrases and basic grammar to help with this.
The classes will be led by Ania Trusewicz. Ania is an experienced teacher of teaching Polish as a foreign language and is looking forward to welcoming teachers to her online classes in September. Anna has shared some information about her background and experience.
"Cześć! My name is Ania. I am Trilingual. I have completed my teaching course as a teacher of foreign language at University of Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń (Poland) in 2006. Since moving to Glasgow in 2008 I have been teaching many students both face-to-face and online. I also hold a degree from University of Glasgow (Social Science). I teach with passion and great enthusiasm. My lessons are funny and interesting. I take care of each of my students and make sure that Polish lessons at Sikorski Polish Club are adapted to various levels and individual needs of my students. In my classes I have students who are coming from different professional backgrounds. I will be happy to see you at our online classes!”
Please note the following:
- Online classes will begin on Monday 16 September
- Classes will run on Mondays from 4 – 5pm
- 6-week block - one hour lesson per week
- All classes are online and will be hosted on Zoom
- There will be a charge of £20 for a block of 6 lessons
- Open to all teachers
We look forward to welcoming you to our online Polish classes in September. For more information and to register your place, please email secretary@sikorskipolishclub.org.uk.
15 August 2024 (Argyll & Bute Council)
This offer is open to all Scottish primary schools using Glow Teams. Teachers learn alongside their pupils in real time and are supported to lead the learning in their own class. The lesson structure alternates between short bursts of direct teaching from the online teacher, followed by the class teachers leading their own class in a game. This format allows the learning to remain active and fully engage the learners. These courses provide on the job professional learning and help teachers make the time for languages in the curriculum.
Each lesson lasts approximately 40 minutes and will take place via GLOW Teams. All resources will be available to download in advance of the session and will be stored in the GLOW Team.
Suitable for P4-7 classes. Please sign up via the Live Lessons 2024-25 link.
Read more...
14 August 2024 (British Academy)
Post-16 students are studying a narrower range of subjects than 20 years ago, which could limit their future education and career options, according to a new NFER report commissioned by the British Academy.
Ahead of tomorrow’s A-level results, and in light of the government’s recently announced Curriculum and Assessment Review - set to be headed up by British Academy Fellow Professor Becky Francis CBA - the report, ‘Subject choice trends in post-16 education in England: Investigating subject choice over the past 20 years’, shows a sharp reduction in the range of subjects chosen by students since 2015/16 when AS- and A-level qualifications were separated.*
This separation may have led to fewer students studying humanities subjects like languages, English and history. The research shows that while 56 per cent of AS- or A-level students studied a humanities subject in 2015/16, only 38 per cent of students studied one in 2021/22.
Read more...
13 August 2024 (Open University)
We are inviting all interested in-service practitioners teaching at any level in a Scottish school to register on the second presentation of the Scots Language Masters-level teacher CPD programme starting on 2 September 2024. The online programme is hosted by the Open University in Scotland and designed and delivered in partnership with Education Scotland and Banff Academy.
Through Scottish Government funding we are able to offer free places for all interested teachers on this exciting professional learning opportunity bringing together practitioners from across Scotland.
Teachers on the programme will be able to gain a GTCS professional recognition award for their study.
Follow this link to the course landing page for more information and the online registration form: OLCreate: Scots language teacher CPD programme (open.edu).
The deadline to register and be one of only the second cohort of teachers to study the course is Wednesday 28 August 2024. Notifications to confirm places and instructions on how to access the programme will be issued by Friday 30 August 2024.
For those who either already have some CPD commitments for the start of the coming academic year, of would prefer to have more time before committing, you are able to indicate whether you’d prefer to start studying in September 2024 or January 2025 in the above online form.
Read more...
13 August 2024 (Alliance Française)
The course from Alliance Française Glasgow is aimed at secondary school French teachers and consists of a mix of conversation and grammar. The idea is to discuss current affairs and contemporary topics of France and French speaking countries but also to offer grammar refreshers for the B2 level.
The course will start on 16 September. The classes will last for 2 hours and will take place every two weeks. Most of the classes will be online with an on-site version every 4 weeks in order for participants to meet in person.
Visit the Alliance Française website for full details and to book.
Read more...
Babel Young Writers' Competition
8 August 2024 (Babel: The Language Magazine)
Calling all young language lovers! Get published in Babel No 50 (Spring 2025) and win a year's subscription!
Topic: your own original discussion of any linguistic topic, written in an accessible and interesting style
Word count: 2,000-2,500 words
Format: Word file
Deadline: Monday 16 December 2024
Submission: babelthelanguagemagazine@gmail.com
Any questions email as above.
6 August 2024 (Japan Foundation)
The Japan Foundation's Japanese Film Festival has launched its new website, JFF Theater, where audiences around the world can stream a rotating line up of five films for free!
Visit the website to see what's available to stream and when.
Read more...
Opportunities from Goethe-Institut
6 August 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut offers a range of initiatives to support the teaching and learning of German in schools. The following opportunities are available during the coming term. Follow the appropriate link to find out more:
For pupils
- Debating competition - a chance for teams of four S5 learners of German to actively use the German language in an authentic setting whilst meeting other students from across the UK. Rounds take place between November and March. Apply by 19 October 2024.
- Discover Careers with German - online business lunch series of live conversations with different people from the world of work whose careers have been shaped by learning German. Aimed at secondary learners, upcoming sessions in October, November and December 2024.
- Young Goethe Ambassadors - would you like to motivate your students to keep studying German? Invite our Young Goethe Ambassadors into your classroom. Our ambassadors are young German learners who can hold presentations about their experience with German and run small games depending on your needs.
For teachers
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
German,
Scotland,
Careers,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Learning for Work,
Language Teaching,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
6 August 2024 (Institut français)
Your French journey starts with us! Discover the Institut français d'Ecosse new courses: French drama club, French songs, and much more.
Read more...
1 August 2024 (Institut français)
Wishing to support French language teachers in primary schools across Scotland the Institut français d’Ecosse offers 3 free 2-hours online courses on 3 different themes on the following dates:
- September 13, on the theme of European Day of languages
- October 11, on the theme of Halloween
- November 15, on the theme of Christmas
Objectives: Top up your French and/or boost your confidence with language, pronunciation tips and culture around the themes.
Contents: Taylor-made practical classroom activities around listening, talking, reading and writing skills.
More information and registration on the Institut français website.
Read more...
15 July 2024 (British Council)
Vicky Gough takes a look at the results of the latest British Council Language Trends England survey and finds schools struggling, but hope for the future with the creation of the new national network of lead hub schools across England.
While conducting this year’s Language Trends England survey, one schoolteacher shared their struggle to recruit an experienced language teacher. In the end, they hired the only candidate who was interviewed.
Unfortunately, this has become a common issue nationwide. Sixty per cent of schools reported challenges in recruiting qualified language teachers this year, with state schools particularly affected - nearly a third described recruitment as a “major issue.”
This problem is cyclical and has been growing for years. Since 2004, when language GCSEs became non-mandatory in England, French entries, for example, have more than halved. Lower GCSE uptake has impacted A-level numbers, especially in German and French, which have dwindled over the past two decades causing universities to struggle to fill courses.
Read more...
Filmmaking competition boosts language and interdisciplinary skills in 1000 Scottish secondary pupils
5 July 2024 (SCILT/SEET)
On 12 June 2024, partners and trustees of the Scottish European Education Trust (SEET) welcomed learners from 23 Scottish secondary schools to Brodies LLP in Glasgow in order to showcase students’ work and celebrate their achievements in this year’s Our World competition.
Congratulations to the winning teams from Clydeview Academy, Park School, Prestwick Academy, Ardrossan Academy, Thurso High, Bellahouston Academy and The Glasgow Academy!
Partners and trustees alike expressed their pleasure at witnessing such diversity within Scotland’s education communities, as represented by the 54 schools participating in the Junior and Senior competitions.
Our World is a languages and citizenship themed filmmaking project for secondary school pupils. Run by SEET, the project supports Curriculum for Excellence and the aspirations of the Scottish Government Attainment Challenge through an interdisciplinary approach that encourages pupils to become more engaged in their language learning.
In total 1000 pupils participated in the Our World competition this year. Twenty-three teams reached the national final; 19 teams in the Junior category (S1-S3) and four teams in the Senior category (S4-S6), representing 19 local authorities and one independent school.
The first phase of the competition ran from September to December and teams of four designed a storyboard for the film they proposed to make. The second phase included an all-day filmmaking workshop, where teams turned their storyboards into real films, working with media professionals to produce and edit their films. This phase runs from February to March. The final stage of Our World is the award ceremony in June when all participating teams are invited to attend a premiere to showcase the films they have made.
Thank you to SEET's funders as well as generous individual donors. We are grateful for support from partner organisations and local authorities.
SEET is particularly grateful to SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages for their assistance in managing this year’s final.
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Peace, justice and strong institutions
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Peace, justice and strong institutions
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Peer choice award (voted on by fellow pupils)
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Peace, justice and strong institutions
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Decent work and economic growth
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Peer choice award (voted on by fellow pupils)
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The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) is an independent, non-political charity committed to promoting international education, skills development and language learning amongst children and young people in Scotland.
European Day of Languages - Save the date!
20 June 2024 (Institut français)
On Friday 27 September the Institut français d’Ecosse, together with European consulates and cultural organisations, will be celebrating European Day for Languages in Edinburgh with morning activities aimed at S2 and S3 pupils and two conferences in the afternoon. One of the conferences will focus on how European writers foster creativity and ‘out of the box’ thinking style through language and the other on multilingualism and creativity. They will be followed by a cocktail.
Watch this space for further information to come late August!
You can also contact Charlotte Hyvernaud, Education attachée, Institut français d’Ecosse : charlotte.hyvernaud@institut-francais.org.uk
20 June 2024 (Institut français)
Come to discover the insight of working for the World’s Greatest Arts Festival, see our “Vive le Fringe!” shows for free and be surrounded by creative and artistic minds!
Our volunteer missions involve supporting our communication team (flyers distribution, social media), our box office team (welcoming the public, checking tickets, be aware of our safety guidelines) and our cultural team (liaising with artists).
Want to know more? Send us an email at vivelefringe.ifecosse@gmail.com with the subject line “FRINGE VOLUNTEER” indicating your availability in August, some details about yourself and a few sentences about why you would like to volunteer with us. Applications are open for those aged 16 and up until Sunday 30 June 2024 at midnight. If you are aged between 16 and 17 you will need a parent or guardian’s permission.
Read more...
20 June 2024 (Teaching Bursary in Scotland)
The Teaching Bursary Scheme is open to individuals wishing to undertake a one-year PGDE ITE course in Scotland that leads to the award of registered teacher status in Scotland's hardest-to-fill teaching subjects.
This year's eligbile teaching subjects include Modern Languages at secondary level and Gaelic at both secondary and primary.
Teaching Bursary in Scotland 2024 will be open for applications shortly. Visit the website for more information.
Read more...
Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Funding,
Language Teaching,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian,
Polish
20 June 2024 (Institut français)
The 'Concours de la francophonie' : an annual rendez-vous for schools!
The 'Concours de la francophonie' is organised every year by the Institut français d’Ecosse since its creation in 2016.
For the 2025 edition, there will be two competitions:
- One for primary school pupils
- One for secondary school pupils
For the first time the competition associates the Institut français d’Ecosse with the French Film Festival UK Learning Programme (FFF UK).
All primary and secondary schools in Scotland offering French and participating in the French Film Festival UK Learning Programme will be eligible to enter the 'Concours de la francophonie', in line with the rules. Submission deadline: 15 January 2025.
Visit the 'Concours de la francophonie' website for full details.
Read more...
18 June 2024 (Classical Association of Scotland)
The Classical Association of Scotland is thrilled to open registration for the 2024 Ancient Voices Summer Programme!
The Summer School will be held online (via Zoom) from Monday 8 July to Sunday 4 August. As in previous years, CAS aims to offer a range of courses at different levels, representing a friendly, cost-effective and low-pressure environment for learners to enjoy engaging with languages of the ancient past.
Core Latin and Greek options will once again be supplemented with Aramaic, Hebrew, Hieroglyphs, Sumerian and Ugaritic, offering participants a rare opportunity to try some lesser taught languages. There is also the School to University course which aims to provide students with an overview of the opportunities, challenges and expectations connected to the study of Classics subjects at university level.
Visit the Ancient Voices Summer Programme website for full details and to register by 30 June.
Read more...
18 June 2024 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection is inviting applications for a funded school partnership seminar taking place in Mainz, Germany from 21 to 24 November 2024. Open to UK teachers (all sectors and subject areas) with no active UK-German school partnership who are interested in linking with schools in Germany. The seminar includes school visits to gain insights into school life in Germany.
Visit the UK-German Connection website for full details and to apply by 10 July.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
German,
CPD,
Cultural Diversity,
Funding,
Partnership Working,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
18 June 2024 (French Film Festival)
The French Film Festival UK 2024 Learning Programme will once again be bringing French-speaking cinema into schools free of charge this autumn! The programme of four films, each accompanied by learning packs, will run between 28 October and 18 December. This year we are linking up with the French Institute in Scotland for the Francophonie Competition for schools.
Full details will be available on the French Film Festival website shortly and book up your film from mid-August onwards.
The attached programme flyer contains booking links and email contacts for further information about the learning resources and the Francophonie competition.
Read more...
18 June 2024 (SCILT / Education Scotland / BDA)
SCILT, Education Scotland and the British Deaf Association (BDA) have developed a case study that provides an insight into the experiences and challenges of Deaf young people in Scotland attending secondary school, college, or university. The case study focuses on what supported the Deaf young people to effectively engage and achieve in an educational setting. It also considers the benefits and opportunities of having Deaf and hearing parents involved in the wider life of the school and how they engaged in their child’s learning.
This case study highlights the need for understanding the opportunities, challenges, and experiences that Deaf young people can face in education. It also provides an insight into what supportive approaches allow them to engage in their learning which, is key to improving their outcomes.
In addition to the case study, there are reflective questions to help practitioners consider their practice in relation to the experiences and challenges of Deaf children and young people attending school, college, or university in Scotland.
Read more...
18 June 2024 (Queen Margaret University)
Teachers in Scotland are invited to take part in a research study examining attitudes and perceptions to international education and the benefits to schools, learners and teachers, as well as the challenges and barriers to participation to international education. International education activity is defined as teacher training with an international element, visits and exchanges and collaborative partnerships.
More information can be found on the survey webpage which can also be accessed via the QR code on the attached flyer.
Read more...
17 June 2024 (British Council)
Bring international learning to life by working with an overseas partner school!
Whether you want to increase understanding of global issues or enhance language learning, a school partnership can help you better engage pupils, reinforce existing projects, introduce new teaching approaches and, ultimately, improve learner outcomes.
The British Council offers a range of resources, guidance and learning opportunities for every step of your partnership journey – whether you’re looking for a partner or want to take an existing partnership to the next level.
Check out the free database of schools around the world looking to partner with a school in the UK.
Read more...
14 June 2024 (ECML)
At their launch meeting for the new ECML project “AI for language education” in March 2024 team members agreed on an outline of their first deliverable, an online survey on the use of AI in language teaching.
The aim of the questionnaire is to learn about your professional experience, beliefs and attitudes towards AI and its possible role in language teaching.
The survey is now open and available in English, Estonian, French, German and Greek. Your views and insights would be appreciated!
Read more...
CCEd in French at the University of Strathclyde
13 June 2024 (University of Strathclyde)
Are you interested in upskilling your French to GTCS-accredited standard? Then this could be the course for you!
The Certificate of Continuing Education (CCEd) is an intensive beginners’ class that will bring you up to first-year university standard in a year, with the option of continuing your studies into second year and up to university pass degree level within three years.
Classes will be in person on campus in Glasgow during term time.
Further information and application details will be advertised via the SCILT bulletin and SCILT website and the University of Strathclyde website and communication channels.
For more information and to register your interest, the course contact is Joan-Emilie Lefever-Rhodes (joan.lefever@strath.ac.uk).
UK-German Connection opportunities for teachers
11 June 2024 (UK-German Connection)
UK teachers can now apply for the following funded opportunities for 2024-25. Follow the relevant link for more information:
- Host a Teacher from Germany - Boost your school’s international ethos, pupil motivation and teachers’ professional development by hosting a German teacher (in-person or virtually) for one, two or three weeks during the academic year – no costs involved for UK schools and German does not need to be offered at your school. Register by 1 July for autumn-term visits and by 27 September for visits during the spring and summer term.
- Professional Enrichment Programme - Funded opportunity for UK teachers to visit a school in Germany for 1-2 weeks, observe lessons and experience the German education system. Throughout the visit, you will have the chance to engage in CPD within an international context and exchange good practice with colleagues. Apply by 12 July to visit a German school in the autumn term, and 27 September for visits during the spring or summer term.
Goethe-Institut opportunities for learners of German
11 June 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
Find out more about the upcoming initiatives for schools and learners of German by following the appropriate link:
- Discover Careers with German - The Business Lunch Series is a series of live online conversations with different people from the world of work whose careers have been shaped by learning the German language. Aimed at pupils S3 upwards with preparatory materials for teachers. Next event takes place 27 June 2024.
- Karriere Quantum - New programme for 16-18 year-olds and teachers from all over Europe revolving around quantum technologies and the German language. Apply for a place in one of our five innovative one-week camps taking place over 2024 and 2025 in Dublin, Rome, London, Amsterdam and Madrid.
- Comic poster exhibition: "Komplett Kafka" - Introduce learners to the life and work of Franz Kafka with this poster exhibition and associated teaching materials. The exhibition can be ordered via the Goethe-Institut website.
11 June 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
Are you a non-specialist German teacher already delivering German lessons in some shape or form? Would you like to find out why German is the smart choice for your school? Would you like support with getting the ball rolling? Are you interested in setting up a German club at your primary or secondary school?
The Goethe-Institut is offering an exclusive, funded trip to Berlin in November 2024 for primary and secondary school teachers and headteachers that is geared towards introducing German in schools or strengthening its status.
State school teachers and headteachers from the UK can submit their applications supported by a motivational letter (max 400 words) until 31 August 2024. Successful candidates will be informed soon thereafter.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and to apply.
Read more...
11 June 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
Boost target language in your classroom! Increase motivation in your young learners! Get to know Germany and the vibrant city of Berlin!
The Goethe-Institut London is offering secondary school teachers from across the UK the chance to take part in a funded pedagogical training course taking place in Berlin in November 2024.
State school secondary teachers from the UK can submit their applications supported by a motivational letter (up to 400 words) until 31 August 2024. Successful candidates will be informed soon thereafter.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and to apply.
Read more...
10 June 2024 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is looking to recruit a teacher specialising in courses for children and young people to start September 2024.
Visit the Alliance Française website for the job specification and application details.
Read more...
5 June 2024 (Japan Foundation)
Following on from The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP) in February and March, we are delighted to announce the Japanese Film Festival Online will now also be held in the UK from 5 June until 3 July.
For the first two weeks of the festival, 18 Japanese films will be available for streaming, with 2 television drama series that were popular in Japan being made available for the festival's second half.
Visit the festival website for full programme details.
Read more...
Bilingualism in autism intervention study
4 June 2024 (University of Edinburgh)
The University of Edinburgh and Queen Margaret University are researching bilingualism and autism. We have developed a new, high-quality, research-backed resource hub on this topic and are currently running a study to test how effective it is. It involves two brief online questionnaires, one month apart. After the final questionnaire participants can enter a prize draw to win one of three £10 vouchers! The whole thing should only take a few minutes of your time, but it will really help us to understand the impact of these resources, and to improve them where we can!
We are looking for any professionals who may work with autistic children in bilingual families, such as SLTs, teachers, GPs and psychologists as well as any parents of autistic children in bilingual families to take part in our study.
If you or anyone you know would be like to get involved, you can do so using the study link or by scanning the relevant QR code in the flyers below.
4 June 2024 (Education Scotland)
Education Scotland has recently published an updated version of its BSL Toolkit for Practitioners. This Toolkit provides Information to help practitioners who work with deaf children, young people and their families, understand BSL, Deaf culture and identity. The Toolkit also contains some important definitions for terms used when working with parents and families.
Read more...
4 June 2024 (Institut français)
Summer is coming! Time to catch up on French.
This summer the Institut français d'Ecosse has courses for both adults and kids.
Why not join our Drawing Edinburgh course where you will practice French through an artistic activity. Or if you are interested in sports, join our Olympics and Paralympic Games courses? Wish to brush up your French before the holidays ? Check our French for France courses.
Visit the Institut français website for full details of all our Summer courses. Registration is open now!
Read more...
3 June 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
New film on Goethe on Demand! Every month, the Goethe-Institut's film platform makes a film available to stream, free of charge.
The City, Country, River film series takes us through the diversity of German cities, villages and landscapes with a selection of 12 feature films and documentaries. The films focus on regions and locales far from well-known big cities and invite viewers to take a nuanced look at the realities of life in Germany.
The next film in the series, No-one's with the Calves based on the novel of the same name by Alina Herbing, takes a look at life in the provinces and can be streamed from 1 to 30 June 2024.
Read more...
1 June 2024 (Confucius Institute for Scotland)
The Confucius Institute for Scotland in Edinburgh is running a five-week summer programme from 1 July to 2 August. With diverse evening and daytime classes on offer there's an array of opportunities to start and learn Chinese!
For those working in the hospitality and tourism industries there's a course specially tailored for frontline and customer-facing staff who want a short, focused introduction to Chinese language and culture to enable them to engage with Chinese customers and visitors.
Visit the Confucius Institute's website for more information.
Read more...
30 May 2024 (Institut français)
The Institut français du Royaume-uni (London) invites secondary school teachers to join a free two-part online training workshop on French culture.
During the Cultural Enrichment Workshop for Secondary Teachers you will take part in activities to be used in your classroom to help your pupils deepen their cultural knowledge and vocabulary on various aspects of French culture.
Sessions take place in June/July with limited places available.
Register interest by Friday 14 June.
Read more...
28 May 2024 (DAAD/ILCS)
The deadline for entries to the DAAD/ILCS German Language Competition 2024 has been extended! All levels of German learners in the UK can take part, use their written German skills and have the chance to win some exciting prizes by putting together the front page of a fictional newspaper in the German-speaking world.
More information and submission details can be found on the competition website. Submission deadline: EXTENDED TO 20 JUNE.
Read more...
Master's degree research project - participant recruitment
16 May 2024 (University of Oxford)
My name is Pierre Mézière, and I am currently studying for a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition.
Having been involved in language teaching in the past, I want to understand how each teacher lives with/through the French language.
My dissertation project aims to look how teachers of French perceive themselves and what relationship they maintain with the language, especially how labels such as ‘native speaker’ and ‘non-native speaker’ affect their personal and professional identities but also their teaching practices.
I would really appreciate if you could fill out this short questionnaire (https://forms.office.com/e/dyZCLbxjD2) and consider taking part in a follow-up interview (en français or in English) to explore your lived experiences. It would go a long way if you could also share the questionnaire and the project to any of your contacts that might be interested in participating in the research.
I am more than happy to provide more details and answer your questions if you contact me either directly by private message or by email through this address: pierre.meziere@education.ox.ac.uk
14 May 2024 (UK-German Connection)
UK schools and further education colleges interested in hosting a teacher from Germany in 2024-25 can register now!
Applicants can host a German teacher (in-person or virtually) for one, two or three weeks during the academic year with no costs involved for UK schools.
The programme is open to teachers of all subjects and German does not need to be offered at your school.
Visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more about the programme. You can also register for one of the Q&A webinar sessions coming up on 20 May and 12 June.
Read more...
8 May 2024 (GTCS)
GTC Scotland is the teaching profession’s independent registration and regulation body. We work to maintain and enhance trust in teaching. We are governed by a Council of 37 members; 19 elected registered teachers, 11 educational stakeholder nominees and 7 lay members appointed by an independent Appointments Committee.
We are currently looking to appoint 2 lay members to sit on our Council. In order to be eligible for appointment, applicants must not be, nor have ever been, registered with GTC Scotland and not hold a qualification that would make them eligible for registration with GTC Scotland.
If you have any colleagues or contacts whom you think may be interested in applying, visit the vacancies portal on the GTC Scotland website for more information.
Applications close midnight on Sunday 2 June.
Read more...
7 May 2024 (Scottish Book Trust)
Get ready for Bookbug Says Hello! Bookbug Week takes place from 13–19 May and this year celebrates all the different languages spoken by families across Scotland.
Visit the Bookbug Week website to discover events, activities and resources to help celebrate!
Read more...
7 May 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut is offering teachers and state schools the opportunity to run a songwriting and body music workshop with German artists Celina Bostic and Sarah Lasaki for their 15-18 year old German learners. Participation of students of the global majority would be particularly welcome.
Choice of four dates in June available.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information about the opportunity and how to apply.
Read more...
2 May 2024 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is offering two intensive French courses for summer 2024 which may be of particular interest to teachers or university students.
So if you're looking to refresh your French skills join the three-day classes during the summer! There are classes for the A1/A2 level in June and B1/B2 level in July.
For more information, visit the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
Language courses for pupils at Edinburgh College
2 May 2024 (Edinburgh College)
School pupils who find their chosen language qualification is not offered in their school can study their NQ language course online for free with Edinburgh College.
The college offers National 5 courses in French, German and Spanish as well as Higher and Advanced Higher French, German, Italian and Spanish.
See the attached flyer for details.
Master's degree research project - participant recruitment
2 May 2024 (Pierre Meziere)
Calling secondary teachers of French! Your input would be appreciated in a research study being conducted for a Master’s dissertation in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Oxford.
The project aims to study how teachers of French perceive themselves and what relationship they maintain with the language, especially how labels such as ‘native speaker’ and ‘non-native speaker’ affect their personal and professional identities but also their teaching practices.
This project is going to take place over two periods: an initial questionnaire followed by a round of interviews in French on a voluntary basis.
The only requirements are:
- to be a teacher of French and
- to have experience in the UK (at secondary level preferably)
Link to the initial questionnaire.
Contact pierre.meziere@education.ox.ac.uk if you have any further questions.
1 May 2024 (Japan Foundation)
Funding is available for promoting Japanese language education in the UK. Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education, such as introducing Japanese into the curriculum, creating a Japanese club, supporting formal qualifications or other projects.
Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information or join one of the Q&A sessions on 8 May. Submit applications by 23 May 2024.
Read more...
25 April 2024 (Parliament TV)
Hear Baroness Coussins in the House of Lords highlight the importance of educational trips and exchanges and why we need to invest in language learning and international mobility.
Read more...
25 April 2024 (OU)
The Young Applicants in Schools Scheme (YASS) run by the Open University is now accepting applications for 2024-25.
The scheme is fully-funded by the Scottish Funding Council and enables S6 pupils to study first year university-level courses alongside school studies, enhancing skills and UCAS/college applications.
A range of subjects are offered, including French, German, Spanish and Exploring Languages & Cultures.
Whilst registration for the scheme closes on 2 September, students are encouraged to apply before the summer holidays to ensure they are able to register onto their chosen course.
Visit the YASS website for more information.
Read more...
23 April 2024 (Stephen Spender Trust)
The Stephen Spender Prize is the leading annual prize for poetry in translation, with categories for pupils, teachers and individual young people in the UK and Ireland, as well as an Open category for adults from all over the world. The rules are simple: translate into English any poem from any language – from French to Farsi, from Spanish to Somali – and win publication and cash prizes! There's also a Spotlight Prize category which this year celebrates the Portuguese language.
The 2024 prize opens on 1 May, but teachers can register to involve their students now. Visit the Stephen Spender Prize website for more information.
Read more...
22 April 2024 (SecEd)
We cannot imagine how difficult it must be for child refugees arriving in the UK from war-torn countries. Creating an environment in school where these vulnerable young people feel welcomed and comfortable requires strategic planning and a commitment to inclusivity. Beatrice Twumasi advises.
It is a cold October morning and I am greeted by a pastoral manager and two siblings who have recently arrived in the UK from Ghana. It is their first official day at our school.
I greet them with “ɛte sɛn”, which means “how are you” in their language Twi. Their faces beamed and replied with “ɛyɛ” (meaning fine).
It took me back to when I arrived in the UK in primary school surrounded by the newness of everything. From the little things like new food and smells to the big things like seeing snow for the first time.
In the case of these siblings they could speak English, so they were able to adapt quickly. But as we know, this can be difficult when students do not speak English, arriving as refugees from war-torn countries.
As a school leader and recent lead for English as an additional language (EAL), I would like to share a few tips that have helped me on this journey so far to create an environment where children who are refugees or arriving from another country feel welcomed and comfortable.
Read more...
22 April 2024 (French Ministry of Education / British Council)
Developed in partnership with the French Ministry of Education and Youth, the Franco-British version of British Council's Schools Connect programme provides teachers with classroom resources and useful information designed to enrich international teaching and learning.
Working with a wide range of schools across France through projects, events, courses and workshops, the British Council brings the best of UK expertise and innovation in school education and facilitates mutually beneficial relationships between school systems and professionals in France and the UK.
Visit the Schools Connect France website for more information and guidance on establishing a school partnership.
Read more...
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.
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.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
16 April 2024 (RZSS)
RZSS Science in the Language Class has three new FREE language linked outreach sessions aimed at upper primary level and available for August 2024 but as places can fill up fast early booking is recommended.
French: A one hour outreach session linked to RZSS work in the French Polynesia Islands with the Partula snail. We don't just work with the big charismatic animals. We can't forget the importance to the ecosystem of the wee beasties. Learn more about the conservation work with activities linked to French.
Gaelic: A one hour outreach session linked to RZSS work in Scotland with the Scottish wildcat. RZSS Highland Wildlife Park has a special centre which is breeding the Scottish wildcat for release to the wild. The first release was in 2023. Learn more about the Scottish wildcat with activities linked to Gaelic.
Spanish: This can be a one hour outreach session or there is the option for a short 2 week course, where in the first week there is a 45 minute live virtual introductory session, followed by a one hour in-person outreach. The session(s) are linked to the RZSS work in South America with the giant armadillo, the giant anteater and the two-toed sloth. Although they seem very different animals, they all belong to a group called Xenarthra which means strange joints! Learn more about this work with activities linked to Spanish.
All are available throughout Scotland including the Islands. However, if further afield (ie not in the Central Belt) then we do need a cluster of schools booking together to come for a few days or a week. Or possibly one school booking a number of sessions over a few days. Sessions are aimed at P4-P7. Maximum number per session is 33. Contact Sandie Robb - srobb@rzss.org.uk for further details and to discuss options. Also see the Science in the Language Class website.
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16 April 2024 (b small publishing)
The b small Young Language Learner Award invites children aged 6-11 to send in a story or comic written in a language of their choice, other than a mother tongue, with the chance of winning up to 10 books of their choice from the b small publishing website. The theme to write about this year is 'Team Spirit.'
Visit the b small website for more information and to register to receive the free entry pack.
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11 April 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Gimagine Award for young learners (aged 14-18) is finally here! Become one of the first classgroups to enrol in this new online programme to engage your students through fun German videos and bite-sized exercises. Enter your classgroup in the First Finisher’s Competition for a chance to win an invitation to the Sommerfest der deutschen Sprachen on 1 July, hosted by the German Embassy in London! Travel costs will be covered. Submission deadline is 9 June 2024. Please note only state schools are eligible for participation.
Visit the Goethe-Institut Gimagine Award website for more information.
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9 April 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
We are keen to expand our GEM (German Expert Mentors) programme and would like to offer teachers across the UK the opportunity to offer school-to-school support via coaching and training. We are currently looking for German teachers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland who would like to work for us as professional development trainers for German teachers. On behalf of the Goethe-Institut they will be offering coaching and training courses for German teachers across the UK.
Along with several years of experience in teaching German as a foreign language at a primary or secondary school, applicants must have the support and approval of their headteacher confirming that the school supports their participation in the programme.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for full details and to apply. Deadline extended to 7 May 2024.
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28 March 2024 (DAAD/ILCS)
The DAAD/ILCS German Language Competition 2024 is now live! All levels of German learners are invited to take part, use their written German skills and have the chance to win some exciting prizes.
GLC 2024:
This year, the competition takes newspapers as its theme. Entrants are asked to put together the front page of a fictional newspaper in the German-speaking world. The catch: they are writing the final edition of 2024 and must select the most important stories of a year that has not yet finished.
Who knows what the year might bring? How is our understanding of events influenced by the way they are reported? By writing two or three short articles from different categories, participants have complete freedom to imagine how the year might unfold and bring their unique voice and perspective to the reporting. It allows entrants to explore the world of news and German-language media and play with different writing styles.
All winners will be invited to a journalism workshop and prize ceremony in London, with an overnight stay for those coming from outside of London! This will take place in October 2024.
Teaching materials:
We would especially like to draw your attention to the teaching and learning material which we have prepared to accompany the competition this year. A workbook can be found on our website with exercises on topics related to journalism for students at all levels, and which can be used both for classwork and individually. There is also a separate document which compiles background information on the press in Germany, a useful newspaper glossary, German media resources for learners to explore and further teaching materials designed by German organisations explicitly for use in schools!
How to enter:
You can find all information about the competition including the brief, instructions on how to take part and the teaching and learning material on the DAAD/ILCS German Language Competition 2024 website.
The closing date for entries to the competition is 6 June 2024.
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27 March 2024 (Scottish Book Trust)
According to the 2011 census, 1.5 million people in Scotland identified as Scots speakers, with a further 267,000 reporting that they could understand the language. After English, Scots was the most widely spoken and understood language across Scotland. UK-wide, more people self-reported as speaking Scots than either Gaelic (57,000) or Welsh (562,000), making Scots the UK’s most widely spoken minority language.
Despite this, there is often misunderstanding about the status of Scots as a language.
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15 August 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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21 March 2024 (Consejería de Educación)
Do you have a student currently enrolled in A-level / Advanced Higher Spanish with a brilliant academic record? You can nominate them for the 11th call for “Best Spanish Student Award in the United Kingdom" in collaboration with Junta de Castilla y León. The prize consists of a 3-day stay in Spain for two people.
Deadline for nominations: 5 May 2024.
Visit the Spanish Embassy Education Office website for more information.
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18 March 2024 (UK-German Connection)
Share your thoughts on UK-German school partnerships - whether you already have a long-standing partnership, have just started out, or would like to establish a link, UK-German Connection would like to hear your views. We are currently reviewing our opportunities and services that we provide to schools and teachers to determine how we can best support you and your UK-German school partnerships.
The survey closes on 17 April 2024. Your suggestions will be anonymised and will help us tailor and develop our future offers and support services.
In the survey, you will also have the opportunity to register your interest in a partner-finder seminar with teachers from Germany, expected to take place in Autumn 2024.
Thank you for your participation!
Read more...
Lingobox Learning Easter activities
14 March 2024 (Lingobox Learning)
Our French Easter Activities blog is now live on the Lingobox Learning website!
The blog is full of great ideas for developing French with your classes in the run up to Easter! You’ll also find our French Easter Bells Story, How to make an Easter Card and How to draw an Easter Egg (all French) on our Youtube channel.
Easter Competition!
To win a 1-year subscription to LingoboxLearning.com, simply:
- Try any Easter activity inspired by our suggestions or using our resources
- Share a post about it on any social media - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Threads!
- Follow Lingobox and mention them in your post @LingoboxLearning (Insta/FB/Threads) @lingbox (Twitter)
- Post as many times as you like for multiple entries!
Virtual exchange survey
14 March 2024 (PALINGUI Project)
Calling all pre-school and primary teachers!
We are conducting a study as part of the ERASMUS+ project INVITED, which focuses on integrating virtual exchange projects into language teacher education. Our partnership includes Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg and the Universities of Murcia, Strathclyde, Ljubljana, and Warsaw.
We are interested in understanding in-service teachers’ attitudes, experiences, perceived competence, problems, and needs related to virtual exchange. To gather this information, we have created a questionnaire. The goal is to use the data to develop a teacher education module and professional development course.
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. The gathered information will be used exclusively for the project and will remain strictly anonymous. No personal data will be collected. You have the right to withdraw from the research at any point without providing justification. The questionnaire should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
Any queries should be directed to Ingeborg Birnie, UK Coordinator of PALINGUI - Making Language Learning Pathways visible in children age 3-12, based at the University of Strathclyde.
Complete the survey
Gaelic L3 Team Teaching Live Lessons for schools - 6 week block suitable for P5-7
12 March 2024 (Highland Council)
Ideal for schools who would like to introduce Gaelic as an L3 or deliver Gaelic as a short term standalone language. Also provides support for teachers who are new to teaching Gaelic as L3 or would like to refresh their skills in the language.
The aim is to motivate pupils and empower teachers to deliver 1+2 languages entitlement by delivering fun, engaging live online language lessons through a unique team-teaching model facilitated by myself. During these lessons, teachers learn alongside their pupils in real time and lead the learning in their own class. This approach also develops teacher confidence to consolidate the language learning with their pupils during their own class time. This model of delivery provides on the job professional learning to alleviate workload pressures and helps teachers make the time for languages in a crowded curriculum.
The lesson structure alternates between short bursts of direct teaching from the online teacher, followed by the class teachers leading their own class in a game. This format allows the learning to remain active and therefore learners are fully engaged.
Each lesson lasts approximately 40 minutes and will take place via GLOW Teams. All resources will be available to download in advance of the session and will be stored in the GLOW Team. The sessions will run on the following dates, all take place 2.00-2.40pm:
- Wednesday 17 April
- Wednesday 24 April
- Wednesday 1 May
- Wednesday 8 May
- Wednesday 15 May
- Wednesday 22 May
We will cover the basic topics such as Numbers, Introductions & Greetings, Family, Weather etc throughout the course of the programme.
If you would like to enrol your class, please fill in this Google form
For further information about this Team Teaching model you can read the case study of the recent national pilot (document also attached)
If you have any further questions about the programme, please contact Ruairidh Mackay - ruairidh.mackay@highland.gov.uk
12 March 2024 (British Council)
Crickhowell pupils have taken part in a pioneering new video in a bid to increase international language learning in schools across Wales.
Directed and produced by the British Council, the video demonstrates how teachers can use Artificial Intelligence to motivate students by showing them how they would look and sound speaking other languages.
The project was inspired by new research which found teachers around the world have been using AI tools to improve speaking, writing, and reading skills in English.
Read more...
12 March 2024 (Signature)
Sign Language Week will be running from 18 to 24 March 2024 and is run on an annual basis by the British Deaf Association (BDA). It is celebrated each year in March to coincide with the anniversary of the recognition of BSL by the British Government in 2003.
The theme for Sign Language Week 2024 is: “Promoting BSL”.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage people of all ages across the UK to take up the challenge of learning BSL for themselves and finding out more about the language and culture of the Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing British people for whom BSL is their first or preferred language.
In partnership with the British Deaf Association (BDA), we will be hosting the UK’s largest British Sign Language (BSL) lesson online with primary schools across the UK on 20 March.
Visit the Signature website for more information and to download a range of free BSL resources.
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12 March 2024 (Poetry Society)
The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is one of the biggest and most prestigious poetry competitions for 11-17 year olds in the world. Every year, 15 top winners and 85 commended poets are chosen; together, they represent some of the most exciting new voices writing today.
This year’s judges are the fantastic Vanessa Kisuule and Jack Underwood, and they can’t wait to read your poems! If you’re aged 11-17, send in your poems for the chance to be among the 100 winners and kick-start your writing career.
Teachers, librarians and youth workers are encouraged to enter class sets of students’ poems using the teacher submission portal.
Poems must be written in English, but you can include phrases in your mother tongue or another language.
Entry deadline is 31 July 2024.
Visit the website for more information.
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8 March 2024 (CIOL)
The Linguist is the professional journal of the Chartered Institute of Linguists. The latest issue is available for download.
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7 March 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
Designed for teachers of German, this online training series will explore effective and motivating methods to promote your students' speaking skills.
Through the two online sessions you will expand your repertoire to support your learners in developing their language skills in German.
The sessions are:
- Reducing the teacher's speaking time - 15 April
- Promote interaction and communication through engaging speaking activities - 14 May
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and to register for the events.
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7 March 2024 (Alliance Française)
Are you currently teaching French in a Secondary School and looking for a way to keep your French up to date? Join the Alliance Française Glasgow for our classes dedicated to French Teachers!
This class will enable you to converse in French, discuss the latest trends and topics in French society, review grammar, and connect with other teachers from Scottish schools.
The classes take place online from 6:00pm to 8:00pm with opportunities to meet in person.
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information and to enrol for the September semester.
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5 March 2024 (eSgoil)
Registration for eSgoil's Easter Study Support 2024 is now open!
Easter Study Support is for Senior Phase learners who are working towards National Qualifications. This year there are seventy-four different webinar Teams, covering a wide range of subjects and levels.
Live, interactive and free, the sessions will support learners towards final exams.
Visit eSgoil's website for the full timetable and to register for the webinars.
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5 March 2024 (University of Strathclyde)
A reminder that the University of Strathclyde is currently inviting applications for the latest three-year cycle of the GTCS-approved Certificate of Continuing Education (CCEd) in Italian, due to commence in September 2024.
Details on the course can be found on the CCEd in Italian webpage and applications can be submitted via the online portal.
Any questions/informal enquiries should be addressed to paul.hare@strath.ac.uk.
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1 March 2024 (Institut français)
March is the month of la Francophonie celebrating the French language and diverse Francophone cultures worldwide.
In the UK the "Grand Quiz de la Francophonie” is back with a special focus on Canada.
Register to receive the quiz on 16 March and try to win exciting prizes!
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Online workshops for teachers and Spanish courses for students under 18 in Salamanca
1 March 2024 (Consejería de Educación)
Online workshop
The next in the series of online workshops being run by Consejería de Educación during February and March 2024 takes place 12 March. Follow the link below for more information and to register:
- Upcoming workshop, Tuesday 12 March 2024 (16:30-17:30): « La gramática española a través del verso y la poesía», organised alongside Andalucia TRADE and with the collaboration of Maravillas Programas Internacionales.
More information and free registration (before 10 March).
Spanish courses for students under 18 in Salamanca
Cursos Internacionales (University of Salamanca) is offering a programme in Spanish aimed at students under 18.
The programme (ranging from 1 to 2 weeks in length) includes lessons and full board accommodation in a residence, health insurance for the duration of the program, afternoon activities and transfer to and from the airport.
For further information see the attached brochure or email internat@usal.es
29 February 2024 (Institut français)
The DELF (Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française) and the DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) are official diplomas awarded by the French Ministry for Education certifying competency in French for foreign candidates. These language diplomas are useful for the job market as well as for university or international mobility and focus on real life situations and communicative skills.
The Institut français d’Ecosse based in Edinburgh is a leading official examination centre for a wide range of French language proficiency diplomas and certificates for all ages and is accredited by France Éducation International (FEI), the official board that awards DELF/DALF qualifications. We can also provide training for your teachers so they too can become accredited DELF examiners. This can prove interesting for teachers of French as a foreign language, encouraging them to discover and use the action-based approach in class to further stimulate the students
The next sessions for the DELF/DALF will take place in June 2024.
Deadline to enrol: 7 May.
More information about the DELF/DALF qualifications is available on the Institut francais website.
The exam can also be taken in Glasgow at the Alliance Française.
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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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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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Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
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Translation,
News from language & education organisations
20 February 2024 (UK-German Connection)
The Professional Enrichment Programme offers qualified UK teachers a funded opportunity to visit a German school for 1-2 weeks during the 2023-24 school year to develop skills and knowledge through intercultural exchange.
The programme is open to teachers of all disciplines and you don’t need to have an existing link with Germany to take part. Teachers can either visit their partner school or be matched with a German host school.
Application deadline: 1 March 2024
A Q&A webinar is being held on Tuesday 27 February at 4.30pm to answer your questions and provide guidance.
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News from language & education organisations
20 February 2024 (Institut français)
The French Pop Video Competition is a national competition organised by Francophonie UK supported by TV5Monde for all primary and secondary students of French in the UK.
Students get to engage with French in a creative and fun way, improving writing skills and vocabulary by creating their own lyrics and practising speaking skills by performing and recording their song/rap.
Visit the Institut français website to learn more and register to take part in the competition by 10 March 2024. The deadline for entries is 1 May 2024.
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16 February 2024 (Global Heritage Language Think Tank)
Launching on UNESCO's International Mother Language Day, 21 February 2024, the newly established Global Heritage Language Think Tank gives recommendations for how to achieve more sustainable heritage language teaching worldwide. The call outlines concrete actions that can be taken by students, caregivers, mainstream teachers and principals, heritage language teachers, libraries, non-profit initiatives, universities, journalists, local businesses, and government officials.
Visit the website to learn more about the call to action and how you can get involved.
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15 February 2024 (Seachdain na Gàidhlig)
Seachdain na Gàidhlig / World Gaelic Week takes place from 19 to 25 February 2024. There are lots of ways to get involved and celebrate the theme of ‘Your Language. Your Opportunity’.
Why not run your own event as part of Seachdain na Gàidhlig? Resources are available for individuals and organisations to deliver events in their own communities.
Visit the Seachdain na Gàidhlig website for more information and see what's happening in your area.
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13 February 2024 (IberoDocs)
IberoDocs will return to Edinburgh and Glasgow for its tenth edition, 21 February - 2 March 2024.
The festival offers a carefully selected programme of the latest and most relevant documentaries from Spain, Portugal and Latin America, plus a string of events designed to connect communities in celebration of rich cultures.
IberoDocs X features six feature-length documentaries from Argentina, Brazil, Cape Verde, Panama, Portugal, and Spain, and two short films made by Scotland-based filmmakers. The screenings will represent the Scottish premiere of all films (except I Miss Hugs), including two UK premieres (One Day Lobo Lopez; For Your Peace, Build Your Own Museum) and one international premiere (Infinities).
The festival will feature several in-person and Zoom Q&As with international filmmakers. Each feature film will screen once in each city.
See the attached pdf for more information or visit the website to access the full digital brochure.
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13 February 2024 (Bilingualism Matters / SCILT)
Bilingualism Matters and SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages are offering a series of free, online professional learning workshops for teachers in complementary and heritage language schools, based in the UK and beyond. The remaining workshops in the series are:
February workshop - The Language Learning Buzz: Strategies to engage and motivate learners, both online and in the classroom. This session is run by Karen Faulds and Suzanne Ritchie from SCILT.
March workshop - The Supportive Classroom: Strategies to support learning and encourage positive mindsets within a group of mixed ability learners. This session is run by Karen Faulds and Suzanne Ritchie from SCILT.
See the attached flyer for more information. You can book a place at these workshops via the Bilingualism Matters website.
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12 February 2024 (SQA)
The SQA has recently published Common Questions documentation for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher on their Modern Languages webpage.
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German Pupil Courses 2024
9 February 2024 (UK-German Connection)
Applications for UK-German Connection's summer courses for German learners and CPD opportunities for teachers are now open. Encourage your pupils to apply for this unique chance to spend two weeks in Germany, bringing language learning to life!
German Pupil Courses
- Two-week partly-funded course in July or August for pupils in Year 10 & 12 (England, Wales) / Year 11 & 13 (Northern Ireland) / S3 & S5 (Scotland).
- Open to enthusiastic and committed students who have been learning German for at least two years and have an interest in experiencing the culture first-hand through excursions, lessons, and staying with a host family.
- Apply by 1 March 2024
“The opportunity to have German language and cultural lessons at a school, therefore experiencing the school day, and generally connecting with others in the group - as well as host siblings - was invaluable”
(2023 Participant)
CPD opportunity for teachers
- Paid roles available for qualified secondary UK teachers to act as group leaders on the German Pupil Courses in July or August and accompany a group of pupils to Germany.
- Immerse yourself in school and cultural life in Germany whilst leading language lessons and workshops in an authentic environment and gaining invaluable leadership skills.
- Deadline: 1 March 2024
“I am so very grateful to have had the faith shown in me to be a Group Leader. I absolutely loved working with the participants and all the German teachers; there was just such a feel-good atmosphere to the whole experience.”
(2023 Group Leader)
Upcoming Q&A webinars
We’re hosting Q&A webinars for pupils, parents, and teachers throughout the application period to offer guidance and answer your questions. Upcoming dates:
- Thursday, 22 February
- Monday, 26 February
- Wednesday, 28 February
Should you require further information, please don’t hesitate to send us an email at pupilprogrammes@ukgermanconnection.org
Posted in:
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Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
Goethe-Institut competitions for schools
8 February 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut offers a range of opportunities for schools. The following competitions are currently running:
- Internationale Deutscholympiade (IDO) - the deadline for applications to the Internationale Deutscholympiade 2024 has been extended. Until 18 February 2024, students aged 14-17 can take part in the virtual national preliminaries. There's also an opportunity to become an accompanying teacher for the two UK finalists who take part in the IDO in Göttingen in July.
- Sustainable Cooking & German Competition with FitGreenMind - open to UK primary and secondary classes. Submission deadline 29 February 2024.
- Enterprise German competition (“Unternehmen Deutsch”) - this project combines aspects of German, economics, and professional orientation with a motivating competition. School classes from secondary schools in the UK and university students can register by 15 March 2024.
8 February 2024 (Glasgow Film Festival)
Taking place from 28 February to 10 March 2024, the Glasgow Film Festival offers a wide range of screenings, including films in different languages.
Visit the GFF website for full programme details.
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1 February 2024 (British Council)
Join us during February for our festival of language when your students can show off their language skills. This can be a language they are learning at school or one they speak in their community. It’s about sharing a love of language and celebrating the diversity of people in the UK who speak a language other than English.
It's easy to take part! Visit the British Council website for more information.
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French online ‘Live Lessons’ for primary
1 February 2024 (Argyll & Bute Council)
Gwen McCrossan, PT for 1+2 languages for Argyll & Bute Council, is offering a 5-week block of French online ‘Live Lessons’ for primary learners.
Lessons commence Wednesday 28 February and will last 40 minutes from 1.30 to 2.10 pm. These lessons are aimed at P4 learners upwards. The lessons can be used as consolidation of L2 French or as an introduction to French as an L3. The content can be accessed with no prior knowledge of French but the lessons are reasonably fast paced and include team games, which is why they are not suitable for younger learners.
These lessons have a team teaching element as the games are led by the class teacher in their own classroom. The learning is chunked throughout the lesson between learning online from the expert to consolidating the new learning through playing a game in the class. This keeps the learning active but the teachers feel well supported. All the resources used during the lessons have sound files embedded to support learners and teachers with the pronunciation of key language. Each lesson contains an element of French phonics which practitioners have found to be very beneficial to develop confidence in pronunciation. Suggested follow-up resources and activities are also provided to allow the class teacher to consolidate the learning during the week.
As multiple classes will be attending these lessons, differentiation is not possible. Therefore, it is important that you decide whether the content of the lessons is suitable for your learners. For example, the content may be ideal for a P5 class which needs to revise and consolidate some simple French language. However, it wouldn’t suit a P7 class which had made steady progression in French from P1 onwards.
Content:
(each lesson will have a phonics element embedded)
Lesson 1- Numbers to 16, Greetings & Feelings
Lesson 2- Numbers to 20, Days & Weather
Lesson 3- Numbers to 31, Months & Birthdays, Colours
Lesson 4- Numbers to 31, Family
Lesson 5- Pets & description (Colour, size)
Please complete this form if you would like to sign up for these lessons.
If you would like to learn more about this team teaching model please read this case study which describes last year’s national pilot of this initiative.
UK-German Connection initiatives
30 January 2024 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection offers a range of opportunities for UK-German school partnerships. The following initiatives are currently available. Follow the title link for more information:
German Pupil Courses – Applications open
Applications for the German Pupil Courses this summer are now open. These 2-week immersive courses offers UK pupils the opportunity to experience Germany and its culture, language and lifestyle first-hand through spending time with host families and undertaking cultural activities.
Pupils in S3 or S5 who are learning German and are enthusiastic to gain an insight into life in Germany and practise their language skills are encouraged to apply.
Applications are open until 1 March 2024
CPD Opportunity – German Pupil Course Group Leaders
Paid roles are available for secondary teachers to act as group leaders on the summer German Pupil Courses, accompanying a group of 12 pupils to Germany and spend two weeks immersed in the daily life, German language, and culture.
Applications are open until 1 March 2024
Applications for Professional Enrichment Programme are now open
The Professional Enrichment Programme offers qualified UK teachers a funded opportunity to visit a German school for 1-2 weeks during the 2023-24 school year to develop skills and knowledge through intercultural exchange.
The programme is open to teachers of all disciplines and you don’t need to have an existing link with Germany to take part. Teachers can either visit their partner school or be matched with a German host school.
Application deadline: 1 March 2024
On Thursday, 1 February and Tuesday, 27 February at 4.30pm we are hosting a Q&A webinar to answer your questions and provide guidance.
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
German,
CPD,
Funding,
Immersion,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Partnership Working,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
30 January 2024 (British Council)
English in the multilingual classroom is a self-study training course, which is divided into three hour modules. The course will introduce you to multilingualism and what it means. Enrol now to learn how to make your classroom and teaching multilingual so that your learners can learn to celebrate and use many languages in the real world. Access this free course from 6 February 2024.
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Free French and Spanish trials
29 January 2024 (La Jolie Ronde)
To support Languages Week Scotland 2024, La Jolie Ronde are offering Scottish schools now and throughout February, FREE trials of their French and Spanish Scheme of Work for P3-P6. To take up this offer email: schools@lajolieronde.co.uk (quote SCILT). Plus, parents can book a FREE trial session of a French and/or Spanish class that run through their network of Scottish tutors - your local tutor can be found on the La Jolie Ronde website (for new pupils only).
25 January 2024 (The Languages Gateway)
The Languages Gateway is the UK’s new portal for languages. It's a portal for, and on behalf of, everyone engaged in the sector; a collaborative venture through which we can facilitate access to information, and communicate a clear narrative to prospective and future linguists. The Gateway is designed to support all those interested in languages: learners, families, community groups, teachers, school leaders, academics, policymakers, subject associations.
The attached briefing note document provides more detail around the site's creation, mission and vision.
Visit the Languages Gateway for opportunities, resources and information about languages and how they link to an understanding and appreciation of cultures and societies.
Read more...
NEW! Multilingual Approaches through Art activity pack
25 January 2024 (MtA Project Partners)
We are excited to announce that the new Multilingual Approaches through Art (MtA) activity pack is now published!!
Funded by the Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Fund and created by those involved in the MtA project, this free activity pack contains a series of 10 activities which aim to inspire teachers and language educators to use art-based approaches in their teaching of languages. These activities use art as a content, medium and method for young people to explore who they are, how they can communicate multilingually, and how they build positive attitudes towards languages and language learning. The MtA activity pack aligns with the Curriculum for Excellence and Es and Os for each activity are referenced throughout.
We have a limited number of printed copies available* and there is also a downloadable digital version too. If you would like to receive a printed copy, please complete the form below.
To order a printed copy (*while stocks last), please complete this MS form.
Or access a digital version of the MtA activity pack.
Thank you!
Upcoming training opportunities for teachers of Spanish
25 January 2024 (Consejería de Educación)
The Consejería de Educación offers a range of professional learning opportunities for UK teachers of Spanish. Follow the relevant link below to find out more about each upcoming event and to register:
- 'Artifical intelligences and tasks for the ELE classroom', Tuesday 6 February
This is the first in a series of online workshops for Spanish teachers from February to March 2024. Register for the free workshop by 4 February.
- Grants for an immersion course in Spain (Ávila, Segovia and Santander)
14 one-week immersion courses in July or August 2024 in Ávila, Segovia or Santander aimed at British/Irish teachers of Spanish.
The grant covers the course, accommodation and meals, as well as the cultural programme. The grant does not cover the journey to Spain or the return to the UK. Travel and/or health insurance is also not included.
This call is not for Spanish nationals. Application period will be announced from March.
- Immersion course in Santiago de Compostela (Spain), April 2024
Registration is now open for the Spanih teacher training course "Curso de actualización para el profesorado de ELE: lengua, cultura y didáctica" organised by the University of Santiago de Compostela.
Dates: 8 - 12 April 2024
Number of hours: 20 (face-to face)
Contents:
- Nuevas tecnologías en el aula de ELE
- Dinámicas de proyecto, actividades cooperativas y pedagogías innovadoras
- Lengua y cultura española( literatura, cine y música)
- El Camino de Santiago en el aula el ELE
- Actividades culturales incluidas en el curso:
- Visita guiada a la ciudad monumental
- Visita guiada al Patrimonio Histórico artístico de la Universidad
- More information about registration, prices and accomodation: gene.gonzalez@usc.es
25 January 2024 (Scottish Book Trust)
Scottish Book Trust are gathering information on the types of Scots activities undertaken in classrooms across Scotland, as well as teacher views of the benefits of and barriers towards teaching Scots in classrooms today.
We would be grateful if you could help us by offering your insights into the Scots Language in the Classroom by completing our short survey, which should take about 15 minutes to complete. The survey is open until 5 February 2024.
Read more...
Taster sessions in Japanese for senior phase students
25 January 2024 (University of Glasgow)
The School of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Glasgow are looking for schools which would be interested in our taster sessions in Japanese; we can deliver them on their own premises on Fridays in February 2024 (exact dates TBC). Our tutors will deliver one-hour sessions focusing on some basic aspects of the language and on cultural elements such as, for instance, traditional food, manga and anime. Some information about options in terms of learning Japanese at the University of Glasgow will also be provided. Please contact: Emanuela.Ponti@glasgow.ac.uk
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...
22 January 2024 (SQA)
The SQA has added Word versions of the Coursework portfolio writing booklet. These can be found in the Coursework dropdown menu of the Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage.
Read more...
18 January 2024 (Alliance Française)
Are you currently teaching French in a Secondary School in Scotland and looking for a way to keep your French up to date? The Alliance Française is running a new course commencing 19 February through to June 2024.
'French for Teachers' will enable you to converse in French, discuss the latest trends and topics in French society, review grammar, and connect with other teachers from Scottish schools. Classes will mainly be online, with two dates in-person at the Alliance Française in Glasgow.
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information and to register for the course.
Read more...
Goethe-Institut opportunities for schools
16 January 2024 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut has a range of initiatives to support the teaching and learning of German in UK schools. The following opportunities are currently available. Follow the appropriate link for more information:
- Getvico 24 - Call for papers - the virtual German teacher conference that takes you around the world in 24 hours is seeking contributions from those who would like to share their ideas and findings from teaching practice. Abstracts accepted until 15 March 2024.
- Sustainable Cooking Competition in German - open to UK primary and secondary schools with entries accepted from classes, smaller groups or individuals. The challenge is to find a recipe you like and make it vegan, recording a video of your cooking journey. Submit by 29 February 2024.
- Dossier: nachhaltige Infrastruktur - if you're interested in teaching sustainable development in industry, innovation, and infrastructure in your classroom this dossier can help prepare you by providing background information, teaching materials for your German classroom and a competition for your students. Enterprise German challenges secondary students to develop a sustainable and innovative product or service.
Upcoming UK-German opportunities
16 January 2024 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection offers a range of opportunities to foster partnerships between schools in the UK and Germany. Follow the relevant links below to learn more about their upcoming initiatives:
For teachers
- Professional Enrichment Programme - funded opportunity for qualified UK teachers to visit a German school for one or two weeks during the summer term of 2023-24. Apply by 1 March 2024. You can also find out more at the Q&A webinar on 1 February.
For students
- German pupil courses - open to Year 10 and 12 pupils (and equivalent years in Scotland and Northern Ireland) offering pupils the chance to spend two immersive weeks in Germany experiencing the culture and language. Applications open 24 January and close on 1 March 2024. Teachers of German can also experience the immersion and excitement by applying to be a Group Leader and accompany a group of motivated young people and surround yourself with natives to sharpen your language skills.
- Café Connect for Schools and Youth Groups - adapted from our classic ‘Café Connect‘, for individual young people, we are now offering this virtual exchange café to partner schools and youth groups as a chance to meet up online in a friendly atmosphere and take part in fun, interactive activities, and group discussions on current topics.
- Still & Sparkling Youth Newsletter - share this opportunity with creative individuals aged 14+ who would like to contribute to our youth newsletter. Successful submissions will be published in our next edition and featured on our social media channels. Deadline: 9 February 2024.
Funding
- Grants for joint activities - grants are available for schools and youth groups with a partner in Germany for planning visits and group exchange trips. Applications can be submitted at any time provided they reach us at least six weeks before the start of the trip or project. Sign up for Q&A webinars on funding strands on the webpage.
If you have any further questions about the range of opportunities available, email the team at partnerships@ukgermanconnection.org
Posted in:
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News from language & education organisations
16 January 2024 (British Council)
Practise and celebrate a language your students are learning or use in their community, and take part in a virtual festival of speaking!
Join us during February for our festival of language when your students can show off their language skills. This can be a language they are learning at school or one they speak in their community. It’s about sharing a love of language and celebrating the diversity of people in the UK who speak a language other than English.
It's easy to take part! Visit the British Council website for more information.
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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...
Jacqueline Munro-Lafon French Essay Prize 2024
16 January 2024 (Franco-Scottish Society / Alliance Française)
The Jacqueline Munro-Lafon Essay prize, established to commemorate and celebrate the life of a long-time member of the Franco-Scottish Society, is for students of Advanced Higher French in all schools and colleges across Scotland. This competition, run by the Franco-Scottish Society and the Alliance Française in Glasgow, aligns with the writing outcomes of the AH French course. Please note that this competition is not open to native French speakers nor those with a French heritage.
The essay, written in French, should be no longer than 500 words in length and can be discursive or narrative in style. Three prizes will be offered, and the winner of the first prize will also receive a trophy.
Schools and colleges have until 29 January 2024 to register interest for their students via the Alliance Française website when the essay task for the year will also be distributed to those registered.
Further information about the background to the competition, including judging guidelines and past essay questions, can be found on the SCILT website.
16 January 2024 (Global Seal of Biliteracy)
Global Seal of Biliteracy invites language educators to join its third cohort of the Global Classroom Pair-Share.
Global Classroom Pair-Share is a new, innovative way to connect classrooms around the globe with a shared focus on learning language and discovering new places and cultures. If you’re interested in growing your students’ language skills while growing global connections, you are the perfect candidate to participate. Global Classroom Pair-Share provides teachers with FREE professional development, opportunities to collaborate with other language teachers from around the world and participate in multiple real-time and asynchronous classroom interactions.
Teachers can match with another global classroom for three months with an expectation of one shared collaborative project per month. At the end of the three months, teacher participants can receive three free student tests to qualify for a Global Seal of Biliteracy. Signing up for the programme includes free professional development on second language acquisition and lesson design.
This programme starts in February and is open to language classrooms in mainstream and heritage schools.
Visit the Global Seal of Biliteracy website for more information and to register by 22 January.
Read more...
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...
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French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
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Translation,
News from language & education organisations
9 January 2024 (Japan Foundation)
The UK’s largest festival of Japanese cinema, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP24), returns with its biggest showcase ever, running from 2 February to 31 March across 30 UK cities!
Based on a theme of memories, there are 24 films to choose from with diverse genres such as human drama, horror, LGBTQ films, comedy, and sci-fi, providing a cinematic treat for everyone!
Visit the Japan Foundation website for full programme details.
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9 January 2024 (UK-German Connection)
Exclusive opportunity for young people aged 14-19 to go on a live-streamed virtual trip and explore the impacts of overconsumption on communities around the world.
Your pupils are invited to discover more first-hand and visit the countries and sites affected by overconsumption and interacting with experts joining directly from second-hand clothes markets and landfills. In collaboration with Globe from Home, Journey to Change aims to raise awareness of sustainable practice beyond the classroom and facilitate intercultural dialogue between young people from the UK and Germany to come up with solutions for a sustainable future together. This is not to be missed!
There are two free upcoming virtual trips for pupils to take part in. Both are open to pupils with or without German language knowledge:
Re-thinking fashion (industry)
Friday, 19 January 2024 1.45-3.15pm (online – Zoom) – with short warm-up session the evening before
Food and food waste
Friday, 26 January 2024 1.45-3.15pm (online – Zoom) – with short warm-up session the evening before
Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and to register. If you have any questions about the event you can also contact us at youthseminar@ukgermanconnection.org.
Read more...
9 January 2024 (UKLO)
UKLO (United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad) is a language-analysis competition for all ages. We create linguistics puzzles and run competitions for school children to encourage a lifelong interest in the world’s languages.
The competition is offered at four levels of difficulty for KS2 – KS5, and provide Gold, Silver and Bronze awards, as well as participation certificates, at each level.
The highest scoring students proceed through a couple more rounds of testing and coaching before we present them for the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) where they compete against other countries.
UKLO questions require no preliminary knowledge in language, linguistics or any other subject taught at school. From decoding alien messages to scents and smells, UKLO questions are diverse with over 70 confirmed different variations. There is something for everyone.
Visit the UKLO website to find out more and register to take part by 29 January.
Read more...
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...
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German,
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Spanish,
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National Qualifications,
Partnership Working,
News from language & education organisations,
Urdu
21 December 2023 (Scottish Government)
The Scottish Government's Scottish Languages Bill is legislation to advance the status of, and provision for, the Gaelic and Scots languages.
This is a revision to four existing policies (the status of Gaelic & Scots; Gaelic Medium Education; Bòrd na Gàidhlig; the Scots language) and the creation of one new policy (Areas of Linguistic Significance).
Read more...
19 December 2023 (ECML)
This resource website supports teachers and educators working with children aged 3 to 12 in making all language learning visible in the education system through observation, documentation, and assessment.
PALINGUI offers essential information about early language learning as well as tools and tasks that will help to observe, document, and assess young children's language learning pathways in a multilingual context.
There are also reflective tools for teachers and educators which invite you to reflect on different aspects of your professional practice and the educational context in which you work.
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Partnership Working,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
Writing competitions for language students
18 December 2023 (King's College London)
The Department of Languages, Literature and Cultures at King's College London invites Year 12 or 13 (S5 or S6 in Scotland) students of German, French and Spanish/Portuguese to submit original pieces of work in their chosen language. Prizes include the chance to have their article published.
Follow the appropriate link below to find out more about the competition, the subject topic and how to enter:
The entry deadline for all is 20 February 2024.
Online workshops for senior phase language learners
12 December 2023 (King's College London)
King's College London are hosting a number of online workshops for A-Level and equivalent learners of languages during the Spring term.
As well as film discussion workshops offering students the chance to develop their language skills for film analysis, there are taster events to discover other options available to those considering language studies at university. Follow the relevant link below to find out more and to register for the event:
12 December 2023 (DYW / eSgoil)
To celebrate Languages Week 2024 we’d like to highlight several exciting courses through DYW Live involving languages. We have sessions for Primary, Secondary and a CLPL for Primary Teachers all around the benefits languages can bring to learners and their future pathways.
Visit the webpage for full details.
Read more...
Jacqueline Munro-Lafon French Essay Prize 2024
7 December 2023 (Franco-Scottish Society / Alliance Française)
The Jacqueline Munro-Lafon Essay prize, established to commemorate and celebrate the life of a long-time member of the Franco-Scottish Society, will open in January to students preparing Advanced Higher French in all schools and colleges across Scotland. This competition, run by the Franco-Scottish Society and the Alliance Française in Glasgow, aligns with the writing outcomes of the AH French course. Please note that this competition is not open to native French speakers nor those with a French heritage.
The essay, written in French, should be no longer than 500 words in length and can be discursive or narrative in style. Three prizes will be offered, and the winner of the first prize will also receive a trophy.
Schools and colleges will be asked to register interest for their students at the start of January via the Alliance Française website. Registrations will close on 29 January, when the essay task for the year will also be distributed to registered schools and colleges.
Further information about the background to the competition, including judging guidelines and past essay questions, can be found on the SCILT website.
7 December 2023 (OU / Education Scotland)
We are launching the first ever Scots Language Masters-level teacher CPD programme for in-service teachers teaching at any level in a Scottish school. Hosted by the Open University in Scotland and designed and delivered by the OU in partnership with Education Scotland, this exciting new professional learning opportunity for Scotland’s teachers is now open for registration. There are 25 free places available for this online programme. These places for the first course cohort are funded by the Scottish Government.
The deadline to register and be one of the first 25 teachers to study the course for free is Monday 21st December. Notifications to confirm places will be issued on Tuesday 22nd. For those who either weren’t in the initial 25 for this year, or who already have CPD commitments for this academic year, you will be given priority for cohort 2 which will begin in the 2024-25 academic year.
Visit the course landing page for more information and the online registration form.
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News from language & education organisations,
Scots
7 December 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Supported by FilmHub Scotland, the Goethe-Institut Glasgow is celebrating the 8th anniversary of the Scotland-wide German film festival Fokus.
The announced programme showcases the diversity of voices found in German cinema – past and present. Between 9 January – 31 January 2024, Fokus will celebrate the range of German contemporary filmmaking.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for full programme details.
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7 December 2023 (ECML)
The European Language Gazette, the ECML's e-newsletter, provides up-to-date news about the ECML (events, projects, resources) and other relevant sectors of the Council of Europe as well as of our partners. It focuses on national developments in the field of language education in the member states and beyond.
The latest edition has just been published and can be viewed on the ECML website.
Read more...
7 December 2023 (Bilingualism Matters / SCILT)
Bilingualism Matters and SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages are offering a series of free, online professional learning workshops for teachers in complementary and heritage language schools, based in the UK and beyond.
Workshop 1 - The Bigger Picture: The basics of bilingual language development and the role of teachers, parents and communities. This session is run by Prof Antonella Sorace and Katarzyna Przybycien from Bilingualism Matters and the University of Edinburgh.
Workshop 2 - The Language Learning Buzz: Strategies to engage and motivate learners, both online and in the classroom. This session is run by Karen Faulds and Suzanne Ritchie from SCILT.
Workshop 3 - The Supportive Classroom: Strategies to support learning and encourage positive mindsets within a group of mixed ability learners. This session is run by Karen Faulds and Suzanne Ritchie from SCILT.
See the attached flyer for more information. You can book a place at these workshops via the Bilingualism Matters website.
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News from language & education organisations
5 December 2023 (Scottish Mathematical Council)
The Scottish Mathematical Council would like to welcome schools to participate in the world-wide Mathematics and Language competition Mathématiques sans Frontières.
We are hopeful that we continue to offer a stimulating and light-hearted competition for senior phase pupils which combines Mathematics and Modern Languages. For those of you who have not taken part previously, this competition aims to motivate pupils in these subjects, promote teamwork throughout pupils of all abilities, and bridge borders between countries across the world.
Attached is a discovery training test for “Mathématiques Sans Frontières” alongside some more formal competition instructions, and an entry proforma for the competition. Entry deadline: 26 January 2024.
You can also find more information on the Mathématiques sans Frontières website.
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Wider consultation on education reform
27 November 2023 (Education Scotland)
In March 2022 the Scottish Government announced that the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) would be replaced with a new qualifications body. It also announced its intention to establish a new independent inspectorate whilst also needing to understand how best to align education inspection with the wider inspection system.
Find out more about Education Reform and Provisions on the Scottish Government website.
Two Education Bill Consultation Engagement Event will be held before the end of the year. Register through the links below:
Monday 4 December 16.30-17.45
Tuesday 12 December 16.30-17.45
21 November 2023 (EurekAlert / University of Florida)
People who speak two languages may be better at shifting their attention from one thing to another compared to those who speak one, according to a study published this month in the journal Bilingualism: Language and Cognition.
The study examined differences between bilingual and monolingual individuals when it comes to attentional control and ignoring information that isn’t important at the time, said its authors Grace deMeurisse, a University of Florida Ph.D. candidate studying linguistics, and Edith Kaan, a UF professor in the department of linguistics.
“Our results showed that bilinguals seem to be more efficient at ignoring information that's irrelevant, rather than suppressing — or inhibiting information,” deMeurisse said. “One explanation for this is that bilinguals are constantly switching between two languages and need to shift their attention away from the language not in use.”
Read more...
20 November 2023 (University Council for Languages)
In the context of threats to Modern Languages degrees at the University of Aberdeen, an online postcard campaign has been launched.
The University of Aberdeen is facing a sudden major financial deficit, in the context of which it has announced that it intends to make ‘drastic changes’ to LLMVC (School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture), with a particular focus on Modern Languages. It has been indicated so far that the University will be committed to languages learning but is not necessarily aspiring to maintaining languages degrees (in French, Gaelic, German and Spanish).
Please support the Postcard Campaign to showcase to Senior Management at the University of Aberdeen all the reasons why an ancient university with an international outlook should keep language degrees.
Visit the University Council for Languages website to see how you can take part and disseminate.
Read more...
20 November 2023 (SQA)
Every year SQA recruits approximately 11,000 teachers and lecturers as markers for the National Qualifications exam diet. Recruitment for the 2024 exams is currently underway, with opportunities available across all subjects and levels including languages.
SQA markers play a key role in supporting the exam diet, ensuring the consistent application of national standards. They gain valuable insight into SQA processes, procedures and national standards for a subject and level. It provides the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge, as well as allowing you to gather evidence for continuing professional development.
You can apply to be a marker if you are currently teaching the subject(s) you wish to mark and have been doing so for a minimum of two years. Full training will be provided.
To find out more about the marker role or apply, please visit the SQA website.
Read more...
Japanese taster sessions for senior phase students
20 November 2023 (University of Glasgow)
Taster sessions in Japanese for senior phase students offered by the MFL unit, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Glasgow.
We are looking for schools which would be interested in our taster sessions in Japanese; we can deliver them on their own premises on Fridays in January and February 2024 (exact dates TBC). Our tutors will deliver one-hour sessions focusing on some basic aspects of the language and on cultural elements such as, for instance, traditional food, manga and anime. Some information about options in terms of learning Japanese at the University of Glasgow will also be provided. Please contact: Emanuela.Ponti@glasgow.ac.uk
16 November 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
The International German Olympiad takes place every two years and is the world's largest competition for the German language. Here, participants can prove their German language skills in three levels (A2, B1 and B2). In addition to the focus on language skills, both national and international competitions promote intercultural skills and international teamwork.
The digital national preliminary round for participants from the UK runs from 6 November 2023 to 31 January 2024. Information on how to participate in the national preliminary round can be found on the Goethe-Institut IDO webpage.
Read more...
16 November 2023 (The Language Show)
Language learners, language teachers and everyone who loves languages, if you missed this year's Language Show don't worry! Expert seminars, presentations and panel sessions are all available to watch on catchup until March 2024 for just £11.
Visit the website for more information and to secure your pass.
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16 November 2023 (Scottish Book Trust)
Each month Scottish Book Trust runs a 50 Word Fiction competition with a prompt to get you started. The November competition prompt is inspired by the theme of this year's Book Week Scotland, Adventure!
The competition includes a category for Gaelic writers, so get creative and submit your entry by 28 November.
Read more...
16 November 2023 (CIOL)
Every month the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) offers new webinars on a variety of topics, free for all to attend as part of the support offered to linguists and the languages profession. Presented by experts in their fields, they give linguists the opportunity to update and broaden their skills and pursue new areas of interest.
Visit the CIOL website to discover their selection of upcoming sessions and to register attendance.
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14 November 2023 (Critical Connections: Multilingual Digital Storytelling Project)
The Critical Connections Project is about enabling young people across the primary and secondary age range to create and share multilingual digital stories. It offers an approach to language learning, literacy and citizenship which recognises that communication is enhanced when plurilingual and digital resources are drawn upon purposefully and creatively. This asynchronous professional learning opportunity provides free to access workshops and invites educators to explore the possibilities of multilingual digital storytelling.
The Critical Connections online professional development workshops are now ready for you to download from the project website:
Please note:
- A first step, especially for those new to multilingual digital storytelling should be to look at the Critical Connections: Handbook for Teachers.
- Workshops are based on experience of working on the project over the years and includes input from teachers.
- There is material aimed at colleagues new to digital storytelling as well as those operating at a more advanced level.
- We recognise that contexts in which the Critical Connections project is taking place differ in various ways and the resource is intended to be used flexibly.
- Comments and suggestions welcome.
- Downloading workshops works best with Google Chrome
Read more...
10 November 2023 (Scottish Book Trust)
Book Week Scotland is an annual celebration of books and reading that takes place across the country. Book Week Scotland 2023 will take place 13–19 November.
Every year, Book Week Scotland ask people to share stories as part of our 'Scotland's Stories' campaign, and entries have been submitted in Gaelic and Scots as well as in English.
Read more...
3 November 2023 (eSgoil)
eSgoil's Subject Choices online workshops will run from 4 - 8 December. This is a week of live input to help students navigate the process of subject choices. Each day has a different focus, and Languages are the focus on Wednesday.
Read more...
2 November 2023 (Japan Foundation)
Applications are now open for JaLaChamp 2024!
JaLaChamp, or Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK, is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese. There are two categories - the speech category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice, and the video category where students are asked to create an original video either by individual or part of a group.
Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and to enter: 6 December 2023 deadline for speech category; 24 January 2024 deadline for video category.
Read more...
Summer 2024 Spanish immersion courses and online CPD opportunities
31 October 2023 (Consejería de Educación)
The following professional learning opportunities are available for UK teachers of Spanish:
Immersion courses in Salamanca (Summer 2024)
- Grants to follow a one-week Spanish language course at the University of Salamanca aimed at Spanish teachers in the UK or Ireland: language, culture and teaching resources. Various dates offered during June and July 2024.
- Visit the Consejería de Educación website for more information and registration.
Free CPD online sessions for teachers of Spanish (13 & 14 November 2023)
- Register for the free online CPD sessions organised by FEDELE on 13 and 14 November 2023. Ten hours of free training which can be followed live or recorded until 31 December 2023. Certificate of participation will be issued by FEDELE.
- Full programme and registration on the FEDELE website.
31 October 2023 (University of Cambridge)
The Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics at the University of Cambridge is hosting a series of workshops which will focus on the theme of diversity as a key point of contact between A-level German teaching, where it features both as a highlighted aspect of contemporary society and as a theme in prescribed literary works and films, and current work in German at University level, where it represents a core principle in curriculum development and broader institutional priorities.
The series will comprise five one-hour online workshops between November 2023 to March 2024 and a concluding in-person event in June/July 2023 (date tbc).
Visit the website for further information and to register. Participation is free.
Read more...
31 October 2023 (British Council)
Get ready for International Education Week 2023!
Taking place from 13 to 17 November, the event this year celebrates international partnerships.
We’ve got lots of information and resources to help you open your students’ eyes to the world and build bridges to other cultures.
Join us to explore the power of partnerships to bring schools together across the globe, engaging and motivating students and helping them discover other languages, countries and cultures.
Visit the British Council website to discover the many ways your school can get involved.
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31 October 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Join us at the 1st Digital German Teaching Conference and experience more than 30 presentations on the topic of German as a Foreign Language/German as a Second Language.
Get insights into the contributions for German teachers from our Goethe Institutes in Germany and abroad and our partners. Take part in exciting presentations, join discussions or get active in numerous workshops.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information about the online workshops available throughout November and to register attendance.
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Virtual Spanish and Latin American Film Festival - University of Stirling / Pragda
31 October 2023 (University of Stirling)
Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Stirling are hosting a Spanish and Latin American Film Festival as part of the Spanish Film Club series, made possible with the support of Pragda, SPAIN arts & culture, and the Secretary of State for Culture of Spain.
The following film will be available virtually Wednesday 8th to Wednesday 15th November 2023:
Niñas araña
If you would like your learners to access this virtual film screening, please register via this Form to receive the sign-in information for the screening room and the associated discussion guide.
If you have any questions or would like further information about this initiative, please contact Fiona Noble (fiona.noble@stir.ac.uk).
30 October 2023 (French Film Festival)
The French Film Festival UK Learning Programme is once again delighted to bring French-speaking cinema free of charge to schools from 30 October to 15 December 2023!
Each of the four films will be accompanied by new learning packs in French and English. Selected films are all in French with English subtitles.
If you haven't done so already, there's still time to check out the programme and book your screenings. And for budding film critics, there's also the opportunity for pupils in Scotland to submit their film review with the chance to win a prize!
Visit the Festival website for full details.
Read more...
30 October 2023 (SQA)
Visiting assessment (performance talking) guidance and STL forms have been published on the SQA's Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage. These can be found in the Visiting Examining dropdown section.
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24 October 2023 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection's Flexible Funding Scheme supports joint activities and projects between UK and German partner schools and youth groups, including visits or virtual activities.
The next deadline for funding applications is approaching. Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and submit applications by 31 October.
Read more...
24 October 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Enterprise German (“Unternehmen Deutsch”) combines aspects of German, economics, and professional orientation with a motivating competition. School classes from secondary schools in the UK and university students who deal with the topic of career orientation in the classroom can participate, if their teacher or professor registers a participating group.
The initiative will take place from September 2023 to July 2024.
For more information, please visit the Goethe Institut website and register by 15 March 2024.
Read more...
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.
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Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Language Learning,
News from language & education organisations,
Japanese,
Portuguese
10 October 2023 (British Council)
International Education Week 2023 will take place from 13 to 17 November and this year, we’re celebrating international partnerships.
Join the British Council to explore the power of partnerships to bring schools together across the globe, engaging and motivating students and helping them discover other languages, countries and cultures.
We’ll be planning events and sharing resources over the coming weeks, so keep checking the website!
Read more...
10 October 2023 (Global Y-CRED)
Y-CRED. Credentialing and Recognising Excellence and Determination is a FREE international language learner event that provides students with connections to native speakers, strategies to improve their skills, ways to leverage their bilingualism and links to future opportunities. Global Y-C.R.E.D.” is all about the “Y.” The “Y” represents “Youth,” but also answers the question, “WHY learn a language?”
Y-CRED. 2023 will offer short, pre-recorded on-demand content for language learners that facilitates flexible viewing for any class schedule.
One of the sessions "Fostering Autonomy: Language Learning with Technology", being led by Joe Dale as part of the "Level Up Your Language Skills" track, looks at how students can use AI to be more independent language learners.
Visit the Y-CRED website for more information and to register for the free online sessions.
Read more...
9 October 2023 (Institut français)
The French Pop Video Competition is a national competition organised by Francophonie UK supported by TV5Monde for all KS1 to KS5 students of French in the UK.
Students get to engage with French in a creative and fun way, improving writing skills and vocabulary by creating their own lyrics and practising speaking skills by performing and recording their song/rap.
Visit the Institut français website to learn more about the competition and register by 10 March 2024 to take part.
Read more...
9 October 2023 (Institut français)
Nominations are now opened for this year's French Teacher Award!
Each year two teachers of French (one primary, one secondary) are selected in recognition of their significant and committed contribution to French language education in their school and community.
Teachers can apply themselves, or nominate a colleague.
Visit the Institut français website for more information and to submit nominations by 31 October 2023.
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5 October 2023 (eSgoil)
Registration for eSgoil's Study Support programme is now open!
Study Support is for Senior Phase learners who are working towards National Qualifications, with weekly evening webinars during term time covering a wide range of subjects and levels, including Gaelic, French and Spanish.
Visit the eSgoil website for full programme details and to register. Programme commences week beginning 30 October.
Read more...
3 October 2023 (Japan Foundation)
Applications are now open for the Japan Foundation's Annual Grant Programmes.
Categories are available across all three departments: Arts and Culture, Japanese Language, and Intellectual Exchange (Japanese Studies).
Detailed information about all available grants can be found on the Japan Foundation website.
Read more...
3 October 2023 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is now enrolling for autumn term courses. There are options available for children and adults. Follow the relevant link below for more information and to enrol.
The organisation provides many other opportunities and events to discover French language and culture. Visit their website to find out more.
Read more...
2 October 2023 (DCA)
Discovery Film Festival, Scotland’s international film festival for young audiences, is back for its 20th year!
Taking place from 21 October to 5 November, there's another packed programme of the best new films for young audiences from around the world, with free education resource packs to accompany the screenings. The festival will be available both online and at Dundee Contemporary Arts.
Visit the website for full programme details.
Read more...
2 October 2023 (eSgoil)
The beginner Japanese course run by University of Edinburgh in conjunction with eSgoil is aimed at pupils S1-S6 who would like an introduction to basic Japanese language and culture. No previous knowledge of Japanese language is required.
The six-part course runs from November to December 2023.
Visit the website for more information and to register interest.
Read more...
2 October 2023 (University of Oxford)
The 12th Oxford German Olympiad is now open!
This year's topic is: Kafkaesque Kreatures
The competition is all about animals - but from perspectives with a difference. The tasks take inspiration from the animal stories by Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who gave the German and English languages the word kafkaesk / Kafkaesque to describe a weird, disturbing experience.
The competition is open to upper primary and secondary learners of German, with further categories for group or class entries as well as the Discover German Taster category for those with no prior experience of studying the language.
Visit the Oxford German Olympiad website for full competition details and guidelines. Closing date for all entries is 7 March 2024.
Read more...
28 September 2023 (Open University)
Give your language lessons some real-life purpose and make connections with colleagues across the UK!
Are you looking for some new ideas to make foreign language learning fun, engaging and relevant? Would you like to find new ways of embedding language policy in the classroom whilst developing your own foreign language speaking and teaching skills? Would you appreciate some help and guidance with planning your language lessons, ideas, and have someone with whom to share your reflections, successes and failures?
Then look no further! Frogston Primary School in Edinburgh in collaboration with The Open University are offering a brand-new eTwinning opportunity for all primary practitioners across the UK. It’s free, totally colleague/pupil-led, designed to enhance and practice your languages teaching, learning and assessment.
In this eTwinning initiative, teachers organise and run on-site and online activities with their students. This involves planning with colleagues from other schools around the UK using ready-made lessons and timeframes provided as a guide.
This is an ideal opportunity to meet teachers and educators who share a vision of engaging and impactful learning, using ICT in a meaningful way, and making the most of 21st-century skills. We will provide lessons, resource ideas, guidance, and an online platform where eTwinners can communicate, create projects, share, and learn together at their own pace in line with their interests and the needs of their classes.
The programme begins on 1 November, after the mid-term break. By signing up, you will:
- Be put in contact with an eTwinning partner… a class of similar age/stage in a school in a different location from your own, who are learning the same language as you.
- Be given a portfolio of 6 fully planned eTwinning lessons which are completely adaptable and flexible.
- Be given a secure digital space where you will find all related materials and in which you can plan with your colleagues.
To participate, sign up on this Eventbrite page and we will contact you by 1 November 2023 to explain the next steps.
Read more...
28 September 2023 (Instituto Cervantes)
The Instituto Cervantes is developing a professional accreditation system consisting of a series of diplomas that certify the professional training of ELE (Spanish as a Foreign Language) teachers - the Instituto Cervantes Teacher Accreditation Diplomas (DADIC): Autonomous, Expert, and Teacher Trainer. These diplomas have indefinite validity and enjoy broad national and international recognition, with the support of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Spain. The first level, the Autonomous DADIC, certifies that the holder possesses the basic competencies required for the professional practice of teaching ELE for general purposes.
This is an introductory course aimed at people with no experience or prior training in teaching Spanish as a foreign language, who wish to obtain the Instituto Cervantes Teaching Accreditation Diploma (autonomous level).
More information is given on the attached flyer or you can visit the Instituto Cervantes website.
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!
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Ambassadors,
Language Learning,
Partnership Working,
Promoting Languages,
Strathclyde University,
News from language & education organisations
26 September 2023 (British Academy)
We are often presented with two competing narratives surrounding language learning in the UK. On the one hand, we are reminded of the UK's linguistic shortcomings compared with other nations, which presents challenges to maximising economic, social and cultural opportunities. On the other, as demonstrated by the popularity of apps such as Duolingo, there is an unmistakable enthusiasm for language learning across the UK, not least as the country acknowledges its own multilingual heritage. Indeed, in response to a 2022 YouGov poll commissioned by the British Academy, 22% of people said that their interest in modern languages had risen since the pandemic.
In my new role as the British Academy's Lead Fellow for Languages, one of my biggest responsibilities is to try and make sense of this dichotomy, to further understand why people aren’t studying languages, and to help turn things around.
Read more...
European Day of Languages 2023: a Day to highlight Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity
26 September 2023 (Council of Europe)
Every year since 2001 the European Day of Languages celebrates the wealth of languages coexisting in Europe and beyond. Over 225 languages are native to Europe alone, not including languages that arrived on the continent through migration.
“The European Day of Languages reminds us that learning a language is a step towards openness and respect for other cultures,” says Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić.
Specific European Day of Languages’ aims:
- Raise awareness of the importance of language learning to increase plurilingualism and intercultural understanding.
- Promote the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe.
- Encourage lifelong language learning in and out of school.
Many countries across Europe are hosting a wide range of initiatives to mark 22 years of linguistic and cultural diversity, including the following: a Multilingual European Day of Languages concert in Espoo (Finland), a “Bei uns sagt man.....” improvisation comedy show through European languages and cultures in Berlin (Germany), A Say Yes to Languages fair in Belgrade (Serbia), a video challenge for schools Vi elsker sprog (We love languages) followed by an award ceremony for the winners in Copenhagen (Denmark), an “Olympic games” language week organised by a school on Petite-Île, Réunion (France), Cooking with languages! in Vercelli (Italy), an online event for school pupils in Kherson (Ukraine) and an online conference organised by the European Commission entitled Teaching language skills at the heart of the European Education Area.
22 September 2023 (SQA)
SQA's British Sign Language (BSL) Awards are proving popular with pupils at Dingwall Academy. For over 30 years, the school has offered BSL qualifications as a mainstream language option for both hearing and deaf pupils.
In recent years however, pupils in S3 and S4 have undertaken SQA’s BSL Award at levels 3-5 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), with the option to progress to SCQF levels 5-6 during fifth and sixth year.
Read more...
21 September 2023 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection provides opportunities for young people, teachers and schools in the UK and Germany to come together. Their initiatives range from providing grants and bursaries for partnership activities, pupil courses and scholarships, the opportunity to host a teacher from Germany, virtual café sessions for young people to meet in a safe space and much more. The following activity deadlines are fast approaching. Follow the relevant link for more information:
Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information about the range of available opportunities.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
German,
Cultural Diversity,
Funding,
Immersion,
Language Learning,
Partnership Working,
Study Abroad,
News from language & education organisations
Virtual Spanish and Latin American Film Festival - University of Stirling / Pragda
21 September 2023 (University of Stirling)
Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Stirling are hosting a Spanish and Latin American Film Festival as part of the Spanish Film Club series, made possible with the support of Pragda, SPAIN Arts & Culture, and the Secretary of State for Culture of Spain.
This term, we are screening two films:
Carajita available Friday 6th to Friday 13th October 2023
Niñas araña available Wednesday 8th to Wednesday 15th November 2023
If you would like your learners to access one or both of these virtual film screenings, please register via this form to receive the sign-in information for the screening room and the associated discussion guides.
If you have any questions or would like further information about this initiative, please contact Fiona Noble (fiona.noble@stir.ac.uk).
19 September 2023 (British Council)
The British Council remains committed to supporting the teaching and learning of languages in UK schools.
As part of this the organisation, in partnership with QFI, is restructuring their support for Arabic language teaching and learning in the UK with new events and activities planned for the autumn term. Schools can also apply for grants to introduce the language into their curriculum. Follow the relevant link below for more information:
And with European Day of Languages fast approaching, British Council has developed two new lesson resources to celebrate the event; 'Let's talk about languages' for primary learners and 'Why choose languages' for secondary.
Visit the British Council website to download these resources.
Read more...
15 September 2023 (Maths Week Scotland)
Inspired by the annual Mathématiques sans Frontières contest, this mini-competition includes a language element and is for any class to complete together.
The Maths wi nae borders challenge launches on 18 September 2023. Entries should be submitted by 23 October.
Visit the Maths Week Scotland website for more information.
Read more...
14 September 2023 (Global School Alliance)
Celebrated on 26 September every year, the European Day of Languages (EDL) is designed to promote the importance of language learning and protecting the linguistic heritage.
To get your pupils involved in this year's event, the Global School Alliance has launched a competition ‘For me, learning a language is…’ and are asking students to tell us what learning a language means to them. It is open to schools with students studying a European language worldwide and aims to showcase the magic and importance of language learning.
Visit the website to find out more and register your school. Deadline for entries is 3 October.
Read more...
14 September 2023 (University of Oxford)
Organised by the Queen's Translation Exchange at the University of Oxford, the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators is a UK-wide creative translation competition for students aged 11-18 studying French, German, Italian, Mandarin and Spanish. The competition also runs from French into Welsh.
The 2023-24 prize will launch on 20 September, when creative translation teaching packs will be shared with teachers in time for European Day of Languages on 26 September and International Translation Day on 30 September. These teaching packs are designed to help teachers bring creative translation into the MFL classroom as well as to help students prepare for the competition task.
The competition itself will run over several weeks from 5 February to 28 March 2024. Area and national winners will be announced in May or June 2023. They will receive certificates and national winners will receive book prizes. Over 15,000 students participated in the competition in 2023.
For those registered, teaching packs for poetry translation will be circulated on 20 September, fiction will follow after October half term, and non-fiction will be released in early January.
There are a number of related activities run by the Queen's Translation Exchange that teachers and pupils can participate in, details of which can be found on the Opportunities for Schools webpage.
Visit the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators website for more information and to register to receive resources and updates about the competition task. You can also see the list of winners and commendations for last year's competition.
If you have any further queries regarding the competition, you should contact the Translation Exchange team at translation.exchange@queens.ox.ac.uk.
Read more...
Online and face-to-face workshops for teachers of Spanish
14 September 2023 (Consejería de Educación)
The Spanish Education Office is offering the following free workshops for UK teachers of Spanish. Follow the relevant link for more information and to book:
Online workshops - Saturday 23 September, 10:00 - 12:00
Two different workshops with practical ideas and resources to bring to your Spanish classroom:
- «Dimensión social y cultural de la gastronomía en el aula de ELE», por Alfredo Pérez Berciano, Colegio Delibes
- «Vacía de información para llenar de contenido: propuestas visuales para una clase comunicativa», por Alejandro Rodríguez López, Hispano Continental
Discover Andalucía - Face-to-face workshops
The following two events have been organised in partnership with Trade Andalucía:
- London, 3 October (5pm-7pm): Instituto Cervantes, 15-19 Devereux Ct, Temple, London WC2R 3JJ
- Edinburgh, 4 October (5pm-7pm): The University of Edinburgh, School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, 50 George Square, room G.02, Edinburgh EH8 9LH
Free registration on a first come, first served basis.
S2 pupil survey: Attitudes to languages
5 September 2023 (NICILT)
We have received the following request from our friends in NICILT, Northern Ireland’s Centre for Languages.
NICILT has organised a short pupil survey for S2 pupils, the aim of which is to gather a snapshot of young peoples’ thoughts about languages. NICILT is really keen to hear about attitudes to languages from pupils who have completed their first year of secondary education (surveys have also been distributed to cohorts in Northern Ireland, England and Wales). NICILT would like to distribute the survey to S2 cohorts and publish the findings from the survey in Autumn 2023, funded by the British Council.
The principal information and consent form is attached and can be downloaded below.
Could Modern Languages PTs willing to let their school participate please complete and return the principal consent form to languagetrends@qub.ac.uk within 5 days. Once NICILT receives completed principal consent forms, NICILT will email the survey link to you to be distributed to your pupils. The survey can be completed in school or at home. There are no forms to be collected in by teachers – the process is very manageable.
5 September 2023 (University of Glasgow)
This recently published article discusses the outcomes of the Welcoming Languages project, collaboratively run by the University of Glasgow and the Arabic Center of the Islamic University of Gaza (Palestine). The project taught Arabic as a ‘refugee language’ to primary school staff so they could welcome Arabic speaking children and families.
The article can now be read open access on the publisher's website.
Read more...
5 September 2023 (UK-German Connection)
The Host a Teacher from Germany programme enables schools to host a German teacher (in-person or virtually) for one, two or three weeks during the academic year – no costs involved for UK schools.
All schools and further education colleges in the UK can register. The programme is open to teachers of all subjects and German does not need to be offered at your school; visiting teachers are either teachers of English or have good knowledge of the English language.
Schools interested in hosting a German teacher in 2023-24 can now register by 25 September 2023 (to host in the spring and/or summer term).
NEW! UK teachers participating in the Host a Teacher from Germany 2023-24 programme can express their interest in a return visit for one or two weeks during 2023-24.
UK-German Connection will run a Q&A webinar for UK schools on Tuesday 19 September 2023.
Visit the website for more information and to register for the Q&A session.
Read more...
5 September 2023 (Consejería de Educación)
Bring Spanish cinema to your school! Join the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival school programme for free (2nd to 6th October) and enjoy a film from the comfort of the classroom. Films for Primary and Secondary level accompanied by worksheets. Book now and get the code for your school.
Read more...
4 September 2023 (SQA)
Updates have been added to the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage.
New specimen question papers can be found in the Past Papers and Marking Instructions section and an assessment resources summary in the Course Support section.
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.
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Learning,
National Qualifications,
News from language & education organisations,
SQA
31 August 2023 (STRIDE)
The Remembering Empire project, led by Dr Fiona Barclay at the University of Stirling, uses the findings of research on the French empire in Algeria to produce materials for use by secondary teachers of French. Its aim is to use a complex story of empire to develop Global Citizenship values and support the take-up of languages in Scottish schools.
This article explores the resources in more detail and provides links to the free downloadable materials aimed at two separate ages: S3 and Advanced Higher.
(Note - A link to the Remembering Empire resources can be found in both the S1-S3 and Senior Phase French classroom resource sections of SCILT's website)
Read more...
31 August 2023 (French Film Festival)
The French Film Festival UK Learning Programme is once again delighted to bring French-speaking cinema free of charge to schools this November and December! All the films in the selection are in French with English subtitles.
Each of the four films will be accompanied by new learning packs in French and English.
Download the programme and start planning your screenings now!
FFF 2023 In-School Learning Programme
Student Film Review Awards
The Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland will once again award prizes for the best film reviews submitted by students in Scotland.
The Learning Programme is grateful for the generous support of the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland, TotalEnergies, the Institut français worldwide network, the Hugh Fraser Foundation, and SCILT (Scotland’s National Centre for Languages).
More information about the Festival can be found on the French Film Festival website.
Read more...
29 August 2023 (University of Edinburgh)
Languages for All, at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Open Learning (COL), will launch two new Short Courses in General English and Ukrainian this October. These courses will complement the existing range of Short Courses in languages including Arabic, British Sign Language, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Japanese, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili and Turkish.
Languages for All have also expanded the University-Wide Language Programme for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students at the University of Edinburgh, offering credit courses in British Sign Language, Gaelic, Swahili and Ukrainian.
Visit our new Languages for All website to view our full offering.
Read more...
29 August 2023 (Institut français)
Le Concours de la Francophonie 2024 is now open!
The national school competition's aim is to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland to enjoy the French language. It has always been a great way of celebrating the international day of la francophonie. In 2023, over 500 pupils from 25 schools all over Scotland took part in the competition.
All Scottish primary and secondary schools offering French may enter this competition by submitting a short video of a classroom activity in French.
The theme of the competition this year is: “Paris Olympic Games 2024: Ouvrons grand les jeux!”
Visit the Institut français website for full details and entry criteria. Submission deadline is 31 January 2024.
Read more...
27 August 2023 (Albaro Languages)
I loved learning German at school. It was the exciting new language that French had unlocked. It was the “beautiful” language – ‘Deutsche Sprache, schöne Sprache’, as my ever-enthusiastic German teacher frequently called it. This is why I wish that more people could discover the many joys of learning German and perhaps reverse the year-on-year decline in take-up and teaching of German in schools.
Look beyond the prejudged idea of complex grammar rules, unfamiliar sounds and sometimes comically long words and discover why German is a fine and fantastic language to learn. Although it’s often misconceived as particularly challenging, German is a language that offers a multitude of reasons why it can be fun, surprisingly accessible, and incredibly beneficial for English speakers.
In this blog, I’ll try to explain why learning German is a rewarding experience that goes beyond linguistic boundaries, with plenty to offer to linguists and non-linguists alike.
Read more...
25 August 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Are you teaching German at a secondary school in the UK and would like to practice your conversational skills and keep yourself up-to-date with current affairs in German speaking countries?
This conversation course will be right for you. We will be discussing a wide range of topics based on current newspaper articles, radio programmes and clips from German television. You will be taking away up-to-date materials and, hopefully, inspiration and lots of good ideas for your classroom.
The course comprises seven online lessons taking place between late September 2023 and the end of January 2024.
Read more...
24 August 2023 (The British Academy)
The British Academy welcomes the growing popularity of economics, history and some modern languages such as Spanish, Arabic, Urdu and Chinese at GCSE level, but calls for more work to arrest the decline in other humanities and social sciences.
Earlier this month, the British Academy joined forces with the British Science Association to urge teachers, parents and students to consider the benefits of studying a mix of subjects across the humanities, the sciences and the social sciences, in line with the British Academy’s recently launched Connected Knowledge campaign.
Read more...
22 August 2023 (SEET)
Registration for the SEET’s Our World project 2023-24 is now open and totally free to enter! Just fill in this quick form to sign up your school: https://ourworldproject.wufoo.com/forms/z1fa1wdl0fdqs2a/
Our World is a language learning and global citizenship-based filmmaking project for S1 - S6 pupils. It's designed to complement the Curriculum for Excellence and help tackle the Attainment Challenge by providing a free project which uses an interdisciplinary approach to encourage pupils to become more engaged in their language learning.
Teams of 4 (S1 - S6) design a storyboard which outlines the film they propose to make. This year's films must include the use of a language other than English and should touch on the theme of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Each team must choose at least one of the 17 SDGs to focus their film on.
SEET supports teachers and pupils throughout the whole process, starting with our introductory CLPL session for teachers on Tuesday 12 September 2023.
Visit the SEET website for more information and register to take part.
Read more...
21 August 2023 (University of Strathclyde)
Are you interested in upskilling your French to GTCS-accredited standard? Then this could be the course for you!
The University of Strathclyde continues to offer a three-year Certificate of Continuing Education (CCEd) qualification in Italian and in Spanish and from session 2023-24 the course is now also being offered in French.
The CCEd is an intensive beginners’ class that will bring you up to first-year university standard in a year, with the option of continuing your studies into second year and up to university pass degree level within three years.
Classes will be in person on campus in Glasgow during term time on Tuesday evenings.
Further information and application details are now available on the University of Strathclyde's website.
Read more...
15 August 2023 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is now taking enrolments for French courses commencing in September 2023.
Visit the website for further information and to enrol. If you're unsure of your level you can also take a free online test to assess which class would be most suitable or you can head along to the Open Day on Saturday 2 September from 10:00am until 1:30pm.
Read more...
8 August 2023 (Linguistics in MFL Project)
This document sets out a manifesto for how linguistics could be incorporated into language teaching in the UK context. It responds directly to published calls for change, and identifies challenges and opportunities as well as potential actions.
Available to download from the Linguistics in MFL Project website.
Read more...
Goethe-Institut: German for schools
8 August 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut in Glasgow are offering the following opportunities for schools in the 2023-24 academic session. Follow the relevant link to find out more:
- German days for pupils - visit the Goethe-Institut Glasgow with your school class. Your pupils will learn firsthand about German language and culture. We offer various activities designed to show that learning German can be fun and is relevant.
- German Language Adventure - this fast-paced motivational game aims to spark interest in German culture and language and can be played by up to 100 pupils (P7-S2 level). Can be offered at school or at the Goethe-Institut.
8 August 2023 (GCHQ)
The 2023 GCHQ National Language Competition will run from Monday 6 November to Friday 10 November 2023.
The National Language Competition (NLC) is a virtual competition where teams from schools around the UK compete against each other to solve language-based puzzles and score points. The overall winners are then invited to GCHQ’s headquarters in Cheltenham to receive their trophy!
With the NLC, GCHQ aims to inspire language learning by encouraging students to discover their aptitude for learning languages.
Visit the competition website for more information and to register interest.
Read more...
30 June 2023 (ECML)
The European Language Gazette, the ECML's e-newsletter, provides up-to-date news about the ECML (events, projects, resources) and other relevant sectors of the Council of Europe as well as of our partners. It focuses on national developments in the field of language education in the member states and beyond.
This special issue is dedicated to the ECML Call for project proposals for its 2024-27 programme entitled “Language education at the heart of democracy”.
The deadline for proposals is 31 August 2023.
Read more...
Coming soon! CCEd in French @ University of Strathclyde
16 June 2023 (University of Strathclyde)
Are you interested in upskilling your French to GTCS-accredited standard? Then this could be the course for you! The University of Strathclyde currently offers a three-year Certificate of Continuing Education (CCEd) qualification in Italian and in Spanish and plans to offer it in French from session 2023-24.
The CCEd is an intensive beginners’ class that will bring you up to first-year university standard in a year, with the option of continuing your studies into second year and up to university pass degree level within three years.
Classes will be in person on campus in Glasgow during term time on Tuesday evenings.
Further information and application details will be advertised soon via the SCILT bulletin/website and the University of Strathclyde website and communication channels.
For more information and to register your interest, the course contact is Joan-Emilie Lefever-Rhodes (joan.lefever@strath.ac.uk).
15 June 2023 (French Film Festival)
The French Film Festival UK 2023 Learning Programme will once again be bringing French-speaking cinema into schools free of charge this autumn! The programme of four films, each accompanied by learning packs, will run between 30 October and 15 December, thanks to the generous support of TotalEnergies, the Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland, The James T Howard Trust, SCILT (Scotland’s National Centre for Languages).
Full details will be available on the French Film Festival website from mid-August.
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.
13 June 2023 (British Council)
If you’re new to international collaboration, a short-term partnership could open the door to a world of opportunities for your school.
To make getting started even easier, you can apply to join a British Council guided partnership, where a dedicated partnership facilitator will guide you through a short-term, collaborative, curriculum-based project with an overseas partner.
The next round will take the theme of climate change, a major topic of concern for children around the world. Starting in September 2023 and running through the autumn term, we will facilitate your partnership with a range of curriculum-related activities.
Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply by 14 July 2023.
Read more...
Online team-teaching model - A sustainable approach to support language delivery in the primary
13 June 2023 (South West EIC / Northern Alliance)
This pilot delivered French, Spanish and Gaelic live lessons using Microsoft Teams in Glow and was offered to schools across Scotland between January and May 2023.
You can now find out about the far-reaching impact of this initiative by reading the case study attached below.
13 June 2023 (SALT)
The SALT annual conference will take place on Saturday 28 October 2023 (am) at the University of Strathclyde.
The event will be a hybrid event. There will be workshops for people attending in-person and workshops for those joining online.
The theme of this year’s conference is Learners without borders: empowering and inspiring Scotland’s language learners.
If you would like to offer a workshop on a topic relevant to Scotland’s Modern Languages teachers (from any sectors), fill in the form and we will be in touch with you! We are keen to hear from all over Scotland and highlight the excellent practice that is happening across the country. Your session will last a maximum of 45 minutes and can be on any topic that you think will be interesting to ML teachers.
Submit SALT 2023 proposals here.
If you are planning on attending the event but not presenting, please save the date and sign up will open in September.
Read more...
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Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
FE,
HE,
All Languages,
CPD,
Language Teaching,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
Scottish Education Awards 2023 - Gaelic Education
8 June 2023 (Scottish Education Awards)
Congratulations to James Gillespie's High School, winners of the Gaelic Education Award at this year's Scottish Education Awards held on 7 June.
Well done too to Goodlyburn Primary and Dunoon Grammar for making the final shortlist.
Immersion courses and professional learning for teachers of Spanish
8 June 2023 (Consejería de Educación)
The Consejería de Educación in the United Kingdom has several upcoming professional learning opportunities for UK teachers of Spanish. Follow the relevant links below for more information and to book your place:
IMMERSION COURSES IN SPAIN
Spanish language course in Salamanca
- Grants to follow a 1 week Spanish language course in Salamanca aimed at Primary or Secondary teachers during summer. 3 different levels: beginners, intermediate and advanced Spanish. Information and registration on the Consejería de Educación website.
Course on Didactics in Castilla y León
- Grants for a course on didactics aimed at teachers of Spanish in the UK and Ireland. 1 week course during summer in Salamanca, Valladolid, Burgos or Palencia. A high command of Spanish is required. Information and registration on the Consejería de Educación website.
MORE CPD OPPORTUNITIES
Spanish Day in Edinburgh – Saturday 17 June
- Face-to-face training day for teachers of Spanish in primary, secondary, university and further education. Free registration.
Spanish Workshops in London – Saturday 24 June
- Big Spanish Day at the Vicente Cañada Blanch Spanish Institute in London. Aimed at teachers of Spanish, it includes a wide offer of practical workshops on different aspects complemented by other attractive aspects related to culture in Spanish: the gastronomic proposal for lunch and the cultural workshops that close the day: theatre and «sevillanas» dance. Full programme and registration on the Consejería de Educación website.
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
HE,
Spanish,
CPD,
Immersion,
Language Teaching,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
6 June 2023 (ESFF)
The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival will celebrate ten years of Spanish cinema in schools this October.
During the week 2 - 6 October, classrooms across the UK can have online access to three films:
- Los Futbolísimos (The Footballest)
- Rara (Weird)
- CartasVivas (Living Letters) *For S5-S6 only*
Each film will be accompanied by worksheets so that the students can delve deeper into the themes discussed, once the film has been watched.
Visit the ESFF website to book tickets and receive the access code.
Read more...
Summer classes and workshops at Alliance Française Glasgow
6 June 2023 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is now enrolling for adult classes and workshops for both adults and children taking place this summer.
Follow the relevant link below for more information and to enrol:
- Summer adult classes - classes for complete beginner to advanced, commencing 19 June 2023.
- Summer workshops - topic-based workshops for adults to improve their French; fun workshops for primary aged children.
6 June 2023 (Scottish Book Trust)
Scottish Book Trust, together with Hands Up for Trad, Scots Hoose, Education Scotland and Scottish Government, are running a competition to find Scotland’s ‘Young Scots writer of the Year’.
Stories, poems, spoken word pieces, comics, videos or other pieces of writing – we want to see it all, as long as it's in Scots and under 2500 words or up to ten minutes.
The competition is open to 11-18 year-olds, and entries should be submitted by midday on Wednesday 21 June 2023.
Visit the Scottish Book Trust website for more information and submission guidelines.
Read more...
31 May 2023 (e-Sgoil)
E-Sgoil offers Gaelic courses designed by award-winning staff, with the language coming alive through regular, interactive, online lessons, and quality digital support materials.
The National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses are designed to help develop skills and knowledge rapidly, getting even those learners with no Gaelic at the start of the course to a level of confidence and fluency quickly.
Visit the website for more information and to register interest for the 2023-24 session.
Read more...
Free online courses from British Council
30 May 2023 (British Council / FutureLearn)
The following British Council online courses are due to commence shortly. Click on the relevant link for more information and to enrol:
- Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners - find out about our free 4-week online course 'Teaching English to refugees and displaced learners' starting on 6 June 2023. Enrolment ends on 26 June 2023 and the course closes on 3 July.
- Exploring Inclusive Pedagogies - ensure you’re meeting every learner’s needs, including those most at risk of exclusion, by developing inclusive teaching skills in this free online 3-week course commencing 12 June 2023.
30 May 2023 (Study International)
Knowing even the basics of the best languages to learn can get you far.
But with around 6,500 languages in the world, how do you know which to invest your time and effort in?
If you’re looking for the best languages to learn to succeed at work, then the top CEOs may just have the answers you seek.
[..] You need every edge you can get — and according to the decades of experience of senior executives who have seen what it takes to get to the top, knowing the best languages to learn for business is one of them.
Read more...
Ukrainian digital youth network
24 May 2022 (Barnardo’s Scotland)
As part of our commitment to supporting the Ukrainian community across Scotland, Barnardo’s Scotland Welcome (Ukraine) Service is ready to launch their Ukrainian Youth Network! We recognise some of the difficulties young Ukrainian’s are facing and therefore we are introducing a safe, digital space for 13–19-year-olds to come together, socialise and have fun. The Ukrainian Youth Network ultimately aims to help young Ukrainians to feel part of a wider community, reduce loneliness/boredom and improve their overall mental health and wellbeing. Additionally, as it is a digital space, it will allow connections to continue if families relocate elsewhere in Scotland.
Each month we will offer a range of activities for Ukrainian young people to participate in, and we will be introducing youth ambassadors who will help to influence and develop our network and support to ensure this group’s needs are being met.
We would be grateful if you could share the attached poster within your organisation and with any partner services or families you may be working with directly.
19 May 2023 (SEET)
It's our birthday! SEET is proud to be 30 years old this June, and we are using this as an opportunity to raise awareness for language learning in our school communities.
Here at SEET, we are fortunate to work with hundreds of schools each year across the Euroquiz and Our World projects. We would like to use this platform to bring everyone together, have fun with languages and celebrate the hard work of the thousands of young linguists we work with across the country each year.
Interested in taking part? Pupils should work together to organise a language-themed fundraiser at school between March-June. This should be an opportunity to show off creativity and have fun with languages! 50% of proceeds will be allocated to your own school fund, and 50% will be shared with our charity to further support young people with their language learning across Scotland. There will also be prizes for the most unique ideas and for the school that raises the most.
Visit SEET's dedicated web page for full details and to sign up to raise awareness of language learning!
Read more...
19 May 2023 (Scots Language Centre)
Scottish Book Trust, together with Hands Up for Trad, Scots Hoose, Education Scotland and Scottish Government, are running a competition to find Scotland’s ‘Young Scots writer of the Year’.
The competition is open to 11-18 year-olds, and entries should be submitted by midday on Wednesday 21 June 2023.
Visit the Scots Language Centre website for more information and submission guidelines.
Read more...
17 May 2023 (ECML)
Rethinking language education after the experience of Covid offers not only a timely reflection on the challenges faced and the approaches developed over the course of the pandemic but a look into the future at ways in which the skills and insights gained may bring about beneficial lasting changes in the teaching and learning of languages.
Read the publication on the ECML website.
Read more...
16 May 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Are you studying German at university or for your A-Level / Highers / Advanced Highers? Would you like to share your passion for the language with younger learners and inspire them to want to continue their own German journey? Then why not join our Young Goethe Scheme?
Young Goethe Ambassadors are student role models who promote the benefits of learning German to young people and encourage younger students to learn and choose German as an option at GCSE / National Fives, A-Level / Highers and beyond.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and how to apply.
Read more...
16 May 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut Glasgow are offering dates for school visits from June 2023.
Provide your students with a direct and personal look into the German language and culture. Depending on the age group and language level of your students, you can choose a programme from a range of activities for your trip to the Goethe-Institut Glasgow.
Visit the Goethe-Institut Glasgow website for more information and to register your school group.
Read more...
Workshops for UK teachers of Spanish
16 May 2023 (Consejería de Educación)
The Consejería de Educación has the following professional learning opportunities for UK teachers of Spanish taking place in June 2023. Click on the relevant link below for more information:
3 June, 10:00 - 11:30 (Online):
10 June, 09:30 - 12:30 (Online):
17 June (face-to-face training day):
All the above sessions are free to attend.
Summer course in Spain:
Apply for an immersion course in Spain (Ávila, Segovia and Santander).
Application deadline: 27 May.
8 one-week immersion courses in June, July or August 2023 in Ávila, Segovia or Santander aimed at British/Irish teachers of Spanish (a B2 command of Spanish is required).
The grant covers the course, accommodation and meals, as well as the cultural programme. The grant does not cover the journey to Spain or the return to the UK. Travel and/or health insurance is also not included.
This call is not for Spanish nationals.
Visit the Consejería de Educación website for further information and to apply.
12 May 2023 (CIOL)
The Languages Gateway is a new website, aligned to the latest evolving UK national languages strategy, intended to act as a portal for everything to do with languages in the UK.
[..] We aim to provide a one stop-shop for all things languages in the UK, facilitating links between all those interested in languages: learners, families, community groups, teachers, school leaders, academics, policymakers, subject associations.
We are now putting out this Call for Content so that we can widen participation, increase traffic, and generally make the website more valuable for everyone as a shared endeavour.
Visit the CIOL website for more information.
Read more...
12 May 2023 (Stephen Spender Trust)
The Stephen Spender Prize has now launched! It is the leading annual prize for poetry in translation, with categories for pupils, teachers and individual young people in the UK and Ireland, as well as an Open category for adults from all over the world. The rules are simple: translate into English any poem from any language – from French to Farsi, from Spanish to Somali—and win publication and cash prizes!
There are some changes for the 2023 edition, including a spotlight on poetry from Ukraine.
Visit the Stephen Spender Prize website for further information and to register to take part.
Read more...
11 May 2023 (British Council)
As part of the British Council's EU/UK Youth Stronger Together programme, the Social Action strand focusing on schools offers thematic events, workshops and competitions to facilitate partnership building between schools in the UK and EU.
Aspiring to highlight the role of young people aged 15–18 as changemakers, active global citizens and leaders at local, national and European level, key activities include:
- Virtual thematic events on topics of common interest, generated by young people themselves
- International school partnerships between schools in the EU and the UK working together on social action campaign projects
Winners of the school partnership competition will have the opportunity to take part in an international face-to-face workshop on digital campaigning for social purpose!
Schools interested in taking part in the programme should complete the short survey on the British Council website by 15 June 2023.
Read more...
A Global Citizenship Approach to French - Free new materials for French learners!!
4 May 2023 (Scotdec / University of Stirling / SCILT)
‘Remembering Empire’ is an interdisciplinary learning programme for pupils of French in S3 and AH, developed by Dr Fiona Barclay (University of Stirling) with the support of the AHRC to build language competence and global citizenship values by exploring France’s empire in Algeria. You can read more about the project and materials on SCILT's website.
Join Scotdec for a series of workshops for BGE and AH French teachers alongside Dr Barclay introducing you to the materials, and providing guidance on discussing themes of colonisation, immigration and refugees within the context of a Global Citizenship approach. More information, dates and sign-up information on the flyer attached below.
In addition, SCILT and Scotdec are joining forces to present a webinar on Active Global Citizenship Through Modern Languages on Thursday 1 June, 4-5pm. As well as general strategies, this webinar will also introduce the Remembering Empire project materials. Register for the free event!
4 May 2023 (UK-German Connection)
Would you like to boost your school’s international ethos, pupil motivation and teachers’ professional development? Through the Host a Teacher from Germany programme, your school can host a German teacher (in-person or virtually) for one, two or three weeks during the academic year – no costs involved for UK schools.
All schools and further education colleges in the UK can register. The programme is open to teachers of all subjects and German does not need to be offered at your school.
Visit the UK-German Connection website for full details and register interest by 31 May 2023. Interested schools can also register for Q&A webinar sessions about the programme being held on 10 and 25 May.
Read more...
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...
Posted in:
Primary,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Language Learning,
News from language & education organisations,
Japanese,
Portuguese
27 April 2023 (Eurydice)
The age at which children in Europe are learning a foreign language is getting younger. In 2002, the Barcelona European Council called for further action ‘teaching at least two foreign languages from a very early age’ to improve the mastery of basic skills in education. The 2023 edition of Key data on teaching languages at school in Europe has found that, since then, around two thirds of education systems for which there are data have lowered the age at which children begin to learn a foreign language. Now, learning at least one foreign language is compulsory before the age of eight in most education systems, and even before the age of six in six education systems.
A common belief is that when it comes to foreign language learning, younger is better. But is this true in the context of European school education?
Read more...
Language courses for pupils at Edinburgh College
27 April 2023 (Edinburgh College)
School pupils who find their chosen language qualification is not offered in their school can study their NQ language course online for free with Edinburgh College.
The college offers National 5 courses in French, German and Spanish as well as Higher and Advanced Higher French, German, Italian and Spanish.
See the attached flyer for details.
25 April 2023 (Empowering Young People)
This online series of events is running from April to July 2023. All sessions will be online via Zoom and will start at 16:00 unless otherwise stated.
Language teachers will be particularly interested in the session taking place on Tuesday 23 May with Crista Hazell, Maud Waret and Jane Driver: 'Empowering Young People to Change The(ir) World (life chances) with Languages'.
Visit the Empowering Young People to Change the World website for more information on all the available sessions and to register attendance.
Read more...
24 April 2023 (SCQF)
As part of our continuous review of the SCQF School Ambassador programme, we are investigating the possibility of a new ‘Ambassador’ award that schools could use to gain some formal recognition for young people involved as pupil ambassadors.
The proposed award would be flexible to allow pupils involved in any ambassador programme to take part, meaning that those involved in MyWOW, Young STEM leaders, or any other programmes could gain an SQA award too.
To progress with the idea, SQA would like to gauge interest within schools and we can go from there.
If you have a Language Ambassador Programme in your school, this could be an ideal way to award participants.
Visit the SCQF website for more information and to register your school's interest in the initiative.
Read more...
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 7th 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.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
18 April 2023 (Scottish Poetry Library)
The Scottish Poetry Library seeks submissions to its talent development scheme for poetry writers aged 16 to 25 years. We are looking for poets and poetry that are unique, imaginative and bold – a lot like Scotland itself.
We will select five young makars in total: four poets writing in English or Scots, and a writer in Scottish Gaelic. A bursary of £500 will be made available to each poet to support their engagement with the programme.
Visit the Scottish Poetry Library website for more information and submit applications by 28 April 2023.
Read more...
18 April 2023 (b small publishing)
The b small Young Language Learner Award is an exciting story-writing opportunity aimed at 6-11 year olds. Children are encouraged to send in a story or comic written in a language of their choice, other than a mother tongue, with the chance of winning up to 10 books of their choice from the b small website.
Visit the website for more information and to register for the competition entry pack. Entries close 5 June 2023.
Read more...
18 April 2023 (SEET)
It's our birthday! SEET is proud to be 30 years old this June, and we are using this as an opportunity to raise awareness for language learning in our school communities.
Here at SEET, we are fortunate to work with hundreds of schools each year across the Euroquiz and Our World projects. We would like to use this platform to bring everyone together, have fun with languages and celebrate the hard work of the thousands of young linguists we work with across the country each year.
Interested in taking part? Pupils should work together to organise a language-themed fundraiser at school between March-June. This should be an opportunity to show off creativity and have fun with languages! 50% of proceeds will be allocated to your own school fund, and 50% will be shared with our charity to further support young people with their language learning across Scotland. There will also be prizes for the most unique ideas and for the school that raises the most.
Visit SEET's dedicated web page for full details and to sign up to raise awareness of language learning!
Read more...
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...
30 March 2023 (Stephen Spender Trust)
The Stephen Spender Prize for poetry translation is open to all ages. This year’s prize will launch on 12 May 2023, but teachers are invited to register to involve their students now. All those who register will receive regular resources and activities to help them to integrate creative translation into their teaching.
The rules are simple: translate into English any poem from any language.
This year sees several new categories in the competition, including a special spotlight on poetry from Ukraine.
Visit the website for more information and to sign-up to take part.
Read more...
30 March 2023 (Scottish Book Trust)
Scotland's Stories is an annual writing project which aims to encourage all types of people to share their experiences. Every year there's a different theme to help people write about their lives, their way. The theme for 2023 is Adventure.
This project is for everyone, even if you've never written before Scottish Book Trust would like to hear from you.
Entries can be in any format – a story, poem, comic strip, play or letter. Video and audio entries are also accepted.
Entries are welcome in Gaelic, Scots and English.
Visit the Scottish Book Trust website for more information.
Read more...
28 March 2023 (University of Exeter)
To celebrate the UK's cultural diversity, the Department of Languages, Cultures, and Visual Studies at the University of Exeter are inviting secondary pupils (aged 11-16) to take a photo showing languages other than English in their local area - shop signs, bilingual street signs, film posters, advertisements and so on. Provide a brief caption, describing why and how the language is used in your chosen photograph (up to 100 words).
Schools can select up to three entries to submit to the competition.
The top 30 entries will feature in an exhibition touring Exeter, London, and Sheffield. And there are prizes up for grabs too!
Visit the website for full competition details and how to enter by 28 April 2023.
Read more...
Professional learning for teachers of Spanish
28 March 2023 (Consejería de Educación)
The Spanish Embassy Education Office has several professional learning opportunities available for UK teachers of Spanish. Follow the relevant link below for further information.
Online workshop – Tuesday 25 April (16:30)
- Aprender a cuestionar: textos y contextos Geniales para desarrollar la competencia crítica en el aula de ELE, by Álvaro Espada Benito (editorial editorial enclave-ELE).. More information and registration via the website link above.
Immersion courses in Salamanca - Dates available June to September 2023
- One-week Spanish language course - The University of Salamanca, its International Courses and the Junta de Castilla y León, offer scholarships for active Spanish teachers outside of Spain to take a week-long course on Spanish language and culture and didactic updating in Salamanca. Several dates are offered between June and September. Register via the above website link.
Spanish workshop in London - 24 June 2023
- Save the date! More information and registration coming soon.
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
HE,
Spanish,
CPD,
Funding,
Immersion,
Language Teaching,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
21 March 2023 (Institut français)
The Institut français du Royaume-Uni and France Éducation international are organising a one-week training course in London where participants will be able to take part in multiple workshops intended to continue to develop their professional practices.
The aim is to support their dynamic career projects to guarantee the success of all students in French. Side events and cultural activities will also be offered to allow participants to meet and share good practices.
Training will take place at our premises in London from 24 to 28 July 2023.
Visit the Institut français website for full details, including fees. Registration deadline: 31 March.
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17 March 2023 (Cambridge Language Collective)
The Cambridge Language Collective is delighted to be opening its third annual Schools’ Essay Competition. Following the spirit of the publication’s own personal objective, to ‘broaden horizons beyond the Anglophone world’, the essay competition encourages students from years 10 to 13 (S4-S6 in Scotland) to write about the art & culture, or politics & society, of a non-Anglophone country.
Visit the website for more information and submit entries by 5 April 2023.
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16 March 2023 (Institut français)
Le Concours de la Francophonie 2023 is now closed ! The theme of the competition this year was : “PLAY” - “JOUER” en français.
Congratulations to everyone who participated and to the following institutions who have each won prizes in their own categories:
First prize:
- St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh (S1-S6)
- Avenue End Primary, Glasgow (P5-P7)
- Glasgow Academy Milngavie, Glasgow (P1 –P4)
Second prize:
- Aberdeen Grammar School, Aberdeen (S1-S6)
- Kilmodan Primary School & ELCC, Glendaruel (P5-P7)
- Doune Primary School, Stirling (P1-P4)
We congratulate all our winners on their French skills and creativity!
It's not too late to register for free online courses in French to celebrate the mois de la francophonie this March. Visit the Institut français website to sign up!
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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 14th and 15th 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.
16 March 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Calling all learners and lovers of German in the UK and Ireland! We invite you to look back at turning points from the past century of German – and therefore also European – history. Write a letter or diary entry imagining alternative developments and win one of three trips to Berlin and other exciting prizes!
The competition is open to learners and lovers of German of ALL levels! Jury members will be considering entries in several categories of language experience to ensure a fair assessment!
Exercises and recommended media to help students familiarise themselves with the theme of the competition are available to teachers and lecturers.
Visit the website for more information and submit entries by 3 May 2023.
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9 March 2023 (SEET)
It’s our birthday! SEET is proud to be 30 years old this June, and we are using this as an opportunity to raise awareness for language learning in our school communities.
Here at SEET, we are fortunate to work with hundreds of schools each year across the Euroquiz and Our World projects. We would like to use this platform to bring everyone together, have fun with languages and celebrate the hard work of the thousands of young linguists we work with across the country each year.
Interested in taking part? Pupils should work together to organise a language-themed fundraiser at school between March-June. This should be an opportunity to show off creativity and have fun with languages! See the attached flyer for more information.
Visit SEET's dedicated web page for full details and to sign up to raise awareness of language learning!
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9 March 2023 (Education Scotland)
Have you ever considered how languages could be the key to unlocking leadership potential? Well, this might be the ideal moment to give it some thought as we investigate Scotland’s Languages Leadership Programme as a route worthy of exploration towards leadership opportunities.
Karen Faulds, a primary school teacher prior to joining Scotland's National Centre for Languages (SCILT) in 2019, tells us about her participation in LLP which formed part of her own leadership journey. She describes the programme as a pivotal moment in that journey and confirms it remains the best professional learning experience for her to date.
Visit the Education Scotland website to read more about Karen's experience. Registration for the 2023-24 is now open. You'll find a link to apply within the article.
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8 March 2023 (Institut français)
The Institut français partner, Frantastique, is offering a month of online French lessons to celebrate the Mois de la Francophonie! Don't miss this opportunity to improve your French! Visit the Institut français website to sign-up.
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Remembering Empire: Free materials to build global citizenship values and competence in French (S3 and AH)
7 March 2023 (University of Stirling)
Looking for free new materials for French learners? ‘Remembering Empire’ is an interdisciplinary learning programme for pupils of French in S3 and Advanced Higher. Developed by Dr Fiona Barclay (University of Stirling) with the support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, ‘Remembering Empire’ builds language competence and global citizenship values by exploring France’s empire in Algeria. By focusing on the establishment of the colony, life there, and the departure of the settlers when Algeria became independent, learners are encouraged to make connections with Scotland’s history of emigration and colonisation, and with the experiences of refugees today.
The S3 programme consists of five sessions and focuses on an electronic comic book, ‘Entre ici et là-bas’, which tells the story of Jeanne, a young French girl whose family are forced to leave Algeria when it becomes independent. Waiting to board a ship, she reflects on her family’s history, from her great-grandfather who arrived in 1871 and built a farm for his family, to her own experiences of the war that led to independence. We hear about the indigenous Arab population and think about how they experienced this history.
Activities based on the comic include:
- City/country names and prepositions
- Asking questions and naming objects (if you had to leave home suddenly, what would you pack in your suitcase?)
- Describing emotions and using être in the present (how do the different characters feel?)
- Different daily routines, in Algeria and in France
- Using the near future (aller + infinitive) to imagine what the characters might do in the future.
Free resources include the comic (available on Webtoons), a video-recording of the comic being read aloud by a native speaker, lesson plans for all sessions with detailed information and interactive activities, and suggested drama activities led by actors with video guides.
For learners taking Advanced Higher French, Remembering Empire offers full support for the portfolio element, including the two required texts (a play and an interview with the playwright). Five sessions of archive footage, readings and activities in French introduce learners to the history and culture of French Algeria and the war which led to independence, and give the background required to study the play.
Six sessions focus on a French play, Les Pieds Tanqués (2012). Set on a pétanque pitch, the play presents the conflicting memories of the Algerian War. Full resources include the interactive electronic text of the play and notes, a written interview with the playwright, Philippe Chuyen, lesson plans with detailed information and classroom activities, a blank fiche de lecture and character profiles for pupils to complete (plus completed versions for teachers), and a video recording of a live performance. The package also includes a plan for a potential AH Portfolio essay question.
Interested? The materials will be available from April 2023. To express an interest and be contacted then, leave your name and contact details on this form: https://forms.gle/JNoer7PA2zkAjzvg9
6 March 2023 (NE Festival of Languages)
The North East Festival of Languages takes place throughout the month of March.
Whilst much of the programme is specifically for schools and communities residing in the North East of England, there are also resources and opportunities open to all, like the Yorùbá language and culture online taster on 11 March and exciting games and activities for language learners, such as the Escape Room challenge available for learners of French, German or Spanish.
Visit the website and check out what's available for your next language class!
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6 March 2023 (German Embassy)
If you know a truly outstanding German language teacher at your primary or secondary school – make sure that their dedication and excellence get the recognition they deserve!
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in London is pleased to invite nominations for the annual German Teacher Award, now in its 20th successful year. The winners of the Award will be announced in summer, they will receive a personal prize and a certificate.
Please note that only headteachers or heads of languages can nominate the German language teacher; unfortunately applications by German language teachers submitted by themselves and applications submitted by pupils cannot be accepted.
Visit the website for more information and submit nominations by 23 April 2023.
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CPD opportunities for teachers of Spanish
2 March 2023 (Consejería de Educación)
The Spanish Embassy Education Office has several professional learning opportunities available for UK teachers of Spanish. Follow the relevant link below for further information.
Next online workshop – Tuesday 7 March (16:30)
Immersion courses in Salamanca - April 2023
- One-week Spanish language course - Grants to follow a one-week Spanish language course in Salamanca aimed at primary or secondary teachers at Easter. Four different levels: absolute beginners, beginners, intermediate and advanced Spanish. Register via the website link.
- Course on Didactics in Salamanca - Grants for a course on didactics aimed at secondary and university teachers of Spanish in the UK and Ireland. One-week course in Salamanca at Easter. Register via the website link.
March 2023: Spanish teacher training UK tour
Edinumen Publishing House and the Consejería de Educación are co- organising a series of face-to-face training sessions for teachers of Spanish to take place throughout March 2023 in five British cities:
- Manchester, Saturday 11/03/23
- Oxford, Tuesday 14/03/23
- London, Wednesday 15/03/23
- Cambridge, Thursday 16/03/23
- Glasgow, Saturday 18/03/23
Registration is free and already open. The workshops will be held in Spanish. Visit the website for the programme and registration links.
Posted in:
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Spanish,
CPD,
Immersion,
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Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
2 March 2023 (e-Sgoil)
Registration for e-Sgoil's Easter study support sessions is now open.
Please note, even if you've been attending term-time evening classes you must register separately for the Easter programme.
Sessions are free to learners. Visit the website to view the timetable and sign up for your preferred sessions. Various classes available for French, German, Gaelic/Gàidhlig and Spanish from National 5 to Advanced Higher.
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28 February 2023 (Glasgow Film Festival)
Glasgow Film Festival takes place 1-12 March screening the best new releases, a host of old favourites, and some undiscovered gems.
Visit the website for full programme details. Search in the 'genre' dropdown on the What's On page for foreign language films.
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Vive la Francophonie Quiz 2023
24 February 2023 (Institut français)
Test your French and learn more about the culture of the 88 countries which form the Francophonie! The focus of this year's quiz is Tunisia. Make the most of the Francophonie celebrations and get a chance to win books and other exciting prizes!
The quiz will be available online 18-26 March.
Visit the website for more information and to register to take part.
21 February 2023 (University of Reading)
Multilingual children in pre-schools across Reading have benefitted from a series of multilingual storytelling sessions to celebrate children’s heritage languages as well as to help improve their early literacy skills and understanding of language.
As part of a project funded through the Community Fund, a joint initiative by the University of Reading and the John Sykes Foundation, a group of 12 student volunteers from the University visited four pre-schools in Reading to read story books to the children in seven community-spoken languages. These included Malayalam, German, Arabic, Urdu and Mandarin.
The idea was to expose both the multilingual children, who speak one or more languages other than English, and monolingual children who speak only English, to multiple languages in their learning environment and to provide a positive example of reading not dependent on English fluency.
Charlotte Dormer, project volunteer and Academic Liaison Librarian at the University of Reading, said: “Through this project, we wanted to demonstrate the value of storytelling in multiple languages for all children, whether multilingual or not. We know that lockdowns limited the opportunities that children had to experience language rich environments, and this was an opportunity to start to re-address that balance.
“We also know it is important that children read; the evidence all points towards better social outcomes for children who are read to and who enjoy reading, and for children who are multilingual it is also important that they are encouraged to develop those skills in all their languages.”
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20 February 2023 (Institut français)
With the French Pop Video Competition, students get the chance to practice French in a very different and fun way. Not only do they improve their writing skills and enrich their vocabulary by creating their own lyrics, but they also practice their speaking skills while shooting the video and create lifelong memories related to their French class.
Open to all UK primary and secondary schools. Entries can be from a class, a small group or individuals.
Visit the website for full details and register to take part by 10 March.
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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.
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16 February 2023 (LFEE)
LFEE Europe is again offering their online GTCS-accredited course for Secondary teachers.
Participants to this course will meet the GTCS requirements for residency.
The course will run from March to May 2023.
Visit the LFEE website for further information about the course and fees.
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14 February 2023 (Universities of Southampton & Reading)
Are you a state school primary languages teacher in England or Scotland? Does your school teach French or Spanish to Year 5/Primary 6 students (children aged 9-10 years)?
Digital Empowerment in Language Teaching (DELTEA) is looking for school partners to work with over our 3-year research project!
If you’re interested in free, research-informed teacher professional development in Digital Literacy skills for the MFL classroom, please get in touch via the form below – we’d love to hear from you! We can also offer some funding for supply cover.
https://forms.office.com/e/scBXAHZus2
You can also visit the project website for more information.
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9 February 2023 (Education Scotland)
Languages Week Scotland was celebrated from 30 January to 3 February. If you missed it, don’t worry, there are still plenty of resources to support language learners. Browse our languages wakelet for lots of useful links and resources.
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Summer courses in Germany
8 February 2023 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection offers summer opportunities for German learners; these bring language-learning to life by combining language lessons with cultural trips and excursions, as well as staying with host families. The application deadline for all programmes is 1 March 2023.
The programmes are open to pupils who have been learning German for at least 2 years and are eager to actively put their German knowledge to use.
These programmes take place on different dates during July and August. More information can be found on the dedicated webpages.
There is also an opportunity for for secondary teachers to act as group leaders on the German Pupil Courses. These are paid roles. Follow the link below for more information:
Posted in:
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News from language & education organisations
3 February 2023 (Seachdain na Gàidhlig)
Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) aims to raise the profile of Gaelic through community initiatives, projects and events. It provides the opportunity for both Gaelic speakers and those without the language to take part in a way that suits them; here in Scotland and further afield.
Taking place 20-26 February 2023, the event seeks to celebrate Scottish Gaelic across the globe.
Visit the website for more information and discover how you can get involved.
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3 February 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Are you teaching German at a secondary school and would like to practise your conversational skills and keep yourself up-to-date with current affairs in German speaking countries?
This conversation course will be right for you. We will be discussing a wide range of topics based on current newspaper articles, radio programmes and clips from German television. You will be taking away up-to-date materials and, hopefully, inspiration and lots of good ideas for your classroom.
The course consists of six online sessions February-May 2023 held over Zoom.
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3 February 2023 (University of Glasgow)
This collaborative project, carried out by an international team based at the University of Glasgow and at the Arabic Center of the Islamic University of Gaza (Palestine), explores the inclusion of a ‘refugee language’ in Scottish education as a way to enact the idea of ‘integration as a two-way process’ that is at the heart of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy (Scottish Government, 2018).
The project aimed to show that it is possible to make space in Scottish education for the many languages that New Scots bring with them and to give a space in Scottish schools to a greater number of languages that include those of the people who chose Scotland as their new home.
Visit the website for more information and to read the project's final report.
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2 February 2023 (Scottish Book Trust)
Each month the Scottish Book Trust runs a writing competition providing a prompt to get you started, but where the story goes from there is entirely up to you. The competition includes four categories: adult writers, all-age Gaelic writers, young writers 5–11 and young writers 12–18.
This month's stories must include a fox and be no longer than 50 words. Visit the Scottish Book Trust website to enter by 28 February.
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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.
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Spanish,
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News from language & education organisations
Japanese Film Festival at the University of Edinburgh
2 February 2023 (Japan Foundation)
Ahead of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2023 coming to Scotland in March, why not try some of the Japanese films at the University of Edinburgh as a taster? There are three films showing in February to choose from, and booking is completely free!
Register attendance following the relevant link below:
2 February 2023 (Japan Foundation)
Applications are now open for the Japan Foundation's new event, The Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK – also known as… JaLaChamp! JaLaChamp is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese, and consists of two categories: a speech category, and a video category where students are asked to create an original video.
Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information.
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1 February 2023 (Institut français)
The Institut français du Royaume-Uni and l’Alliance française de Rouen are organising a one-week training course for non-specialist primary school teachers of French who would like to build up their confidence in the language. There are two places available for teachers in Scotland.
Training fees and accommodation will be covered by the Institut français du Royaume-Uni. Participants will have to organise and pay for their journey to and from Rouen, France.
Visit the Institut français website for more information and apply by 28 February 2023.
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31 January 2023 (Scottish Education Awards)
Nominations are now open for this year's Scottish Education Awards.
The annual event recognises those who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcases the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.
There are several award categories, including the award for Gaelic Education.
Visit the website for more information and submit nominations by 24 February 2023.
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26 January 2023 (SWEIC)
South West Educational Improvement Collaborative (SWEIC) is excited to launch our programme of professional learning opportunities in celebration of languages week. This year we have a wide selection of inputs, including French, Spanish, Ukrainian, Scots, Gaelic and BSL.
Our Keynote delivered by Education Scotland colleagues is A decade of 1+2 and Scotland’s changing languages landscape.
Visit the SWEIC blog to find out what's planned for the week and how to take part.
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26 January 2023 (Institut français)
All year round, the Institut français d’Écosse offers a variety of language workshops and Immersion days to support pupils and teachers in primary and secondary schools. Give your students the opportunity to be surrounded by the French language and supported by our team of qualified, native-speaking French teachers and friendly staff. Maximum group of 20 pupils.
More information is available on the attached flyer or you can visit the Institut français website.
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24 January 2023 (Oxford German Network)
Round 2 of the Oxford German Olympiad 2023 is now open for entries. Round 1 and Round 2 are separate competitions. You may enter both, but do not need to have entered Round 1 in order to enter Round 2.
The competition is open to secondary students with a choice of two tasks for different age categories in the second round:
- TASK 1: Oxford German Network Essay or Video Task (ages 13-17)
- TASK 2: The White Rose Project: Creative translation (ages 16-18)
Visit the competition website for full details and submit entries by 12 noon on 9 March 2023.
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23 January 2023 (La Jolie Ronde)
To support Languages Week Scotland, La Jolie Ronde are offering Schools now and throughout February, FREE trials of their French and Spanish Scheme of Work for P3-P6. To take up this offer email: schools@lajolieronde.co.uk (quote SCILT).
Plus, parents can book a FREE trial session of a French and/or Spanish class run through their network of Scottish tutors - local tutors can be found on La Jolie Ronde's website.
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23 January 2023 (CinemaAttic)
The Catalan Film Festival returns to Scotland from 21 January to 15 February 2023.
The festival returns to our favourite Scottish cinemas with the addition of two new venues, as we partner with the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT), Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA), CCA Glasgow, Summerhall, Traverse Theatre, Tapas3 and St Peter’s Church Hall Edinburgh, while maintaining an online window for Catalan art lovers across the UK and globally.
The bright, colourful programme of award winning Catalan films celebrated in the international circuit pays particular attention to diversity with a focus on great contemporary Catalan female directors.
Visit the Catalan Film Festival website for full programme details.
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19 January 2023 (Aberystwyth University)
Creative Modern Languages is a British Academy funded project looking at artistic research and creative assessment in Modern Languages.
We would like to encourage colleagues and students to re-consider the teaching, assessment and researching of Modern Languages through the medium of artistic practice.
This website acts as an open access online hub where you will find examples of good practice in creative assessment and artistic research in Modern Languages. We would encourage you to contribute your own examples to grow the hub.
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19 January 2023 (Scottish Book Trust)
Are you someone with stories to share? Or a teacher working with young writers we should know about? We're looking for our next Scots writer of the year.
Stories, poems, spoken word pieces, comics, videos or other pieces of writing – we want to see it all, as long as it's in Scots and under 2500 words or up to ten minutes. Open to Scots writers aged 11-18. Enter by 21 June 2023.
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International Exchange Turing applications
19 January 2023 (LFEE)
LFEE Europe & Powerlanguage are preparing two International Exchange Turing applications as consortium managers. This means that we will administer the projects on your behalf and find suitable partner schools, using part of the Organisational Budget.
Schools will receive and manage the travel and subsistence budget, which will cover mobilities for all participating pupils and teachers.
We have two proposals to offer Scottish schools:
- Links with a UNESCO World Heritage school and specialist art school in Valencia and also with partners in Italy. This project would benefit learners looking to enhance skills in Music, Art, Digital Literacy and Languages.
- Links with schools in France and Spain to support the learning of Geography - for example, coastal regions - History, Languages and Digital Literacy.
We would be delighted to support your school to engage with Turing. Last year, we made a successful application and secured 120 mobilities for learners. We hope to extend and build this capacity in Scotland through two new Turing funding proposals this year.
Please get in touch (info@lfee.net) if you would like to engage in our consortium application and we will be happy to answer any further questions you may have.
17 January 2023 (University of Portsmouth)
New research from the University of Portsmouth, based on the analysis of job adverts targeted at graduates, shows a high demand for language skills that are now often unmet in secondary school settings.
Dr Begoña Rodríguez de Céspedes is a Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies at the University of Portsmouth and an Executive Committee member of the University Council of Modern Languages. Amidst concerns that secondary schools are often dropping a requirement to study foreign languages, she has been looking at the needs of employers to find candidates with suitable skills.
Her research shows there are hundreds of jobs listed for graduates where an additional language is required. German is the most requested, closely followed by French.
Read more...
16 January 2023 (UK-German Connection)
Our meet-up group, Café Connect gives young people aged 14-18 the chance to get to know other young people through fun, interactive activities, and group discussions on current topics. Take part and make new friends, learn about the other culture, and practise (or even pick up) some German!
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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...
16 January 2023 (British Council)
Practise and celebrate a language you are learning, or use in your community, and take part in a virtual festival of speaking!
Prepare a short poem, presentation, sketch or dialogue in the target language and upload to social media.
Visit the British Council website for more information.
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16 January 2023 (Goethe-Institut)
Are you between 16 and 17 years old and speak German with A1+ level or want to start learning German? Do you love playing football? The football camp in Germany combines both - daily training and German lessons. In addition you will make new friends from other countries and get to know Hamburg. Registration deadline is on 31.01.2023.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information.
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German Pupil Courses & German Scholarship Programme
16 January 2023 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection's German summer courses are back!
The German Pupil Courses and German Scholarships Programme will take place as in-person events again this year, after a 3-year (virtual) break. Applications will open on 25 January, and the deadline will be 1 March 2023.
More information about each option is available via the following links:
12 January 2023 (Institut français)
Since its launch in 2016 by the Institut français d’Ecosse, le Concours de la francophonie, a national school competition to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland enjoying French language, has been a great way of celebrating the international day of la francophonie.
Throughout the years, many schools across Scotland have taken part in the competition and we hope to receive great entries this year again!
All Scottish primary and secondary schools offering French may enter this competition by submitting a short video of a classroom activity in French. The theme of the competition this year is : “PLAY” - “JOUER” en français. Deadline extended to 31 January 2023.
Visit the Institut français website or see the attached flyer for more information.
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12 January 2023 (Institut français)
The Institut français du Royaume-Uni and France Éducation international are organising a one-week training course in London where participants will be able to take part in multiple workshops intended to continue to develop their professional practices.
The aim is to support their dynamic career projects to guarantee the success of all students in French. Side events and cultural activities will also be offered to allow participants to meet and share good practices.
Training will take place at our premises in London from 24/07 to 28/07.
Visit the Institut français website for full details, including fees.
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10 January 2023 (British Council)
Rosalind Johnson shares her ideas for how language teachers can help their students speak with clarity, and explains how warm-ups, tongue twisters and an emphasis on pace can all be used in the language class.
Students often don’t realise they cannot be understood. Their peers can understand them, but speaking with friends is different to performing for exams. Or being understood by everyone else.
I tell my students that when we first hear Shakespeare we don’t understand it as it sounds alien to us. We have to listen a few times to get our ‘ear’ used to the different sounds. We can say the same of students who are non-native speakers of English. But, in performance, job interviews or presentations, our audience will not have the chance to listen several times. So clarity of speech is especially important. Diction is the key!
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10 January 2023 (Sutton Trust)
Every year the Sutton Trust partners with a number of UK universities to run a series of Summer Schools in each location. With a wide range of subjects to choose from, the summer schools are designed to give pupils a taste of studying at university.
The Summer Schools are a fully immersive experience. You'll live as a student staying in accommodation overnight and meet other students from across the UK. We’ll cover the full costs of your travel, accommodation, food and activities at any partner university, not just one local to you.
If you're a student in Year 12, S5 in Scotland or Year 13 in Northern Ireland visit the website to find out more about the scheme, eligibility criteria and how to apply. Application deadline is 10 March 2023.
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10 January 2023 (UKLO)
UKLO is a language-analysis competition for all ages. We create linguistics puzzles and run competitions for school children to encourage a lifelong interest in the world’s languages. The highest scoring students proceed through a couple more rounds of testing and coaching before we present them for the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) where they compete against other countries.
The competition is offered at four levels of difficulty for KS2 – KS5, and provides Gold, Silver and Bronze awards, as well as participation certificates, at each level.
Interested in taking part? Visit the UKLO website to find out more and to register.
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10 January 2023 (MyFrenchFilmFestival)
MyFrenchFilmFestival is back on 13 January 2023 for its 13th edition!
What better way to kick off the year than by enjoying a selection of films at home for free?
From 13 January to 13 February 2023, discover 29 short and feature films online that made a splash at premier international festivals. Comedy, romance, drama, documentary, animation, and classics… there is sure to be something for everyone.
All films will be available with subtitles in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and – new this year – Arabic, Ukrainian, and Mandarin.
Visit the MyFrenchFilmFestival website for full programme details.
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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.
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4 January 2023 (Japan Foundation)
The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme, the UK’s ever-evolving largest festival of Japanese cinema celebrates its 20th anniversary!
With an exciting line up, most of which have only recently been released, but also some masterpieces from the distant past, and all of which share connections to the themes taken up in the past, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2023 explores the theme of “the evolution of Japanese cinema”.
Taking place in cinemas across the country, the programme runs from 3 February to 31 March.
Visit the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme website for full details.
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16 December 2022 (UWS)
The University of the West of Scotland (UWS), coupled with the Scottish Mathematical Council, is organising the world-wide Mathematics and Language competition “Mathématiques sans Frontières” in Scotland (and rUK). We are hopeful that we continue to offer a stimulating and light-hearted competition for S4-S6 pupils which combines Mathematics and Modern Languages. For those of you who have not taken part previously, this competition aims to motivate pupils in these subjects, promote teamwork throughout pupils of all abilities, and bridge borders between countries across the world.
Attached is a discovery training test for “Mathématiques Sans Frontières” alongside some more formal competition instructions, and an entry proforma for the competition. Entry deadline: 27 January 2023.
You can also find more information on the UWS Mathématiques sans Frontières website.
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15 December 2022 (British Council)
The British Council and QFI invite students to showcase their talents in the Arabic language at our 2023 Arabic Speaking Competition. The competition aims to:
- Raise the profile of Arabic as a modern world language
- Increase student’s motivation for learning Arabic
- Develop vocabulary and improve pronunciation and speaking skills
- Raise confidence for oral examinations
- Inspire students to discover more about Arab cultures
- To celebrate the skills of young people who are studying Arabic language
Students will participate virtually and be judged by a panel of fluent Arabic speakers.
Visit the British Council website for full guidance and to register participants by 16 January 2023.
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New issue of TECLA magazine and upcoming training opportunities
12 December 2022 (Consejería de Educación)
Please find below the information about a new issue of TECLA magazine (December 2022) and upcoming training opportunities for teachers of Spanish:
- Publications. New issue of the magazine TECLA with lots of ideas and resources for Spanish classes. FREE DOWNLOAD!!!
- Training opportunities. Have a look at the CPD opportunities we have prepared for the first half of 2023: online sessions, face-to-face training in different locations in the UK, and immersion breaks in Spain during the school holidays of February, April, and July. SAVE THE DATE!!!!:
- Next online workshop – Saturday 21 January (10:00): Jornada monográfica en línea sobre aspectos culturales en la enseñanza del español. Free registration.
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
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HE,
Spanish,
CPD,
Language Learning,
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Teacher Education,
Resources,
News from language & education organisations
12 December 2022 (UK-German Connection)
Keeping up connections between the UK and Germany remains as important as ever. To help keep school partnerships alive, UK-German Connection offers special partnership bursaries of £1,000.00 for you and your partner school.
Applications for the 2022-23 school partnership bursaries are now open until 31 January 2023.
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Digital Empowerment in Language Teaching (DELTEA) project
12 December 2022 (Universities of Southampton & Reading)
Are you a state school primary languages teacher in England or Scotland? Does your school teach French or Spanish to Year 5/Primary 6 students (children aged 9-10 years)?
Digital Empowerment in Language Teaching (DELTEA) is looking for school partners to work with over our 3-year research project!
If you’re interested in free, research-informed teacher professional development in Digital Literacy skills for the MFL classroom, please get in touch via the form below – we’d love to hear from you! We can also offer some funding for supply cover.
https://forms.office.com/e/scBXAHZus2
12 December 2022 (British Council)
The British Council’s English Language Assistants (ELA) programme is a major UK mobility initiative that offers paid teaching placements abroad, providing the perfect opportunity to travel, teach and gain invaluable experiences along the way.
Applications for the 2023-24 academic year are open until 1 February 2023.
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9 December 2022 (SQA)
Alzheimer Scotland service users recently took part in a 12-week French language course at Lingo Flamingo, a social enterprise language centre based in Glasgow. The course, which included an SQA National 2 unit in French, was made up of three couples, where one person from each was living with dementia.
Lingo Flamingo offers French, German, Spanish and Italian language classes to older adults, as well as to people living with dementia in care homes and day centres across Scotland. The classes help with confidence building and creating connections between learners, but also help stimulate the mind. The classes have been shown to improve the participants’ decision making and multi-tasking skills, heightening their ability to concentrate and communicate.
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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.
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6 December 2022 (Education Scotland / e-Sgoil)
Learn Gaelic, Scotland’s oldest National Language, online with other students from across Scotland via e-Sgoil, working in partnership with UHI Outer Hebrides.
Courses Available: National 5 Gaelic Learners, Higher Gaelic Learners, National 5 Gaidhlig (fluent speakers), Higher Gaidhlig (fluent speakers).
Frequency: Twice weekly, draft timetable available but this can be flexible to some degree to meet the needs of Learners.
Format: Online lessons via Microsoft Teams.
Offered at both National 5 and Higher, and with courses designed by award-winning staff, Gaelic comes alive through regular, interactive, online lessons, and quality digital support materials.
Learning Gaelic opens doors to many things, including exciting career choices, further education, Scottish culture, history, geography, tourism and wellbeing. Now is your chance to become part of this rich and rewarding world.
The National 5 and Higher courses are designed to help develop skills and knowledge rapidly, getting even those learners with no Gaelic at the start of the course to a level of confidence and fluency quickly. Self-study and independent learning are important elements of the course but there is a wealth of support and resources at your fingertips.
You will meet and make friends with other young people from across Scotland.
This course may be most attractive to students with interests in languages, traditional music, outdoor activities, the media, citizenship, history, or indeed any subject matter.
Gabh an cothrom! Seize the opportunity!
Visit the website or register provisional interest here and someone will be in touch to discuss with you: https://forms.office.com/e/6gLdv307Y4
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6 December 2022 (Durham University)
The Centre for Foreign Language Study at Durham University has launched a competition to all UK learners of French, from Key Stage 4 to Higher Education.
The purpose of the contest is to provide an opportunity for learners of French to use the language creatively while promoting the study of French. In a digital age of short messages and tweets, we therefore want to invite participants to combine French, creativity and succinctness to design a slogan of their own on the themes of “le français: une nouvelle langue, une nouvelle culture, un nouveau monde”.
More information and full competition criteria can be found on the Durham University website. Submission deadline: 6 March 2023.
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29 November 2022 (British Academy)
Growing regional disparities and long-term shifts in how modern languages are studied in combination with other subjects offer a complex picture of language learning and provision at UK universities. These are the findings of a new report by the British Academy and the University Council of Modern Languages (UCML).
‘Languages Learning in Higher Education: Granular Trends’ examines UCAS data on language learning at a microscopic level, providing original insights on individual languages, shifts in the way languages are studied in combination with other subjects, and regional trends.
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28 November 2022 (ECML)
The latest issue of the European Language Gazette has just been published.
The ECML's e-newsletter provides up-to-date news about the ECML (events, projects, resources) and other relevant sectors of the Council of Europe as well as of our partners. It focuses on national developments in the field of language education in the member states and beyond.
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All Languages,
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News from language & education organisations
24 November 2022 (UK Government Department for Education)
The Department for Education has published a new report on the teaching of ancient languages at primary schools in England, co-written by Academy-funded researcher Dr Arlene Holmes Henderson and Katrina Kelly: University of Oxford.
The main aims of this report are to:
- review existing literature on the impact of ancient languages on aspects of primary school students’ development
- detail the work of educational organisations to support ancient language teaching at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
- evaluate the provision of ancient languages on the statutory curriculum and within primary schools
- identify further areas for research
The report can be accessed online.
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22 November 2022 (Scottish Gaelic Awards)
Nominations for the 2023 Scottish Gaelic Awards are now open!
The Awards reward all aspects of the Gaelic language and culture across the length and breadth of the country.
Visit the website for more information on the award categories and submit nominations by 8 January 2023.
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Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain appeal for teachers
22 November 2022 (AUGB)
Calling teachers in the Glasgow area. The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Glasgow Branch is looking for teachers who can teach English to displaced Ukrainian people.
Who we are:
The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) is the largest representative body for Ukrainians and those of Ukrainian descent in the UK. It exists to develop, promote and support the interests of the Ukrainian community in the UK.
What we are looking for:
We are looking for language teachers who would be able to teach English twice a week at the Ambition liner docked near Govan.
Days, times, levels:
It would be twice a week, 2 hours per lesson. You would have a group of 20-30 people (depending on your preference). Levels - pre-intermediate - intermediate. There is a projector and screen available, as well as a blackboard.
Pay: £25/hour. £100 for a week.
Duration: 2-3 months.
This would be a very rewarding opportunity to help displaced Ukrainians. To register your interest please contact AUGB Glasgow Branch glasgow@augb.co.uk
22 November 2022 (BBC)
Are you over 18, passionate about journalism and able to speak a second language? The BBC Future Voices programme is an exciting six-week journalism training scheme with BBC World Service Languages. Applicants should be available between January and February or March and April 2023.
Visit the BBC careers website for more information about the opportunity.
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22 November 2022 (GLEANS Alba)
The new GLEANS Challenge is ready to go! We want to hear all about your pets so why not send in a video or an audio picture telling us about them?
Visit the GLEANS website for more information.
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22 November 2022 (SEET)
The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) runs language learning and global citizenship projects for children and young people across Scotland. Euroquiz is an annual project open to all P6 pupils across Scotland, which sees teams of four working together to broaden their knowledge of Europe and the wider world. Subjects covered include languages, history, geography, culture and European affairs. Heats take place in local authorities from February to April, with the winning teams from all areas progressing to the National Euroquiz Final held in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament in June.
To enter your team, please complete the Registration Form for schools and return to your local authority Euroquiz organiser. All schools in Scotland will receive this information directly from their local authority organiser. If you have not received a form, or do not know who your local organiser is, please get in touch with SEET: jane@seet.org.uk
We recently provided a CLPL session for interested teachers. Please find a full recording of the event here: https://youtu.be/un8iL3wN7-s
A downloadable flyer for schools is also attached.
More information about Euroquiz available on SEET's website or by emailing jane@seet.org.uk.
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French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Language Learning,
News from language & education organisations
17 November 2022 (Argyll & Bute/N Ayrshire Councils)
Stacey Arneil, 1+2 Development officer for North Ayrshire has teamed up with Gwen McCrossan, PT for 1+2 languages for Argyll & Bute Council to offer a 10-week pilot of live virtual lessons in French and Spanish. These lessons are suitable for learners from P4 onwards as the content bridges First and Second Level Experiences and Outcomes. The lessons would also suit as a standalone L3 topic. This offer is open to all Scottish primary schools using Glow Teams.
Each lesson will last 45 minutes. The same live lesson will run twice in the same week. You can choose to attend one, or the other. It is not necessary to stick to the same day.
The deadline for sign-up is 21 December 2022.
Follow the link below for more information and to register your class.
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15 November 2022 (French Film Festival)
Over 4500 school students and their teachers are already benefitting from free films and resources offered to all schools by the Festival in partnership with IF Cinema Institut français this autumn and you can too:
- All films and resources are completely free of charge
- Films for all ages
- Available to screen in your own classroom for one month
Visit the French Film Festival website to find out more and book your films.
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15 November 2022 (Institut français)
The French Pop Video Competition is a national competition organised by Francophonie UK in association with the Institut français du Royaume-Uni and supported by TV5Monde.
The competition encourages students to engage with French in a creative way. UK primary and secondary school students can work individually or in groups to create a song in French and shoot a video.
The deadline to submit entries is 1 May 2023.
Once videos have been received regional winners will be selected based on the quality of the lyrics and music, and the originality of video. Regional winners’ music videos will then enter the national competition. Winners of the national competition will be announced during the week of 21 June (World Music Day!).
Visit the competition website for more information and to register to take part.
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14 November 2022 (UK Government Department of Education)
Thousands more students will benefit from high quality language teaching as part of a programme to boost the number of pupils taking languages like French, German and Spanish at GCSE and A level.
Leading schools in language teaching will form a new Centre of Excellence, comprised of up to 25 schools, which will work with other schools to improve standards of language teaching across the country in line with the teaching methods set out in Ian Bauckham’s 2016 Modern Foreign Languages Pedagogy Review. The programme will be backed by £14.9 million over the next three years, which will also aim to raise interest in studying German.
The programme will deliver on the pledge made in the Schools White Paper to create a network of language hubs and build significantly on the previous Modern Foreign Languages Hubs programme, which was made up of nine lead schools.
Languages are a key part of a broad and balanced curriculum and evidence suggests learning a language has strong economic benefits, including improving international trade. The British Council also identified that Spanish, Mandarin, French, Arabic, and German are the top five priority languages to improve the UK’s skills, security and influence in the world.
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Concours de la Francophonie 2023
11 November 2022 (Institut français)
Institut français d’Ecosse is proud to announce its 2023 edition of Concours de la Francophonie, a school competition at national level aiming at developing communicative skills in French. The theme this year is 'PLAY' ('JOUER' in French) and there will be winners for each category : P1/P4 - P5/P7 - S1/S3 - S4/S6. Enter by 13 January 2023.
For more information see the attached flyer or contact : ife.francophonie@gmail.com
10 November 2022 (Scottish Book Trust)
The annual celebration of books and reading across the country takes place 14–20 November. During Book Week, people of all ages and walks of life come together to share the joy of reading.
This year's stories have been shared on the Scottish Book Trust website and a handful of their favourites compiled in a free book. With the event focusing on 'Scotland's Stories' you'll find several told in Scots and Gaelic.
Visit the Book Week Scotland website to discover the events taking place across the week and activities and resources to help you get involved.
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8 November 2022 (British Council)
International Education Week is back!
From 14 to 18 November, we’re coming together to recognise the value of bringing the world into the classroom and celebrate international work happening in schools.
With this year’s International Education Week taking place during COP27 in Egypt – the UN’s global climate change conference, where world leaders will discuss the future of climate action – we’re focusing on collaborating for a cleaner, greener future.
As well as offering a range of opportunities to help you and your students take positive action for a greener tomorrow, we’re also showcasing our favourite classroom resources, to help you get started on your international journey.
Join the free webinar Education Exchange: embedding climate education across the whole curriculum taking place on 16 November which will explore the practice of teachers who are embedding climate education across their whole school curriculum and into some of the harder-to-reach subjects.
Visit the British Council website for more information and to register for the webinar.
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4 November 2022 (University of Strathclyde)
The School of Education in the University of Strathclyde have developed two new modules as part of the MEd Education Studies course that may be of particular interest to languages practitioners (EYs, primary, secondary MFL, FE, EAL/ESOL, Gaelic).
- Multilingual and Multicultural Education: Policy, Theory and Practice (commencing Jan 2023)
This module is designed to develop your knowledge of multilingual and multicultural contexts within education and wider society. This module will equip you with core skills for language learning and teaching and consider the role of intercultural education. You will extend your confidence in language teaching approaches within and across the curriculum. This class will encourage you to be reflective and adaptive in your practice.
- Enacting Social Justice in Language Learning and Teaching (commencing April 2023)
As languages educators, how can we achieve the goal of prioritising equity, diversity, and inclusion in the languages classroom? Using theory, research and examples of innovative approaches for promoting social justice, this module is aimed at language educators in all sectors and is designed to develop your knowledge of a range of contemporary issues in language education. This module aims to develop critical thinking and reflection and consider how these impact on social justice pedagogy and agency for social change.
More information can be found in the attached flyer or visit the University of Strathclyde website.
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4 November 2022 (Goethe-Institut)
The EUNIC for Ukraine – European film week, orchestrated by the four EUNIC Scotland cluster institutes (Goethe-Institut Glasgow, Institut Français d’Ecosse, Alliance Française Glasgow and Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Edimburgo), is a sign of solidarity with the Ukraine.
Various film screenings are planned from 16-23 November at the different participating institutes. The films are intended to provide an insight into Ukrainian filmmaking by means of historical as well as contemporary works, feature films as well as documentaries, and thus raise awareness of social, political, but above all cultural aspects that reach beyond the current debate about the war, about humanitarian and purely military support for the European neighbouring country that was attacked in violation of international law.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information.
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1 November 2022 (The Open University)
The Open University (OU) has launched a new free online course for people housing, caring for or working with Ukrainians in the UK. The course focuses on Ukrainian culture and language and has been developed specifically for UK residents hosting refugees, and service providers working with people who have arrived from Ukraine. Providing an insight into Ukrainian language, food, housing, and healthcare as well as other cultural elements, the course is hosted on the OU’s popular platform, Open Learn. Learners on the course will also have a chance to chat in the forums provided, to find out more about supporting Ukraine’s struggle and other Ukraine-related topics.
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31 October 2022 (SQA)
The SQA has now published this year's course reports for AH Gaelic (Learners), German and Spanish.
These can be found on the Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage within the Course Reports section.
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25 October 2022 (French Film Festival)
The French Film Festival 2022 Learning Programme, offering a selection of films for schools free of charge, is now live!
Check out and download the programme of films for all ages. The programme runs until Christmas.
Simply choose your titles, complete the booking form, then create your account to have free access to all the films and learning packs that go with them.
For more information contact schools@frenchfilmfestival.org.uk or visit the French Film Festival website.
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20 October 2022 (UK-German Connection)
UK-German Connection offers a range of grants for joint activities between schools and youth groups in the UK and Germany.
The next deadline for their Flexible Funding Scheme is 31 October 2022.
Visit the website for more information and to submit your application.
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20 October 2022 (King's College London)
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at King’s College London is delighted to announce this year’s German writing competition for students in Year 12 or 13 (S5 or S6 in Scotland).
The competition invites students to submit an original piece of writing in German on the topic 'Wie bewältigen wir die Klimakrise?'
Entries should be 400-450 words in length and written in German.
Visit the website for more information and submit entries by 23 November 2022.
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20 October 2022 (SQA)
SQA has now published the 2022 Advanced Higher Italian course report.
Visit the Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage for more information.
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20 October 2022 (World Gaelic Week)
World Gaelic Week will be celebrating Scottish Gaelic across the globe 20-26 February 2023. Our NEW Small Grants Fund is now open and can help you organise an event or project in your community. And, we’re hiring - come and join us and get on board!
Visit the website for more information.
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14 October 2022 (RZSS)
Beyond the Panda is a 5-week progressive programme for P4-P7. Four weeks live virtual sessions and 5th 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.
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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.
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News from language & education organisations,
Arabic
AMOPA: Parlons français - A competition for students of AH French
11 October 2022 (AMOPA)
Now that school life is back to a “new normal” AMOPA is once again running the Parlons français competition.
“It must be the easiest competition ever to take part in!” That’s a quote from a teacher and it’s true!
All we need is a short recording of students as they prepare for their speaking test. We will assess it and give everyone some feedback. We also award prizes and certificates.
We hope that taking part supports your pupils’ learning and exam preparation and is not a distraction. They are practising anyway – why not let them get some feedback on that?
As in previous years we will have prizes for the best entries, a certificate for every entrant and a gift for each school taking part too. In the last few years all schools were given a DVD of a French film.
More information is available in the attached pdf document. Entry deadline: 15 February 2023.
11 October 2022 (ICC)
The ICC, the international language association, provides foreign languages teaching and learning with exchange of ideas and know-how and sets standards for a transnational network of language learners. The organisation is pleased to announce their next series of webinars from October to January.
- 19 October 2022 - Negotiating across borders and cultures
- 24 November 2022 - After COVID: How online language teaching has changed the profession
- 7 December 2022 - Intercultural encounters in translingual picture books: Literary and pedagogical perspectives
- 26 January 2023 - “Engaging presentations – Check!“
Visit the website for more information and to register for the online events.
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11 October 2022 (SQA)
SQA is recruiting markers for the external assessment of National Courses in 2022-23. Opportunities are available across all subjects and levels, and full training will be provided. Visit the SQA website to find out more.
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10 October 2022 (Institut français)
The Institut français du Royaume-Uni is delighted to launch the French Teacher Award. This new national prize recognises remarkable success of French language teachers and highlights, honours and thanks their hard work and commitment to encourage the teaching of French in primary and secondary schools in the United Kingdom.
So if you've been teaching French for several years and think your hard work and efforts to promote the love of the language should be recognised, or have a French-language teaching colleague whose great work should be valued, register now for the French Teacher Award! Deadline to apply: 28 October 2022.
Visit the website for full details.
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FilmG competitions 2022
6 October 2022 (FilmG)
FilmG is an annual Gaelic short film festival which aims to foster and develop new talent for Gaelic media. Now in its 15th edition, the FilmG festival is this year offering two competitions, both focusing on this year's theme 'Buidhe (Yellow)'. Follow the relevant link below for more information:
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