Scotland's Languages Leadership Programme

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Scotland’s Languages Leadership Programme (SLLP) is the flagship professional learning programme, and is offered in partnership, by SCILT and Education Scotland. The SLLP is aligned with the national model of professional learning and Professional Standards for Career-long Professional Learning and for Middle Leadership.

Since launching in 2014, the programme has been accredited and reaccredited multiple times by the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS). Currently, it carries Professional Recognition: leadership in languages education from the GTCS, and an endorsement from Education Scotland’s Professional Learning and Leadership Directorate.

Our most recent reaccreditation panel recognised that the SLLP was a ‘well-conceived’, ‘well-designed’ and ‘very responsive’ professional programme with a ‘real uniqueness’. It was commended further for having ‘the teacher very much positioned at the heart of this professional learning as the learner, connected in their exploration through feedback loops to the impact of their learning on children and young people.’

This sector leading leadership development opportunity takes place online, through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous elements. The course is open to practitioners working in Scotland who have a minimum of three years teaching experience. Applicants should have, or aspire to have, a strategic role in leading languages education in their primary, secondary, special or teacher education setting. Educators working in the state sector are offered places on the programme free of charge. A fee is charged for places taken up by educators working in the independent sector.

All participants are supported by critical friends throughout who are previous SLLP participants. In this voluntary role, they draw on their extensive experience of leading and teaching languages, as well as supporting the professional learning of colleagues.

SLLP schedule

The programme comprises three elements:

SLLP Core in June - two days of online professional learning
SLLP Choice between August and the following March – ongoing journaling to critically reflect on practice, policy, curriculum and research, with four submissions receiving formative feedback from critical friends against masters level (SCQF level 11) criteria. Also during this time is the option to choose from a varied menu of affiliated online workshops, each focusing on a specific aspect of leadership in the context of languages education
SLLP Recall Day in May – the cohort reconvenes online and each participant shares their SLLP journey with a small group of peers

Previous SLLP participant experiences

For a flavour of the programme watch this promotional video:

Quotes from previous participants:

‘I feel more empowered and passionate about teaching languages and I have gained much more confidence in this area. I also feel much better informed by having engaged with professional readings. I felt like belonging to a like-minded group of people and not so isolated.’

‘I feel that I have benefitted greatly from meeting and learning from like-minded practitioners with a range of experience. Although we do similar jobs … I found that much of my most significant learning was in noticing and reflecting on the differences that make our settings and learners unique. The SLLP highlighted the importance of relationships, trust and collaboration at all levels and I felt there was mutual respect and understanding across primary and secondary, when these sectors are sometimes pitted against one another. Through developing my knowledge and skills I have grown in confidence to work with others to lead improvements in this area.’

‘Teacher agency isn't a myth! Being a leader isn't easy but consistently engaging in professional learning makes opportunities appear that were not visible before. Once you get a better understanding of the issues at stake in your professional context, learn about possible ways to address/solve them and start constructively planning how you could work to improve how learning and teaching in modern languages in your local school / cluster / authority, you realise there is much more you can do than you thought possible at first, especially in terms of working collaboratively with colleagues (who are more often than not happy to help, if you have a clear plan that they can get on board with).’

Read this Taking the Lead with Languages article about Karen Fauld's SLLP experiences. Karen completed the programme as a class teacher and went on to become a critical friend in a subsequent role as a Professional Development Office at SCILT.

Looking forward

Your Scotland’s Languages Leadership Programme experience is a springboard to further opportunities, including:

Joining the SLLP Alumni Network for further opportunities to connect, share, support and learn
Returning to the programme as a critical friend, supporting participants
Using your newly minted GTCS Professional Recognition: leadership in languages education certificate as proof of masters level accredited prior learning for access onto MEd pathways either in Educational Leadership or Education Studies at the Strathclyde Institute of Education

Applications for the next SLLP intake will open next Spring. In the meantime, sign up to SCILT’s weekly ebulletin and be the first to get all the latest information about Scotland’s Languages Leadership Programme.

Email scilt@strath.ac.uk with any questions you have about Scotland’s Languages Leadership Programme.

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