Latest News

A selection of language-related news. Does not claim to be comprehensive or represent the views of SCILT.


S1-S3

DAAD/ILCS German Language Competition 2024 – ‘What a year! Schlagzeilen aus der Zukunft’

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.

Read more...

DYW Live - Languages and Your Career

22 March 2024 (SCILT / eSgoil)

SCILT is going to be offering two more online Languages and Your Career sessions before the summer and we'd love to see you there! These sessions will be different from previous ones offered as they will be tailored specifically to particular groups of learners. These will be:

Wednesday 15 May 11.00 - 12.00, a session aimed specifically at Secondary BGE learners (S1-3) which will explore the fun, transferrable employability skills associated with languages. We will examine together how these are a valuable asset in any learner’s skillset.

Tuesday 11 June 2.00 – 3.00, a session aimed directly at Senior Phase pupils just starting new courses. This will look further forward from the perspective of those who have already chosen languages and will include tips on making the most of the language learning experience in school and beyond.

Like previous sessions, these webinars aim to introduce learners 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.

Both sessions will take place within the Languages and Your Career Glow Team. Registration is via e-Sgoil.

Read more...

Your Voice Matters: Survey on Partnerships, Links and Exchanges

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...

Foyle Young Poets Award 2024

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

29 February 2024 (British Council)

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

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

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

Visit the British Council website to find out more. 

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Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2023-24 winners announced!

23 February 2024 (SCILT)

It gave us great pleasure to welcome pupils, teachers and special guests to our online 10th anniversary Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition awards on 21 February. The date chosen for the event was significant being International Mother Language Day, a day to celebrate all world languages. We were delighted to announce the following winners and highly commended entries in each category:

Mother Tongue

P1-P4

  • Yuexin Li, St Martin's Primary (Winner)
  • Taras Sukhodolskyi, West Primary (Highly Commended)
  • Vova Abramov, West Primary (Highly Commended)

P5-P7

  • Timothy Ishie, St James' Primary (Winner)
  • Artem Bonardchuk, St John Ogilvie Primary ((Highly Commended)
  • Chizara, Rua, Godwin & Mariama, St Maria Goretti Primary (Highly Commended)
  • Hasnain Ali Shah, West Primary (Highly Commended)
  • Kate Kaludova, West Primary (Highly Commended)

S1-S3

  • Lavina Tsang, Craigmount High School (Winner)
  • Alexia Rigg, Glasgow Gaelic School (Highly Commended)
  • Ewen Darroch, Glasgow Gaelic School (Highly Commended)
  • Jenny, Gemma, Sophie, Tess, Asra & Emma, Craigmount High School (Highly Commended)
  • Mairi Stephen, Glasgow Gaelic School (Highly Commended)

S4-S6

  • Nova Senkowska, Mearns Castle High School (Winner)
  • Anotidaishe Mugwagwa, Kirkintilloch High School (Highly Commended)

Other Tongue

P1-P4

  • Naomi & Caellum, Bunessan Primary (Winner)
  • P4 Class, The Glasgow Academy Newlands & MIlngavie (Highly Commended)

P5-P7

  • Alasdair MacDonald, Salen Primary (Winner)
  • Lauren Stewart, Goodlyburn Primary (Highly Commended)
  • Lilia Fournier, George Watson's College (Highly Commended)

S1-S3

  • Amelia Armstrong, Kirkintilloch High School (Winner)
  • Emma Pacci, Bearsden Academy (Highly Commended)
  • Harrison Williams, Craigmount High School (Highly Commended)

S4-S6

  • Natasha Dickson, Kirkintilloch High School (Winner)
  • Abby Leitch, Graeme High School (Highly Commended)
  • Katie MacNeil, Kirkintilloch High School (Highly Commended)

All our finalists will receive a certificate and book token. Winning entrants will also receive a trophy and be offered the chance for their poems to feature in The Children's Poetry Archive. We will be in contact with schools shortly about taking these extra special opportunities forward.

This year we were also delighted to host a special strand of the competition focusing on Spanish entries. The winning entries in this category were:

  • Emma Llovera Meneses - Kirklandneuk Primary
  • Axel Llovera Meneses - Kirklandneuk Primary
  • The Language Ambassadors (Araav, Vihaan, Grace, Marc, Alexander, Poppy, Anaya & Maya) - The Glasgow Academy
  • Spanish Club (Brooklyn, Bion, Rishi & Tobi) – Craigmount High School

Teachers with students who entered in this category will be contacted separately regarding their awards which are kindly sponsored by the Instituto Cervantes in Manchester.

It is our intention to host each of the finalists’ poems on the SCILT website and we'll announce when these are available to view.

Congratulations again to all our finalists and a big thank you for supporting the Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition!

Clydeview Academy pupils make a movie about world peace

23 February 2024 (Greenock Telegraph)

A bunch of rookie movie makers have made the cut by reaching the final of a national film competition.

Pupils at Clydeview Academy created their own storyboard to enter a filmmaking contest run by The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET).

The project is entitled Our World and aims to encourage global citizenship, language learning and uptake among pupils.

Language teacher Vanessa Hall, who runs the club with colleague Lucy McCue, said: "It started in August, we were trying to widen pupils' use of language and making a film makes it more fun.

"The storyboard was based on the UN's sustainable goals and the pupils used two languages, Ukrainian and French.

"The theme is based on World Peace and is entitled Open Your Eyes."

Read more...

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

22 February 2024 (University of Oxford)

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

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

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

Read more...

Professional Enrichment Programme: application deadline approaching!

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.

Read more...

French Pop Video Competition 2024

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.

Read more...

Branching out with languages – workshop series for mainstream and complementary school teachers

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.

Read more...

Related Files

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

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.

Glasgow Film Festival 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.

Read more...

Celebrate Speaking!

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.

Read more...

Calling all former languages leadership participants

31 January 2024 (SCILT)

If you are one of the nearly 400 educators who have completed the national languages leadership professional learning programme run by SCILT and Education Scotland since 2014 then we want to hear from you!

Like Dr Who, the programme has regenerated several times, each time with the same central aim to build capacity in languages education across Scotland. You may have been at the Summer Schools in Glasgow for Train the Trainer (2014-2017) or the 1+2 Languages Leadership Programme (2017-2019).  Perhaps you were online with Scotland’s Languages Leadership Programme (2020-2022). You may have achieved a GTCS Professional Recognition, then again maybe you haven’t. Whatever the case, all previous participants are welcome to join this new national alumni network.

If took part in any of those scenarios, are you interested in connecting (reconnecting?) with friends, colleagues and peers who are leading, teaching and championing languages education in primary, secondary and special education settings across Scotland?

Yes? Then sign up to the national SLLP alumni network! 

We will seek ideas from network members on the type of opportunities that would be the most useful. Ways to interact, opportunities to connect and support, inspire and motivate each other, to share experiences and hear from other leaders in the field.

The first network meeting is online, 16.00-17.00 Thursday 29 February 2024. Making leap day extra special!

It doesn’t matter when you completed the programme, whether or not you gained GTCS Professional Recognition with us or even if you are now in a different job. There are lots of ways that together, we can continue to strengthen the languages education leadership community in Scotland.

To join the network and register for the first meeting at the same time, please fill in the online form via the link below.

Read more...

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.

Discovering the World of Arabic 2024-25: Secondary course

30 January 2024 (SCILT)

SCILT, in partnership with Qatar Foundation International, is opening registrations for schools who would like to take part in our Discovering the World of Arabic programme in session 2024/25.  

For the coming session, schools will be able to access our traditional courses which run from September to March, or select our shorter introductory courses to offer an experience of Arabic as an L3 to their learners. 

All participating schools will receive: 

  • A dedicated live online lesson delivered every week via Glow Teams for each individual school (time to be agreed with each school) 
  • Asynchronous materials to consolidate and further explore Arabic language and Arab cultures 
  • Ongoing support from the SCILT team  
  • Schools that are new to the programme will be eligible for a start-up grant of £2000, while all participating schools can bid for funding to provide resources and experiences that enhance the language learning and promote a positive experience of Arab cultures 

The collaboration will provide an opportunity for local authority secondary schools to offer L3 learning experiences in Arabic language and cultures. BGE and Senior Phase courses have been co-created by the SCILT team and specially commissioned writers, with language lessons delivered online by teachers of Arabic. Both courses focus on developing conversational Arabic which will enhance learners’ understanding of Arab cultures and, in the Senior Phase course, their employability skills.  

Discovering the World of Arabic is aimed at beginner learners who are seeking to enhance their language learning experience and develop their portfolio of skills. The lessons give learners the chance to explore aspects of Arab cultures as well as providing a solid linguistic foundation for learning the world’s fifth most spoken language. 

Places are limited for this opportunity, so if you would like your school to be considered to take part, please complete the note of interest form by Friday 26 April 2024. Responses given on the note of interest form may inform the final selection of schools for this opportunity. 

Please contact SCILT if you have any questions.  

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

25 January 2024 (CISS)

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

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

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

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

VET flyer

Read more...

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) 

    1
    4 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

Italian poster competition - Cosa significa l’Italia per me

25 January 2024 (SCILT)

We are launching a new poster competition for school-aged learners of Italian (this includes those with no prior learning). We would love you to use whatever knowledge of Italian and Italy that you have to show what Italy means to you. 

Your challenge:  

  • Design a poster, including as much Italian language as you can, to show what Italy means to you. 
  • Use the title Cosa significa l’Italia per me
  • Individual or group entries are welcome. Group entries: use the title Cosa significa l’Italia per noi
  • Judging categories: P1-4, P5-7, S1-3, S4-6. 
  • This competition is open to all learners regardless of level of Italian. This includes those with no prior learning. The variation in Italian language content that will naturally result from this will be taken into account in the judging process.  
  • Closing date extended to Thursday 7 March 2024
  • Entries should be emailed by teachers in the form of a photograph to scilt@strath.ac.uk with Italian Poster Competition in the email subject line. 
  • A signed Submission and Consent Form (attached below) should also be sent at the same time for each entry. It is perfectly acceptable to upload a photograph of this form; it is not necessary to scan the document. 
  • In order to assist judging, please ensure that the sections of the Submission Form indicating level of Italian learning and where the inspiration for the poster came from are completed. 
  • Each entry should state the school name, pupil name and age category in its file name. 
  • Winners will be notified and announced around Easter 2024. 

A downloadable flyer is attached. 

We look forward to seeing your entries! 

Languages Week Scotland: SCILT/Scotdec special events!

18 January 2024 (SCILT / Scotdec)

To celebrate the LWS 2024 theme of Languages for a Sustainable World, SCILT and Scotdec are pleased to offer two CLPL opportunities on making language learning relevant and motivating with a Global Citizenship approach.

There will be a session for Primary teachers and a separate session for Secondary teachers. Both sessions will offer insights into how languages education can be a catalyst for fostering global awareness, empathy and a sense of responsibility.

More information and booking details via the following links:

Reminder: SCILT ECT Professional learning menu

18 January 2024 (SCILT)

Building on our track record of supporting student teachers and early career teachers, in the 2023-24 session we have launched a specific menu of workshops tailored to the needs of student teachers and early career teachers in primary and secondary sectors. Importantly, the development of this menu was informed by student teachers, probationer mentors and teacher educators. 

Are you a probationer/ECT support manager or professional learning officer for your local authority?

Are you a programme lead or module lead on an undergraduate or postgraduate ITE programme for primary or secondary teaching at a Scottish university?

Yes? Then workshops from the SCILT ECT Professional Learning menu 2023-24 could complement the content of your existing modules or professional learning programme for the newest entrants to our profession.

Interactive, up-to-date and relevant, these SCILT workshops give student teachers and early career teachers the opportunity to explore aspects of practice with their peers. Online or in person. No charge.

In terms of content, secondary workshops focus on developing practice to support skills development, classroom management and support for application and interview for languages posts. Meanwhile, primary workshops focus on introductory approaches and interdisciplinary contexts for teaching languages eg digital, outdoor, DYW and intercultural understanding.

See the full menu above and access the booking request form.

If there is anything particular that your student or early career teachers need, we are always happy to develop bespoke inputs too. Email scilt@strath.ac.uk with any queries.

Remember we also run sector-specific professional learning for student and early career teachers available to book by individuals. Keep an eye on the e-bulletin for further information.

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

Celebrate Speaking

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.

Read more...

Global Classroom Pair-Share

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.

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Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

16 January 2024 (Queen's College Oxford)

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

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

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

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Reminder: SCILT CLPL workshop menu 2023-24

11 January 2024 (SCILT)

SCILT’s CLPL workshop menu for 2023-24 is still available for your booking requests. 

Are you responsible for sourcing high quality professional learning related to languages pedagogy for groups of colleagues in your setting, cluster, local authority or RIC?

You will be interested in our professional learning offer for all sectors.

The content of the eleven workshops is informed by feedback from teachers and practitioners on their professional learning needs. If your needs are different, we are more than happy to develop the bespoke inputs you and your colleagues require. Just ask.

Always interactive and up-to-date, SCILT workshops provide the opportunity for you and your colleagues to explore aspects of practice with our experienced Professional Development Officers. Our team has a finite capacity, so get in your request as soon as you can.

The focus of workshops for 2023-24 are wide ranging, covering the following issues:

Cross Sector

  • Primary-Secondary Transition

Primary and Early Years

  • Families on board? Developing a family friendly approach to languages in your setting
  • Getting outdoors with languages and learning
  • Celebrating cultural diversity through languages in EY and primary
  • An introduction to multilingual approaches to primary pedagogy
  • Languages in primary: assessing pupils’ learning, evaluating teaching

Secondary

  • Policy, planning and practice in BGE (in partnership with Education Scotland)
  • Emerging contexts for language learning
  • Talking and listening
  • Using language skills across the curriculum
  • Social-Emotional Learning for languages

For more details, and to make a request for a group visit our Professional Learning webpage.

Note that open access online workshops take place across the year. Registration for these will be open to individuals and details will be shared in the SCILT ebulletin.

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UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) 2024

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.

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eSgoil online courses for 2024-25

5 January 2024 (eSgoil)

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

Explore the details in the online brochure. 

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DYW Live eSgoil Languages Week 2024

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.

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Edward Welch: North would be poorer in so many ways without language learning opportunities

11 December 2023 (Press and Journal)

It was a pleasure recently to visit Cults Academy and talk to S3 pupils about the horizons broadened by language learning.

We were joined by a final-year student from the University of Aberdeen, who enthused them with stories about her placement year in France. As many do, she had found her time abroad transformative.

Being part of daily life and culture in another country is a hothouse for language skills. And living on one’s wits in another language is ideal for building personal confidence and resilience.

With their passion for global languages and cultures, our students are ideal ambassadors. They can inspire the next generation of learners and remind them that all the hard work of “getting the grammar right” is worth the effort, because it unlocks the door to new ways of seeing the world.

In partnership with SCILT, Scotland’s national centre for languages, the University of Aberdeen has developed a new language mentoring scheme that pairs languages students with budding linguists in schools.

Read more...

SCILT Winter newsletter published!

8 December 2023 (SCILT)

The latest edition of the SCILT newsletter has been published. Read about SCILT's work to support language learning and teaching, including our professional learning opportunities, language promotional activities, and support for language learners at all levels. Find out how schools celebrated European Day of Languages 2023 and read about the latest inspiring initiatives from local authorities. There is also an opportunity to read about the work of our partners to support language learning in Scotland.

Read more...

Register now for the first GTCS-recognised Scots Language Teacher CPD Course

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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FOKUS, films from Germany 2024

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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Branching out with languages – workshop series for mainstream and complementary school teachers

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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Related Files

SCILT Christmas 2023 webpage - now live!

1 December 2023 (SCILT)

Are you looking for ways to bring the festive season to your languages classroom?

SCILT have compiled a range of online resources for use with your learners, from interactive advent calendars and games, to festive facts, songs and downloadable worksheets. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and many other places around the world!

Read more...

Subject Choices online workshops

30 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 6 December.

Visit the eSgoil website for full programme details and to register for the workshops.

Read more...

MTOT entry deadline approaching!

24 November 2023 (SCILT)

Schools who’ve registered for this year’s Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition have until Friday 1 December to submit entries! Submission guidelines are on the SCILT website. 

Read more...

Motivating students to stick with language learning

20 November 2023 (SecEd)

In an increasingly globalised and diverse world, the role of languages in supporting open communication, effective collaboration, and solving some of the world’s greatest shared challenges seems irrefutable.

Indeed, countless organisations have testified to the central role of international languages to the prosperity of the UK as a whole – economically, socially, and culturally (British Academy et al, 2020) – and yet, uptake of international languages at key curriculum stages continues to decline across the UK (Gorrara et al, 2020; Henderson & Carruthers, 2022).

With the belief that languages are more important now than they were 20 years ago, why are languages so overlooked by learners? And how can we, as practitioners, support a renewed and revitalised understanding of the critical role of languages?

Read more...

International German Olympiad (IDO) 2024

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...

Scottish Book Trust 50 word fiction competition

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...

Critical Connections: Multilingual digital storytelling online professional development workshops

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:

  1. A first step, especially for those new to multilingual digital storytelling should be to look at the Critical Connections: Handbook for Teachers.
  2. Workshops are based on experience of working on the project over the years and includes input from teachers.
  3. There is material aimed at colleagues new to digital storytelling as well as those operating at a more advanced level.
  4. 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.
  5. Comments and suggestions welcome.
  6. Downloading workshops works best with Google Chrome

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How to successfully increase MFL uptake at GCSE

13 November 2023 (SecEd)

How did one school manage to double the number of students opting for a modern foreign language at GCSE? Raul Ramirez explains.

Read more...

Subject Choices 2023

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...

JaLaChamp 2024 – Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK

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...

International Education Week 2023

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.

Read more...

French Film Festival learning programme for schools

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.

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Scottish Languages Employability Award - next deadline approaching!

26 October 2023 (SCILT)

The Scottish Languages Employability Award (SLEA) celebrates schools delivering DYW through languages and school-business partnerships whilst recognising good practice in this area. The award, which is available at bronze, silver and gold levels, supports teachers in raising awareness of the value of language skills in their school community. 

The next deadline for submissions is Friday 17 November 2023. 

Visit the SLEA webpage for more information.

Read more...

UK-German Connection funding

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...

Enterprise German competition

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...

RZSS Programmes for Schools

12 October 2023 (RZSS)

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

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

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

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

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

See the Beyond the Panda webpage for details and resources. 

Read more...

International Education Week 2023

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...

French Pop Video Competition 2024

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.

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French Teacher Award

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.

Read more...

French courses in Glasgow for adults and children

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.

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Discovery Film Festival

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.

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Japanese Taster Course

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.

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Oxford German Olympiad 2024

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.

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MTOT registration deadline approaching!

28 September 2023 (SCILT)

Schools in Scotland wishing to take part in this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition have until National Poetry Day on 5 October to register!

Visit our website to learn more about the competition and discover poetry resources to help you celebrate National Poetry Day in class as well as prepare for the MTOT competition.

It's the 10th anniversary year of MTOT in Scotland, so join in the celebration - visit our website and register your school now!

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Online Preparation Course for the Instituto Cervantes Teacher Accreditation Diploma (DADIC)

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. 

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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!

Language Ambassadors Online: new sessions available to book!

28 September 2023 (SCILT)

SCILT’s Language Ambassadors Programme has relaunched as a fully online offer available to all schools across the country. Our interactive monthly online sessions are led by student Language Ambassadors from universities across Scotland who are keen to share their experiences of learning languages and discovering new cultures.

Visit our Language Ambassadors Programme webpage to find out more about the programme and to register to bring your class(es) along to any/all of the sessions listed!

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UK-German Connection opportunities

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...

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). 

British Council Language Resources

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.

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European Day of Languages 2023 - Competition for schools

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...

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2023-24

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.

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DYW Live – Languages and your career is back!

12 September 2023 (SCILT)

We are delighted to be back again this year working together with e-Sgoil and DYW Live to deliver the Languages and Your Career webinar. In this session we will explore how languages can contribute to success in a wide range of jobs and career paths. This webinar aims to introduce secondary learners 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. It will be an interactive session with input from people who use languages in their work.

The workshop will repeated each month on different days and times from September until January. The dates on offer are:

Tuesday 26th September: 2.00 – 3.00pm
Wednesday 25th October: 9.30 – 10.30am
Thursday 23rd November: 11.00am – 12.00pm
Monday 18th December: 9.30 – 10.30am
Tuesday 30th January: 2.00 – 3.00pm

All sessions will take place in Glow Teams.

This year, additional materials will be made available to teachers who attend the workshop with their classes to support further promotion of employability with individual languages. Watch this space!

For more information and registration details, visit the e-Sgoil website.

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Related Links

DYWLive workshops for primary learners - Make languages work for you

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.  

Host a Teacher from Germany

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...

Spanish cinema in British schools

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.

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Remembering Empire

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)

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Scottish Languages Employability Award - Congratulations to our latest winners!

31 August 2023 (SCILT)

The Scottish Languages Employability Award (SLEA) celebrates innovation in schools delivering DYW through languages, encouraging school-business partnerships and recognising good practice in this area. The award, which is available at bronze, silver and gold levels, supports teachers in raising awareness of the importance of languages in their school community. 

Our most recent verification date in May 2023 saw 11 schools from 10 different local authorities collect an award. Projects covered a wide range of sectors and included links with football clubs, bakeries, travel agents and much more! Find out about each projects by clicking on the school names below.

Bronze

Silver

Gold

The next verification date is 17 November 2023. Visit the SLEA pages of our website to find out how your schools can achieve an award, and keep an eye out in the SCILT e-bulletin for the launch of SLEA Local coming soon!

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French Film Festival free learning programme for schools

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.

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Concours de la Francophonie 2024

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.

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Conversation course for secondary teachers of German

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.

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European Day of Languages 2023 - how is your school celebrating?

25 August 2023 (SCILT)

The European Day of Languages (EDL) is celebrated on 26 September each year. Now in its 22nd year, it aims to promote the rich linguistic diversity of Europe and raise awareness of the importance of lifelong language learning for everyone. What is your school doing in 2023?

If you're looking for inspiration, SCILT has compiled lots of ideas for primary, secondary and parents & families on our EDL webpage. What about making some multilingual bunting, hosting a languages café, or creating a zine? You will also find links to competitions, blogs and websites with a huge range of celebration ideas and activities. 

Let us know how you celebrate and we'll include you in our EDL 2023 blogUpload a short description and some colourful photos or email scilt@strath.ac.uk.

If you're sharing your celebrations on Twitter tag @scottishcilt and use the hashtag #coeEDL to share your celebrations with schools across Europe!

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Our World 2023-24

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.

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Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2024 - 10 year anniversary!

18 August 2023 (SCILT)

SCILT is delighted to announce that MTOT is back for 2024, and it’s an extra special year - MTOT celebrates its 10th anniversary! 

Over the last decade the competition has evolved from written poems in the beginning, to now focussing on the spoken word. Hearing pupils share their voices and language skills helps bring their poetry to life, and we look forward to seeing what creative brilliance emerges from Scotland’s schools this year. In this 10th anniversary year, we are delighted and very excited to work with our partners at Instituto Cervantes to offer a special prize category for entries in Spanish, one of the most widely taught languages in Scotland’s schools.

So, if you have entered MTOT before, we’d love to welcome you back. If you are new to MTOT, what better year to join than our 10th anniversary year? Our multilingual poetry competition is now open. Visit our MTOT page on the SCILT website for more information and register your school now.

MTOT is 10 years old – come join the celebration!

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Scotland's Languages Explorers Programme - launch of national languages mentoring scheme

18 August 2023 (SCILT / UCFLS)

SCILT and UCFLS will launch Scotland’s Languages Explorers Programme (SLEP) nationally for the first time following last session’s successful conclusion of a pilot languages mentoring programme in Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City. 

Inspired by the success of similar mentoring programmes in the UK, the SLEP aims to raise awareness amongst secondary age learners of the far-reaching benefits of language learning by facilitating a short programme of mentoring sessions led by university students with lived experiences of language learning and multiculturalism. The idea was informed by student mentoring programmes currently running in Wales and Sheffield, which have demonstrated that small group work with a student mentor can have a positive impact on learners in school, and lead to an increase in the number of learners continuing with languages into higher levels of study.

SLEP 2023-24 will run in partnership with 7 universities: the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Strathclyde and the Open University. Interested schools can find out more about the mentoring programme and hear from last year’s student mentors on the programme webpage.

We are currently taking registrations of interest from schools. If you would like to take part in this year’s mentoring programme, please register your interest by Monday 11 September.

Please be aware that this programme runs online. While geographical proximity to a university is not a prerequisite, it is imperative that interested schools have an adequate technical set-up and internet connection to allow for remote interactions between mentees and mentors. Further information, including key dates, can be found on the programme webpage.

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SCILT CLPL workshop menu 2023-24

17 August 2023 (SCILT)

SCILT’s brand new CLPL workshop menu for 2023-24 is available for your booking requests. 

Are you responsible for sourcing high quality professional learning related to languages pedagogy for groups of colleagues in your setting, cluster, local authority or RIC?

You will be interested in our new professional learning offer for all sectors.

The content of the eleven workshops is informed by feedback from teachers and practitioners on their professional learning needs. If your needs are different, we are more than happy to develop the bespoke inputs you and your colleagues require. Just ask.

Always interactive and up-to-date, SCILT workshops provide the opportunity for you and your colleagues to explore aspects of practice with our experienced Professional Development Officers. Our team has a finite capacity, so get in your request as soon as you can.

The focus of workshops for 2023-24 are wide ranging, covering the following issues:

Cross Sector

  • Primary-Secondary Transition

Primary and Early Years

  • Families on board? Developing a family friendly approach to languages in your setting
  • Getting outdoors with languages and learning
  • Celebrating cultural diversity through languages in EY and primary
  • An introduction to multilingual approaches to primary pedagogy
  • Languages in primary: assessing pupils’ learning, evaluating teaching

Secondary

  • Policy, planning and practice in BGE (in partnership with Education Scotland)
  • Emerging contexts for language learning
  • Talking and listening
  • Using language skills across the curriculum
  • Social-Emotional Learning for languages

For more details, and to make a request for a group visit our Professional Learning webpage.

Note that open access online workshops will also be scheduled across the year. Registration for these will be open to individuals and details will be shared in the SCILT ebulletin in due course.

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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.

The GCHQ National Language Competition 2023

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.

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Clydebank school pupils praised after landing top award

6 July 2023 (Clydebank Post)

A Clydebank school was said to have 'impressed judges' on their way to picking up a top educational award for languages.

Pupils across three age groups at St Peter the Apostle High School were praised for their 'passion' for languages such as Gaelic and Spanish as they landed the Gold Scottish Languages Employability Award from SCILT - Gold Scottish Languages Employability Award from SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools.

The recognition award - launched in 2019 -  was developed by SCILT as a way of delivering DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) through languages, encouraging school-business partnerships and recognising good practice in this area.

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MTOT 2022-23 and Voices of Hope

16 June 2023 (SCILT)

Finalists' work from this year's MTOT competition can now be viewed on the SCILT website.

As part of our Mother Tongue Other Tongue poetry competition, SCILT received several entries from young Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war in Ukraine. We wanted the world to be able to access these wonderfully creative and emotive pieces of writing. Our Voices of Hope online exhibition, in partnership with AUGB, will be launched on 21 June as part of Refugee Week Scotland 2023 and will be available on SCILT's website following the launch event.

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French Film Festival UK 2023 Learning Programme

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.

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Guided partnerships

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.

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Language learning in Northern Ireland ‘slowly recovering from pandemic’ – report

13 June 2023 (The National / British Council)

The popularity of learning languages at Northern Ireland’s schools is “slowly recovering from the pandemic”, a report by the British Council has found.

The Language Trends Northern Ireland report found that the decline in language learning at post-primary schools is plateauing, with Spanish emerging as the most popular, overtaking French.

The research was led by Dr Ian Collen, director of the Northern Ireland Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (NICILT) at Queen’s University Belfast, and follows a previous report which found that language lessons were “hardest hit” during Covid-19.

This year’s report found that Spanish is now the language most frequently taught in Northern Ireland’s schools at both GCSE and A-level, overtaking French as the most popular GCSE language in summer 2021.

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SALT conference 2023 - call for proposals now open!

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.

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CISS Newsletter - Summer 2023

13 June 2023 (CISS)

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

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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.

Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival - Free Online School programme - October 2023

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.

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Young Scots Writer o the Year Award 2023

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.

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Espacios Increíbles 2022-23 - Winner announced!

5 June 2023 (SCILT)

Congratulations to St Luke’s High School, East Renfrewshire, on winning SCILT's Espacios Increíbles competition 2022-23.

The winner was announced at the final, held online on Wednesday 24 May 2023. A superb effort was made by all six finalist schools (Alva Academy, Dunblane High, Perth Academy, Prestwick Academy, St Andrew’s & St Bride’s High School as well as St Luke’s High School); competition was stiff and the judging panel had a very difficult decision to make.

The interdisciplinary competition for S2-S3 combines Spanish with art, design and technology. Pupils design an amazing space and present their work in Spanish.

St Luke’s High School came out top with their innovative design for a space for quiet reflection and relaxation in the courtyard of Santo Domingo Church in Lima, Peru. Their design was inspired by San Martín de Porres, who is the Patron Saint of Racial Equality, and is buried there.

They clearly demonstrated how they had worked collaboratively, drawing on art, design and Spanish skills to create a feasible and sustainable design which connected well to the local environment and linked to their school.

The other five finalist schools also did an amazing job, with a variety of creative designs meeting the brief for a sustainable space for health and wellbeing including a water tower providing clean drinking water, a library and coffee shop, a hot air balloon raising awareness of climate change, a cube promoting biodiversity and a health centre for the poor.  

All the finalists enjoyed the final and the opportunity to present their designs to a live audience, hear from inspiring guest speakers who spoke about their work in architecture and the opportunities that learning Spanish had given them, and take part in some fun games that tested their Spanish. Congratulations to all our teams for Espacios Increíbles 2023!

Le Foot et La Francophonie 2022-23 - Winners announced!

2 June 2023 (SCILT)

Félicitations to Mearns Castle High, winners of this year’s edition of Le Foot et la Francophonie!

Following the pilot last year, Le Foot was rolled out nationally in 2022-23, engaging over forty schools, from Shetland to Stranraer, and attracting video entries from twenty-four teams across ten schools. Following a shortlisting process conducted by a panel at SCILT, the finalists invited to take part in the live event at the University of Strathclyde on Thursday 1 June came from Biggar High (two teams), Kinross High, Prestwick Academy, Kilmarnock Academy and Mearns Castle High.

As was the case during the pilot edition, Le Foot, an interdisciplinary project incorporating benchmarks, experiences and outcomes in Modern Languages, Physical Education and Health and Wellbeing, generated huge enthusiasm in the schools which integrated the project into their S2 and S3 programmes. Again, participation fired the creative imagination of the learners, some of whom had previously shown limited interest in French, while their teachers built on the legacy of the pilot project by creating and sharing a wealth of new resources covering the four key skills of reading, listening, talking and writing, focussing on the Francophone world and including strong anti-racism messages. The pupils who took part, numbering well over one thousand, were encouraged to consider the vital importance of additional languages to a broad range of careers associated with professional sports.

The six teams of pupils were joined at the final by their teachers and classmates who came along to support them. On the panel of judges were Cédric Moreau (Subject Leader for French, University of Strathclyde), Lisa Hanna (Depute Director of SCILT), Kandi Higgins (Course Leader for PGDE in Modern Languages, University of Strathclyde), Cara Lamb (Course Leader for PGDE in Physical Education, University of Strathclyde) and Mark Cunningham (graduate in Spanish and Education, and qualified football coach). After presenting their football-themed videos in French, the teams performed football drills, which included commands in French, and all pupils present were put through their paces in a range of drills designed and delivered by newly qualified PE teachers from the University’s School of Education. Those in attendance then heard a video message from former Scotland footballer John Collins, who learned French during his two-year spell at AS Monaco, before some closing remarks from Fhiona Mackay (Director of SCILT). The all important winner’s announcement saw Mearns Castle claim the trophy, together with a visit to Hampden Park, where the winning team will be given a French-focussed tour of the stadium and the Scottish Football Museum.

For more information on Le Foot et la Francophonie, including a range of football-themed resources for second and third level BGE French, see the page dedicated to the project on the SCILT website.

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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.

Mandarin for BGE

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

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

SEET's Multilingual Day 2023

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...

Young Scots Writer o the Year Award 2023

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...

Words for the World winning entries now online!

19 May 2023 (SCILT)

Congratulations again to everyone who took part in our recent Words for the World competition.

Following the awards ceremony on 25 April, and the announcement of the winners’ names, we are now delighted to be able to publish the winning, highly commended and other finalist entries in each category. We are sure that you will be impressed by the fantastic linguistic diversity, creativity and passion that all the finalists show. Well done everyone!

At the awards ceremony we were delighted to be able to share a personal video message from Len Pennie, the well-known Scottish poet and Scots language and mental health advocate, which spoke of the huge difference that all of our words can make; watch her video and be inspired!

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German Days Glasgow

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.

Stephen Spender Prize 2023

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...

SCILT Spring 2023 newsletter published

5 May 2023 (SCILT)

The latest edition of the SCILT newsletter has been published!

Read about SCILT’s work to support the learning and teaching of languages, including our professional learning opportunities, knowledge exchange events, competitions and online lessons. Find out how schools celebrated Languages Week Scotland 2023 and hear from local authorities about their latest inspiring initiatives. There is also the opportunity to read about the work our partners have been doing to support language learning in Scotland.

If you would like to contribute an article to a future edition of the newsletter you can read the submission guidelines on our website, and email your entries to SCILT

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!

Related Files

Words for the World - Winners announced!

4 May 2023 (SCILT)

Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year’s Words for the World competition.

We had a very high standard of entries submitted in a range of formats and different languages. Our young people here in Scotland demonstrated a wealth of linguistic diversity, creativity and immense passion for protecting our planet, our humanity and creating a brighter future for us all.  We were truly humbled and inspired by their work and they should all be incredibly proud of their achievements.

Judging proved exceptionally difficult, but we were delighted to announce the winning entries at an online awards event held last week to celebrate Earth Day. Well done again to the following who were successful in their respective categories and thank you to every pupil who participated in the competition. 

P1-P4

  • Winner – Libby Gow, Goodlyburn Primary
  • Highly commended – Jamie Rettie, Goodlyburn Primary

P5-P7

  • Winner – Sophia Chan, ESMS Junior School
  • Highly commended – Halima Jemal, Toryglen Primary
  • Highly commended – Leena Valluri, Goodlyburn Primary

S1-S3

  • Winner - Deepak Krisna Kumaar, Craigmount High 
  • Highly commended – 1W & 1Q class entry, Holy Rood RC High
  • Highly commended – Rory Turner, Portree High

S4-S6

  • Winner - Dianna-Liza Boychuk, Craigmount High
  • Highly commended - Wessam Kawarit, Craigmount High 

Winners and highly commended entrants will receive a book token and certificate and have their work showcased on the SCILT website in due course, whilst all participants will receive a certificate in recognition of their hard work.

You can find out more about the competition on our Words for the World webpage.

Read more...

Caitlin learned Ukrainian to welcome her friend to Monifieth High – and won poetry competition

4 May 2023 (Dundee Courier)

When Caitlin Anderson, 14, was asked to look after a Ukrainian refugee joining her school it was the start of a special friendship.

As Caitlin helped Veronika Raziievska, also 14, improve her English and settle into her new surroundings, she decided she should make the effort to learn her language.

And as well as making Veronika’s new life at Monifieth High School a little easier, that resulted in Caitlin winning a national competition for a poem she subsequently wrote in Ukrainian.

When she entered the Mother Tongue Other Tongue contest, Caitlin told Veronika’s story to raise awareness of what she and other refugees had endured as a result of the war in Ukraine.

We met the S2 pupils to hear about their friendship and how that resulted in Caitlin’s award-winning poem.

Read more...

The Big Question: SCILT secondary seminar series

21 April 2023 (SCILT)

Wrestling with writing? Run out of steam with reading? Tearing your hair out with talking? Looking for inspiration with listening?

This year’s Big Question series might just help! This series of weekly workshops in May and June aimed at secondary practitioners will focus on the four core skills: listening, reading, writing and talking. Each week we will look at practical ideas of why and how to approach a different skill. Come and join us as we examine strategies and share resources and activities!

Each session will feature the chance to hear from guest practitioners, and the opportunity to discuss and share with fellow teachers, and hopefully together to come up with some answers to these questions!

The four seminar dates are:

  • Wednesday 17 May: Reading, with guest practitioner Robbie Kirk, PT Modern Languages, Chryston High
  • Thursday 25 May: Listening, with guest practitioners Liegha Laing & and the team from Meldrum Academy
  • Tuesday 6 June: Writing, with guest practitioner Scott Jordan, Musselburgh Grammar School
  • Wednesday 14 June: Talking, with guest practitioner Joanne Curran, PT Languages (BGE) Larbert High

Seminars are free to attend and are open to all secondary languages teachers and student teachers; attend as many or as few as you wish!

The sessions will be hosted on MS Teams and will not be recorded. 

Registrations for all workshops are open now via the links above. Please also see attached flyer which can be shared with colleagues.

Related Files

The Panda Card Project

20 April 2023 (CISS)

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

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

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

Read more...

SEET's Multilingual Day 2023

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...

Modern Language Assistants

17 April 2023 (British Council)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more...

Stephen Spender Prize 2023

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...

'The Languages Local to You' photography competition 2023

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.

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.

DAAD/ILCS German Language Competition 2023

16 March 2023 (Goethe-Institut)

Roads not taken

Oder: Es hätte auch anders kommen können.

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.

Read more...

Words for the World is back!

13 March 2023 (SCILT)

‘We must believe in the power and the strength of our words. Our words can change the world.’ (Malala Yousafzai)

Are you looking for a way to engage your language learners to think about global issues and global citizenship? Our Words for the World competition could be just what you need! Returning for the 2022-23 school session, SCILT is challenging learners to use their words and their languages to show how the world could be a better place.

Participants are invited to use a language (or languages) other than English to show their ideas, hopes or even advice for our world. Submissions can be in any written format, for example a poem, an essay, a cartoon – be creative!

More information about the competition is available on our Words for the World webpage below. The entry deadline for entries is 24 March 2023

Read more...

Multilingual Day 2023

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!

Read more...

Related Files

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

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.

Scotland’s Languages Leadership Programme 2023-24 – Applications are now open!

24 February 2023 (SCILT)

Applications for Scotland's Languages Leadership Programme 2023-24 (SLLP) open until 5pm on Monday 24 April.

The SLLP builds leadership capacity to achieve a sustainable model for leading language learning and teaching for all. Applications are welcome from colleagues with 3 years' teaching experience or equivalent, who are interested in developing approaches to language learning and in implementing change in their own contexts. This might include classroom teachers, principal teachers, heads of department, heads of faculty or languages lead practitioners.

This online programme is free of charge to state schools and offers participants the opportunity to engage with the most up-to-date information from Education Scotland and other agencies involved in the delivery of Scotland’s languages policy.

Visit our Professional Learning page for more information about the programme and how to apply. You can also sign up for an online information session which will be hosted by SCILT and Education Scotland on Thursday 23 March.

Read more...

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.

MTOT 2022-23 - Winners announced!

24 February 2023 (SCILT)

Pupils, teachers and special guests joined us online on 21 February to hear the winners of this year’s Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition. The date chosen for the event was significant being International Mother Language Day, a day to celebrate all world languages.

We are delighted to announce the following winners and highly commended entries in each category:

Mother Tongue

Award

Pupil

School

Language

P1-P4

Winner

Sofia Poliakova

West Primary

Russian

Highly commended

Jiya Srikanth

West Primary

Tamil

P5-P7

Winner

Ariana Misankova

West Primary

Slovakian

Highly commended

Arina Fomenko

Williamsburgh PS

Russian-Ukrainian

Highly commended

Nikola Arimovica

Valley Primary

Russian

Highly commended

Misha Levdykov

Kilbarchan Primary

Russian-Ukrainian

S1-S3

Winner

Shadan Alousy

Bishopbriggs Academy

Arabic

Highly commended

Eve Joshi

Bearsden Academy

Danish

Highly commended

Lynn Januschke

Madras College

German

Highly commended

Michaela Mileva

St Joseph’s Academy

Bulgarian

S4-S6

Winner

Oleksandra Lotytska

Rosshall Academy

Ukrainian

Highly commended

Lucia d’Alessio

Bishopbriggs Academy

Italian

Other Tongue

Award

Pupil

School

Language

P1-P4

Winner

Mabel Sainsbury

Kilmodan Primary

French

Highly commended

P1 Class

Canaan Lane Primary

French

P5-P7

Winner

Kathryn Morley

Kilmodan Primary

French

Highly commended

Giles Leigh

Kilmodan Primary

French

Highly commended

Masha Naumenko

Thorn Primary

Ukrainian

S1-S3

Winner

Caitlin Anderson

Monifieth High

Ukrainian

Highly commended

Laila Strokosch

Mearns Castle High

French

Highly commended

Molly Innes

Madras College

French

Highly commended

Zach Bartlett

Madras College

French

S4-S6

Winner

Jessica Smith

Monifieth High

French

Highly commended

Aiman Mohammad

Renfrew High

French

Highly commended

Aimee Carroll

Mintlaw Academy

German

Highly commended

Jessica Smith

Monifieth High

Spanish

Highly commended

Roux Scott

Loudoun Academy

Spanish

 

All our finalists will receive a certificate and book token. Winning entrants will also be offered the chance for their poems to feature in The Children's Poetry Archive and Kids Poetry Club podcast. We will be in contact with schools shortly about taking these extra special opportunities forward.

This year we were also delighted to host a special strand of the competition focusing on Ukrainian languages. The winning entries in this category were:

  • Primary – Arina Fomenko, Williamsburgh Primary
  • Secondary – Dianna-Liza Boyckuk, Craigmount High

Teachers with students who entered in this category will be contacted separately regarding their awards.

It is our intention to host each of the finalists’ poems on the SCILT website and we'll announce when these are available.

Congratulations again to all our finalists!

French Pop Video Competition 2023 - Deadline extended!

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.

Read more...

Online French and Spanish Courses for Secondary Teachers

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. 

Read more...

Discovering the World of Arabic 2023-24 - secondary course

10 February 2023 (SCILT / QFI)

SCILT continues to work in partnership with Qatar Foundation International to offer our Discovering the World of Arabic programme in session 2023/24. 

For session 2023/24 we are making changes to the way we will deliver Discovering the World of Arabic - Secondary. Participating schools will benefit from:

  • a grant of £2000 to support the school with resources/ materials/ experiences that will enhance learning
  • a dedicated live online lesson every week for each individual school participating (time to be agreed with each school)
  • asynchronous materials to consolidate and further explore Arabic language and Arab cultures
  • ongoing support from SCILT team 

We are currently looking for local authority secondary schools in Scotland who would be interested in opening the door to the Arab world through this programme.  

The collaboration will provide an opportunity for local authority secondary schools to offer L3 learning experiences in Arabic language and cultures. BGE and Senior Phase courses have been co-created by the SCILT team and specially commissioned writers, with language lessons delivered online by a teacher of Arabic. Both courses focus on developing conversational Arabic which will enhance learners’ understanding of Arab cultures and, in the Senior Phase course, their employability skills. It is aimed at beginner learners who are seeking to enhance their language learning experience and develop their portfolio of skills. 

The courses are delivered using a mix of live and recorded classes, with supplementary materials being shared via Glow Teams. The lessons give learners the chance to explore aspects of Arab cultures as well as providing a solid linguistic foundation for learning the world’s fifth most spoken language.

Places are limited for this opportunity, so if you would like your school to be considered to take part, please complete the note of interest form via the link below by Friday 3 March. Responses given on the note of interest form may inform the final selection of schools for this opportunity.

Please contact SCILT if you have any questions. 

Read more...

Education Scotland's language resources

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.

Read more...

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:

Aktuelles: Conversation course for secondary teachers

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.

Read more...

Welcoming Languages: Including a Refugee Language in Scottish Education

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.

Read more...

Write a story featuring a fox

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.

Read more...

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2022-23

2 February 2023 (Queen's College Oxford)

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

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

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

Read more...

JaLaChamp 2023!

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.

Read more...

RZSS Programmes for Schools

1 February 2023 (RZSS)

RZSS Stripy Tails

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

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

Giants

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

Read more...

Scottish Education Awards 2023

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.

Read more...

Scottish Languages Employability Award - re-launched!

27 January 2023 (SCILT)

The Scottish Languages Employability Award was developed by SCILT and Bòrd na Gàidhlig and launched in 2019 as a way of delivering DYW through languages, encouraging school-business partnerships and recognising good practice in this area. Since then we have received fantastic submissions from primary and secondary schools right across the country, and we have awarded recognition at Bronze, Silver, Gold and even Platinum levels! 

Following review, we are delighted to launch our revised documentation, which is designed to streamline the application process and to give as much guidance as possible to schools who would like to apply. Have a look at the new handbook and application form on our website now – we look forward to receiving your submissions!

Read more...

Languages Week 2023

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.

Read more...

Schools programme

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.

Read more...

Related Files

Oxford German Olympiad 2023 - Round 2

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.

Read more...

Reminder: SCILT 2022-23 workshop menu open for group bookings

20 January 2023 (SCILT)

SCILT’s CLPL menu for the 2022-23 session is available for bookings. 

If you are looking for high quality professional learning related to languages pedagogy for groups of experienced colleagues, newly qualified or student teachers in your school, cluster, local authority or RIC, then look no further.  

Always interactive, SCILT menu workshops give you the opportunity to explore practice through exemplification and discussion with colleagues.

Primary

  • Engaging parents with languages in the primary and early years
  • Cultural contexts: an engaging approach to primary language learning
  • Get multilingual with DYW in your primary classroom
  • Active assessment in primary languages
  • Multilingual approaches to primary pedagogy

Secondary

  • Policy, planning and practice in BGE (in partnership with Education Scotland)
  • Emerging contexts for language learning
  • Tackling controversial issues in challenging times
  • Talking and listening
  • Using language skills across the curriculum

For more detail about the menu workshops and to book for a group follow the link below.

Open access workshops for individuals in primary and secondary will be available through the year, sign up to the SCILT e-bulletin for more information.

Read more...

Young Scots Writer o the Year Award 2023

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.

Read more...

Café Connect

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!

Read more...

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:

Concours de la Francophonie 2023

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.

Read more...

Related Files

UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) 2023

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.

Read more...

Arabic Speaking Competition 2023

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.

Read more...

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.

School partnership bursaries

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.

Read more...

CISS Winter Newsletter

8 December 2022 (CISS)

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

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

Read more...

RZSS Beyond the Panda

7 December 2022 (RZSS)

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

These include:

  • 5 week course aimed at upper primary but may also be of interest to lower secondary. Four weeks live virtual sessions, followed by an in-person outreach. Linked to Mandarin language learning.
  • Single outreach sessions which compare two RZSS projects and aimed at upper primary:
  • Giants: the giant panda from China and the giant anteater from South America - available in either Mandarin or Spanish.
  • Stripy Tails: (available from April 2023 but bookings open and best to book early) the red panda from China and the ring-tailed lemur from Madagascar - available in either Mandarin or French. 

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

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

Read more...

SCILT Winter 2022 newsletter published!

1 December 2022 (SCILT)

The latest edition of the SCILT newsletter has been published!

Read about SCILT’s work to support the learning and teaching of languages in Scotland, including the most recent round of Scottish Languages Employability Awards, our professional learning opportunities, motivating competitions and our support for newly arrived people from Ukraine. Find out how schools celebrated European Day of Languages 2022, and hear from local authorities about their latest inspiring initiatives. There is also the opportunity to read about the work our partners have been doing to support language learning in Scotland.

If you would like to contribute an article to a future edition of the newsletter you can read the submission guidelines on our website, and email your entries to SCILT

Read more...

SCILT Christmas 2022 webpage - now live!

1 December 2022 (SCILT)

Are you looking for ways to bring the festive season to your languages classroom?

SCILT have compiled a range of online resources for use with your learners, from interactive advent calendars and games, to festive facts and downloadable worksheets. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in France, Germany, Spain and many other places around the world!

Read more...

European Language Gazette (November-December 2022)

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.

Read more...

Gaelic Medium National Discussion

24 November 2022 (e-Sgoil)

A video resource has been produced which can be used by Gaelic Medium class teachers (Primary & Secondary) to facilitate conversations around the National Discussion. The video is designed to be a 'stop & start' activity where learners are encouraged to take time to think through how they would answer each of the 4 questions below:

  • Nuair a tha thu a’ smaoineachadh mu dheidhinn ionnsachadh no foghlam tro mheadhan na Gaidhlig, de na faclan a tha a’ tighinn a-steach ort?
  • Nam biodh cothrom agad sgoil ur a thoiseachadh, de na rudan a bhiodh cudthromach dhut? Carson?  
  • De bhiodh na chuideachadh dhut barrachd Gaidhlig a chleachdadh san sgoil? Carson?
  • Nan robh agad ri recipe a sgriobhadh airson foghlam tro mheadhan na Gaidhlig anns an t-am ri teachd, de na coig rudan a dh’fheumadh a bhith ann?  

The video is presented by Linda Macleod and is available on the e-Sgoil website.

Read more...

French Film Festival UK Learning Programme 2022

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.

Read more...

French Pop Video Competition 2023

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.

Read more...

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

Related Files

Book Week Scotland 2022

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.

Read more...

International Education Week (14-18 November)

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.

Read more...

MEd Education Studies course modules for language practitioners

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.

Read more...

French Film Festival Learning Programme 2022

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.

Read more...

Why are schools teaching French and German – not Arabic or Somali?

233 October 2022 (Independent)

Earlier this year, Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch stated that the modern foreign languages (MFL) curriculum currently taught in schools does not need decolonising. This is despite Badenoch having no first-hand experience of studying in a UK secondary school, or of teaching in one.

Read more...

Funding for UK-German partnerships

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.

Read more...

DYW Live Sessions: Languages and your career

11 October 2022 (e-Sgoil)

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

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

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

Read more...

SCILT winter newsletter 2022 - send us your stories!

7 October 2022 (SCILT)

Do you have a story to share with the languages community?

We are currently taking submissions for our winter 2022 newsletter. This is a great opportunity to promote what has been happening in your school or local authority with regard to languages. This is a chance to showcase innovative projects, language learning celebrations or initiatives which took place towards the end of last session or so far in the 2022/23 session. 

We are looking for articles of a maximum of 300 words, with a couple of colourful photos. The deadline for contributions is Friday 21st October 2022.

Visit our website to read the full submission guidelines, and to view previous editions of the newsletter. Submissions can be sent to scilt@strath.ac.uk

Read more...

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:

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2022-23

3 October 2022 (Queen's College Oxford)

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

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

Visit the website for more information.

Read more...

Discovery Film Festival 2022

30 September 2022 (DCA)

Discovery Film Festival, Scotland’s international film festival for young audiences, is back for its 19th year, Sat 22 October to Sun 6 November. There's another packed programme of the best new films for young audiences from around the world - and once again the festival will be available both online and at Dundee Contemporary Arts.

Visit the website for full details.

Read more...

Le Foot et La Francophonie 2022-23

30 September 2022 (SCILT)

We are delighted to announce the national roll-out of Le Foot et La Francophonie 2022-23! Following a successful pilot project with four Glasgow schools last session, we have now opened registrations for expressions of interest in Le Foot et La Francophonie 2022-23. This interdisciplinary project brings together French and professional football, opening learners’ eyes to the relevance of language learning in the world of international sports, focussing on the four core language skills and building awareness of cultures in French-speaking countries across the globe. To find out more and to register your interest in this competition, which is open to pupils in S2 and S3, please visit the SCILT website.

An initial information session for teachers will take place on Thursday 3 November (3.45 - 4.45pm) and schools will be asked to confirm their participation by Friday 11 November.

Read more...

Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition

29 September 2022 (SCILT)

A reminder that schools interested in taking part in this year’s MTOT competition have until 6 October (National Poetry Day) to register. The competition provides a great opportunity for all pupils in Scotland P1-S6 to get creative with a language they speak at home (Mother Tongue) or are learning at school (Other Tongue). Students can even enter in both categories!

Read more...

Oxford German Olympiad 2023

26 September 2022 (Oxford German Network)

The Oxford German Olympiad 2023 is now open for entries! It was launched 26 September 2022, the European Day of Languages.

This year's topic: KOCHKUNST - BACKLUST - ESSKULTUR (The Art of Cooking, Joy of Baking and Culture of Eating).

The competition is open to primary and secondary learners of German, with further categories for group or class entries as well as those with no prior experience of studying the language. So there's something for everyone!

Visit the Oxford German Olympiad website for full competition details and guidelines. Closing date for all entries is Thursday 9 March 2023, at 12 noon.

Read more...

The Language Ambassadors Programme

23 September 2022 (University of Strathclyde/SCILT)

The Language Ambassadors family has grown!

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

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

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

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

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

We can deliver a range of activities, such as:

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

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

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

Immersion courses in Spain for teachers

22 September 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

Any plans for the Autumn half-term break? Sign up and get a grant for one of the immersion courses in Spain. Full details regarding dates, course content, the grant and application form can be found by following the relevant course header link below:

The Ramshorn Time Capsule competition 2022 – Winners announced!

22 September 2022 (SCILT)

SCILT and CISS presented a poster competition aimed at S2-S3 learners, to design the contents of their own time capsule – past or present – to join in with the celebration of Glasgow Doors Open Day 2022.

Secondary learners from across Scotland took part in the competition which provided a fantastic opportunity to share their cultural heritage, demonstrate their creativity, and showcase their language skills, both learned at school and used at home.

Congratulations to our winners, Abby Slack, S3 learner from Mearns Castle High School who won the ‘past’ category and to Emerald Li, S3 learner from Mearns Castle High School who won the ‘present’ category.

photo of Abby Slack holding her winning posterphoto of Emerald Li with her winning poster

They were awarded with a £30 voucher and their work was featured in The Ramshorn exhibition as part of Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival on 16 and 17 September 2022. Well done to everyone who took part in this competition, the judging panel were impressed by all entries received and hope that you will participate again next year!

Find out more about the competition on our website.

Read more...

UK-German funding and hosting opportunities

8 September 2022 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a wide range of initiatives for young people, schools and youth groups. The organisation aims to bring young people in the UK and Germany together through a range of grants, advisory services, networks and programmes – both face-to-face and digitally.

Follow the relevant link below to find out more about their current opportunities:

  • Host a Teacher from Germany - enable primary and secondary pupils to gain an insight into German culture by hosting a teacher from Germany for 2-3 weeks next Spring.
  • Funding - a range of grants for joint activities between schools and youth groups now open for applications.
  • Café Connect - free virtual cultural exchange meetings giving young people aged 14-18 the chance to connect with UK and German peers through fun, interactive activities, group discussions on current topics and informal chat.
  • Voyage Kids - a digital magazine for primary pupils to discover German language and culture.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for information on the full range of services available.

Read more...

TECLA magazine for Spanish language teachers

6 September 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

The September 2022 edition of TECLA, the magazine for teachers of Spanish, is now available online.

The electronic magazine has lots of ideas and resources for Spanish classes and is free to download! 

Read more...

Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival: Schools programme

26 August 2022 (ESFF)

The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival (ESFF) is back with its 9th edition, and we want you all to get involved! We are once again providing our Schools Programme for students learning Spanish as a second language. We are really excited about the two films we are offering this year at our in-person screenings.

To take part in these exciting screenings, all the information you need is in the attached document.

Related Files

MTOT is back for 2022-23!

26 August 2022 (SCILT)

SCILT is delighted to announce the return of Mother Tongue Other Tongue, our multilingual poetry competition!

MTOT gives young people of all ages P1 – S6 the opportunity to showcase their language skills and creative talent. Over the years this competition has uncovered a wealth of talented young linguists: they have created songs, rhymes and poems that are unique, funny, clever, emotive and moving. Young people are asked to create an original poem/song/rap in a language other than English:  this can be a language spoken at home, or a language they are learning at school. To enter, the poem should be recorded (audio or video) and sent to us along with a completed entry form. 

Winning entries will receive a range of prizes, including the opportunity to have their poem included in the UK National Children’s Poetry Archive, as well as featuring in a dedicated episode of the international Kids Poetry Club podcast. This year we are highlighting the Ukrainian language, with a special prize on offer for entries from Ukrainian speakers.

Schools are invited to register interest by 6 October 2022 (National Poetry Day). Visit the MTOT webpage for more information.

We look forward to seeing another generation of young poets find their voice!

Read more...

Language Linking Global Thinking 2022-23

26 August 2022 (SCILT / UCMLS)

SCILT is pleased to confirm the return of the Language Linking Global Thinking programme for the 2022-23 session. Applications are now open for schools wishing to register their interest in taking part this year. 

The project links students on their year abroad with primary and secondary schools in Scotland. Students communicate with a designated class in their partner school during the course of the year to illustrate how enriching it is to spend a year abroad using a language other than English. 

While the student is abroad they keep in regular contact with the partner school using blog posts, emails and other resources. The correspondence between student and class brings the language alive for pupils and shows them the real relevance of learning a language. 

Key points for teachers

  • Please note this is a two-way correspondence, and schools are expected to reply to blog posts, submit questions, and fully engage with their link student. 
  • Training will take place online, you will have the opportunity to learn more about successful links and to meet your link student virtually. 
  • Places are limited and you are not guaranteed a link partner. We will be able to confirm your place in October.
  • There is no cost for schools to participate in the programme.

Visit the LLGT webpage for more information on Language Linking Global Thinking, and to read some of the student blogs from previous years.

To register please complete the form via the link below by Friday 16 September.

Read more...

Espacios Increíbles 2022-23

26 August 2022 (SCILT)

After the success last session of Espacios Increíbles, our inter-disciplinary learning competition combining Spanish and design, we're delighted to announce Espacios Increíbles 2022-23 is back! After last year’s hotly contested final, we know our previous competitors are keen to take part again this year and try to claim the Espacios Increíbles crown from Kinross High School but we’d like to up the stakes even more and get more schools involved. Any school from across Scotland can take part in this national competition, aimed at S2 and S3 learners of Spanish.

The Espacios Increíbles webpage has been updated with information on previous events and winners along with videos featuring some of our guest speakers at the final. Take a look to see what they had to say about their languages experience, find out more about this year's competition and register your interest in taking part. 

Read more...

Scotland’s 2020 future vision for language learning & the European 1+2 model 2025 goal

26 August 2022 (UHI)

University of Highlands and Islands is conducting interviews as part of a research study to increase understanding of what teaching methods students encounter.

As a teacher you are in an ideal position to give us valuable first–hand information about your preferred methods of teaching (e.g. how standardised/bespoke are they?). The lead researcher has a limited set of several questions to conduct an email interview at your convenience. Alternatively, MS Teams interviews will take around 15-20 minutes or so.

Your responses to the questions will be kept confidential. Each interview will be assigned a number code to help ensure that personal identifiers are not revealed during the analysis and write up of findings. There is no compensation for participating in this study. However, your participation will be a valuable addition to our research and findings could lead to better understanding of how to assist future government objectives.

The Scottish government response to Professor Muir’s final report and recommendations submitted to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills in February 2022 has been published; feedback and published responses updated 9 March 2022 include a few ongoing concerns about the uptake of foreign language learning.

The aim of this research is to consider nativist and constructivist approaches to language acquisition–specifically–a psychological component associated with cognition during natural language acquisition and how that might manifest in the classroom/teaching space. Consequently, the lead researcher wishes to ask foreign language teachers about the methods they employ as classroom conventions have changed over the last 40 years.

What is involved? Participation entails an interview via your choice of staggered emails, a phone interview or a video conference interview via MS Teams. The interviews entail several questions that should take half an hour. Experience so far indicates email interviews are convenient and provide more time for interviewees to think on and compose comprehensive answers.

Primarily, the research wishes to hear about your teaching methods and/or anything you feel is important to the future of foreign language learning in Scotland. If you wish to be involved further, interview will be completed from August to October 2022. These interviews will only be offered to consenting adults over the age of 18 who are practicing foreign language teachers.

There is no guarantee of any immediate benefit after taking part in this research.

If you are willing to participate please respond by email to Callum Train with your preferred method of interview. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. Before commencing you will be provided with a four page participant information sheet that includes data protection details and further UHI contacts.

European Day of Languages 2022 - how is your school celebrating?

25 August 2022 (SCILT)

The European Day of Languages (EDL) is celebrated on 26 September each year. Now in its 21st year, it aims to promote the rich linguistic diversity of Europe and raise awareness of the importance of lifelong language learning for everyone. What is your school doing in 2022?

If you're looking for inspiration, SCILT has compiled lots of ideas for primary, secondary and parents & families on our EDL webpage. Perhaps creating a scavenger hunt, taking a virtual city tour, or designing languages stones? You will also find links to competitions, blogs and websites with a huge range of celebration ideas and activities. 

Let us know how you celebrate and we'll include you in our EDL 2022 blog. Upload a short description and some colourful photos or email scilt@strath.ac.uk.

If you're sharing your celebrations on Twitter tag @scottishcilt and use the hashtag #coeEDL to share your celebrations with schools across Europe!

Read more...

Our World 2022-23

23 August 2022 (SEET)

Our World, the languages and citizenship based filmmaking project for secondary school pupils, is now open for registration!

SEET staff are now offering a CLPL session for teachers to help them feel more confident in taking on Our World with their class. They also offer online school visits for schools who are interested in taking part. These are aimed at pupils participating in the project.

Visit the Our World website for full details.

Read more...

Giants

23 August 2022 (RZSS)

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

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

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New competition - The Ramshorn Time Capsule

19 August 2022 (SCILT / CISS)

SCILT and CISS present a new poster competition aimed at S2-S3 learners in Scotland. Learners are invited to design the contents of their own time capsule – past or present – to join in with the celebration of Glasgow Doors Open Day 2022! This competition is an opportunity for learners to share their cultural heritage, demonstrate their creativity, and showcase their language skills, both learned at school and used at home.

The Ramshorn, a category A-listed building located in the Merchant City of Glasgow, and home of SCILT/CISS, will open its doors during Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival on 16 and 17 September and celebrations will include an exhibition about the building.

Two winning entries will receive a £30 voucher prize and their work will feature at the exhibition during the festival! 

  • Create a poster that shows the design of your time capsule items! 
  • Include what you know or have learned about the history of The Ramshorn and its place in Glasgow to help create your past or present time capsule.
  • Draw and describe five items: descriptions should incorporate at least one language other than English learned at school and/or used at home.
  • Incorporate elements of your own culture and heritage when deciding items.
  • Entries must be hand-drawn and fit on A3 or A4 size paper (a high quality photo or scan of entry) with aid of colouring tools.
  • Entries will be judged on creativity, content and language use.

When: The competition is now open! 

Who: S2-S3 learners in Scotland (state schools only). 

Entry: Follow the link below to find out how your school can take part.

Winners will be announced on 9 September 2022. Deadline for entries is 12 midday on Monday 5 September 2022.

We look forward to seeing your entries!

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EDL t-shirt contest 2023

18 August 2022 (ECML)

The European Day of Languages t-shirt contest is now open for submissions for the 2023 edition.

Send in your design/image/graphic by 31 December 2022 for your chance to have your layout on the official 2023 EDL T-Shirt! Bear in mind the design should be about languages, not countries, so avoid using flags or similar.

Visit the ECML website for full details.

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SCILT 2022-23 workshop menu open for group bookings

16 August 2022 (SCILT)

SCILT’s CLPL menu for the new session is available for bookings. 

If you are looking for high quality professional learning related to languages pedagogy for groups of experienced colleagues, newly qualified or student teachers in your school, cluster, local authority or RIC, then look no further.  

Note that open access workshops will be scheduled across the year for individual bookings. Find out more information about the first online and open access series of 2022-23.

Always interactive, SCILT menu workshops give you the opportunity to explore practice through exemplification and discussion with colleagues.

Primary

  • Engaging parents with languages in the primary and early years
  • Cultural contexts: an engaging approach to primary language learning
  • Get multilingual with DYW in your primary classroom
  • Active assessment in primary languages
  • Multilingual approaches to primary pedagogy

Secondary

  • Policy, planning and practice in BGE (in partnership with Education Scotland)
  • Emerging contexts for language learning
  • Tackling controversial issues in challenging times
  • Talking and listening
  • Using language skills across the curriculum

For more detail about the menu workshops and to book for a group follow the link below.

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The GCHQ National Language Competition 2022

23 August 2022 (GCHQ)

We are running a National Language Competition from 7-11 November 2022 aimed at Year 9 [England/Wales], Year 10 [Northern Ireland] and S3 [Scotland] pupils across the UK. Schools can enter teams of up to four pupils from these year groups to take part. Over the course of five days, teams will score points by tackling a variety of fun, immersive, language-themed challenges hosted on a virtual platform. These will range from easy to difficult, and will involve a mix of different languages, and even made-up languages!

Visit the website for more information and to register to take part.

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Buckie High kids speak language of success!

4 July 2022 (Northern Scot)

Buckie High's partnership with a major local employer has seen them scoop a prestigious national award.

For the past six years, BCHS has been working closely with Associated Seafoods Ltd (ASL), who export their salmon and other products across the globe. One of the many benefits accruing from the partnership has been the opportunity to use and expand a range of languages.

Most recently, the school and ASL were able to resume the S1 seafood project, which brought together a whole host of skills.

The hard work has brought its own rewards in that shape of a silver Scottish Languages Employability Award.

Read more...

Gaelic Education Grants 2022/23

16 June 2022 (Bòrd na Gàidhlig)

Bòrd na Gàidhlig has set up this fund to support those currently working towards a career in Gaelic teaching or Gaelic-medium teachers looking to develop their professional skills.

This scheme is currently open for the 2022/23 academic year until 1 September 2022.

Visit the Bòrd na Gàidhlig website for more information about eligibility and how to apply.

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Creative translation webinars for teachers

16 June 2022 (Stephen Spender Trust)

Following the successful launch of our brand new series of creative translation webinars for teachers at primary and secondary schools in 2022, and the extremely positive feedback received from participants, we are planning a new series of webinars in the coming school year 2022-23. 

Visit the Stephen Spender Trust website to find out more about the webinars and to register interest in this professional development opportunity. The website also has resources designed to help teachers to integrate creative translation into their teaching.

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Scotland’s Young Makars

16 June 2022 (Scottish Book Trust)

Scotland’s Young Makars is a creative writing project for young poets of secondary school age in Scotland. It aims to enable young people to write, understand and engage with poetry in a wide variety of styles and forms.

The project offers free online poetry workshops and mentoring, culminating in six young makars reading their work on stage at Stanza in March 2023.

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

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Times Education Commission calls for schooling reset

15 June 2022 (The Times)

Politicians and education experts from across the spectrum have welcomed the final report of The Times Education Commission and said it made a case for change.

[..] The main recommendation of the year-long commission includes the introduction of a British Baccalaureate, an equally rigorous but broader qualification than A-levels including both academic and vocational routes or a combination of the two.

Pupils would take six subjects and the qualification would be based on the International Baccalaureate, an A-level alternative offered mainly in private schools, but customised for the UK. It could be adopted to replace the Highers qualification in Scotland as well as A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Read more...

Related Links

APPG Modern Languages response on Twitter (15 June 2022)

Stephen Spender Prize 2022

9 June 2022 (Stephen Spender Trust)

The Stephen Spender Prize is an annual competition for poetry in translation, with categories for young people (14-and-under, 16-and-under, and 18-and-under) as well as an open category for adults. All entrants must be UK or Irish citizens or residents, or pupils at a British School overseas. Translate into English any poem from any language – ranging from Arabic to Uzbek, from Danish to Somali—and win cash prizes! 

Spotlight prize

Our Spotlight Prize encourages young people to engage with community languages. Our focus for 2022 is Romanian.

Open for entries from 4 May until midnight on Friday 15 July, visit the competition website for more details on how to enter, to meet the judges, and to explore the different prize categories!

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University of Strathclyde MEd Education Studies - New languages modules

7 June 2022 (University of Strathclyde)

The School of Education in the University of Strathclyde has 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)
  • Enacting Social Justice and Change in Language Learning and Teaching (commencing April 2023)

Practitioners who have already completed the SCILT professional learning courses (TELT and/or LLP) and have been awarded GTCS professional recognition, are eligible for accreditation of prior learning (20 Masters level credits for each course) towards gaining a full Masters degree. Likewise, teachers who have recently completed an ITE course at the University of Strathclyde may be eligible for further accreditation.

Further information about these modules and the course generally can be found in the attached information document. Details of the full suite of modules are in the attached MEd Education Studies Module Catalogue 2022-23. 

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2022-2023 – Applications open

7 June 2022 (Japan Foundation)

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. 

Projects that fit into one of the four following categories are prioritised:

  • Category 1 - Newly introducing Japanese into the curriculum
  • Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses
  • Category 3 - Japanese clubs
  • Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information, application guidelines and forms.

Apply by 16 June 2022.

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Le Foot et la Francophonie

31 May 2022 (SCILT)

Congratulations to Lourdes Secondary School, winners of SCILT’s inaugural edition of Le Foot et la Francophonie!

Le Foot has generated huge enthusiasm in the four Glasgow schools involved in the pilot project. During the autumn of 2021, teachers of French at Knightswood Secondary School, Lourdes Secondary School, Shawlands Academy and St. Roch’s Secondary School, supported by staff from SCILT, produced some high quality teaching materials based on football and the French-speaking world. To ensure that this project was truly interdisciplinary, all stakeholders collaborated on a guidance document outlining benchmarks, experiences and outcomes from Modern Languages, Physical Education and Health and Wellbeing curricular areas. They were supported in this endeavour by input from Physical Education staff in their respective schools, as well as by Cara Lamb, who leads the PGDE Secondary Physical Education course at the University of Strathclyde.

In January, Le Foot was rolled out in S2 classrooms and on school playing fields. Engagement among pupils who had previously shown limited interest in languages was particularly evident, with one of the teachers involved noting that this was “French disguised as football”! The outstanding resources produced and shared by each school cover the four core skills of reading, listening, talking and writing, encompassing the Francophone world and including strong anti-racism messages. Just as importantly, the 750 pupils who took part learned of the relevance of languages to a range of careers in professional sports – an area in which many have a keen interest.

The competitive final took place at the University of Strathclyde on 12 May. The event involved teams of pupils from each of the schools, together with classmates who came along to support them. On the panel of judges were Cédric Moreau (Subject Leader for French, University of Strathclyde), Lisa Hanna (Depute Director, SCILT), Jordan Allison (Head of Charity, Kilmarnock FC) and Mark Cunningham (final-year student in Spanish and Education, and qualified football coach). After presenting a football-themed video in French, the teams performed football drills, which included commands in French. They then heard video messages from John Collins, Christophe Berra and Ismaila Soro, before the winner’s announcement saw Lourdes Secondary School claim the trophy, together with a visit to Hampden Park, where the winning team will be given a French-focussed tour of the stadium and the Scottish Football Museum.

Watch this space for information on Le Foot et la Francophonie being rolled out nationally in 2022-23, together with further details on how your school can get involved.

Spanish course for teachers: blended learning programme (León, 2022)

31 May 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

The University of León and Mester Academy have organised a Spanish course aimed at British and Irish teachers interested in learning or improving their Spanish language skills.

The blended learning programme consists of 33 hours of self-study online from mid-June plus one week Spanish language course in León (Spain) in August 2022.

  • ONLINE + ONSITE COURSE
  • 3 DIFFERENT LEVELS: absolute beginners, beginners and intermediate
  • A GRANT to cover most of the costs will be offered
  • APPLICATION DEADLINE: 13 June

All information regarding dates, course content, the grant and the application form can be found on the Spanish Embassy Education Office website.

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Espacios Increíbles 2022 – Winners announced!

27 May 2022 (SCILT)

Congratulations to Kinross High, Perth & Kinross, on winning SCILT's Espacios Increíbles competition 2021-22.

The winner was announced at the final, held online on Wednesday 25 May 2022. A superb effort was made by all six finalist schools (Alva Academy, Bathgate Academy, Dunblane High, Grange Academy, Wallace High, as well as Kinross High); competition was stiff and judges had a very difficult decision to make.

The interdisciplinary competition for S2-S3 combines Spanish with art, design and technology. Pupils design an amazing space and present their work in Spanish. 

Kinross High came out top with their innovative design for a veterans’ rehabilitation centre in Bolivia. Their design was based on the work of Bolivian architect Freddie Mamani and took as inspiration the colours of the Bolivia Flag: red, green and yellow. The team showed great creativity and presentation skills, with fantastic delivery in Spanish. They clearly demonstrated how they had worked collaboratively, drawing on art, design and Spanish skills to create an innovative and sustainable design.

The other five schools did an amazing job, with a mental health space on a bus, a children's library on a boat, an eco-tourism hotel, underwater art gallery and a UFO-inspired observatory on Robinson Crusoe Island.

More information on this year's final will be on the SCILT website soon as well as details of how your school can enter next year's competition.

The Big Question: final spaces remaining!

26 May 2022 (SCILT)

This term we are hosting a series of interactive seminars for secondary languages teachers, based on some of the main themes from our workshops this year, and covering some of the big questions that you might be asking about teaching languages today.

We now have just a few places remaining on Seminar 3: Teaching controversial issues. This session will feature the chance to hear from a guest speaker, and the opportunity to discuss and share with fellow teachers, and hopefully together to come up with some answers to the big questions!

  • Seminar 3: Teaching controversial issues
    4-5pm, Thursday 9 June
    In this seminar we will look at how can we approach controversial issues such as gender, race, politics and climate in the context of language learning. We will explore strategies for tackling controversial issues safely and effectively in the languages classroom. Our guest in this session will be Lynne Jones of SCILT who will be sharing particularly around areas of gender and immigration.

Seminars are free to attend and are open to all secondary languages teachers and student teachers. The session will be hosted on MS Teams and will not be recorded.

Read more...

Parental Engagement - NEW - A Practitioner’s Guide

19 May 2022 (SCILT)

We have collated a range of materials to provide practitioners with useful information, including examples of practice across sectors, about engaging parents and families with language learning. This guide features a variety of reading materials, resources, and case studies to equip practitioners working in a variety of contexts with the tools to actively consider how to get parents and families engaged with their child’s language learning.

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Immersion course in León - August 2022

17 May 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

Any plans for this summer? Sign up for the Teaching and Culture course in León for Spanish Secondary School and University teachers.

We are offering grants for Secondary School and University teachers of Spanish to enrol in our course in León in collaboration with the University of León and Mester Academy during August 2022.

The course content includes a number of areas in relation to teaching Spanish as a foreign language along with cultural activities. There are three starting dates to choose from 31 July-6 August, from 7-13 August, or from 14-20 August 2022. This course will be delivered fully in Spanish therefore we recommend that teachers should have at least a B2 level.

Visit the Spanish Education office website for more information and to apply by 31 May 2022.

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SCILT Spring 2022 newsletter published

13 May 2022 (SCILT)

The latest edition of the SCILT newsletter has been published!

Read about SCILT’s work to support the learning and teaching of languages, including our professional learning opportunities, our motivating competitions and our online classes and events. Find out how schools celebrated Languages Week Scotland 2022, and hear from local authorities about their latest inspiring initiatives. There is also the opportunity to read about the work our partners have been doing to support language learning in Scotland.

This edition also features a special article from Mandy Reeman-Clark, who reflects on 18 years at SCILT and CISS on the occasion of her retirement. 

If you would like to contribute an article to a future edition of the newsletter you can read the submission guidelines on our website, and email your entries to SCILT

Read more...

Help with research! Looking for Scottish secondary school language teachers for anti-racism study

9 May 2022 (Bilingualism Matters)

University of Edinburgh PhD candidate Mariel Deluna is investigating teacher perspectives on the relationship between “race”, language, ethnicity, and nationality.

All current Scottish secondary school language teachers are invited to participate in the study.

More information is available on the Bilingualism Matters website.

Read more...

Stephen Spender Prize 2022

4 May 2022 (Stephen Spender Trust)

The Stephen Spender Prize is an annual competition for poetry in translation, with categories for young people (14-and-under, 16-and-under, and 18-and-under) as well as an open category for adults. All entrants must be UK or Irish citizens or residents, or pupils at a British School overseas. Translate into English any poem from any language – ranging from Arabic to Uzbek, from Danish to Somali—and win cash prizes!

Open for entries from 4 May until midnight on Friday 15 July, visit the competition website for more details on how to enter, to meet the judges, and to explore the different prize categories!

Read more...

UK-German connections

29 April 2022 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a range of initiatives and support to help UK-German school partnerships thrive. Follow the appropriate link below to learn more about the opportunities available to schools and young people:

  • Host a teacher from Germany - UK schools interested in hosting a teacher from Germany in 2022-23 can register now. Q&A webinars are also being offered during May and June for all UK schools interested in finding out more.
  • Funding programmes - A range of grants are available for joint activities between schools and youth groups. Primary, secondary, FE colleges and youth groups can apply now.
  • Still & Sparkling: UK-German Youth Newsletter - Written by young people, for young people, the newsletter is aimed at ages 14-25, and includes content in both English and German. The latest edition is now available online.
  • Café Connect - Sessions are a great opportunity for 14-18 year-olds to practise their German and explore cultural topics with peers in the UK and Germany. Meetings are free to attend and give young people an informal and comfortable environment to make friends and develop linguistic and intercultural skills. 

The organisation is keen to hear from young people about their views on the future of UK-German youth relations and invites young people aged 12-25 to complete a 'Have your say' survey. The survey closes on 24 June 2022.

Scotland’s Languages Landscape: The ‘Rights’ Approach event, 25 February 2022 - Recordings are now available!

29 April 2022 (SCILT)

We are pleased to announce that event materials are now available to view on our website, including video recordings from Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, Keynote speaker, Bernardette Holmes MBE, Independent Languages Policy and Pedagogy Consultant and Plenary speaker, Louise Glen, Senior Education Officer at Education Scotland.

Video presentations taken from breakout discussions, including testimonials and speaker biographies are also available to view and will be of interest to the language teaching community and community-based organisations.

The event welcomed language leads, teachers and the wider languages community to share, celebrate and highlight the importance of valuing language skills and ensuring the rights of all children and young people to a language rich curriculum.

Read more...

The Big Question: SCILT secondary seminar series

29 April 2022 (SCILT)

This term we are hosting a series of interactive seminars for secondary languages teachers, based on some of the main themes from our workshops this year, and covering some of the big questions that you might be asking about teaching languages today.

Each session will feature the chance to hear from a guest practitioner, and the opportunity to discuss and share with fellow teachers, and hopefully together to come up with some answers to these questions!

Seminars are free to attend and are open to all secondary languages teachers and student teachers; attend as many or as few as you wish. Register for each seminar separately via the links below. 

  • Seminar 1: Employability and languages
    4-5pm, Tuesday 17 May
    In this seminar we will consider why and how to make meaningful connections between language learning and the Developing the Young Workforce agenda. Sarah Coats from Musselburgh Grammar School will be our guest in this session, sharing some of the work that she has been involved with in this area, which led to the school achieving the Scottish Languages Employability Award this year.
     
  • Seminar 2: Encouraging uptake
    4-5pm, Wednesday 25 May
    Across Scotland, we are all facing the challenge of how to encourage learners to continue studying languages when faced with the choice. In this seminar we will have the chance to share ideas and strategies that we have tried or would like to try. France Reid from Dunblane High School will be our guest in this session, sharing the issues that they have faced and how they are seeking to address them.
     
  • Seminar 3: Teaching controversial issues
    4-5pm, Thursday 9 June
    In this seminar we will look at how can we approach controversial issues such as gender, race, politics and climate in the context of language learning.  We will explore strategies for tackling controversial issues safely and effectively in the languages classroom. Our guest in this session will be Lynne Jones of SCILT who will be sharing particularly around areas of gender and immigration.
     
  • Seminar 4: Building confidence in talking
    4-5pm, Wednesday 15 June
    Talking is often the area of our subject that learners find most challenging and stressful. In this seminar we will discuss and share practical ideas and activities which help build learner confidence in talking in the target language. Lisa Hanna from SCILT, who is a Visiting Assessor for talking with SQA, will be our guest in this session.

The sessions will be hosted on MS Teams and will not be recorded.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Scottish Languages Employability Award - next deadline 20 May!

21 April 2022 (SCILT)

The Scottish Languages Employability Award (SLEA) celebrates innovation by schools in promoting languages and employability together through partnerships with businesses, public bodies and third sector organisations. The award, which is available at bronze, silver and gold levels, supports teachers in raising awareness of the importance of languages in their school community. 

The next deadline for submissions is Friday 20 May 2022

In January 2022 Musselburgh Grammar School won a bronze award for their 'S3 Life with Languages' careers event. Read about their impressive submission, watch videos from previous winners and access the full award guidelines on our website.

Due to ongoing restrictions, online events and activities will be accepted as evidence towards the award.

If you have any questions about the award or the submission process please contact SCILT

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Café Connect

19 April 2022 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a safe space for young people aged 14-18 to participate in an online meet-up group, Café Connect, with the chance to get to know other young people through fun, interactive activities, and group discussions on current topics. 

Taking place twice a month, these online meet-ups are a unique opportunity to exchange with other young people from the UK and Germany in a friendly atmosphere – on topics that interest you! You can join as many sessions as you like and you can get involved even if you don’t speak any German - Tuesday Cafés are mainly in English, whilst Thursday Cafés give learners of German the opportunity to practise speaking the language in an informal atmosphere.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and to register for a meeting. 

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BSL: Newsround launches signed weekday bulletins

19 April 2022 (BBC)

Newsround's weekday bulletin is now accessible for people who use British Sign Language (BSL).

The programme will be fully signed, with an in-vision interpreter, each weekday starting from Tuesday 19 April.

It will be available to watch on the Newsround website from lunchtime every Monday to Friday, and will be remain online to watch at a time that suits you or your school.

Read more...

Writing projects and competitions

19 April 2022 (Scottish Book Trust)

The Scottish Book Trust currently has open projects and competitions for aspiring writers! Follow the relevant link below to find out more about each one:

  • Young Scots Writer of the Year Award - Open to ages 11-18. Writing should be in Scots, whether you write a story, poem, play, song or make a short video.
  • Your Stories: Scotland's Stories - Category for under-16s as well as adults. Write about real life experiences. Entries can be in any form you like – a story, poem, comic strip, play, video, audio file, or letter. Entries welcome in Gaelic, Scots and English.

Both competitions have deadlines in June 2022.

If you need some inspiration, try some of the creative tasks on the StoryCon webpage. StoryCon is Scotland's biggest creative writing and illustration conference for young people which returned in March this year. Recordings of events are available online for a limited time.

Ukrainian resources for schools and families

5 April 2022 (SCILT)

We have collated resources to help support children and families arriving from Ukraine. We hope teachers will find these useful in welcoming young people and their parents into Scottish schools. Please share with your networks!

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MTOT 2021-22 - Finalist poems now online!

1 April 2022 (SCILT)

We're delighted to announce the entries from all the finalists of this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition can now be viewed on the SCILT website.

For the first time judges awarded some special commendations for entries which very narrowly missed making the final shortlist and we have some of these also available online.

We hope many of you will be inspired to take part when the 2022-23 edition launches in the Autumn!

Read more...

One week immersion course for Spanish teachers

29 March 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

Any plans for this summer? Sign up for the Teaching and Culture course in Burgos for Spanish Secondary School and University teachers.

We are offering 100 grants for Secondary School and University teachers of Spanish to enrol in our course in Burgos in collaboration with the University of Burgos and Mester Academy during July 2022.

The course content includes a number of areas in relation to teaching Spanish as a foreign language along with cultural activities. There are three starting dates to choose from 3-9 July, from 10-16 July, or from 24-30 July 2022. This course will be delivered fully in Spanish therefore we recommend that teachers should have at least a B2 level.

For all information regarding the course and how to sign up can be found on the Consejería de Educación website.

Read more...

Grants for joint activities between UK-German schools and youth groups

28 March 2022 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a range of grants to primary and secondary schools (including SEN schools), FE colleges and youth groups for UK-German activities. 

They also offer school partnership bursaries to help schools maintain existing links with Germany.

Funding applications are now open! Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information on the grants available.

Read more...

Employ a Mandarin teacher - funding available

25 March 2022 (SCILT/CISS)

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

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

Read more...

Related Files

Join Scotland’s National Languages Leadership Programme Team 2022-23!

25 March 2022 (SCILT/Education Scotland)

Applications are now open for critical friends to support and challenge participants as they progress through the 2022-23 programme.

Description

Scotland's National Languages Leadership Programme supports local authorities by building capacity to achieve a sustainable model for leading language learning and teaching for all.

The critical friend role is suitable for people who:

  • have experience of the national languages leadership programme i.e. 1+2 Languages Leadership Programme (2017-2022) or the Train the Trainer Programme (2014-2016), or
  • are experienced in supporting teacher professional learning either online or face-to-face, preferably at Masters level, and
  • wish to help build the languages leadership capacity in all sectors of Scottish education

As an online programme, Scotland’s National Languages Leadership Programme offers participants the opportunity to engage with the most up-to-date information from Education Scotland and other agencies involved in the delivery of Scotland’s languages policy. The programme provides participants with professional learning and networking opportunities as well as flexible and personalised pathways through Masters level professional learning. 

Objectives of the programme are for participants to develop:

  • an appreciation of leadership skills
  • critical and strategic reflection on their own leadership development
  • an understanding of a range of key issues related to Scotland’s Languages policy

Professional learning and support will be offered to critical friends throughout the year.

For more information, visit the registration page to find out how you can apply to join the LLP team as a critical friend by Tuesday 17 May. A Glow account is required to take part.

If you have any questions about applying for this role, please email scilt@strath.ac.uk and include ‘LLP Critical Friend’ in the subject line.

Related Files

Scotland's National Languages Leadership Programme 2022-23 - Submit your application now!

24 March 2022 (SCILT/Education Scotland)

Scotland's National Languages Leadership Programme supports local authorities by building capacity to achieve a sustainable model for leading language learning and teaching for all. Open to colleagues with 5 years' experience post probation or equivalent, who are interested in developing approaches to language learning and in implementing change in their own contexts, this might include: classroom teachers, principal teachers, heads of department, heads of faculty or languages lead practitioners.

This online programme is free of charge to state schools and offers participants the opportunity to engage with the most up-to-date information from Education Scotland and other agencies involved in the delivery of Scotland’s languages policy.

SCILT hosted an online information session on Tuesday 22 March. A recording of the session is now available to find out more about the programme and hear experiences of current participants.

Participants can visit the website for more information and to submit their application. Deadline date to submit applications is Monday 25 April.

Read more...

Related Files

Where will languages take me?

18 March 2022 (British Council)

This new collection of videos with accompanying pupil booklet aims to encourage secondary pupils to continue their language education or choose languages as an option.

Read more...

Community Campfires project to spark new stories

18 March 2022 (Scottish Book Trust)

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has today launched their Community Campfires residencies project. It marks the 14th year of Scottish Book Trust's annual Your Stories campaign and four intensive story making residencies will take place in communities across Scotland via the Story Wagon. The residencies are supported by EventScotland as part of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022.

The Story Wagon will tour: Garnock Valley, North Ayrshire; Greenock, Inverclyde; Lochgelly, Fife and the Western Isles, gathering real life stories from the public. Luke Winter, Navigation Officer of the Story Wagon, will be joined by a team of digital storytellers, filmmakers and podcasters producing content in English and Gaelic.

Visit the website for more information and tour dates from April to June 2022.

Read more...

German Teacher Award 2022

14 March 2022 (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 19th successful year. The winners of the Award will be announced in summer, they will receive a personal prize and a certificate.

Please note that headteachers must 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 30 April 2022.

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"Vive la Francophonie" quiz is back in 2022!

8 March 2022 (Francophonie UK)

To celebrate the International Francophonie Day on Sunday 20 March 2022, the Francophonie Groupe UK is again launching the quiz Vive la Francophonie!

Every year this quiz allows thousands of people in the UK to test their knowledge on the Francophone world in a fun way. In 2022, a special focus will be given to France.

Open to all learners and speakers of French in the UK, including UK primary and secondary schools, the quiz will be available from Sunday 20 March 2022 to Friday 25 March 2022.

The quiz will be available in two categories:

  • a school-aged appropriate version (30 questions for KS2 and KS3)
  • a version for the general public (65 questions for KS4, KS5 and adults)

Two winners will be selected in each category after Friday 25 March 2022.

Register now to receive the quiz on 20 March and get onboard to try to win exciting prizes!

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ECML Language Gazette: Issue 59

7 March 2022 (ECML)

The latest edition of the ECML's Language Gazette is now available online.

Visit the ECML website to access.

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How to Talk About Migrations? A competition for primary and secondary Scottish schools

4 March 2022 (Migration in Education)

We invite pupils and teachers to participate in this exciting competition that explores how we teach and learn about migration — creatively and with empathy. We live in a world that sees many people on the move, and our pupils may have been part of these experiences themselves. In schools, migration may make the topic of creative projects and classroom activities — a unique opportunity for pupils to learn from each other and about each other.

Through this competition, we want to bring forward the best and most creative ideas on teaching and learning about migrations in Scottish schools. We would like to hear about your teaching activities/practices and/or activities that may enable conversations about migration in schools – from language learning, literature, history, to personal experiences. The competition aims to acknowledge and make visible the cultural and linguistic diversity of Scottish primary and secondary schools. The purpose of this competition is to explore how to raise awareness and learn about migration, and move conversations beyond narrow and often negative stereotypes. We advocate and understand migration as a multifaceted and omnipresent fact of life, and hope that the submissions for this competition will reflect this vision.

Visit the competition webpage for more information and submit entries by 25 April 2022.

Read more...

Host a Modern Language Assistant in 2022-23

3 March 2022 (British Council)

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

Building cultural capital with MFL

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

How Language Assistants can make a difference

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

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

Contact us

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

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Mandarin for BGE

25 February 2022 (CISS)

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

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

Register interest by 18 March 2022.

Teaching and culture course in Palencia - April 2022

22 February 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

Any plans for the Easter holidays? Sign up for the Teaching and Culture course in Palencia for Spanish Secondary School and University teachers.

We are offering 30 grants for Secondary School and University teachers of Spanish to enrol in our course in Palencia in collaboration with the University of Valladolid, INTI and Mester Academy during the Easter holidays.

The course content includes a number of areas in relation to teaching Spanish as a foreign language along with cultural activities. There are two starting dates to choose from 3-8 or 10-15 April. This course will be delivered fully in Spanish therefore we recommend that teachers should have at least a B2 level.

For all information regarding the course and how to sign up, visit the Consejería de Educación website and apply by 4 March 2022.

Please note that this course is separate to the Spanish Language Course we will be running in Palencia with all places now filled.

Read more...

Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators 2021-22

22 February 2022 (University of Oxford)

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

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

Read more...

MTOT 2021-22 - Winners announced!

21 February 2022 (SCILT)

Our awards event to announce the winning entries from this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition was held online today, to coincide with International Mother Language Day. It was a great celebration of the languages being spoken and learned in Scotland and we're delighted to announce the winners and highly commended runners-up in each category as follows:

Mother Tongue

Award

Pupil

School

Language

P1-P4

Winner

Simon Cronje

Netherlee PS

Afrikaans

Highly commended

Fabian Choromanski

Gallowhill PS

Polish

P5-P7

Winner

Sabihah Tubasem

West Primary

Urdu

Highly commended

Lovelyn Asare

St Catherine’s PS

Italian

Highly commended

Sabina Rodrigues da Rosa

West Primary

Brazilian Portuguese

Highly commended

Tanazzal Shah

West Primary

Urdu

Highly commended

Zamin Amjad Sheikh

Netherlee PS

Urdu

S1-S3

Winner

Melice Monga Lubengi

Lourdes Secondary

French

Highly commended

Marcel Zuk & Oskar Kolodziej

St Thomas of Aquin’s

Polish

Highly commended

Helen Joseph

Lourdes Secondary

Malaylam

Highly commended

Sarah Alradi

Craigmount High

Arabic

S4-S6

Winner

Regina Wyllie

Loudoun Academy

Bulgarian

Highly commended

Camran Kouhy

Madras College

Farsi

Highly commended

Wiktoria Sapko

St Andrew’s Secondary

Polish

Other Tongue

Award

Pupil

School

Language

P1-P4

Winner

Hayley Cowe

Westhill PS

Doric

Highly commended

P2 Class

Newcraighall PS

Spanish

P5-P7

Winner

Lucia Conetta

Glasgow Academy

French

Highly commended

Malaika Ali

Golfhill PS

Urdu

S1-S3

Winner

Grace Ross

Madras College

French

Highly commended

Deepak Kumaar

Craigmount High

French & German

Highly commended

Caitlin Fraser

Arran High

French

S4-S6

Winner

Brooklynn Faichnie

Aboyne Academy

French, Spanish & Italian

Highly commended

Iona Kellas

Aboyne Academy

Latin

Highly commended

Charlotte Reynolds

Aboyne Academy

Russian

 

All pupils will receive a certificate and book token. Winning entrants will also receive a trophy as well as the opportunity for their poems to feature in The Children's Poetry Archive and Kids Poetry Club podcast. We will be in contact with schools shortly about taking these extra special opportunities forward. This year also saw a special award sponsored by the Dictionaries of the Scots Language for entries in Scots, which was awarded to Hayley Cowe, our P1-P4 Other Tongue winner!

It is our intention to host each of these poems on the SCILT website and we'll announce when these are available.

Congratulations again to all our finalists!

Express Yourself 2022 - Celebrating Speaking

21 February 2022 (ALL/British Council)

There's still time to practise and celebrate a language you are learning, or use in your community, and take part in a virtual festival of speaking! Individuals or groups are invited to prepare and record a short poem, presentation, sketch or dialogue in the target language and share on social media by 28 February 2022.

Full details can be found in the ALLNet E-bulletin Special.

Read more...

SCILT spring newsletter - send us your stories!

17 February 2022 (SCILT)

Do you have a story to share with the languages community?

We are currently taking submissions for our spring 2022 newsletter. This is a great opportunity to promote what has been happening in your school or local authority with regard to languages. This is a chance to showcase innovative projects, language learning celebrations or initiatives which took place in late 2021 or so far in 2022. 

We are looking for articles of a maximum of 300 words, with a couple of colourful photos. The deadline for contributions is Friday 11th March 2022.

Visit our website to read the full submission guidelines, and to view previous editions of the newsletter. Submissions can be sent to scilt@strath.ac.uk

Read more...

Seachdain na Gàidhlig - 21-27 March

17 February 2022 (Seachdain na Gàidhlig)

‘Seachdain na Gàidhlig’, is the first official nationwide language and culture week to be held in Scotland, from 21-27 March 2022.

The week promotes Gaelic to all, both at official events and community initiatives, such as Irish Language Week in Ireland and Gaelic Awareness Month in Nova Scotia. It will enable Gaelic speakers and non-speakers to participate in a variety of ways that suit them; both in Scotland and abroad.

Visit the website for more information or see the flyer for ways to get involved.

Read more...

TECLA magazine for Spanish language teachers

15 February 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

A new issue of the magazine TECLA with lots of ideas and resources for Spanish classes is now available. It includes an article by Louise Glen: “Implementación de la política de idiomas 1+2 en centros educativos escoceses”. Free download! 

Read more...

German conversation course for secondary teachers

14 February 2022 (Goethe-Institut)

Are you a secondary German teacher in a school in Scotland? Would you like to practice speaking and keep up to date on current topics in German-speaking countries?

Then this conversation course is for you. We discuss a wide range of topics including current newspaper articles, radio programs and video clips from German television. You will be able to take away up-to-date materials and hopefully inspiration and many good ideas for your lessons.

The course also offers the opportunity for German teachers to network and exchange best practice examples.

Register by 7 March 2022 for the free online course.

Read more...

10th Anniversary Gift Design Competition

8 February 2022 (CISS)

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

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

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

Read more...

By the numbers: languages uptake in Scotland

4 February 2022 (TES)

The Scottish government's policy is that children should start learning their first additional language when they start school in P1 and then start learning another language from P5. The government says "language learning is an entitlement for all from P1 to S3".

This is known as the 1+2 languages policy, since the expectation is that pupils will learn two languages, as well as their mother tongue.

But to what extent is this long-established policy - which the government originally pledged to fully implement by the beginning of this school year (August 2021) - a reality in Scottish schools?

To mark Languages Week Scotland 2022, we take a look at the data.

Read more...

February Bitesize: Gathering Evidence in Secondary

3 February 2022 (SCILT)

SCILT monthly drop-ins are free, themed virtual events that are open to teachers and student teachers working in Scotland. Drop-ins are an opportunity to share your thoughts on that month’s bitesize resource and/or share your own experience on the theme.

In February 2022, we’re looking at how we can gather evidence to support our judgments about learner progress. We will be joined by Lisa Waygood, Faculty Head of Ancient and Modern Languages at St Columba’s School in Kilmacolm. Come along on 23 February and share your experiences of evidence gathering in your context. What works well? Or not?

Visit our Bitesize webpage to find out more and to register for the event.

Read more...

JaViChamp - Japanese Video Championship for Young Learners UK

1 February 2022 (Japan Foundation)

This is a brand-new event for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese in the UK organised by the Japan Foundation, London.

The world is currently changing very quickly. Technology is advancing, and nowadays if you have a computer or a smartphone you can send a message to anyone in the world. In a time like this, we should always have the following questions in our mind: “What message do I want to convey and how?” It is important for us to deliver messages clearly and easily for others to understand.

This event is a contest for young Japanese learners in the UK to use their Japanese and make a video on a topic provided. You can apply individually or as part of a group.

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and apply to take part by 3 May 2022.

Read more...

Competition: Around the World with Stamps 2022

1 February 2022 (StampIT)

Create a written or video presentation linked to postage stamps. Open to ages 5-15 worldwide. Choose a stamp that inspires you and find out about the person, place, animal or object on the stamp. We encourage you to include some elements in a second language to your own. 

Winners in each age group receive Amazon, equivalent e-vouchers or goods to the value of £40 for the winner and £20 for second place. 

Full details on the attached flyer and more information along with previous winning entries on the StampIT website. Entry deadline: 8 April 2022.

Read more...

Related Files

Prismatic Jane Eyre translation competition

31 January 2022 (Creative Multilingualism)

The Prismatic Jane Eyre Schools Project and the Stephen Spender Trust are running a translation competition which celebrates all languages spoken in homes and taught in schools across the UK.

Entrants are asked to produce a poem in another language inspired by a selected passage from Jane Eyre. The competition accepts submissions in any language from learners in Key Stages 3-5/S1-6. Up to 100 entries to the competition will be published in a printed anthology, which will also be made available online.

The competition is not designed to be a test of grammar or vocabulary, but how students can reimagine the selected passage from Jane Eyre in a different language and through a new form. The deadline for entries to the competition is 1 March 2022.

The competition guidelines, support materials and selected passages are available on the Prismatic Jane Eyre competition website.

Read more...

Goethe-Institut opportunities for schools

27 January 2022 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut offers a range of activities for teachers and learners of German. Click on the relevant link below to find out more about their latest opportunities:

  • The Young Goethe Scheme - offers primary and secondary school German teachers in the UK the opportunity to invite university and A-Level students of German into their classrooms to inspire and motivate younger students to continue with German at GCSE and beyond. 
  • Instagram Music Competition - this competition is aimed at young musicians who have a piece of music by a German composer or artist that they love to play. No knowledge of German is necessary to apply, and we encourage your music departments at school to get involved! Entry deadline 25 February 2022.

Scotland's Year of Stories 2022

25 January 2022 (Education Scotland)

This year has been designated Scotland's Year of Stories and with National Storytelling Week taking place from 30 January to 6 February 2022 it's an ideal time to promote and encourage storytelling in the classroom. But how can we ensure that the stories we share reflect the diversity of our learners? Explore practitioner considerations and resources on Education Scotland's Race Equality and Anti-racist education website.

Read more...

Making Your Future Brighter With Languages (1+2 December 2021) – Event recordings now available!

21 January 2022 (SCILT)

We are delighted to confirm that the recently launched toolkit for Phase Three of our ERASMUS+ project, Generation Global, now includes recordings of the sessions that took place at the virtual launch events on 1+2 December 2021. Entitled Making Your Future Brighter With Languages, the events, like the toolkit, set out to give young people, parents and carers a wealth of information, ideas and advice about the importance of learning languages.

The first event, on 1 December, which was aimed at young people, featured interactive activities and an interesting and informative panel discussion of young professionals talking about how they use languages in their careers. These recordings could be useful for teachers to show to classes of young people around subject choice times.

On 2 December the event focused on parents, carers and teachers. At this event we enjoyed contributions by Dr Paul Hare (Professional Development Officer, SCILT) and partners from Denmark and Norway, a fascinating panel discussion with representation from employers, educators and careers advisers, and a powerful message from Liz Neil of the British Council on the value of language and intercultural skills to the workforce of the future.

Recordings of all sessions are available on our website.

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Discovering the World of Arabic 2022-23 - secondary course

21 January 2022 (SCILT / QFI)

SCILT, in partnership with Qatar Foundation International and the Scottish Refugee Council, is currently looking for local authority secondary schools in Scotland who would be interested in opening the door to the Arab world through our Discovering the World of Arabic programme.  

The collaboration will provide an opportunity for local authority secondary schools to offer L3 learning experiences in Arabic language and culture. Courses have been co-created by the SCILT team and a specially commissioned writing, with language lessons delivered online by a teacher of Arabic. 

The course will focus on developing conversational Arabic which will enhance learners’ employability skills. It is aimed at learners who are seeking to enhance their language learning experience and develop their portfolio of skills. 

The course is delivered using a mix of live and recorded classes, with supplementary materials being shared via Glow Teams. The lessons give learners the chance to explore aspects of Arab cultures as well as providing a solid linguistic foundation for learning the world’s fifth most spoken language.

Classes are provisionally scheduled as follows and run from August 2022 until March 2023:

  • S1-S3 - Wednesdays 13.30-14.30
  • S4-S6 - Mondays 13.30-14.30

In addition, participating schools will receive ongoing support from the SCILT team and a grant of £2000. This can provide schools with resources and experiences that enhance and support the language learning and promote a positive experience of Arab cultures.

Places are limited for this opportunity, so if you would like your school to be considered to take part, please complete the note of interest form via the link below by Friday 18 February.

Please contact SCILT if you have any questions. 

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Scottish Education Awards 2022

20 January 2022 (Scottish Education Awards)

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education.

The annual event recognises those who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcases the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.

Nominations in each of the award categories, which includes the Gaelic Education Award, are now invited.

Visit the Scottish Education Awards website for more information and submit nominees by 23 February 2022.

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British Council Year of the Tiger education pack

18 January 2022 (British Council)

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

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

Visit the British Council website to download the education pack.

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Express Yourself 2022 - Celebrating Speaking

14 January 2022 (ALL/British Council)

In 2021, with COVID-19 having had an impact on almost all areas of education but most acutely that of the teaching and learning of MFL, ALL, the British Council and cultural institutes in the United Kingdom combined efforts to devise an exciting event entitled ‘Express Yourself’. This was an opportunity to showcase language learners’ enjoyment of, and commitment to, a language that they are learning, or that is used in their home community (except for English!). We are repeating this in February 2022, in preparation for Spring where we practise and celebrate a language you are learning, or use in your community, and take part in a virtual festival of speaking!

Individuals or groups are invited to prepare and record a short poem, presentation, sketch or dialogue in the target language and share on social media by 28 February 2022.

Full details can be found in the ALLNet E-bulletin Special.

Read more...

SCILT professional learning programme 2021-22 - available to book now!

14 January 2022 (SCILT)

Are you looking for high quality professional learning for colleagues in your school, department, cluster, local authority or regional improvement collaborative? 

SCILT's programme of professional learning workshops are now available to book for the rest of this session. Choose from our range of primary or secondary workshops, and request a date and time that suits you and your colleagues. 

Whatever your professional learning needs, we will endeavour to meet them. If you have specific requirements we are happy to collaborate with you to develop bespoke input and support. In addition to practical suggestions, SCILT workshops are designed to explore the pedagogy that underpins practice through discussion and reflection with local colleagues. 
 
Please visit the professional learning page of our website for further information and details of each of the workshops available. Please note, these workshops are intended for group bookings only. 
 
During 2021-22, we are running webinars and drop-in sessions which are open to everyone. Registration for those will be on an event–by–event basis and will be publicised via the SCILT e-bulletin.

Read more...

DAAD German Language Competition 2022

13 January 2022 (DAAD UK)

This year's German Language Competition from the DAAD London and the Institute of Modern Languages Research, University of London focuses on coming together, celebrating friendship and collaboration between people, countries and institutions beyond borders and across cultures. 

The competition therefore asks entrants to explore what does Zusammen – Together Across Cultures mean for you? Submissions can be about friendship across borders or about initiatives across cultures within the German-speaking countries; perhaps imagine a future without borders altogether? We invite you to write a story, a poem or a song, make a video or podcast, draw a comic or cartoon, choose any form you like – in written or spoken German. Entry categories available for learners or native speakers.

Visit the competition website for more information and submit entries by 6 March 2022.

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LFEE Europe online course for secondary teachers

13 January 2022 (LFEE)

In consultation with GTCS, LFEE Europe will be offering the 3-week Immersion Course Programme for Secondary Teachers of French and Spanish as an online course. This online course meets GTC Scotland’s policy requirements for language residency.  

Visit the LFEE Europe website for full details of the programme and register by 11 February 2022.

Read more...

Spanish course for teachers: Blended learning programme

13 January 2022 (Consejería de Educación)

The Spanish Embassy Education office is launching a blended learning programme aimed at teachers working in British or Irish schools: 33 hours of self-study online from February to March + 1 week Spanish language course in Palencia (Spain) in April 2022.

  • ONLINE + ONSITE COURSE.
  • 3 DIFFERENT LEVELS: absolute beginners, beginners and intermediate.
  • A GRANT to cover most of the costs will be offered.
  • APPLICATION DEADLINE: 3 February 2022.

All information regarding dates, course contents, the grant and the application form can be found on the Spanish Embassy Education Office website. 

Read more...

Alliance Française French classes for the new term

13 January 2022 (Alliance Française)

The Alliance Française in Glasgow offers a range of French classes for adults, young people and children. Enrolment is now open for the new term commencing 7 February 2022. For more information about upcoming sessions click on the relevant link below:

The organisation also provides a variety of cultural events. Visit their website for more details.

Read more...

CLIL Mondays

11 January 2022 (Learning through Languages UK)

Learning through Languages UK and the Centre for Language Research at Aston are running "CLIL Mondays" on the second Monday of each month from 4.30 to 5.30. This series of online talks is aimed at teachers at primary, secondary and tertiary levels who have an interest in Content and Language Integrated Learning. CLIL Mondays combine short 30-minute talks on aspects of CLIL with Q&A time. One session per term will be open to practitioners for sharing of good practice, you are warmly invited to come and present your CLIL work.

Full programme details and registration links can be found on the CLIL Mondays webpage.

Read more...

Fokus: Films from Germany

11 January 2022 (Goethe-Institut)

The seventh edition of Fokus: Films from Germany is returning to cinemas and we are very happy to show Fokus physically again.

We are presenting a particularly exciting and eclectic snapshot from the contemporary film scene in Germany. Alongside a selection of documentaries, we are showcasing some beautiful new feature films. Come and join us for screenings in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Ayr, Dundee, St. Andrews or up north in Shetland!

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for full programme details.

Read more...

“Learning environments where modern languages flourish”

5 January 2022 (ECML)

The European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe and the Tempus Foundation organised an online workshop entitled “Learning environments where modern languages flourish” on 4 November and 9 December 2021.

The goal of the workshop was to help teams create action plans that will be implemented in schools after the workshop to establish a language-friendly environment where foreign languages are taught in a comprehensive way, either as separate subjects or through integration into subjects.

Detailed information about the project along with resources and tools related to the topic are now available on the ECML website.

Read more...

CISS Winter 2021 Newsletter

17 December 2021 (CISS)

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

Read more...

Words for the World winning entries published!

17 December 2021 (SCILT)

Congratulations again to everyone who took part in our recent Words for the World competition.

Following our recent awards ceremony, and the announcement of the winners’ names, we are now delighted to be able to publish the winning, highly commended and remaining finalist entries in each category. We are sure that you will agree that the linguistic diversity, creativity and passion that they all show is both impressive and inspiring.

Read more...

Mind Games: Cracking Code in Maths and Languages

20 January 2022 (SCILT)

Two mind-bending workshops are scheduled for in-service and student teachers during Languages Week Scotland 2022. 

We are aware that Mathematics underpins all STEM subjects, but have you ever thought there are connections between learning mathematics and learning a language?

Join mathematicians and linguists from the University of Edinburgh to explore the topic further.

During the interactive workshops you will have a go at some puzzles and activities at the interface between Mathematics and Linguistics. Together we will explore how language works and where Maths comes into play.

You will have a chance to discuss with Mathematicians and Linguists about similarities between their subjects. You will takeaway practical ideas for your classroom to show how these different disciplines can be interconnected.

The activities we are going to use are mainly aimed at children older than 10 years. However, the approach can be applied to all year groups.

Attendance is free of charge and the event will be hosted online on Zoom.

More information and registration for the appropriate workshop via the links below:

The Language Ambassadors

14 December 2021 (University of Strathclyde/SCILT)

The Language Ambassadors are back……and they have gone VIRTUAL!

Get your learners involved to discover the joys of learning and being able to use another language by organising a Virtual Language Ambassadors visit to your school!

Our Language Ambassadors are students of French, Italian 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.

This programme is free of charge and provides student role models to promote languages to young people and encourage your learners to choose languages as part of their high school curriculum.

We can deliver a range of activities online, such as:

  • A virtual 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

Visit our website to find out more, and how to book a virtual visit for your school!

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

Read more...

French Pop Video Competition 2022

9 December 2021 (Institut français)

Give the mic to your students and shoot a music video with them! If you believe your class has got talent, this competition is for you!

The Institut français du Royaume-Uni, in association with Francophonie UK, is inviting all teachers of French to submit a short video or animated clip of their class's own French rap or song.

Get the chance to be streamed on our dedicated UK YouTube channel and to compete for the national Francophonie UK School Music Awards as part of the Fête de la Musique in June 2022!

Visit the website for more information and to register for the competition. Submission deadline: 15 April 2022. 

Read more...

Online workshops for Spanish teachers (January-March 2022)

9 December 2021 (Consejería de Educación)

La Consejería de Educación en el Reino Unido e Irlanda and Extenda will be organising a new series of online training workshops for teachers of Spanish in the United Kingdom and Ireland during the months of January to March 2022.

Each online session will include a workshop on different methodological aspects related to the teaching of Spanish. Teachers can sign up to attend one or more of the workshops as the themes, the registration and the certification of each session will be independent. In this way teachers can choose to follow the workshops that interest them the most.

The two first of the workshops will take place on Saturday 15 January 2022 (from 10:00 to 12:00). Registration is free and can be done through this link: https://forma.administracionelectronica.gob.es/form/open/corp/7695/qlvi

For more information about the workshop series, visit the La Consejería de Educación website.

Read more...

Careers toolkit launched

3 December 2021 (SCILT)

SCILT launched our latest toolkit at two events this week, one for young people and one for parents/carers/teachers. The toolkit and events are part of our three-year Generation Global project, which seeks to address the gap in intercultural and language skills that we have in this country.

In the preceding two years of the project, we have published toolkits to support business leaders and careers advisers/school managers. This latest toolkit 'Making your future brighter with languages'  is designed to give young people, parents and carers information, ideas and advice about learning languages; why it is important and how to go about it. As well as this, the toolkit includes a series of short video clips of young professionals talking about the relevance and value of languages and intercultural skills in their career areas. All of this aims to support the young people who are our ‘Generation Global’, our dual-competency workforce of the future.

The launch events this week were recorded, and recordings will be available on our website shortly.

Access the toolkit 

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SCILT Christmas 2021 webpage - now live!

2 December 2021 (SCILT)

Are you looking for ways to bring the festive season to your languages classroom?

SCILT have compiled a range of online resources for use with your pupils, from interactive advent calendars and games, to lesson plans and festive facts. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in France, Germany, Spain and around the world!

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Remote CPD in Creative Translation 2022

29 November 2021 (Stephen Spender Trust)

The Stephen Spender Trust is delighted to be offering a series of webinars for UK teachers for the first time in early 2022, funded by the Foyle Foundation. There are dedicated webinars for Secondary MFL teachers, Secondary English teachers, and Primary teachers.

The 3-webinar course will follow SST's Decode-Translate-Create model, which makes creative translation accessible and easy to adapt to different ages and levels. The first session is scheduled for 12 January 2022.

Visit the website for more information and to register. Sessions are free, but in signing up please note you are committing to attend all three.

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Words for the World competition winners!

26 November 2021 (SCILT)

Congratulations to everyone who took part in our Words for the World competition.

The standard of entries was incredibly high, with a wide range of formats submitted and an array of languages. We can be proud of the linguistic diversity we have here in Scotland and the creativity and passion our young people demonstrated for protecting our planet, our humanity and creating a brighter future for us all. We were truly humbled and inspired by their work.

Judging proved exceptionally difficult, but we were delighted to announce the winning entries at an online awards event last week. Well done again to the following who were successful in their respective categories and thank you to every pupil who participated in the competition. 

P1-P4

  • Winner - Leena Valluri, Goodlyburn Primary
  • Highly commended - The Glasgow Academy Newlands & Milngavie class entry

P5-P7

  • Winner - Zofia Zajac, St Patrick's Primary
  • Highly commended - Sophie McGrath, St Vincent's Primary
  • Highly commended - Tristan Naylor, Hyndland Primary

S1-S3

  • Winner - Oriana Strahan, Largs Academy 
  • Highly commended - Deepak Krisna Kummar, Craigmount High 

S4-S6

  • Winner - Daniel Smith, Alva Academy
  • Highly commended - Aiman Mohammad, Renfrew High 

Little Night of Ideas 2022 - Call for participation

25 November 2021 (Institut français)

The Institut français du Royaume-Uni invites primary and secondary schools in the UK to reflect on the topics of the Night of Ideas 2022 and submit short audio clips (1 min 30 max) based on a set of questions and answers around one of the four sub-themes.

Selected clips will feature during the Little Night of Ideas event to be staged simultaneously in Paris, London, Edinburgh and multiple cities across the world, taking place on Thursday 27 January 2022.

Visit the website for more information and to register participation by 29 November 2021.

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Young Scots Writer o the Year Award 2022

23 November 2021 (Scottish Book Trust)

We’re on the lookout for talented young folk aged 11–18 writing and creating in Scots.

Are you a Scots writer with stories to share? Or a teacher working with young writers we should know about? Enter the Young Scots Writer o the Year Award.

We’re looking for 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 1000 words or five minutes.

Visit the Scottish Book Trust website for more information. Submissions accepted until 24 June 2022.

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Film screening: Petite Maman

18 November 2021 (Birds Eye View/GFT)

Supported by Birds’ Eye View’s Reclaim The Frame programme, Glasgow Film Theatre will be screening Petite Maman from 19 November to 2 December.

The much-anticipated latest treasure from Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Girlhood), Petite Maman is a sublime modern fairytale about the quiet wonder of mother-daughter relationships. After the death of her beloved grandmother, eight-year-old Nelly meets a mysterious friend in the woods. Together they embark on a fantastical journey of discovery which helps Nelly come to terms with this newfound loss. A favourite of the 2021 Berlin Film Festival, Sciamma’s new masterwork examines childhood, memory and loss with a typically delicate touch, elegantly weaved together into an enchanting and moving depiction of love and acceptance.

The film is in French with English subtitles and is suitable for all.

Visit the GFT website for more information and to book.

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International Day of Teachers of French - 2021 Competition

18 November 2021 (Institut français)

The Institut français, the agency in charge of promoting French culture and language abroad, is proud to launch the International Day of Teachers of French Competition to thank teachers of French throughout the UK for their dedicated efforts teaching and promoting the French language and culture, as well as Francophone values.

Enter the competition before the Journée Internationale des Professeurs de français on Friday 26 November 2021 for a chance to win resources and a place on a professional learning workshop.

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School competition: How to talk about migrations

16 November 2021 (Migration in Education)

We invite pupils and teachers in primary and secondary schools in Scotland to participate in this exciting competition that explores how we teach and learn about migration — creatively and with empathy. We live in a world that sees many people on the move, and our pupils may have been part of these experiences themselves. In schools, migration may make the topic of creative projects and classroom activities, as a unique opportunity for pupils to learn from each other and about each other.

The competition aims to acknowledge and make visible the cultural and linguistic diversity of Scottish primary and secondary schools. On that basis, submissions could be in English or in other languages to reflect the spirit of the school and of the competition. Teachers or teams of teachers and pupils are invited to submit their best materials that showcase how migration is taught in their respective schools. 

Visit the website for more information and submit entries by Friday 17 December 2021.

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£1,000 towards your UK-German partnership - apply now!

15 November 2021 (UK-German Connection)

As travel plans and exchange activity begin to pick up once more, UK-German Connection are again offering partnership bursaries of £1,000 to help schools to keep their UK-German partnerships alive.

The bursaries can support pupil visits and joint activities taking place in 2022 and are open to both UK and German partner schools. Application is via a short online form. Deadline: 31 January 2022.

Find out more and apply on the UK-German Connection website.

If you have any questions, please contact funding@ukgermanconnection.org

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The place of home languages at school: participate in a European survey!

9 November 2021 (ECML)

The RECOLANG team (Resources for assessing the home language competences of migrant pupils) is carrying out a European survey on the place of home languages at school, particularly within different education programmes or curricula involving migrant adolescents aged 11-18.

This survey focuses on the practices of assessing home language skills and their role in different European education systems. 

The survey is made up of two complementary sections aimed at two different target audiences:

  • A section aimed at pupils aged between 11 and 18 (or their families), who are from a migrant background and one or more home languages other than the language(s) of the school. This section is available in Arabic, English, French, German, Persian (Dari/Farsi), Portuguese and Turkish.
  • A section for schools and educational institutions, teaching and supervisory staff in schools, reception centres and organisations involved in initial and further professional development of teachers working with this age group (11-18 years). This section is available in English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian and Portuguese.

Visit the ECML website to access the survey which will be online until the end of 2021. 

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Opportunities from LFEE

9 November 2021 (LFEE )

Festival of Languages… connecting with schools from Scotland, France, Spain and Germany…

Our first Connected Learning Festival celebrates the learning and teaching of English, French and Spanish for upper primary and secondary school pupils.

Through short videos and 3D animations, our characters and their avatars take teachers and their learners from the comfort of their classroom to our virtual land where everything is possible!  

Please click on the link below for free access to the Characters presentations in English, French and Spanish.

https://connectlearn.eu/learn-more/meet-characters/

Share what learners produce with other schools from other countries on Padlet. Practitioners are given ideas on how to record what is produced by their learners and to create an exhibition which can be shared on Padlet and/or within their own school.

The Turing Programme... Send your learners to France, Spain and Germany….

LFEE Europe will build a consortium to support pupil mobilities in 2022 – 2023.

Should you be interested in sending your learners to one of the above 3 countries, get in touch with us. We will put in a bid which, if successful, will allow schools to get funding to send pupils abroad. The grant will cover all costs for pupils and accompanying teachers: travel expenses and subsistence.

We have partnered with many primary and secondary schools in France, Spain and Germany where the trip will take place. Alternatively, you can find a partner of your choice.

Should you be interested, please email us on: info@lfee.net

It would be good to write a little description of a specific theme/project you might be interested in exploring whilst abroad: sustainability, history, geography etc.

Presentations and recordings are now available! Moving Forward with L3: Challenges and Opportunities Event, 10 September 2021

5 November 2021 (SCILT)

If you missed any part of this event, then we have good news for you! Materials are now available on our website to view at your own leisure, including video presentations from Keynote speaker, Joanna McPake, Reader in Education at the University of Strathclyde and Plenary speakers, Dr Łukasz Lutostański, Consul General and Sylwia Spooner, Head of Cultural Affairs at the Polish Consulate in Edinburgh. The event welcomed language leaders and practitioners to share thoughts, ideas, good practice and discuss the challenges we face in embedding L3 into our curricula, including information on the newly launched 10 Steps to Polish Programme, run in conjunction with SCILT.

PowerPoint presentations used from facilitated discussions, including testimonials and speaker biographies are also available to view and will be of interest to the language teaching community.

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Poésíæ 2022

4 November 2021 (Poesiae)

Poésíæ and Poésíært, the global poems recitation and art competitions, start on 4 January 2022.

The competitions are free to enter and open to all pupils aged 7-15. Teachers can select from the suggested poems offered in French, German, Italian, Spanish, English or Welsh. Pupils can enter the recital strand of the competition or, for those less confident in doing so, the art competition offers pupils a different medium to express their understanding of the poem.

Visit the Poésíæ website for more information.

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International Education Week

2 November 2021 (British Council)

International Education Week (IEW) is back! Every November we come together to recognise the value of bringing the world into the classroom and celebrate international work in schools. This year's event takes place 15-19 November.

This year we are bringing you The Climate Connection to help you empower your students to take positive action for a greener tomorrow. There are lots of ways you and your school can get involved. Visit the British Council's IEW website to find out about online live events and training, classroom resources, working with international partner schools and more.

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How teacher collaboration can boost climate education

1 November 2021 (TES)

In this podcast coinciding with COP26, experts explain the importance of sharing best practice on climate change teaching.

Today's young people are more engaged and passionate than ever about saving the environment. In March 2019, it was estimated that 1.6 million young people across 125 countries participated in climate protests, and a new global survey led by the University of Bath reveals that environmental fears are "profoundly affecting huge numbers of young people".

Many school students are currently avidly reading announcements from the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. Whether it’s from the news, social media or the latest David Attenborough documentary, young people are constantly being exposed to the impact of climate change. And, as the authors of the global survey suggest, it's vital that we counteract young people's anxieties and harness their enthusiasm by giving them information on how they can connect more strongly with nature, contribute to greener choices at an individual level and join forces with like-minded communities and groups.

Yet climate change and sustainability can be challenging subjects to bring into the classroom. For this latest podcast, Tes spoke with two environmental and sustainability education experts, who explained why collaboration and an outward-looking approach to teaching these subjects are key.

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Resources and activities for COP26

29 October 2021 (Highland Council)

The Northern Alliance has put together the following resources which they are happy to share with schools nationally to link in with COP26.

NEW French Dossier! Climate change and the COP26 Conference

29 October 2021 (PowerLanguage)

The PowerLanguage team has created a new French Dossier to help you tackle some topical and essential climate issues with your class, ahead of COP26 in Glasgow. Why not encourage your learners to prepare a podcast or video to present themselves and mention some of the things they care about and want to protect? Adults are welcome to send their testimonies too! You and your learners can use any language you are learning. 

Visit the PowerLanguage website for more information. *Please note the French Dossier is only available to PowerLanguage members.*

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Discovery Film Festival - 'Migrants' short animation

25 October 2021 (Highland Council/DCA)

Migrants (a French production) is an 8 minute animation about 2 polar bears who are forced to leave their home due to climate change and they meet brown bears. The film is particularly relevant for COP26 and 1+2 Languages, exploring the issues of global warming. Migrants could be used for primary and secondary. There are excellent free resources to download too with lots of cross curricular activities for primary, and second and third level resources for French.

Originally the film was part of the Shorts for Middles ones Bundle that could be purchased to stream online by schools. However, Migrants has now been made available to stream for £1 during the film festival, up until 7 November. Anyone who wants to watch the film has to create an account and has 48hrs to watch the film once they select Play Now. They can watch the film as many times as they want in the 48hr period.  

German language teachers honoured with prestigious German Teacher Award 2021

19 October 2021 (German Embassy)

The German Teacher Award celebrates the best and most dedicated champions of German in primary and secondary schools across the UK.

Today the awards went to Linda McLean (West Calder High School, West Lothian, Scotland), Erica Schwiening (Saffron Walden County High School, Essex), Stamatia Kalogeropoulou (The Sixth Form College Farnborough, Hampshire) and Alexandra Brown (King David High School, Liverpool).

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Making Connections through Learning for Equity and Sustainability

7 October 2021 (Learning for Sustainability Scotland)

Understanding the big issues that shape our world has never been more important. Issues like climate change, health, gender equality, poverty and how to live sustainably affect – and connect – us all: wherever we are in the world.

This is a supported online Professional Learning course for educators. Engagement in this fully funded course will:

  • Support you to create an enabling environment for Learning for Equity and Sustainability in your teaching and setting, and significantly enhance young people's educational experience
  • Inform your own professional development
  • Enhance your participation in the Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning programme, supporting whole setting and cluster approaches
  • Give access to an international network of like-minded teachers

Aligned with current education priorities across UK and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, this fully online professional learning will support you to think about, plan for, and implement, Learning for Equity and Sustainability in your own practice and in your teaching context. 

You will be invited to participate in online discussions and activities in five course modules. Modules will be released fortnightly, starting on 29 October 2021. 

More information and registration for the course on Eventbrite.

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Beairteas - Gaelic sessions for secondary pupils

7 October 2021 (e-Sgoil / Fèisean nan Gàidheal)

Beairteas is an intergenerational programme to match community-based fluent Gaelic speakers with schools and community groups.

In partnership with e-Sgoil, three sessions are planned during October and November 2021 giving S1-S6 pupils the opportunity to listen to some of our best known Gaelic personalities talk about their lives and interests. Pupils will also have an opportunity to join in the conversation and ask questions which will help to develop their own Gaelic. 

Visit the Fèisean nan Gàidheal website for more information and to register for the sessions.

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Courses: Learning for a sustainable future

7 October 2021 (British Council)

British Council is supporting two courses being delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Sustainability Scotland via FutureLearn on learning for sustainability.

Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP26 - a free short online course

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) is being held in Glasgow between 31st October and 12th November 2021. It will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree and accelerate coordinated global action on climate change.

This two-week course, which runs in parallel with the COP26 conference, offers you an opportunity to examine what COP26 is, why it’s important and reflect on how you can add your voice to the call for collective action for a sustainable future.

You’ll explore the broader context of COP26 and consider other key frameworks such as COP15 (The UN Convention on Biological Diversity) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Explore the issues being discussed at the conference and see and hear responses to the conference themes from children and young people, community groups and ministerial bodies, both nationally and internationally.

There has never been a more urgent need for the world to work together and take collaborative action to secure a sustainable future for people and planet. Do your part and enrol now!:

Learning for a Sustainable Future - 5 week course

There is also still time to sign up for the 5 week course on Learning for a Sustainable Future. Join a personal and professional global learning journey towards a sustainable future. What on Earth could be more important?

On this 5-week course, you’ll explore a range of global, community and school-based contexts and develop an informed personal response to major contemporary challenges faced today. The course is open to everyone and would be suitable for senior learners, or anyone with an interest in sustainability and a willingness to learn and share with others around the world!  Join the course for free today.  Don’t worry if you can’t start on the dates specified – you can enrol once the courses have started.

Oxford German Olympiad 2022

5 October 2021 (Oxford German Network)

The tenth Oxford German Olympiad is now open! This year's topic is der Rhein.

Open to upper primary and secondary learners, entrants choose one of the tasks within their age category and complete the task in German. Individuals, groups or classes can take part.

There's also a Discover German - Taster Competition for those with no prior experience of studying German. 

Visit the competition website for full details. The closing date for all entries is Thursday 10 March 2022 at 12 noon.

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Discovery Film Festival 2021

5 October 2021 (Discovery Film Festival)

The eighteenth year of the Discovery Film Festival brings another selection of the best films for young audiences from around the world. Taking place from Saturday 23 October to Sunday 7 November 2021 screenings are available online and in person for Tayside audiences wishing to view their chosen films at Dundee Comtemporary Arts.

Foreign language screenings are subtitled in English. There's also a selection of short films, which are mainly dialogue free, to promote language practice and development.

Visit the Discovery Film Festival website to view the programme for schools and accompanying film resource packs. 

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Words for the World competition

5 October 2021 (SCILT)

‘We must believe in the power and the strength of our words. Our words can change the world.’ (Malala Yousafzai)

Are you looking for a way to engage your language learners to think about global issues ahead of the COP26 summit in November? Inspired by Malala’s words, our Words for the World competition could be just what you need! SCILT is challenging learners to use their words and their languages to show how the world could be a better place.

More information about the competition is available on our Words for the World webpage. The entry deadline is 25 October 2021. If you'd like to upload submissions to the Words for the World MS Team, please contact us and provide your Glow email address. Please note, the competition is only open to schools in Scotland.

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French Film Festival Learning Programme 2021

5 October 2021 (French Film Festival)

The French Film Festival UK’s Learning Programme will be bringing French-speaking cinema into schools again FREE of charge this autumn, between 25 October and 10 December. To accompany the selection of films for different age groups, practitioners will be able to download learning resources to use with their classes.

Students are also invited to submit a review of a film screened in this year's learning programme. The best reviews will be awarded a prize from the Franco-Scottish Society.

See the attached brochures for more information about the programme for schools and how to book.

Espacios Increíbles 2021-22 - Register your interest now!

1 October 2021 (SCILT)

SCILT is delighted to announce Espacios Increíbles is back for its 3rd year and it is bigger and better than before! We are looking for lots of budding architects and designers from S2 and S3 to take part in our Spanish competition to create an ‘Amazing Space.’

This competition combines aspects of design with Spanish language skills as they present their Espacio Increíble to a panel of judges and a live audience. Espacios Increíbles is a great way of introducing your pupils to different career pathways open to them when they study a language and encouraging uptake of Spanish in the Senior Phase.

To find out more visit our Espacios Increíbles webpage and register your school’s interest, by Monday 8 November.

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Language Teaching: Learning from the Past – Teacher Training Packages are now available!

1 October 2021 (HoLLT)

We are delighted to announce that our five teacher training packages are now live.

The materials use the History of Language Learning and Teaching (HoLLT) to help language teachers reflect on language teaching practice and policy today. Five units each take a key theme, with a short introductory video (8-12 minutes), a handbook of activities, and a facilitator’s handbook with further information and guidance. Each handbook also includes a short historical overview and some reading suggestions.

Our themes are:

  1. Differentiation and diversity
  2. What does it mean to teach culture?
  3. Grammar: “The art of speaking well”?
  4. Target language and (m)other tongue use
  5. Making the case for languages – Policy and advocacy

The project is an AHRC-funded collaboration between the University of Nottingham and King’s College London. Many thanks to our Postdoctoral Fellow on the project, Dr Lina Fisher. 

Visit the University of Nottingham website to access the materials, which we hope teachers will find useful.

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New UK-German activities for Autumn 2021

30 September 2021 (UK-German Connection)

Young people, schools and youth groups can get involved in UK-German Connection's programmes. There are several new activities for autumn so let your pupils and colleagues know what's on offer!

Follow the relevant links below to find out more:

For young people

  • Virtual Conference on climate change (COP26) Taking place against the backdrop of the COP26 Climate Conference and Youth Summit, this two-part virtual youth conference will explore the outcomes of the climate conferences, and give young people the chance to exchange on the role of local communities, cities, and regions in the fight against the climate crisis. Age group: 15-18. Deadline: 4 October 2021.
  • Youth Webinar Series ‘Together: Reflecting on Life After Conflict’ Run together with Never Such Innocence, this three-part webinar series gives young people the chance to get creative with poetry, photography and song to reflect on what conflict means to them. Includes creative workshops with experts, the chance to exchange with other young people and a final presentation event with special guests from the UK & Germany. Age group: 12-14. Deadline: 14 October 2021.
  • Youth Webinar ‘Green Cities’ To mark 75 years of friendship between the United Kingdom and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), this two-part webinar will bring together young people from the UK and NRW to discuss how to make cities more environmentally friendly. Participants will learn from city experts and exchange with young people in the UK & Germany about green & sustainable cities. Age group: 16-18. Deadline: 19 October 2021.

For schools & youth groups

  • UK-NRW School Partnerships Seminar This partner-finding event will bring teachers from the UK and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) together to set up new school partnerships and discuss future partnership projects with a focus on ‘Skills for the Global Workplace’. Teachers will have the chance to take part in partnership development workshops, group discussions and excursions, including a visit to the Christmas markets. Deadline: 1 November 2021.
  • Café Connect for school & youth partnerships Do you have a partner school or youth group in Germany? Would you like to connect with them in a safe and informal virtual space? We now offer facilitated 'Café Connect' meet-ups to enhance your partnership!

For schools & youth groups with a partner institution in North Rhine-Westphalia

  • UK-German Exchange Fellowships This pilot programme provides pupils aged 15-18 in the UK and North Rhine-Westphalia with the opportunity to spend one, two or three weeks at an existing partner school in Germany and carry out a project on a theme of their choice. Deadline: 15 November 2021.
  • UK-NRW Capture Your Connection Do you have a connection with North Rhine-Westphalia? To mark 75 years of UK-NRW friendship we've launched our ‘Capture Your Connection’ challenge. Simply share a creative representation of your partnership to help us showcase and give recognition to the fantastic connections that you have established over the years. There will be small goodies for all submissions and the most creative entries will receive special prizes! Deadline: 31 December 2021.

MTOT 2021-22 - registration deadline approaching!

30 September 2021 (SCILT)

Our multilingual poetry competition offers schools and learners the opportunity to use their language skills creatively, by producing an original poem, song or rap in a language they speak at home (Mother Tongue) or are learning at school (Other Tongue). With a focus on the spoken word, entries are invited in video or audio format.

Teachers, help us find the next generation of multilingual poets! The deadline to register your school is 7 October 2021 (National Poetry Day), and all entries should be submitted by 3 December 2021. 

Visit our MTOT webpage for full details and to sign-up.

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StampIT - 'Stamp over October’

30 September 2021 (StampIT)

StampIT is re-launching ‘Stamp over October’. This series develops various skills and increases knowledge across the curriculum for the broad general education phase. The range of activities cover experiences and outcomes in many areas within expressive arts; language and literacy; mathematics; sciences; social studies and technologies. The activities will also last beyond October! Take part in as many or as few as you want. StampIT also has it’s ‘Language of Stamps’ series with Spanish, French, Mandarin and Japanese.

There are many challenges and competitions throughout October, please see the website for the activity plans. In addition there are 5 free packs available with some StampIT games, craft materials and stamps to the classes who can send in the best ending to the following sentence: 

'We would love to take part in Stamp over October because...'

Entries by end October. Visit the StampIT website for more information.

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Grants for professional development seminars in Germany

28 September 2021 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut UK awards scholarships for participation in language courses and professional development seminars (e.g. cultural studies; German as a foreign language theory and practice) in Germany.

You can apply for a scholarship from the Goethe-Institut if you are a teacher of German as a foreign language or are involved in the teacher training of such teachers; this also applies if you work at a PASCH school.

The courses take place at various Goethe-Institut locations around Germany and in Austria. Different options are available depending on your professional requirements.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information about the course choices and submit your funding application by 1 November 2021. 

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Conversation course for secondary German teachers

28 September 2021 (Goethe-Institut)

Are you a secondary school teacher of German teaching at a school in Scotland? Would you 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 free online course will be held over Zoom between October 2021 and February 2022.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more details and to register by 4 October 2021.

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The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

24 September 2021 (Queen's College Oxford)

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

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

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

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

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

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Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival: 1st-10th October in person and 14th-17th October online

24 September 2021 (Consejería de Educación)

The 8th edition of ESFF is taking place 1st-10th October in person and 14th-17th October online.

We want to shine a light on the best Spanish language cinema and TV and we are thrilled to be able to bring everyone back together, in the cinema. Our aim is to show a broad range of all different genres of films and so the festival will feature a selection of regional productions including: Ane (David Pérez Sañudo), representing Basque cinema, and Chavalas (Carol Rodriguez Colás) will be providing a glimpse in Catalan cinema. Interspersed with these will be the new TV series Maricón Perdido (Bob Pop) and the highly acclaimed Mientras dure la guerra (Alejandro Amenábar). 

To immerse yourself even more in the programme, make sure to check out the Q&As and panel discussions taking place throughout the festival. We are privileged to be joined by a number of leading academics including: Professor Nuria Capdevila-Argüelles (University of Exeter) who will present the audio-visual project, Cartas Vivas, in which women's voices from the 20th century are brought to life, embodied by leading actresses from the Spanish-speaking world.

We are also proud to commemorate the centenary of Luis García Berlanga with a screening of El Verdugo and A conversation with Spain. This will be followed by a round table discussion to highlight the importance of Berlanga, both in cinema and the cultural legacy he has left us.

School programme of the ESFF includes the film “Klaus” (Primary) and “Los Lobos” (Secondary).

For more information and to book tickets visit the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival website.

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European Day of Languages

23 September 2021 (Council of Europe)

The Council of Europe Director General of Democracy, Snežana Samardžić-Marković, has recorded a video message (4 minutes) to mark the 20th anniversary of EDL. The video, in English, which gives a nice overview of the Day, is available via YouTube.

The latest version of the ‘Secret agent’s language challenges app' is now available in 21 languages and can be downloaded for Apple and Android devices.

Chromebook users can also download the app from the Playstore - by searching for "Language challenges" and clicking on the install button.

Flexible Funding Scheme

23 September 2021 (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 grant is open to primary, secondary and SEN schools, FE colleges and youth groups in the UK and Germany. Grants of up to £10,000 are available.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and apply by 1 October 2021.

Read more...

Into Film Festival 2021

21 September 2021 (Into Film)

The Into Film Festival is a free, annual, nationwide celebration of film and education for children and young people aged 5-19.

For so much of the last year and a half, we have all been deprived of the big screen experience, so it's a joy to once again be able to offer free screenings and special events to young people and teachers across the UK from 10-26 November 2021. 

The programme includes something for everyone, from the latest blockbusters, beloved old favourites, stimulating documentaries, animated adventures, modern foreign language titles, and much, much more.

All films and events are mapped against curricula from across the four UK nations and are accompanied by Into Film resources.

Booking is now open, so visit the Festival website for full programme details and to reserve places. Use the filter to discover foreign language screenings. 

Read more...

The UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO)

21 September 2021 (UKLO)

UKLO is a competition, like the Mathematical Olympiad or the National Cipher Challenge, for students who are still at school (or equivalent college) – any age, any ability level; but unlike other competitions, our competitors have to solve linguistic data problems. Thanks to our generous academic supporters, it’s completely free to both competitors and schools.

The first round of the competition will take place during February 2022.

Visit the UKLO website to find out more and to register your school.

Read more...

Maths Week Scotland 2021 - Maths wi nae Borders

21 September 2021 (Maths Week Scotland)

Maths Week Scotland takes place 27 September - 3 October 2021! 

Every day during Maths Week Scotland a new puzzle is set from the Scottish Mathematical Council. Inspired by the annual Mathématiques sans Frontières contest, the Maths wi nae Borders mini-competition contains a language element and is for any class to complete together.

Visit the Maths Week Scotland website for full details and to download a competition pack (available from 27 September 2021).

Read more...

Return to Spain 2021, Segovia edition - Grants for Spanish language teachers - Autumn 2021

17 September 2021 (Consejería de Educación)

Teacher training courses for Spanish teachers based in UK and Ireland (Segovia, October/November 2021).

The deadline for signing up for 1 of the 25 grants of a week’s teacher training programme in Segovia is 26th September. There will be three starting date options to choose from.

Who are the scholarships for?

Teachers (all nationalities can apply) who are at present teaching Spanish in Secondary schools or in Universities in the UK or Ireland.

What is the course about?

The course combines a teacher training programme based on different aspects of teaching Spanish as a foreign language (history, cinema, theatre, games, development of different linguistic skills, gamification, social media…) along with a number of fun and interesting tourist activities. The course is organised by the University of Valladolid, Mester Academy and the Governing Council of Castilla y León.

What is included in the grant?

The course (classes and cultural activities), accommodation and most meals. Those who are selected will only pay 120 euros for administrative fees and their return flight to Madrid. Transfers from Madrid to Segovia are included in the grant.

All information with regards to dates, the course programme, the grant and the application form can be found on the Spanish Embassy Education Office website. 

Read more...

FilmG competition 2021

16 September 2021 (FilmG)

FilmG is MG ALBA’s Gaelic short film competition which is delivered by Cànan Graphics Studio, the multi-media company based on the Isle of Skye. FilmG was launched in 2008 in order to develop new talent for the Gaelic channel BBC ALBA which was launched in the same year. Over this time it has received more than 700 short films and seen many young people begin their careers in Gaelic television broadcasting.

This year's FilmG is now open for entries. In the Youth category the competition is open to high school classes, independent filmmakers, and primary schools. High school Gaelic classes across Scotland can also take up the offer of 2 day filmmaking workshops to support entrants. 

Visit the FilmG website for more information and get entries in by 13 December 2021.

Read more...

SCILT winter newsletter - send us your stories!

16 September 2021 (SCILT)

Do you have a story to share with the languages community?

We are currently taking submissions for our winter 2021 newsletter. This is a great opportunity to promote what has been happening in your school or local authority with regard to languages. This could cover work going on in schools before the summer break, innovative projects taking place during Covid-19, or other language learning celebrations or initiatives. 

We are looking for articles of a maximum of 300 words, with a couple of colourful photos. The deadline for contributions is Friday 8th October 2021.

Visit our website to read the full submission guidelines, and to view previous editions of the newsletter. Submissions can be sent to scilt@strath.ac.uk

Read more...

Filmhouse cinema programme for secondary pupils

16 September 2021 (Glasgow Filmhouse)

Glasgow Filmhouse is delighted to be re-opening its doors to schools with an engaging programme of films for all ages and stages. As well as welcoming regular partners such as the Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival, French Film Festival UK and Into Film, the Filmhouse will be showcasing films picked by the education team to mark Black History Month, COP 26 and to celebrate Christmas!  

Visit the website for more information about the programme for schools and to book screenings.

Read more...

Opportunities from UK-German Connection

10 September 2021 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection is dedicated to increasing contacts and understanding between young people in the UK and Germany. The organisation offers a number of initiatives, funding, materials and courses enabling joint activities between young people, schools and youth groups in both regions.

Find out about hosting a teacher from Germany, the Café Connect online meet-ups for young people, funding for partnership activities and more on the UK-German Connection website.

Read more...

Masters study opportunity for LLP/TTT and TeLT alumni

10 September 2021 (SCILT/University of Strathclyde)

Four questions for Scottish primary and secondary teachers:

  • Are you interested in developing yourself professionally and academically through Masters study?
  • Have you been a participant on the Education Scotland/SCILT course called Languages Leadership Programme (LLP, previously known as Train the Trainer) within the last five years?
  • Have you been a student on the Open University/SCILT programme called Teachers Learning to Teach Languages in Primary School (TeLT) within the last five years?
  • Were you awarded GTCS Professional Recognition from either of these programmes?

If the answer is yes, then you are eligible to accredited prior learning (APL) to the tune of 20 Masters credits, enabling you to transfer onto Masters in Education (MEd) pathways at the School of Education at the University of Strathclyde.

The award of GTCS Professional Recognition from these programmes gives access to the following pathways:

Interested? 

For the MEd Education Studies route contact Angela De Britos angela.de-britos@strath.ac.uk

For the MEd Educational Leadership route contact Joanna Holmes joanna.holmes@strath.ac.uk

European Language Gazette n° 57 - September/October 2021

9 September 2021 (ECML)

The latest edition of the ECML's European Language Gazette is now available. Focusing on the 20th anniversary of the European Day of Languages this issue contains a huge variety of new features, ideas, initiatives and resources to help celebrate the 20th edition in style!

Read more...

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2021-2022

6 September 2021 (Japan Foundation)

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. We prioritise projects that fit into one of the five following categories:

  • Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum
  • Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses
  • Category 3 - Japanese clubs
  • Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education
  • Category 5 - Purchasing Japanese language teaching materials and/or books related to Japan (Please note that this Category is for applicants who ONLY wish to apply for these materials)
  • The application deadline for Categories 1-4/Other of the September 2021-22 programme is 30 September 2021.
  • The application deadline for Category 5 of the September 2021-22 programme is 31 October 2021.

Visit the Japan Foundation website for full details and to download an application form.

Read more...

TECLA 3/2021, magazine for Spanish language teachers

6 September 2021 (Consejería de Educación)

The new issue of TECLA review for Spanish language teachers in the UK and Ireland is now available. Lots of ideas and resources for the Spanish class. 

Read more...

MTOT 2021-22 - Our multilingual poetry competition is back!

3 September 2021 (SCILT)

We are delighted to announce the launch of MTOT 2021-22! This competition offers schools and learners the opportunity to use their language skills creatively, by producing an original poem, song or rap in a language they speak at home (Mother Tongue) or are learning at school (Other Tongue). We are continuing our focus on the spoken word, so entries can be in video or audio format.

Last year, despite all the challenges, MTOT went from strength to strength, and the creativity shown by all those who entered was truly uplifting. Our winners were featured on the Kid’s Poetry Club podcast, and MTOT now has its own dedicated section on the UK Children’s Poetry Archive. As if that wasn’t enough, this year we are also partnering with the Dictionaries of the Scots Language, who are offering a special prize for winning entries in Scots. 

Whatever your language, we want you to find your voice and share it with us. We can’t wait to see what this year’s young poets will produce!

Teachers should register interest by 7 October 2021 (National Poetry Day), and all entries will be submitted by 3 December 2021. 

Visit our MTOT webpage for full details.

Read more...

French courses for children and teens

2 September 2021 (Alliance Française)

The Alliance Française Glasgow offers French courses for children aged between 3 and 17 years old as well as Exam Support classes for secondary schools pupils sitting their National 5 or Higher French exams at the end of the academic year and who need extra support with their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

Follow the relevant link below to find out more about these course options:

Our World 2021-22

31 August 2021 (SEET)

Our World is a languages and citizenship based filmmaking project for S3 - 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 (S3-S6) design a storyboard which outlines the film they propose to make. This year's films will explore the idea of global citizenship, must include the use of a language other than English, and should touch on the theme of the Sustainable Development Goals. Each team must choose at least one of the 17 SDGs to focus their film on.

Registration for the 2021-22 project is now open - https://ourworldproject.wufoo.com/forms/z1fa1wdl0fdqs2a/

Visit the SEET website for more information and register to take part.

Read more...

European Day of Languages 2021 - how is your school celebrating?

27 August 2021 (SCILT)

The European Day of Languages (EDL) is celebrated on 26 September each year. Now celebrating its 20th year, it aims to promote the rich linguistic diversity of Europe and raise awareness of the importance of lifelong language learning for everyone. What is your school doing in 2021?

If you're looking for inspiration SCILT has compiled lots of ideas for primary, secondary and parents & families on our EDL webpage. Perhaps a Eurovision-style song contest, a QR code scavenger hunt, or a food festival? You will also find links to competitions, blogs and websites with a huge range of celebration ideas and activities. 

Let us know how you celebrate and we'll include you in our EDL 2021 blog. Send a short description and some colourful photos to scilt@strath.ac.uk or tag @scottishcilt on Twitter. Use the hashtags #coeEDL #20EDL or #happybirthdayEDL to share your celebrations with schools across Europe!

Read more...

SCILT professional learning programme 2021-22 - available to book now!

27 August 2021 (SCILT)

Are you a local authority officer with responsibility for languages? 
 
Are you a Head of Faculty, Head of Department or Principal Teacher of languages in your secondary school? 
 
Are you a lead language practitioner or primary school leader? 
 
Are you looking for high quality professional learning for your colleagues?
 
If so, you can request a SCILT workshop for colleagues in your school, department, cluster, local authority or regional improvement collaborative via the link below. 

Whatever your professional learning needs, we will endeavour to meet them. If you have specific requirements we are happy to collaborate with you to develop bespoke input and support. In addition to practical suggestions, SCILT workshops are designed to explore the pedagogy that underpins practice through discussion and reflection with local colleagues. 
 
Please visit the professional learning page of our website for further information and details of each of the workshops available. Please note, these workshops are intended for group bookings only. 
 
During 2021-22, we will run webinars and drop-in sessions which will be open to everyone. Registration for those will be on an event–by–event basis and will be publicised via the SCILT e-bulletin.

Read more...

Climate resources for school teachers

23 August 2021 (British Council)

To help you support positive action towards climate change in your school, here’s a round-up of British Council's online events, programmes and classroom resources, which includes a section for language educators.

All activities support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on Climate Action.

Read more...

The Kilted Otter initiative - An extended Scots Gaelic video game jam

19 August 2021 (The Kilted Otter)

Are you creative? Can you draw, sing, tell stories, play music, write poems, think out of the box? Do you want to learn more about Scots language and culture?

No experience necessary! We will take you from zero to game hero in two months!

Teams and individuals are welcome to apply.

Visit the website for more information and to sign up when registration opens on 1 September 2021.

Read more...

Opportunities from UK-German Connection

12 August 2021 (UK-German Connection)

Despite the UK no longer being part of the EU, UK-German Connection remains dedicated to supporting partnerships, offering intercultural opportunities, and facilitating connections between schools, youth groups and young people themselves in both countries. 

Current opportunities include the following. Click on the relevant link for more information:

  • Funding for UK-German exchange activities - Schools and youth groups with a partner in Germany can apply for grants for planning visits, taster trips and joint activities, including virtual projects. A series of Q&A webinars will take place throughout September for anyone interested in finding out more about this funding offer.
  • Host a Teacher from Germany - Whether travel is going to be possible or not, you can still bring authentic German language and culture to your classroom in 2021/22. Through the Host a Teacher from Germany programme, your school can host a German teacher (virtually or face-to-face) for one, two or three weeks during the academic year, at no cost. Register by 28 September 2021 (to host in spring and/or summer 2022).
  • UK-German Youth Council - Do you know any top-notch communicators with an interest in UK-German youth relations? There's still time for young people between the ages of 14 and 25 to apply for our UK-German youth council. This network will develop ideas and help co-design programmes and activities for young people in both countries. Applicants from all backgrounds are welcome and German language skills are not a requirement. Deadline: 24 August 2021.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for a full overview of their opportunities and initiatives for young people. Or register to receive their newsletters.

Read more...

Supported partnerships through Connecting Classrooms

11 August 2021 (British Council)

If you are new to international collaboration a short-term supported partnership with Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning could open the door to a world of opportunities for your school. 

Supported partnerships are designed for state-funded schools that are new to international collaboration who wish to start their global learning journey without grant funding. 

Clusters of participants – representing a maximum of five UK and five overseas schools – work together on a project linked to a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that is related to Cop26, the UN Climate Change Conference being held in the UK in November 2021. The project will be delivered during a six week period, starting in November 2021, and will be followed by a final evaluation activity. Please note that only one teacher per eligible UK and overseas school can apply to participate in these collaborations.

We will help you develop your project through three one-hour webinars delivered by a global learning practitioner, who will also provide guidance, CPD and support with any questions that you may have.

Visit the Britsh Council Connecting Classrooms website for more information and sign up to take part by 17 September 2021.

Read more...

ALLNet Cultural Partner Special: The Goethe-Institut

6 August 2021 (ALL)

In this e-bulletin Special from the Association for Language Learning, find out all about the activities and opportunities for teachers and schools from their partner organisation, the Goethe-Institut.

In addition to professional development for teachers of German, and German language resources, there are also initiatives for pupils with no prior knowledge of the language, such as Gaming in German and the Green Sauce Cookery Show.

Read more...

UK-German Youth Council 2021-22

17 June 2021 (UK-German Connection)

Do you want to join a lively network of young people and support UK-German Connection in the development of new opportunities for young people? Applications are now open for our UK-German Youth Council!

Young people from both countries aged 14-25 can join this consultation forum to develop new ideas and help co-design UK-German programmes and activities. We welcome applications from young people from all backgrounds and with a range of experiences and interests. German language skills are not a requirement. 

Deadline: 24 August 2021.

For more information about other current opportunities for schools, such as funding for UK-German partnership activities and the Host a Teacher from Germany programme, follow the relevant links below.

Read more...

Save the Date! L3 knowledge exchange event coming soon….

17 June 2021 (SCILT)

L3 Knowledge Exchange Event flyer

We are delighted to announce that our knowledge event Moving Forward with L3: Challenge and Opportunity will take place online on Friday 10 September from 1.30 – 4pm. The event will explore the ways in which primary and secondary schools are incorporating L3 into the curriculum and will consider some of the challenges it poses. Themed parallel sessions will run throughout the afternoon where participants will have the opportunity to consider key points from presentations delivered and engage in professional dialogue with colleagues. This cross sector event is open to primary and secondary practitioners, language leads, PTs, Faculty heads, local authority development officers and relevant members of the school’s leadership team. We are looking forward to welcoming you to this event and further details on how to register will be available soon.

Renew, Refresh, Re-imagine! Scottish Learning Festival theme announced

16 June 2021 (Education Scotland)

The Scottish Learning Festival (SLF) is taking place online on Tuesday 21 September until Thursday 23 September 2021 and the theme for this year’s event has been confirmed: ‘Renew, Refresh, Re-imagine: Learning from our experiences and looking to the future.’

SLF is free to attend and the conference programme is developed to support career long professional learning, helping to keep professional practice fresh, up-to-date and relevant.

Further details will follow soon. Register for updates on the Education Scotland website. 

Read more...

Online training courses for Spanish teachers (October-November 2021)

15 June 2021 (Consejería de Educación)

The Spanish Ministry of Education through the Consejería de Educación offers places to Spanish teachers in British and Irish schools for 30-hour online courses that will take place between October and November 2021 and will be given by the Spanish National Distance Education University (UNED).

Application deadline is on 27 June 2021. These are free of charge training sessions on grammar, language skills, methodology and resources for teaching Spanish in Primary, etc.

Visit the Spanish Ministry of Education website for full details.

Read more...

SCILT will soon be recruiting a new Professional Development Officer to expand its existing secondary team

11 June 2021 (SCILT)

  • Are you a committed and dynamic secondary teacher of Modern Languages looking for a new challenge?
  • Do you have the leadership skills to support colleagues with inspiring and research-informed professional learning?
  • Do you have the creativity to design and lead projects that shape and improve learning for Scotland’s young people?

If so, then this may be the opportunity for you to develop your skills and support learning at a national level.

More details on the post and application process coming soon!

Enquiries and notes of interest to SCILT scilt@strath.ac.uk

SCILT professional learning programme 2021-22 - book now!

11 June 2021 (SCILT)

Are you a local authority officer with responsibility for languages? 
 
Are you a Head of Faculty, Head of Department or Principal Teacher of languages in your secondary school? 
 
Are you a lead language practitioner or primary school leader? 
 
Are you looking for high quality professional learning for your colleagues?
 
If so, you can request a SCILT workshop for colleagues in your school, department, cluster, local authority or regional improvement collaborative via the link below. 

Whatever your professional learning needs, we will endeavour to meet them. If you have specific requirements we are happy to collaborate with you to develop bespoke input and support. In addition to practical suggestions, SCILT workshops are designed to explore the pedagogy that underpins practice through discussion and reflection with local colleagues. 
 
Please visit the professional learning page of our website for further information and details of each of the workshops available. Please note, these workshops are intended for group bookings only. 
 
During 2021-22, we will run webinars and drop-in sessions which will be open to everyone. Registration for those will be on an event–by–event basis and will be publicised via the SCILT e-bulletin.

Read more...

Host a Teacher from Germany - virtually or face-to-face!

4 June 2021 (UK-German Connection)

Whether travel is going to be possible or not, you can still bring authentic German language and culture to your classroom next academic year.

Registration is now open to ‘Host a teacher from Germany’ - virtually or face-to-face - in 2021-22.

We’ll put you in touch with a teacher from Germany and help you to plan your hosting experience, with ideas for presentations, interactive lessons, group language practice sessions and other bilateral activities between your classes.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and to register. You can also sign up there to one of the Q&A webinars to find out more about the scheme. 

To find out about other opportunities offered by UK-German Connection, including the next Café Connect meet ups for young people, see their Summer Newsletter.

Read more...

Catching up with the rest of the world: The foreign languages revolution in Scottish schools

30 May 2021 (Press and Journal)

Scottish schools are undergoing a revolution in foreign language learning in an attempt to reverse generations of neglect.

After years of being derided as ‘lazy’ linguists abroad, there are plans to produce a multilingual workforce.

Few school systems demand less foreign language learning from their children than those in the UK.

This is not helped by having a native language that is the ‘lingua franca’ of the world.

But a Scottish Government policy is setting out to change all that.

Under the 1+2 Languages initiative, pupils will learn their own language (L1) plus two others (L2 and L3).

The L2 will be taught from Primary 1, and the L3 from Primary 5 to 7. There will be compulsory teaching of at least one foreign language until S3.

Education bosses will fully implement the “ambitious” policy for the start of the 2021-22 school year.

Based on the last Scottish Government survey in 2019, 88% of primary schools – approximately 1,760 schools – were delivering the full L2 entitlement.

This already represents significant progress. Anyone in their 30s who went to a Scottish state school won’t have studied foreign languages until secondary school.

The Scottish Government has spent more than £45million since 2013 on increasing foreign language learning in schools.

Teachers are currently being provided with training and support in readiness for the changes.

Read more...

Espacios Increíbles - winners announced

27 May 2021 (SCILT)

Congratulations to Holy Cross High School, Hamilton on winning SCILT's Espacios Increíbles competition 2020-21.

The winner was announced at the final, held online on Wednesday 19 May 2021.

A superb effort from all four finalist schools (Dunblane High School, Kinross High School, Prestwick Academy, as well as Holy Cross High) with stiff competition and a very difficult decision for the judges.

The competition for S3 pupils takes an IDL approach, and combines Spanish with art, design and technology, with pupils designing an amazing space and presenting their work in Spanish. 

Holy Cross came out on top with their innovative design for a children's hospital, which took into consideration the needs of the children and elements for their enjoyment, as well as thinking about the environment. Teamwork and working to their strengths were evident throughout and their presentation was slick during the live final. The Spanish was excellent and the language used was embedded in their learning.

The other 3 schools did an amazing job with innovative and sustainable designs for a cultural and arts centre, a sustainable restaurant and a scientific research observatory in the rainforest. Amazing ideas using amazing creativity!

More information on this year's final will be on the SCILT website soon as well as details of how your school can enter next year's competition.   

Bòrd na Gàidhlig new website

20 May 2021 (Bòrd na Gàidhlig)

The recently renewed website from Bòrd na Gàidhlig includes useful information about all sectors of gaelic education in Scotland, along with guidance documentation.

Resources are all available in the Education section of the website.

Read more...

The 2021 Language Show is looking for speakers

18 May 2021 (The Language Show)

Would you like be a speaker at the 2021 virtual Language Show? The show is being delivered online via Zoom between 12-14 November 2021 so you can be based anywhere! Speakers for up to 100 talks in the following areas are being sought:

  • Seminars for language teachers  especially those working in secondary and primary
  • Seminars for learners and language professionals – ways to learn and improve
  • Cultural talks – performances, demonstrations, presentations and experiences that can be delivered on Zoom

Visit the website for more information and submit your suggestion by 6 June 2021.

Read more...

Re-launch of grants for UK-German Partnership activities

17 May 2021 (UK-German Connection)

We’re delighted to announce the re-launch of our new grants for UK-German partnership activities! 

Our refreshed funding offer is similar to the grants we offered before but has been adapted to recent external developments and the changing landscape of international activity.

Schools and youth groups with a partner in Germany can now apply for the following grants: 

  • Partnership Visit Fund - staff planning visits. Visit your partners to kick-start your link and plan future activities. Deadline: rolling.
  • Instant Impact - first-time taster trips for young people. Give your pupils / young people the chance to meet their peers in Germany and gain an insight into the life and culture of your partner school or group. Deadline: rolling.
  • Flexible Funding Scheme - joint thematic projects and activities, including virtual partnership activities and/or reciprocal visits. Work together on thematic activities and engage in intercultural dialogue. Deadlines: 16 July, 1 October 2021.

For an overview of the grants available, as well as guidelines and application forms, please visit the UK-German Connection funding webpage. The page includes the option to sign up for Q&A webinars to find out more about the funding offer. Follow links to the individual grant pages to register for the webinars.

If you have plans for upcoming activities and would like to discuss your ideas, please contact us via funding@ukgermanconnection.org - we’re here to help!

Read more...

Scots leid competition 2021

14 May 2021 (Scottish Book Trust)

Young people aged 11-18 are invited to write a Scots story, poem, play or make a short video inspired by the Scots phrase 'Lang may yer lum reek'. Your story must be in Scots and under 500 words (or five minutes).

Visit the Scottish Book Trust website for more information about the competition and enter by Wednesday 18 August, midday.

Read more...

French Film Festival UK 2021

13 May 2021 (French Film Festival)

The French Film Festival UK’s Learning Programme continues to bring French-speaking cinema to Scotland’s schools throughout May and June 2021.

A selection of films on DVD are available on request and will be sent directly to schools. To accompany the selection of films for different age groups, school screenings are enhanced by online learning resources prepared by Lise Morel. Participating teachers will be able to download these Learning Packs as PDFs to use in the classroom. These resources have been designed in accordance with the Modern Languages Experience and Outcomes for Curriculum for Excellence.

Please note that for schools within attainment challenge authorities, this resource is available free of charge. For further information, email schools@frenchfilmfestival.org.uk

May Bitesize: Parental Engagement in Schools – Primary & Secondary drop-in

11 May 2021 (SCILT)

SCILT monthly drop-ins are free, themed virtual events that are open to teachers and student primary teachers working in Scotland. Drop-ins are an opportunity to share your thoughts on that month’s Bitesize resource and/or share your own experience on the theme.

In May 2021, we’re looking at parental engagement and how schools approach this in a languages context. So join the drop-in on 26 May, share your ideas and experiences and hear what others do too!  

Find out more, along with the registration link, on our Bitesize webpage.

Read more...

MASSOLIT Video Essay Competition 2021

11 May 2021 (MASSOLIT)

We’re delighted to present the first ever MASSOLIT Video Essay Competition in partnership with Brasenose College, Oxford.

We're inviting UK-based students in Years 10, 11 and 12 (S3, S4 & S5 in Scotland) to create a “MASSOLIT-style” video lecture running at around 8-12 minutes on any academic topic.

The best entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges made up of academics from Brasenose and members of the MASSOLIT team.

For more information about the competition and how to enter, visit the MASSOLIT website. The deadline for the receipt of entries is 17:00 on Friday 2nd July 2021.

Read more...

The Stephen Spender Prize

6 May 2021 (Stephen Spender Trust)

The Stephen Spender Prize is an annual competition for poetry in translation, with categories for young people (14-and-under16-and-under, and 18-and-under) as well as an open category for adults. All entrants must be UK or Irish citizens or residents, or pupils at a British School overseas. Translate into English any poem from any language – ranging from Arabic to Uzbek, from Danish to Somali—and win cash prizes!

This year the prize will open for entries on 6 May and close on 16 July 2021.

Each year also features a Spotlight Prize encouraging young people to engage with community languages. For 2021 the focus is on Urdu.

More information about both competitions can be found on the Stephen Spender Trust website.

Read more...

Vuelve a España - 2021 summer scholarships for Spanish language teachers

4 May 2021 (Consejería de Educación)

Course for Spanish language teachers on language, culture, and gastronomy (University of Valladolid, July 2021)

Open until May 10th the deadline to apply for one of the 50 scholarships to take a week-long course in Valladolid in the month of July 2021.

For whom? For teachers of Spanish in British secondary schools or universities (regardless of nationality (British, Spanish or other).

What? The course combines a varied didactic program (history, cinema, culture, games, language skill development, gamification…) with recreational and tourist activities. It is organized by the University of Valladolid, the Academia Mester, and the Junta de Castilla y León.

What does the scholarship include? The course (classes and cultural program), accommodation, and most of the meals. The selected participants only pay 100€ for management and the plane ticket to Madrid (round trip). Transfers from Madrid airport to Valladolid are also covered by the scholarship.

All the information about the dates, details of the course and the scholarship, and the online application form is available on the Consejería de Educación website.

Read more...

MTOT 2021 - winner videos now available!

30 April 2021 (SCILT)

In academic session 2020-21, after a short hiatus, SCILT relaunched the Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition, with a new focus on the spoken word. Learners were invited not only to write a poem in their mother or other tongue, but to perform it so that their words could be heard in their own voice. The work produced by all the young poets who took part was wonderful, especially during this most challenging year. The winning and highly commended video entries from this year's competition in Scotland are now available to view on the MTOT Awards page of SCILT's website.

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Scottish Languages Employability Award - next deadline 21 May!

29 April 2021 (SCILT)

The Scottish Languages Employability Award (SLEA) encourages innovation and creativity in the promotion of language skills through meaningful engagement between employers and schools. The award aims to help schools and businesses to build partnerships through languages and supports teachers in raising awareness of the importance of languages in their school community.

The next deadline for submissions is Friday 21 May 2021

Due to restrictions over the past year, online events and activities will be accepted as evidence towards the award. To read the full guidelines, watch videos from the pilot schools and read case studies from previous winners, visit the SLEA page on the SCILT website. 

If you have any questions about the award or the submission process please contact SCILT

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Café Connect

27 April 2021 (UK-German Connection)

Our meet-up group, Café Connect gives you the chance to get to know other young people aged 14-19 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!

Taking place twice a month, these online meet-ups are a unique opportunity to exchange with other young people from the UK and Germany in a friendly atmosphere – on topics that interest you! You can join as many sessions as you like and you can get involved even if you don’t speak any German.

Visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more and to register to take part.

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Online training scholarships for British French teachers

24 April 2021 (Institut français)

This year, the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in London / Institut français in the United Kingdom are supporting 15 grants for online training in partnership with "CAVILAM-Alliance française". Aimed at primary and secondary school teachers from all over the UK, the training consists of a face-to-face course on issues that are essential for the teachers of the 21st-century, such as holding face-to-face and virtual classes.⠀⠀

Visit the Institut français website for more information and apply by 9 May 2021.

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Climate action in language education

22 April 2021 (British Council)

Today is Earth Day and British Council is bringing people together around the world through The Climate Connection to meet the challenges of climate change.

Amongst their resources on climate for schools there is a collection to help you integrate environmental issues into language teaching, learning and assessment, including a 3-module professional learning course for language teachers. The first module starts on 28 April 2021.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to register for the course.

Read more...

French Pop Video Competition 2021

20 April 2021 (Institut français du Royaume-Uni)

Are you looking for an exciting languages project for your students after half term? The Institut français du Royaume-Uni has launched the French Pop Video Competition 2021, a video song contest for all primary and secondary school students in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Channel Islands. 

The competition deadline has been extended and teachers now have until 30 April 2021 to submit their students’ video clips in 3 age-categories with a chance to win books, tablets, and attend a special Francophonie UK School Music Awards live music ceremony with the Institut français on the occasion of Fête de la Musique 2021!

Can you sing or rap in French ? Do you have video skills? Then this competition is for you!

To top it all, with the support of Francophonie UK, the Institut français and Alliances françaises du Royaume-Uni will offer a limited number of FREE "Learning French through music" workshops for state-sector schools entering the competition. If you are interested, please contact education@institut-francais.org.uk 

Please spread the word to your students and colleagues, we look forward to your successful participation!

 

Read more...

Related Files

The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

1 April 2021 (University of Oxford)

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

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

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

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

Read more...

Related Files

Calling all 1+2 LLP/Train the Trainer participants 2014-2019 – Join the Languages Leadership Programme Team!

25 March 2021 (SCILT)

Did you attend Education Scotland and SCILT’s Summer School for the 1+2 Languages Leadership Programme 2017-2019, or Train the Trainer 2014-2016? If so, then this role might be for you!

Scotland’s new Languages Leadership Programme launches in June of this year. To begin with, participants will attend 2 days of online professional learning led by Education Scotland on 18-19 June through a vibrant online LLP learning community using Teams in Glow.

During 2021-22, participants will then take part in the LLP affiliated professional learning of their choice from a menu of LLP affiliated opportunities from Education Scotland, SCILT and LANGS partners. During this time they will complete a number of critical reflection tasks in relation to their leadership activity and LLP affiliated professional learning. Over the course of the year, Critical Friends will each support a small number of participants, providing regular feedback on their critical reflection tasks.

Wondering whether you could be a critical friend?

  • Have you benefitted from taking part in the 1+2 LLP/TTT programme yourself?
  • Have you previously undertaken or would you like to undertake a coaching, mentoring or critical friend role to support colleagues with their professional development?

If so, then you will bring a wealth of commitment, understanding and skills to the new Critical Friend role on this innovative pilot. You will be involved in the evaluation process at different stages during the year and professional learning and support will be provided to you. In addition, Critical Friends will also be supported to submit an individual application for GTCS Professional Recognition. 

Visit the registration page to find out how you can apply to join the LLP team as a Critical Friend by Monday 17 May.

If you have any questions about applying for this role, please email scilt@strath.ac.uk and include ‘LLP’ in the subject line.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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UK-German Connection initiatives

17 March 2021 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a range of initiatives to help connect young people in the UK and Germany. To find out more about their latest opportunities, follow the relevant link below:

  • 'Welcome to my World 2': UK-German Video Competition - Travel may still be off limits right now, but the exploration of another country and culture doesn’t have to be! We’re calling on all young people aged 12-19 from across the UK and Germany to take us on a virtual tour of your country. So get creative, start filming and share a glimpse of your world! Submit your 20 second clip by 30 March 2021.
  • Café Connect - Our new, UK-German cultural exchange 'café' gives young people the chance to connect with peers through fun, interactive activities, group discussions on current topics and informal chat. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, learn about the other culture, and practise (or even pick up) some German! Starts 30 March 2021.
  • 'Still & Sparkling' UK-German youth newsletter - Featuring UK-German perspectives on music, sustainability, remote learning in lockdown, our youth newsletter brings young people from both countries closer together and helps them discover both cultures through the eyes of other young people.
  • German Pupil Courses 2021 and German Scholarship Courses 2021 - These courses will not take place as face-to-face courses in Germany in 2021. They will instead be week-long virtual courses with a focus on the practical use of German language skills in a cultural context. Courses will be in mixed-nationality groups and will take place in July and August. Register interest now.

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Short conversation course for secondary teachers

15 March 2021 (Goethe-Institut)

Are you a secondary school teacher of German teaching at a school in Scotland? Would you 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 will also provide an opportunity for networking and sharing best practice examples amongst German language teachers.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and to register by 29 March 2021. Please note, places are limited.

Read more...

Around the world with stamps

15 March 2021 (StampIT)

StampIT has launched its first worldwide competition which is open to 5-15 year olds worldwide!  

Create a presentation linked to postage stamps for a chance to win e-vouchers. Stamps are a great medium to learn about language and culture. The competition encourages children to include some elements in a second language to their own.  

The entry can be a written or video presentation and full details are at the StampIT website. Please read the attached flyer and rules carefully.  

Entrants don’t have to own the stamp or stamps they choose to do their project. They can see a range of stamps within the games and activities on the website which link to Spanish, French, Mandarin, Japanese and Gaelic but they can also choose any stamp from any country worldwide.  

The closing date is 30 April 2021. 

Read more...

Related Files

Mois de la Francophonie 2021 – Royaume-Uni

8 March 2021 (Institut français)

Every year on 20 March, countries around the world celebrate Francophonie through cultural events honouring the French language. On this occasion, the Institut français du Royaume-Uni, the Institut français d’Ecosse, the UK network of Alliances Françaises and the Francophonie UK partners in the UK, dedicate the whole month of March to events and initiatives celebrating the language of Molière, Ramuz and Senghor!

This year, festivities include the National Finals of the Joutes Oratoires Lycéennes, the 3rd edition of the French Pop Video Competition open to all primary and secondary schools across the 4 nations, the return of the Grand Quiz de la Francophonie, a panel discussion on the importance of learning languages for the UK post-Brexit, an exclusive webinar on how to integrate the diversity of Francophone cultures in the French language classroom, the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators and much more. 

Full programme details can be found on the Institut français website. Find out now how you can get involved in celebrating la Francophonie!

Read more...

MTOT 2021 - winners announced!

25 February 2021 (SCILT)

Whilst the current pandemic prevented us from hosting this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue celebratory awards event in the stunning Ramshorn Building in Glasgow, we managed to host our very own online red carpet event instead! Pupils, teachers and parents joined us online to hear the winners announced on the afternoon of Friday 19 February, a date especially chosen to tie in with International Mother Language Day on 21 February celebrating all world languages.

We are delighted to announce the following winners and highly commended entries in each category:

Mother Tongue

Award

Pupil

School

Language

P1-P4

Winner

Zayne Emengo-Okpo

St Aloysius College JS

Hausa

Highly commended

Eloïse Harkins

St Aloysius College JS

French

P5-P7

Winner

Lucja Lubanska

St Charles’ Primary

Polish

Highly commended

Ahmad Raza

Newmains Primary

Urdu

S1-S3

Winner

Pranay Neppalli

Craigmount High

Telugu

Highly commended

Filip Strzalka

Craigmount High

Polish

S4-S6

Winner

Chancelvie Bembo

St Benedicts

French

Highly commended

Lovely Selwyn

Bishopbriggs Academy

Tamil

Other Tongue

Award

Pupil

School

Language

P1-P4

Winner

Abbie Rettie

Goodlyburn Primary

Gaelic

Highly commended

Haroon Majid

Braidbar Primary

French

Highly commended

Stephanie Mackay-Watt

Goodlyburn Primary

Gaelic

P5-P7

Winner

Isobel Ross

Braidbar Primary

BSL

Highly commended

Evelina Finkova

Goodlyburn Primary

Gaelic

S1-S3

Winner

Rona Bryden

Loudoun Academy

German

Highly commended

Anna d’Alessio

Bishopbriggs Academy

Italian

Highly commended

Alistair Hillis

Jordanhill

Mandarin

S4-S6

Winner

Lewis Fleming

St Thomas Aquinas

Spanish

Highly commended

Anya Jarvis

Loudoun Academy

French

Highly commended

Ellie McGill

Carrick Academy

French

 

All pupils will receive a certificate and book token. Winning entrants will also receive a trophy as well as the opportunity for their poems to feature in The Children's Poetry Archive and Kids Poetry Club podcast. We will be in contact with schools shortly about taking these extra special opportunities forward.

It is our intention to host each of these poems on the SCILT website and we'll announce when these are available.

Congratulations again to all our finalists!

German Educational Trainees Across Borders 2021/22

25 February 2021 (Get Across Borders / SCILT)

Expressions of interest are now being taken from local authorities who would like to host a German student teacher for a 6 month placement during the 2021/22 school session.

German trainee teachers from Universities in Mainz, Leipzig and Koblenz are available to work in Scottish schools for a six month placement from September/October 2021 to March/April 2022. Participating students are native German speakers, training to become secondary teachers of English. 

German Educational Trainees (GETs) support language teaching and intercultural understanding, bringing language alive for learners with a trained and motivated native speaker. 

Local authorities interested in hosting GETs should register with SCILT by Friday 26th March. For more information and to register your interest please contact SCILT

Concours de la Francophonie 2021

18 February 2021 (Institut français)

The Institut français d’Ecosse launches le Concours de la Francophonie, a national school competition to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland and to celebrate the international day of la francophonie.

The competition is open to all Scottish primary and secondary schools offering French. Enter by submitting a short video of classroom activity in French by 15 March 2021.

Visit the Institut français d’Ecosse website for more information.

Read more...

Mandarin for BGE 2021

18 February 2021 (CISS)

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

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

Related Files

February Bitesize CLPL - Employability in secondary schools

8 February 2021 (SCILT)

This month, we will consider why and how languages can play a vital role in developing skills for life and work – why not join the debate?

Our special guest at this month’s session is Pam Tosh, Curriculum Leader at Broughton High School and Lead Teacher (Secondary) at City of Edinburgh Council. Pam has extensive experience of developing employability partnerships and integrating DYW to the Modern Languages curriculum. She has worked with SQA in the development of the Modern Languages for Life and Work Award and led her school to a Gold Scottish Languages Employability Award. Pam has also devised a range of online strategies around building partnerships with business in answer to the challenges that this year has brought.

During this session, we will chat to Pam about the challenge of successfully integrating employability and languages, and her strategies and approach towards this. Pam will also be happy to answer questions from participants. These can be asked on the day or submitted in advance.

Find out more and sign up for the drop-in on 24 February 2021 through the link below.

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SCILT Lessons from Lockdown Learning

4 February 2021 (SCILT)

During the first period of lockdown last year, from early May until the end of June, SCILT delivered a series of online live language classes which were open to learners across Scotland. With the help of feedback from learners and parents, and the input of external observers, we have examined and evaluated this online learning and teaching experience, and in the report, we share these evaluations and the key lessons learned during this time. We hope that it might prove helpful to teachers in the planning and delivery of online lessons.

We would also love to hear from you! We would really value your thoughts about your experiences of online teaching and any suggestions that you have, either for Professional Learning or support which we could provide, or advice that you would wish to pass on to fellow practitioners. Get in touch at scilt@strath.ac.uk!

Read SCILT Lessons from Lockdown – A review of online learning and teaching

Chinese New Year resources

4 February 2021 (CISS)

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

Read more...

Host a Teacher from Germany - virtually!

3 February 2021 (UK-German Connection)

You can still bring authentic German language and culture to your classroom this year, even if travel isn’t possible at the moment.

Registration is now open to ‘Host a teacher from Germany’ virtually(*) in spring or summer 2021. We’ll put you in touch with a teacher from Germany and help you to plan your virtual hosting experience, with ideas for presentations, interactive lessons, group language practice sessions and other bilateral activities between your classes.

(*) Please note that in registering to host virtually, there will also be the possibility to transfer your hosting experience to a face-to-face visit if you wish, as and when travel is possible again.

Visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more and to register by 23 February 2021.

Read more...

Online course for secondary teachers of French & Spanish

28 January 2021 (LFEE)

In light of the continuing COVID crisis, LFEE in consultation with the GTS has decided to offer their three week immersion course as an online alternative from 26 April to 18 June 2021.

More information can be found on the attached document. Applicants should register by 19 February 2021.

TECLA 1/2021, magazine for Spanish language teachers

25 January 2021 (Consejería de Educación)

We have published a new number of our review for Spanish language teachers TECLA. It includes:

  • National Languages Estrategy in the UK and opportunities for Spanish
  • Interview with the Consul General of Manchester
  • The experience of a Spanish visiting teacher in the UK
  • A sequence for the classroom playing with Rayuela
  • Irish Film Institute Schools Programme 2020-2021
  • Spain as a destination for school and language tourism
  • Quino and Mafalda: a sequence for the classroom

Read more...

Express Yourself in Lockdown

21 January 2021 (British Council)

Speaking a language confidently and coherently is an important part of the curriculum throughout the four devolved education departments in the United Kingdom, and forms a critical part of linguistic and cultural development for all learners of languages.

However, the impact of Covid-19 has meant that many pupils have had fewer opportunities to speak the languages they are learning.  Therefore, the Association for Language Learning , the British Council and the cultural and linguistic bodies in the United Kingdom have combined efforts to devise an exciting event entitled ‘Express Yourself in Lockdown’.

This will be an opportunity to showcase language learners’ enjoyment of a language that they are learning or that is normally used in their home community from home (except for English!). 

Visit the British Council website for more information and share performances on the designated social platforms by 28 February 2021.

Read more...

Languages Week Scotland 2021 - Using film to teach languages

21 January 2021 (Screen Scotland)

Screen Scotland has put together a resource for Languages Week Scotland 2021 on using film to teach languages. See the attached document. There's also a Microsoft Team available to join for all subject teachers looking to teach with film: Screen Scotland: Film Education

SCILT professional learning leaflet

21 January 2021 (SCILT)

SCILT offers a wide range of professional learning opportunities for pre- and in-service teachers. Primary, secondary. Synchronous, asynchronous. One off, ongoing. Check out our updated CLPL flyer for all the details you need. Download and share with colleagues in your next virtual staff meeting.

Like you, our friendly primary and secondary Professional Development Officers are working online from home at the moment.  Make a booking or send a query to scilt@strath.ac.uk with CLPL in the subject line.  Alternatively, go direct to the Professional Learning area of the website to browse some more.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Read more...

UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) 2021

19 January 2021 (UKLO)

UKLO is a competition for students who are still at school (or equivalent college) – any age, any ability level, where competitors have to solve linguistic data problems. Teachers should submit competitor information by 25 January 2021 with the first round of the competition scheduled to take place during week 1-5 February.

This year's competition has adopted special arrangements to cope with the pandemic and the fact that UK schools will certainly be closed for Round 1, and probably for Round 2 too.

Visit the UKLO website for further information.

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British Council Mandarin Speaking Competition 2021

18 January 2021 (British Council)

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

Taking part in the competition:

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

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

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World of Languages

14 January 2021 (Stride Magazine)

Sheena Bell, professional development officer at SCILT, explores the many ways in which Learning for Sustainability makes a great context for modern language learning.

“Learning other languages enables children and young people to make connections with different people and their cultures and to play a fuller part as global citizens.”

As this quote from the Scottish Government’s Modern Languages Principles and Practice document clearly shows, Modern Languages classrooms are uniquely positioned to incorporate Learning for Sustainability into their teaching and learning. Learning a language in school is not simply about learning vocabulary and grammatical structures; it offers a window into other cultures, traditions, ways of life and ways of thinking. Every day, pupils in our classes are being made aware in a very real way of their interconnectedness with the wider world, both socially and environmentally. The Modern Languages curriculum, particularly within the Senior Phase, already includes topics such as equality, social justice, environmental issues and gender – as Modern Languages teachers we are very often already teaching around Learning for Sustainability without even realising it!

(Note - The full article includes links to associated professional learning and classroom resources.)

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Worldwide Napier magazine - call for submissions

14 January 2021 (Edinburgh Napier University)

Worldwide Napier, the magazine in foreign languages designed by language students to encourage language studies, is currently looking for contributions in French, German and Spanish for its seventh issue. The next issue's overarching theme is Oblivion. Pick a subject associated with oblivion and turn it into an engaging article. 

Students at secondary school, college or university are invited to submit contributions by email by 1 March 2021.

Visit the website for more information.

Read more...

Online French resources

12 January 2021 (Alliance Française)

The Alliance Française Glasgow has collated a selection of online resources to explore French culture and language learning at home. There's something for all ages - check out the links on the website.

Read more...

Year of the Ox Education Pack

11 January 2021 (British Council)

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

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

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

Read more...

SEET's Our World project update

11 January 2021 (SEET)

Due to the new lockdown measures introduced by the Scottish Government on 4 January, including the closure of schools, SEET have pushed back the storyboard submission deadline to Friday 5 February 2021. They have also adapted the project and expanded the project's reach by increasing participation options for home learning and accommodating for both individual and group participation. Please see below for a summary of the changes:

  • S1-6 may take part in 2021, not only S3-6 pupils.  
  • Storyboard submission deadline extended to Friday 5 February 2021 (extra 3 weeks) 
  • Accompanying video/audio clip explaining the storyboard is now optional. Storyboard and links to SDG theme and languages must be clear if no additional description is provided. 
  • We are accepting storyboard entries from teams AND entries from individual pupils if pupil collaboration is no longer possible. More guidance on team participation available. 
  • We will be able to invite more pupils to take part in the filmmaking stage, as we are no longer limited to in-person venue workshop capacity.  
  • Creation of password protected online portal to support pupils through the filmmaking stages. This will include video tutorials from filmmakers, written guidance and tutorials, resources, and clear instructions for pupils.

Visit the SEET website for more information about the Our World project.

Read more...

French Pop Video Competition 2021

7 January 2021 (Institut français)

Do you think you could sing or rap in French? Do you have the skills to make a video clip for your song? If so, this competition is for you!

Open to any student or groups of students in full time primary or secondary education in the UK. Entries will be judged in 3 age-group categories: 7-11, 12-15, and 16-18.

Visit the competition website for more information. Register and submit entries by 31 March 2021.

Read more...

Nihongo Cup 2021

4 January 2021 (Japan Foundation)

The Nihongo Cup is the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students. Applications for the 2021 contest are now open. Finalists will be invited to perform their speeches as part of an online Finals Day on Saturday 10 July. They will also have a chance to win some fantastic prizes!

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and the application pack. The closing date for applications is 29 March 2021. 

Read more...

Boost German and intercultural learning in your school with a Cultural Exchange Ambassador

15 December 2020 (UK-German Connection)

Calling all schools hosting a German Language Assistant! 

We’re expanding our network of Cultural Exchange Ambassadors - Language Assistants can apply now to join a dynamic group, already running fun UK-German projects with their pupils!

While travel is out of bounds, give your pupils an authentic taste of Germany: encourage your German Language Assistant to become a Cultural Exchange Ambassador, join a UK-German network and run a class-to-class project with a German school. 

This programme, offered by UK-German Connection, has wide-reaching benefits:

  • Pupils gain an authentic connection to their German peers, helping improve both their linguistic and cultural understanding and increase their motivation
  • Language Assistants learn & strengthen valuable skills, including project management, teamwork & communication, and benefit from peer-to-peer exchange
  • Schools benefit from curricular-focused projects, which connect their pupils with another country, culture & language

“A brilliant initiative by our FLA, thoroughly enjoyed by all participants, most of whom have now opted for GCSE German.” (Head of German department)

For more information about the programme, visit: www.ukgermanconnection.org/cultural-exchange-ambassadors 

You can also sign up for an online Q&A session via the above web page.

Deadline: Monday, 18 January 2021

For questions and further information, please contact ambassadors@ukgermanconnection.org

Read more...

Why Speak Chinese 2020

8 December 2020 (Chinosity)

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

Visit the Chinosity website to find out more.

Read more...

Cook and learn with Linguacuisine

8 December 2020 (Linguacuisine)

The free Linguacuisine app helps you learn French, German and Spanish while you’re cooking a festive treat! Have fun baking with a friend, learn some new words and then feed your family and friends with a French Bûche de Noël, German Lebkuchen or Spanish Mantecados. You can do it online or by using the attached recipe card. 

Visit the website for lots more recipes in a wide range of languages.

Read more...

Related Files

SCILT Christmas 2020 webpage - now live!

4 December 2020 (SCILT)

Are you looking for ways to bring the festive season to your languages classroom?

SCILT have compiled a range of online resources for use with your pupils, from interactive advent calendars and games, to lesson plans and festive facts. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in France, Germany, Spain and around the world!

Read more...

Connecting Classrooms partnership funding

24 November 2020 (British Council)

There’s no more authentic way for pupils to learn about global issues than by working with their peers in another country.

Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning can help UK-based schools find partner schools in more than 30 countries across Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.

Once you’ve made a connection we have a range of support to help you get started and build a strong and sustainable school partnership, including the best online platforms to use for your international school collaboration. One to one partnerships or cluster groups can also apply for funding to cover a range of activities to share learning. The next funding deadline is 2 December 2020.

Visit the website for more information.

Read more...

SEET's Our World project

24 November 2020 (SEET)

SEET's logo

The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) have launched their annual Our World language learning and filmmaking project. With a specific focus on building a sense of gobal citizenship and cultural understanding amongst participants, the project asks S3-S6 pupils to create multilingual films based on topical issues. Teams of 4 have the chance to create their films at an online workshop with professional filmmakers on hand to provide assistance and practical filmmaking tuition. Films must include at least one language other than English, and should be based on, this year, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

If you are interested in entering a team or multiple teams, please sign up here and ensure your pupils send us a storyboard of their film idea by the revised deadline of January 15th, 2021. Tons more information available on SEET's website, or by emailing alex@seet.org.uk. We look forward to receiving entries!

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Inside the MFL Student Mentoring Project

20 November 2020 (British Council)

The MFL Student Mentoring Project was designed as a response to the ongoing decline in the number of learners choosing to study a (modern foreign) language past the compulsory stage of KS3 in Wales. 

The project focuses on changing attitudes and perceptions of languages by training undergraduate students in four Welsh universities ( Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea) to mentor Year 8 and 9 learners (12-14 years old) in Welsh secondary schools to appreciate the value and benefits of language learning. The scheme has inspired the development of comparable projects in the UK.

Find out more on the British Council Wales website.

Read more...

The Language Ambassadors

19 November 2020 (University of Strathclyde)

photo of the Language Ambassadors

The Language Ambassadors are back……and they have gone VIRTUAL!

Get your pupils involved to discover the joys of learning and being able to use another language by organising a Virtual Language Ambassadors visit to your school!

Our Language Ambassadors are students of French, Italian 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.

This programme is free of charge and provides student role models to promote languages to young people and encourage your pupils to choose languages as part of their high school curriculum.

We can deliver a range of activities online, such as:

  • A virtual 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

From Harris to Hamilton, from Orkney to Paisley, book a virtual visit today by completing our request form!

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

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Fèis Rois launches new songwriting project for young Gaels passionate about the environment

18 November 2020 (The Herald)

Young Gaelic speakers who have a passion for the environment and a talent for songwriting could have their chance to shine, thanks to a new songwriting project launched by Highland arts organisation, Fèis Rois. 

The competition, which is open to applicants until November, Monday 23, is calling on budding Gaelic songwriters from secondary schools across the Highlands to come up with new Gaelic material, connected to the environment and Scotland's landscape. 

Fèis Rois, an arts organisation based in Dingwall, Ross-shire, has collaborated with NatureScot to launch 'Caithream na Cruinne', aimed at emerging Gaelic songwriters who take their inspiration from nature and the current environmental challenges. 

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Scottish Languages Employability Award - videos from pilot schools

13 November 2020 (SCILT)

The Scottish Languages Employability Award (SLEA) aims to help schools and businesses to build partnerships through languages in order to develop young people’s learning about the world of work and the value of language skills.

Videos are now available on our website of two of the SLEA pilot schools talking about their experience of working towards, and submitting evidence for, the award. These include advice from teachers and school co-ordinators, and feedback from pupils who took part in the qualifying events, and would be useful for any teachers considering putting their school forward for the award. Huge thanks to the staff and pupils at St Mary’s Primary School and Bishopbriggs Academy for their fantastic contributions!

The next deadline for submissions is Friday 22nd January 2021. In view of the current restrictions, online events and activities will count towards the award. Please get in touch with Sheena Bell if you have any questions about any aspect of the submission process or if you would like more information about the award generally.

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Our World film making project

12 November 2020 (SEET)

SEET logo

The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) have launched their annual Our World language learning and filmmaking project.

Open to all S3-6 pupils across Scotland, teams of 4 have the chance to create films at a workshop (remotely this year!) with professional filmmakers on hand to help them and provide practical filmmaking tuition. As always, films must include at least one language other than English, and should be based on a set theme, which this year is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

If you are interested in entering a team or multiple teams, please sign up here and ensure your pupils send us a storyboard of their film idea by the deadline of 18 December 2020.

There is lots more information available on SEET's website, or by emailing alex@seet.org.uk. We look forward to receiving entries!

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Oxford German Olympiad 2021

10 November 2020 (Oxford German Network)

The 2021 Oxford German Olympiad run by the Oxford German Network at the University of Oxford is now open.

A range of age-specific tasks can be found on the competition website along with a taster category for entrants with no prior knowledge of German.

All the activities centre around this year's competition theme of Die Alpen.

Visit the website for more information. Closing date for entries: 11 March 2021.

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ELAPSE project resources

10 November 2020 (LFEE)

LFEE is delighted to announce that their 2-year Erasmus+ funded project ELAPSE (Embedding Language into Primary and Secondary Education) has been completed.

Visit the LFEE website for information about the lesson plans and resources, all freely available to teachers around the world. 

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Still & Sparkling: UK-German Youth Newsletter

5 November 2020 (UK-German Connection)

With details of upcoming opportunities, fun language features and inspiring alumni stories the UK-German Youth Newsletter brings young people from both countries closer together and helps them discover both cultures through the eyes of other young people.

Written by young people, for young people, the newsletter is aimed at the 14-25 year old age group and contains content in both English and German.

Young people can read the latest edition and sign up to receive the newsletter on the UK-German Connection website. Here they can also find guidance on how to submit a contribution.

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uTalk Language Games

5 November 2020 (uTalk)

image of uTalk platform

Teachers in Scotland are offered a free trial of an award-winning way of boosting pupils’ spoken language skills which can be used at home or at school.

The uTalk Language Games uses audio of native speakers and interactive games – which run on computers, tablets or smartphones - to boost students’ speaking skills in any of 140 languages including Scottish Gaelic and Scots.

Importantly the uTalk Language Games also give pupils the chance to learn a new language - eg French - from Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Scottish English or 100+ other languages. 

More than 25,000 students have used this language learning method over the last 20 years and for your free trial please contact Vikki at languagegames@utalk.com

Run by London-based education company uTalk, students learn independently by playing language games on their devices, scoring points and competing for ranking on an online leaderboard.

There is no age limit and entry costs £5 per person. For more details see  www.utalklanguagegames.com

Teacher Miss Kaye Smith, who entered pupils in last year’s uTalk Language Games, says: “I was so happy to connect with uTalk which provided the children at The Glasgow Academy with a new, meaningful and challenging way of engaging with languages. I would encourage language practitioners and students to engage with uTalk and all the wonderful possibilities it can offer. It was an enjoyable and enriching experience for all who took part.”

The uTalk Language Games was previously called the uTalk Junior Language Challenge which won the prestigious Threlford Cup from the Chartered Institute of Linguists for making a significant contribution to fostering the study of languages.

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Learn German with the Goethe-Institut

4 November 2020 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut offers a range of initiatives for language teachers and students of German. Here is their latest selection of upcoming opportunities. Click on the relevant link to find out more:

  • Fun Ways to Teach Syntax and Grammar (10 November 2020) - Presentation of a variety of cooperative games and whole class activities which can be easily adapted to different groups at primary level. Register by 9 November.
  • Arsenal Double Club online workshop (12 November 2020) - Open to primary and secondary teachers, the award winning educational programme combining football and language learning will introduce you to their German language learning resources in this online session. Register by 11 November.
  • German Quiz Challenge drop in session (18 November 2020) - This session is to help teachers get to grips with this new and exciting resource for them and their 13-16 year old learners of German. See a presentation of the new German Quiz Challenge app on YouTube.
  • Poetry workshop with world poetry slam champion Harry Baker (27 November and 4 December 2020) - Pupils in Years 10 and 11 are invited to take part in a poetry workshop allowing them to actively use the German language in a fun setting while also getting to know other secondary school students from across the UK. Register by 20 November.
  • Christmas traditions in the German classroom (1 December 2020) - This session for primary teachers will focus on the traditions and rituals around Christmas and how to integrate them into your German lessons. This is a fantastic way to expand cultural knowledge and motivate your students. Register by 30 November.

Youth Webinar Series: Sustainability

3 November 2020 (UK-German Connection)

This November and December, we’re looking to bring young people together virtually, to discuss the effects of recent events upon your outlook and ability to live sustainably:

  • How has Covid-19 impacted you living sustainably? Have you faced challenges, or maybe seen more positive opportunities for change?
  • What individual changes can we now make to live more sustainably? (Do these look different than one year ago?)
  • How can we encourage wider sustainable change within our communities?

This webinar series will focus on the above questions, with a focus on two key themes of food and fashion. Participants will attend two webinars in November/December 2020, as well as a larger online event in January 2021.

If you're aged 14-19, in full-time education in the UK and have an interest in discussing the themes and topics with peers in the UK and Germany visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more and to register your interest by 13 November 2020.

German language skills are not required for the webinar. Some German language elements will be included in the webinar but you don’t need any prior knowledge and/or translations will be provided.

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Bòrd na Gàidhlig calls on young people to help guide Gaelic into a new era

30 October 2020 (Bòrd na Gàidhlig)

Gaelic organisations are asking young people across the country to stand up and be heard as Bòrd na Gàidhlig launch opportunities for their voices to be listened to. 
 
BnG will be running online surveys for young people based on their opinions and ideas for Gaelic usage and how to increase this within their communities. 
 
The two surveys, which will be distributed to schools and community groups, are for Primary 5-7, Secondary pupils S1-S6 and for school leavers. The surveys will run until 15 November as the Gaelic development body collates opinions critical to the future of the language and how young people can help contribute to this across Scotland. 

More information can be found on the attached press release or by visiting the Bòrd na Gàidhlig website.

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Related Files

GlobeScotters – supporting young people to embrace international experiences

29 October 2020 (Young Scot)

British Council Scotland, the Scottish Government and Young Scot are teaming up to deliver 'GlobeScotters' – a campaign encouraging young people to embrace the international experiences available to them.

This campaign is a direct response to COVID-19. It aims to support young people in Scotland to connect with international opportunities available to them, whilst supporting them to maintain an international outlook. 

To find out more about their opinions on international education, experiences and what coronavirus has meant to international opportunities, young people are invited to complete the new GlobeScotters survey, which is live until 1 December 2020. 

Read more...

New drive to bring Arabic into Scottish schools

27 October 2020 (TES)

A new initiative aims to bring the teaching of Arabic into both primary and secondary schools in Scotland.

This week the Scottish primaries involved in a new programme offering an insight into Arabic language and culture will receive boxes of Arabic artefacts, such as books, scarves, musical instruments and tea sets.

Scottish schools are open but movement in and out of buildings remains restricted as a result of Covid-19. Scilt, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, has, however, found a way to bring the wider world to pupils at a time when their ability to travel is also much reduced.

The centre, based at the University of Strathclyde, is offering an insight into Arabic language and culture in 15 primary and secondary schools around Scotland. The courses include online lessons from native-speaking teachers of Arabic in the UK and link-ups with native Arabic speakers overseas.

The centre was keen to make the experience tangible, hence the delivery of the boxes.

Scilt director Fhiona Mackay says: “It’s really important that we encourage diversity in language learning. That’s what the 1+2 approach to language learning [in Scotland] should be all about – particularly language three should be an opportunity to explore languages that otherwise children would not be exposed to. It is absolutely right that they should have the chance to experience a language that does not have the same script or alphabet as Latin or Germanic-based languages.

“We also wanted to make sure that children were getting a view of the Arabic world that was not about war, terrorism or refugees. We wanted them to see there is something quite wonderful about this ancient civilisation and help them relate that back to their own experience in Scotland.”

The courses offer learners the chance to explore the secular culture of Arabic nations and to receive a grounding in the Arabic language, which is a first language in more than 20 countries and the fifth most widely spoken in the world.

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Action on climate change

26 October 2020 (British Council)

British Council eTwinning is offering free live CPD and resources on climate change throughout November. Help your class to tackle #ClimateChange together with pupils from across the world.

Visit the British Council eTwinning website for more information. As well as the Climate Change November programme, you can also find other ready made step-by-step guides to help you start an international project. 

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French Film Festival 2020

23 October 2020 (French Film Festival)

Running from 4 November to 17 December online and in cinemas up and down the UK, the 2020 Fête du cinéma offers a range of films, documentaries and shorts along with a selection specifically aimed at French language learners in schools.

Visit the French Film Festival website for full programme details.

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International Education Week is back from 16-20 November 2020!

22 October 2020 (British Council)

Every November we come together to recognise the value of bringing the world into the classroom and celebrate international work in schools. This year we are excited to be going online. For the first time ever, we are offering a week of fantastic events that you can access wherever you are in the world.

The line-up is packed with online webinars, ideas and activities to keep us connected by learning and enable young people to take action on the global issues that matter to them today. 

So whether it's a session on increasing language uptake in schools that interests you, or learning about other cultures throughout the world, visit the website for more information about the range of free webinars and activities on offer. 

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Secondary school Gaelic immersion study reports positive effects of bilingualism on language and cognition

20 October 2020 (Bòrd na Gàidhlig)

A ground-breaking study into how Gaelic is perceived by secondary school pupils and how it develops their linguistic and cognitive skills found significant benefits of speaking the language alongside a global language such as English.

The immersion study, funded by Bord na Gàidhlig, was led by Dr Maria Garraffa and a team from Heriot-Watt University, together with Prof Bernadette O’Rourke from University of Glasgow and Prof Antonella Sorace from the University of Edinburgh.

They worked together with senior pupils from The Glasgow Gaelic School, the largest provider of Gaelic medium education in Scotland, to find out how our younger generation of Gaelic speakers view and use the language. It examined for the first time particularly whether older teenagers, after 15 years of education in Gaelic, continued to speak Gaelic or what might lead them to stop.

The research revealed that speaking Gaelic does not affect the ability to speak well in English – and that being bilingual provides more opportunities for those fluent in both.

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Time to Move 2020

20 October 2020 (Eurodesk UK)

Covid-19 is no reason to give up on your dream of studying, volunteering, working, or travelling abroad. Many young people have had to change their plans, but this doesn’t mean that the chance is lost forever. Instead, take this as an opportunity to plan and prepare for your trip.

The Time to Move project is back during October 2020 with online and offline events to promote mobility and experience new ways to discover the world. Aimed at young people aged 13-30 the project also provides the opportunity to design a Time to Move themed T-shirt that best represents the spirit of the campaign.

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15-year Anniversary Challenge: Capture Your Connection

20 October 2020 (UK-German Connection)

To celebrate our 15th anniversary, we want to showcase the fantastic connections between the UK and Germany that you have built.

Whether it’s a friendship, tandem partnership, school partnership or youth group exchange or other kind of connection, we’re inviting you to share it creatively and inspire others with your story!

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and submit your entry by 4 November 2020.

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Discovery Film Festival 2020

18 October 2020 (Discovery Film Festival)

Welcome to the 17th edition of Discovery Film Festival – the first to be online – and another collection of the finest films handpicked for young audiences from around the world.

All films in the online festival programme will be accessible from Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November 2020. There's an exciting collection of shorts and brand-new features with accompanying curriculum-linked resource packs. The added benefit this year is that current restrictions and the move online means access to our programme will now be possible for schools across Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The school's programme includes some new shorts for language practice! Visit the festival website for full programme details.

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German Language Competition 2020

9 October 2020 (DAAD)

Das Wort der Zukunft – The word of the future

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Institute of Modern Languages Research (IMLR) are joining forces for the seventh time to invite all learners and lovers of German to take part in a German language competition.

This year’s competition aims to encourage learners of the German language to combine their linguistic creativity with their hopes and thoughts for the future. They say that new words capture the zeitgeist. New circumstances and events encourage us to create new terms to describe the world. Slowly but surely, these new words then become part of our everyday language.

Visit the DAAD website for more information and submit your entry by 8 January 2021.

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International Education Week 2020

8 October 2020 (British Council)

To celebrate International Education Week 2020 (16-20 November), British Council is offering three opportunities for pupils and language teachers:

  1. 'Welcome to the Arab World' webinar - Friday 20 November from 13:30-14:30

In collaboration with the Qatar Foundation International’s (QFI) Arabic Language and Culture programme a second ‘Welcome to the Arab World’ webinar event for upper secondary pupils (Year 9 and above) from any school.

This event will include sessions ‘An Introduction to Arabic language and cultures’, a session with Zaina Erhaim, a Syrian journalist who was reporting on the Syrian war from within Syria. She is currently a refugee in the UK and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)'s Communications Manager. Zaina will speak about her life in Syria before and during the war and as a refugee and a live performance and conversation by Syrian American hip-hop artist Omar Offendum. Now living in Los Angeles, California, Omar is also a designer, poet and peace activist whose work blends Arabic and English words and rhythms.

This event will be a Teams Live broadcast to schools. There will be time for questions from pupils to all the speakers. NB this session is designed for those with no previous knowledge of Arabic

To attend this event, please register by completing our online form

  1. To celebrate International Education Week, British Council and Qatar Foundation International’s (QFI) Arabic Language and Culture programme is delighted to offer two opportunities for primary and lower secondary pupils;
  • An online, traditional, Arabic story-telling workshop for a maximum of 30 participants on Monday 16 November (three slots will be available at 9.00, 10.30 & 13.30).
  • An opportunity to connect your class with a native Arabic speaker through the NaTakallam project  on Tuesday 17 November at 11.00, Wednesday 18 November at 12.00 and Thursday 19 November at 13.00. The speaker will be able to discuss Arabic language and culture with your class, as well as share their own experiences as a refugee.

If you would like to express interest for either of these opportunities please contact TeachingArabic@britishcouncil.org  by Monday 19 October and include your school details. Successful applicants will be chosen at random. 

For more information on the Arabic Language and Culture programme at the British Council please visit our website  or email the team .

  1. Languages for all: how do we get there? A solutions-focussed look at practical steps schools can take to transform MFL uptake and success. 

The British Council and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages are proud to present this webinar hosted by the British Council on Monday 16 November 2020 from 16.30–17.30 GMT on Microsoft Teams.

This event will include the following presentations:

1.    Pedagogy in MFL at KS3 and KS4: ways forward for schools.
Presented by Ian Bauckham, CEO of the Tenax Schools Trust and Chair of the Teaching Schools Council’s Modern Foreign Languages Pedagogy Review.

2.    Successful primary-secondary transition: ways to give students the best possible start in Year 7.
Presented by Suzanne O'Farrell, MFL Consultant, ASCL.

3.    Fresh approaches to bringing languages alive through cultural knowledge and international connections.
Presented by Oliver Hopwood, Languages teacher.

Followed by Q&A and discussion.

Register for the webinar on the British Council website.

Calling all schools hosting a German Language Assistant!

5 October 2020 (UK-German Connection)

*Boost German and intercultural learning in your school with a Cultural Exchange Ambassador*

While travel is out of bounds, give your pupils an authentic taste of Germany: encourage your German Language Assistant to become a Cultural Exchange Ambassador, join a UK-German network and run a class-to-class project with a German school. 

This programme, offered by UK-German Connection, has wide-reaching benefits:

  • Pupils gain an authentic connection to their German peers, helping improve both their linguistic and cultural understanding and increase their motivation
  • Language Assistants learn & strengthen valuable skills, including project management, teamwork & communication, and benefit from peer-to-peer exchange
  • Schools benefit from curricular-focused projects, which connect their pupils with another country, culture & language

“A brilliant initiative by our FLA, thoroughly enjoyed by all participants, most of whom have now opted for GCSE German.” (Head of German department)

More information about the programme can be found on the UK-German Connection Cultural Exchange Ambassadors webpage, where you can also sign up for an online Q&A session on selected dates during October. 

Application deadline: Monday 26 October 2020

For questions and further information, please contact ambassadors@ukgermanconnection.org

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Apply for the new Erasmus+ Key Action 2 deadline

1 October 2020 (Erasmus+)

In response to COVID-19, the European Commission announced a new decentralised call with the deadline of 29 October 2020, 11am (UK time). Schools are invited to apply for Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness (KA226) and Partnerships for Creativity (KA227).

As virtual cooperation opportunities are key to successful partnerships in the Covid-19 context, schools are strongly encouraged to use the eTwinning and the School Education Gateway to find partners and work together before, during and after the project activities. 

Visit the Erasmus+ website to access application forms and guidance documents.

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MTOT is back!

1 October 2020 (SCILT)

SCILT is delighted to announce the launch of Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2020-21!  This exciting competition is now open, and we want to find the next generation of young multilingual poets in Scotland. The competition has been redesigned to suit our new digital era, and we are inviting young people to submit entries focussing on the spoken word.  Videos, sound files, voiceovers, narrated presentations – whatever format fits best, we want to hear the voices of young linguists showcasing their language and poetry skills. It’s a great time to get involved with the creative side of language learning, so visit our MTOT webpages to find out more.

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Action research communities for language teachers: new ECML resource website

28 September 2020 (ECML)

The 'Action research communities for language teachers' website offers resources to support language teachers use action research as a tool for the development of reflective classroom practice, taking them step-by-step through the process of engaging in action research in their respective contexts. It also provides materials for teacher educators in initial teacher education.

Given the challenges teachers and learners have faced during lockdown and the challenges ahead as schools across Europe attempt to return to some kind of normality, the need for teachers to reflect on their practice and to benefit from professional learning communities is greater than ever. These new resources can strengthen teacher development and the provision of quality inclusive language education.

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Competition: ‘Rethinking Languages through COVID-19’

24 September 2020 (MLOE)

The competition invites Year 9 language students (S2 in Scotland)  to do a little bit of research on how COVID-19 has affected an area in which a language other than English is spoken. This could be a language you speak outside of school, are learning independently, or are studying in school. 

Students can work individually or in groups up to four to produce a poster submission based on their discoveries. Further guidelines and information about the competition can be found on the Modern Languages Outreach and Engagement website. Submission deadline: 18 December 2020.

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La Fête du Cinéma d’Animation

24 September 2020 (Alliance Française)

The online animated film festival is back with a selection of Francophone animated films which you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

From Wednesday 14 to Saturday 31 October you can access and stream for free 2 films and 11 short films.

Visit the Alliance Française website for more information.

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European Day of Languages 2020 - competition for schools

21 September 2020 (ALL)

ALLNE, NfLNE and partners are once again organising the annual European Day of Languages Competition for Schools and in 2020 it is again open to anyone! 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: International city.

Submission deadline: Wednesday 7 October 2020.

Visit the ALL website for more information.

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Lessons learned from lockdown bitesize

18 September 2020 (SCILT)

SCILT monthly drop-ins are free, themed virtual events that are open to teachers and student teachers working in Scotland. Drop-ins are an opportunity to share your thoughts on that month’s bitesize resource and/or share your own experience on the theme.

In September 2020, we’re looking at how learning and teaching of languages has evolved through the experience of lockdown. Share your experiences of delivering language education in innovative ways during an unprecedented situation.

Find out more about the sessions on our Bitesize webpage where you can register for the event relevant to your sector. Both primary and secondary sessions take place 4:00-4:45 on Wednesday 30 September.

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Les Pépites internationales

17 September 2020 (Institut français)

The Institut français is partnering with the Salon du Livre et de la Presse Jeunesse (SLPJ) in Montreuil to promote French-speaking children's literature to French learners around the world.

In addition to literary selections for 3-14 year olds and associated teaching materials, videoconferences between classes and several authors and illustrators from the book selection are available during October and November 2020.

Visit the Pépites internationales website for more information.

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Our World film making project

17 September 2020 (SEET)

Our World is a languages and citizenship based film making project for S3 - 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.

Apply now to take part in the 2020-21 project. 

Visit the SEET Our World webpage for more information.

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The Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators

17 September 2020 (University of Oxford)

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

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

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

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Grants for training in Germany 2021

16 September 2020 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut is offering teachers of German grants for courses in Germany in 2021. The courses are aimed at teachers of all levels and offer a variety of topics related to teaching German as a foreign language. So if you would like to improve your lessons and get to know Germany first hand apply now. 

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information.

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SCILT winter newsletter - send us your stories!

11 September 2020 (SCILT)

Do you have a story to share with the languages community?

We are currently taking submissions for our winter 2020 newsletter. This is a great opportunity to promote what has been happening in your school or local authority with regard to languages. We'd love to hear about any exciting or innovative work which took place during school closures, or any new projects being introduced this year. 

We are looking for articles of a maximum of 300 words, with a couple of colourful photos. The deadline for contributions is Friday 2nd October 2020.

Visit our website to read the full submission guidelines, and to view previous editions of the newsletter. Submissions can be sent to scilt@strath.ac.uk

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Spanish teacher toolbox: online workshops to spice up the classes (September-November 2020)

10 September 2020 (Consejería de Educación)

The Consejería de Educación in collaboration with Junta de Castilla y León is offering online training sessions for teachers of Spanish during the months of September, October and November 2020.

The first of the workshops will be on Tuesday 22 September (4:30 pm): “The creative process of the student in the Spanish classroom”. Registration for this first workshop ―which is free of charge― is open until 20 September.

Visit the Consejería de Educación website for programme dates and content of the workshops. 

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CLPL on a theme: bitesize and drop-in professional learning each month

4 September 2020 (SCILT)

From September 2020 to March 2021 the SCILT Professional Development Officers are scheduling a series of themed on-demand and live professional learning that will be open to all in-service and student teachers in Scotland. 

Some months, the theme will be applicable to both primary and secondary teachers, in other months the theme will be sector specific.   

Around the middle of the month, we will post a film or a piece of reading (c.15 minutes) on the SCILT website. Registration will open for the live drop-in on the same theme. 

At the end of the month, the PDO team will host a live drop-in to discuss the bitesize stimulus and the theme in general. The session will last 45 minutes and will feature examples of current practice. Registration is free and open to all teachers and student teachers in Scotland. 

Interested?   

In September we’re kicking off with a theme that’s relevant to both secondary and primary teachers. 

Lessons from lockdown: A look at how our learning and teaching of languages has evolved through the experiences of lockdown. Let’s share our experiences of delivering language education in innovative ways during an unprecedented situation. What works well? What doesn’t? What can we continue to use in post-lockdown practice? Are there methods that actually work better for the “new normal”? 

Watch out for the release of our Lessons from lockdown bitesize film. You’ll be able to watch on demand on the SCILT website from Friday 18 September. 

At the same time, you will be able to register to join the drop-in session at 4pm on Wednesday 30 September. There will be separate drop-ins on the same theme for primary and for secondary teachers or ITE students. 

What’s next?  Themes will be revealed in the first e-bulletin of the month, so you’ll get all the latest details straight to your inbox. 

If you do join in either live or on-demand, you can keep the professional learning conversation going on social media by following and using the hashtags #SCILT_CLPL #SCILT_bitesize #SCILT_dropin.  We are looking forward to connecting with lots of you through this new (to us) approach to professional learning in the coming months. 

European Day of Languages 2020 - how are you celebrating?

3 September 2020 (SCILT)

The European Day of Languages (EDL) is celebrated on 26 September each year. What is your school doing in 2020?

If you're looking for inspiration SCILT has compiled lots of ideas for primary, secondary and parents & families on our EDL webpage. You will also find links to competitions, blogs and websites with a huge range of celebration ideas and activities. 

Let us know how you celebrate and we'll include you in our EDL 2020 blog! Send a short description and some colourful photos after your event to scilt@strath.ac.uk.

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Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2020-21

1 September 2020 (Japan Foundation)

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit making activities which promote Japanese-language education in the UK. Priority is given to projects falling within one of the following categories:

  • Introducing Japanese into the curriculum
  • Supporting GCSE or A-level courses
  • Japanese clubs
  • Projects that enable links between secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and apply by 25 September 2020.

Read more...

CLPL on a theme: bitesize and drop-in professional learning each month

28 August 2020 (SCILT)

From September 2020 to March 2021 the SCILT Professional Development Officers are scheduling a series of themed on-demand and live professional learning that will be open to all in-service and student teachers in Scotland. 

Some months, the theme will be applicable to both primary and secondary teachers, in other months the theme will be sector specific.   

Around the middle of the month, we will post a film or a piece of reading (c.15 minutes) on the SCILT website. Registration will open for the live drop-in on the same theme. 

At the end of the month, the PDO team will host a live drop-in to discuss the bitesize stimulus and the theme in general. The session will last 45 minutes and will feature examples of current practice. Registration is free and open to all teachers and student teachers in Scotland. 

Sound interesting? Themes will be revealed in the first e-bulletin of the month, so you’ll get all the latest details straight to your inbox. We will be revealing our first theme for September in next week’s e-bulletin. 

We are looking forward to connecting with lots of you through this new (to us) approach to professional learning in the coming months. 

Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival (ESFF) - School Programme October 2020

24 August 2020 (Consejería de Educación)

The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival is back for its seventh edition and it includes a School Programme aimed at Spanish learning students (6, 7 and 8 October). 

Due to COVID-19, the regular format has changed to an Online Event: the film will be available for  48 hours. The way this would work would be through a link sent to teachers, allowing them access to watch the films in class within a set time. In this edition, the School Programme films are ‘Los Futbolísimos’ (P7-S2) and ‘Una vez más’ for (S3-S6). 

This programme for Spanish students gives them the opportunity to better their language skills as well as cultural awareness. ESFF has also prepared a set of post-film activities available for students to delve more deeply into films and practice vocabulary. 

Tickets £25 per class. For tickets reservations and further information, please contact info.esff@ed.ac.uk 

SCILT professional learning programme 2020-21 - book now!

20 August 2020 (SCILT)

Are you a local authority officer with responsibility for languages in your region?

Are you a Head of Faculty, Head of Department or Principal Teacher in your secondary school?

Are you a lead language practitioner or primary school leader?

Are you looking for high quality online professional learning for your colleagues?

If so, check out the menu of online workshops that the Professional Development Officers at SCILT can provide for colleagues in your school or department, your cluster, local authority or regional improvement collaborative.

Please note, these online workshops are intended for group bookings only.

As always, we are happy to tailor professional learning sessions to meet your specific needs. Please use the same booking form to request bespoke input and/or online workshops from the menu.

Keep your eye on the e-bulletin for news of other professional learning opportunities we will be offering this session.

Read more...

UK-German Tandem Challenge: Connect, learn, share

19 August 2020 (UK-German Connection)

With the UK-German Tandem Challenge pupils can keep in touch with their German friend, tandem partner or host brother or sister while discovering each other’s cultures, having fun taking photos and educating others, too!

How does it work?

  • Partners discuss topics from our specially designed challenge board, exploring interesting aspects of both cultures together
  • They take photos to display the topics they discussed
  • Pairs write about their intercultural discoveries and submit their findings which will be shared across UK-German Connection channels in the autumn

It’s a great way to get to know someone better or rejuvenate an existing partnership. You could even take part as a class, pairing up with a class at your partner school and allocating a topic per pair.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and how to take part. You don't have to be learning German to join in.

Available until: 15 September 2020

Read more...

French Film Festival UK 2020

18 August 2020 (French Film Festival)

The French Film Festival UK’s Learning programme has always been a class act, bringing French-speaking cinema to thousands of pupils and teachers over the years. In these challenging times instead of welcoming school groups to participating cinemas we will bring the festival to you on either DVDs or blu-rays which can be shown to suit your schedules over a two month period. They will be available from 26 October until 18 December 2020. Accompanying a selection of films for different age groups, teachers can find learning resources online prepared by Lise Morel and Edinburgh Film House.

Visit the Festival website for more information about the programme and to book your dates and titles.

Read more...

StampIT website updated

10 August 2020 (StampIT)

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

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

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

Read more...

Related Files

Host a teacher / Have your say

4 August 2020 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection provide support to schools in the UK wishing to forge partnerships with schools in Germany. The following opportunities are currently open:

Stay international: Host a Teacher from Germany

You can still bring authentic German language and culture to your classroom next year, without going anywhere: welcome a teacher from Germany to any department for 1, 2 or 3 weeks! This free opportunity is now even more flexible; you can host at a time to suit you.

Applications are open throughout the summer period and up to 18 September / 1 December*, and we're here if you have any questions.

Deadlines:

  • 18 September (to host later in the autumn term)
  • 1 December (to host in spring/summer 2021)

Find out more and sign up on the Host a Teacher webpage. 

*Schools unable to host so far this year due to Covid-19 do not need to re-register.
 

Have your say on the future of UK-German opportunities!

In light of the Covid-19 situation and with the changing landscape of international relations, we’re keen to make sure we’re still offering you the right kind of opportunities and support to keep connections with Europe, and in particular with Germany, alive.

We’re reviewing the opportunities and services we offer and would like you to tell us how we can best support you and work with you and your pupils to bring German and Germany alive in your school.

Deadline: 15 September

Complete the form on the Have your say webpage.

Survey - Resources to support SQA Modern Languages

28 July 2020 (Hodder Gibson)

Publishers, Hodder Gibson, are keen to commission new resources to support Modern Languages departments at National 3-5 and would be grateful to hear directly from teachers to establish what they would find useful.

Please help by taking part in the research survey. It will take about 10 minutes to complete.

Read more...

Furloughed Eurostar staff become French teachers

24 June 2020 (BBC)

Eurostar staff furloughed during the lockdown are helping London schools with online French lessons.

Rail staff not currently working, including train drivers, have volunteered to help pupils learning at home online.

Only a limited number of Eurostar's services to France and Belgium are running - and about 30 staff have been helping with French lessons.

Read more...

SCILT professional learning programme 2020-21 - book now!

18 June 2020 (SCILT)

Are you a local authority officer with responsibility for languages in your region?

Are you a Head of Faculty, Head of Department or Principal Teacher in your secondary school?

Are you a lead language practitioner or primary school leader?

Are you looking for high quality online professional learning for your colleagues?

If so, check out the newly published menu of online workshops that the Professional Development Officers at SCILT can provide for colleagues in your school or department, your cluster, local authority or regional improvement collaborative.

Please note, these online workshops are intended for group bookings only.

As always, we are happy to tailor professional learning sessions to meet your specific needs. Please use the same booking form to request bespoke input and/or online workshops from the menu.

We also have lots of other CLPL options ready to launch after the summer holidays too. There will be a mix of anytime and live virtual sessions on a range of interesting themes across the year. All will be open to pre- and in-service primary and secondary teachers.

Keep your eye on the e-bulletin in the new session for news of other professional learning opportunities. In the meantime, the Professional Development team wish you a restful break.

Read more...

Be a positive messenger - Homework challenge: Refugees and migrants

17 June 2020 (British Council)

Inspired by Refugee Week’s 20 Simple Acts campaign, we’ve created a homework challenge to help your pupils find out more about the lives of migrants and refugees, show support, and celebrate the contributions they make to societies around the world. The pack offers the chance to explore other cultures and languages.

Read more...

Coronavirus: French teacher's Hebridean lockdown

9 June 2020 (BBC)

A French language assistant who remained in the Western Isles during the coronavirus lockdown has been praised for the unique contribution she has made to young people's education.

Mathilde Forgerit arrived in Lewis last August for what was her first experience of teaching French abroad.

During the pandemic she has been able to use the islands' digital learning facilities to deliver classes to young people in other parts of Scotland too.

She said that despite being far from her family, the kindness of islanders stopped her from feeling isolated.

[..] Mathilde returned home to France last week, but the comhairle said she had left behind a positive language learning legacy across island schools.

Senior education officer Mary Clare Ferguson said: "She proved to be such an asset and a natural teacher.

"The pupils loved working with her and gained so much insight from a young person about her life in France, her culture and language. She really motivated them to improve their language skills."

Read more...

German Teacher Award 2020

4 June 2020 (German Embassy)

The deadline for nominations for this year's German Teacher Award has been extended to 30 September 2020.

So if you know of an outstanding German language teacher at your primary or secondary school – make sure that their dedication and excellence get the recognition they deserve!

Please note, pupils and teachers themselves cannot submit a nomination. This must come from the headteacher.

Visit the German Embassy website for more information and to make your nomination.

Read more...

Scots Story Competition 2020

3 June 2020 (The Story Is)

Could you be Young Scots Writer of the Year 2020? Enter our fantastic competition for young people aged 11-18 to write a poem, a story, a play or a song in the Scots language.

Visit the website for more information about the competition and submit entries by 24 June 2020.

Read more...

SEET @ Home: Take Two!

3 June 2020 (SEET)

Whilst we are all carry on with our home learning, SEET continues to offer opportunities for pupils to engage in language learning and citizenship projects from home. Due to such a high demand for our new SEET @ Home project, and the quality of entries for the 'Community in Isolation' theme (judgement of films ongoing), SEET is proud to launch SEET @ Home: Take Two! Once again, all pupils need is access to a smart phone or tablet (any device that shoots video), and to download a free app or two! 

This project is open to all ages (both primary and secondary pupils). We invite pupils to make a short film (maximum 2- minutes) based on the theme 'Sustainability at Home'. We also ask that pupils include at least one language other than English in their films, making this excellent opportunity for pupils to develop and showcase their language learning. Our favourite films will win cinema vouchers! 

If you would like to take part, and we really hope you do, then please get in contact with us by emailing info@seet.org.uk and we will send you more information. Alternatively, you can find more information on our website. We have created an online document that includes a suggested timetable, a list of recommended free apps and a few useful filmmaking tips and tricks which we think will really help.

The deadline for these films is Monday 22 June 2020 at 5pm. Please don’t forget to tweet about your experience using #SEETatHome to @SEET_scotland.

Read more...

eTwinning - Online training, workshops and courses

26 May 2020 (British Council)

eTwinning offers various free online professional development at both a UK and a European level. 

Visit the website for a full schedule of online events beginning in June 2020, including a one hour introduction to eTwinning.

Read more...

Connecting Classrooms - Learning for sustainability

26 May 2020 (Learning for Sustainability Scotland)

Get funding to collaborate locally and internationally on the big issues that shape our world.

Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning is here to help you bring Learning for Sustainability and the Global Goals to life for your learners! There are a host of learning opportunities and support on offer through the Connecting Classrooms programme. Whether you are looking for personal development opportunities, or want to collaborate with other schools.

Visit the website to find out more. Next funding application deadline is 15 June 2020.

Read more...

Watch new PowerLanguage Challenge videos

25 May 2020 (PowerLanguage)

Pupils in Scotland have been using their language skills to produce some quality videos. Take a look at these podcasts made by learners, for learners. Why not take up the challenge in your school? 

Read more...

UK-German Photo Competition: ‘Welcome to my World’

22 May 2020 (UK-German Connection)

Travel may be off limits right now, but the exploration of another country and culture doesn’t have to be! UK-German Connection is inviting young people (aged 14-25) from the UK and Germany to give each other a glimpse into their world by entering their 2020 photo competition. Entrants do not have to be learning German.

Entry deadline: 5 June

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and how to enter.

Read more...

Tackling the languages ‘crisis’: Supporting multilingualism in the new curriculum for Wales

13 May 2020 (BERA)

A commitment to languages is front and centre of the Welsh government’s education policies. This is evident in the pledge to achieve 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050 (Welsh Government, 2017) and the Global Futures strategy and plan (Welsh Government, 2016) to build a ‘bilingual plus one nation’. Nonetheless, there remains an alarming decline of uptake of GCSE modern foreign languages (MFL).

What can be done to inspire an uplift for modern foreign languages across Wales in the future?

As a non-compulsory subject beyond KS3, the landscape for language learning in Wales (beyond English and Welsh) has been challenging for the last two decades, with entries for GCSEs in MFL falling by 60 per cent between 2002–2019 (Tinsley, 2019). However, in our article, ‘Multilingual perspectives: Preparing for language learning in the new curriculum for Wales’ (part of a new special issue of the Curriculum Journal), we discuss how the New Curriculum for Wales 2022 could offer hope for arresting and reversing the decline (Gorrara, Jenkins, Jepson, & Machin, 2020).

It focusses on the value of promoting a younger learner’s experience of all languages: Welsh, English and what are now termed ‘international languages’ (encompassing all non-indigenous languages in Wales). In this context, languages are positioned as ‘key to understanding the world around us’ (Welsh Government, 2020).

This commitment to the social and cultural benefits of multiple language learning creates opportunities for schools to diverge from a traditional emphasis on transactional language learning towards a multilingual approach. In our article, we argue that such multilingual practices and methodologies can reinvigorate a younger learner’s connection to languages by making them more dynamic and relevant to our globalised and connected world.

Read more...

SCILT's COVID response: Live streamed classes

7 May 2020 (SCILT)

This Monday (4 May) saw the launch of the first week of language classes, courtesy of our partnership with e-Sgoil. Demand was far greater than anticipated and despite some issues with registration, valid email addresses and technical challenges, hundreds of youngsters from P1 to Advanced Higher took part in a range of interesting classes. We have now had to stop taking new registrations for BGE and senior phase classes in French and Spanish and Give it a Go Italian as classes are full. Spaces are still available for NQ classes in Gaelic, German, Italian and Mandarin. For secondary pupils who would like to try something new, there are some places available on "Discovering the Arabic World". This gives the opportunity to learn a language that is less frequently taught in schools and explore the fascinating cultures of Arabic speaking countries. Spaces are limited and are allocated on a first come basis.  

See the attached timetable with links to enrol.

Related Files

Fancy a PowerLanguage challenge?

7 May 2020 (PowerLanguage)

Get your learners to take the PowerLanguage Challenge and to create short podcasts in order to teach their language as well as share their culture and passion, and to learn from other young people around the world. Watch the existing videos on  www.powerlanguage.school/challenge and find out how to publish your own creation!

SEET @ Home

4 May 2020 (SEET)

Whilst schools remain closed and we all continue to work from home, we will not let COVID-19 interrupt what SEET does and what we can offer you. We love making films and know that many of you do too. So, whilst schools are out, we are asking you to make short films at home, with a little guidance from us. All you need is a smart phone or tablet (any device that shoots video), and to download a free app or two!

Normally we open our filmmaking project up to young people in S3-S6, but this project is open to all ages  (both primary and secondary pupils). We invite pupils to make a short film (maximum 2-minutes), based on the theme 'Community in Isolation'. As always, we want to see pupils using languages; even if it is just a few words, we want to hear it! Let’s share our films far and wide and connect with communities across the globe. Our favourite films will win cinema vouchers!

If you would like to take part, and we really hope you do, then please get in contact with us by emailing info@seet.org.uk and we will send you more information. This includes a recommended timetable that should allow pupils to make these films within one school week, and some useful tips about filmmaking, amongst other things!

To be in with a chance of winning cinema vouchers, the deadline for film submissions is Monday 1 June 2020 at 3pm. 

Don't forget to tweet about your experiences using the hashtag #SEETatHome to @SEET_scotland. Lights, camera, action!

Virtual activities for school partnerships

30 April 2020 (UK-German Connection)

Have you had to postpone your exchange visits due to the Coronavirus situation? Keep your partnership going with some virtual joint activities!

Read more...

The Stephen Spender Prize and Polish Spotlight 2020

28 April 2020 (Stephen Spender Trust)

The 2020 Stephen Spender Prize for poetry in translation and the Polish Spotlight are now open for submissions! There are some exciting changes this year – as part of our aim to make the prize more inclusive and vibrant than ever, we are welcoming translations from rap and spoken word, as well as from BSL poetry. There will also be more prizes and commendations in our youth categories.

Stephen Spender Prize

Translate into English any poem from any language – ranging from Arabic to Uzbek, from Danish to Somali—and win cash prizes! There are categories for young people (14-and-under, 16-and-under, and 18-and-under) as well as an open category for adults

The ‘Polish Spotlight’

This is a special strand of the Stephen Spender Prize for the translation of Polish poems. Open to all UK or Irish citizens or residents, or pupils at British Schools overseas, there are usually three age categories for entrants: 18-and-under14-and-under and 10-and-under. Additionally this year there will also be a 16-and-under category. This year, we are inviting entrants to translate one poem from our curated selection of Polish poetry.

Visit the website for more information about both strands of the competition and submit entries by 17 July 2020.

Read more...

Education Scotland News Digest

24 April 2020 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland's latest news digest is now available to view online. This edition includes resources available to support schools and parents during closures, information about new Gaelic Bookbug stories and the Young Scots Writer of the Year Competition.

Read more...

Live-streamed classes: SCILT support for schools

22 April 2020 (SCILT/e-Sgoil)

SCILT is delighted to have partnered with e-Sgoil to contribute to their national offer of timetabled, live, online classes that will support youngsters of all ages throughout the period of school closures. 

These interactive, real-time classes are all led by experienced language educators on a secure platform. All participants will require is access to a computer and their Glow password.

Aimed at supporting youngsters who are about to enter new senior phase classes, the NQ courses will focus on providing an overview of the year ahead and will develop the skills required for success at each level. Complementing what will be offered by their own schools and classroom teachers, these courses will give young people the best possible start to their new language courses under the present circumstances.

It is equally important that we create opportunities for language learning throughout all stages of the school curriculum. We have, therefore, developed a range of classes in a variety of languages that will appeal to learners at all ages and stages of the curriculum. Interactive, culturally rich and suitable for family learning, youngsters can explore new languages and cultures that might not be otherwise available to them.

Download the attached flyer for the full timetable and links to enrol. 

Please share this offer as widely as you can so that the maximum possible number of children and young people can benefit from this innovative and creative partnership.

Six ways to bring language learning to life at home

21 April 2020 (BBC Bitesize)

Learning a new language is a great way to spend your time while staying at home - even Harry Styles is doing it!

And guess what? It doesn’t have to be all vocab lists and verb tables.

The first stages of learning a language are often all about you and your life - what time you get up, what you have for breakfast, what your dog watched on TV last night…

We checked in with the director of languages at the Share Trust in West Yorkshire, Juliet Park, about how to make our homes the perfect location for language learning.

Here are our top tips for bringing languages to life at home.

Read more...

Language learning resources during school closures

21 April 2020 (SCILT/CISS)

If you are a parent or carer looking for materials to support language learning for your child while the schools are closed, we have compiled a list of materials for children of different ages/stages and in different languages. These resources:

  • are free to access
  • children can do independently and
  • can be enjoyed together as a family

They can be found on the 'Home learning' page of the Parents section of our website.

Read more...

Guidance for home learning

20 April 2020 (Scottish Government)

New guidance to support the home learning of children and young people during the new term has been issued.

It aims to build on the significant amount of positive work that has already been undertaken by teachers and education professionals across Scotland to support learning at home, as well as the advice and resources that are already available.

The guidance covers three main areas:

  • learning and teaching at home: this includes support for digital learning; children who are likely to be disproportionately impacted; and learners with additional support needs
  • parental involvement and engagement: this includes details of local and national support and how local authorities/schools will require a different approach to being updated on a child’s development
  • support for teachers and school leaders: including advice on learning resources; supporting pupils’ and staff health and wellbeing; and on leading colleagues and teams during this period

Visit the Scottish Government website for more information.

Read more...

Competition - Ich habe einen Traum (I have a dream)

17 April 2020 (German Foreign Office)

Are you between 5 and 19 years old? Do you love books and stories? Do you like to write? If so, please take part in our competition and get your prose, short story, essay or poem published in the next Foreign Office e‑book!

Tell us about your dream for the future. 

All entries submitted in German or English will be edited by professionals and accepted in the following age groups:

  • 10 years and under 
  • 11‑14 years
  • 15‑19 years

The deadline for entries is 1 July 2020. The e-book will then be published and launched in August, when it will be available to download for free.

Visit the German Federal Foreign Office website for more information about the competition. You can also access previous editions of the e-book.

Read more...

Pedagogy Professional Learning for Language Teachers

16 April 2020 (Various)

The following resources have just been added to our Professional Learning for Teachers during the school closures web section:

Pedagogy Professional Learning

  • On Education Scotland’s Digital Learning Community blog you will find collections of online resources to support teaching and learning in a wide range of languages. Click on the Gaelic Education Wakelet and the Modern Languages Wakelet. Resources will be updated over the period of the school closures.
     
  • Language teachers adapting pedagogy to online delivery may be interested in two new resources created by the languages education experts at the European Centre for Modern Languages. The Treasure Chest and the Wakelet are packed with resources for engaging activities in multiple languages. Activities are differentiated for multilingual pupils and language learners from pre-school to secondary age and will be updated during the period of school closures.

Supporting Bilingual Learners

Further resources are available on our Professional Learning pages.

Read more...

uTalk Classroom

16 April 2020 (uTalk)

uTalk Classroom - an offer free for all UK secondary schools from now until the end of July. 

  • Choose 3 languages out of over 140, plus EAL if required.
  • An unlimited number of students can use the award-winning uTalk app to play speaking and listening games in over 60 topics. 
  • Works on any standard device - tablets, phones, laptops... online or offline.
  • Each learner has their own account.
  • Teachers get a dashboard to monitor pupil progress and attainment.
  • Easy set-up; we do the work so your students can start learning immediately!

See the attached document for more information.

Interested?

Get in touch - susannah@utalk.com 07749288578 so we can get you up and running straight away.

Related Files

More Gaelic TV from BBC Alba to help pupils in lockdown

14 April 2020 (The National)

Gaelic broadcasting bosses are to show more children’s content to support young speakers while schools are off.

Extra programmes on science, maths and other curriculum mainstays will be shown on BBC Alba from today.

The Gaelic-medium channel already runs children’s shows from 5pm-7pm every day. Additional content will also be available on the BBC iPlayer.

It is hoped that “children won’t even realise they are learning and developing their skills” when watching the tailored material.

Margaret Mary Murray, head of service at BBC Alba, said: “We hope these fabulous learning programmes will offer useful support to teachers, parents and carers and fun learning opportunities for children.”

Read more...

Coronavirus: ‘Pupils need live online teaching’

13 April 2020 (TESS)

Scotland’s e-Sgoil – based in the Western Isles – has revealed its plans to deliver a national timetable of live lessons that will be streamed online in a bid to support teachers and pupils in the wake of the UK wide school closures, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking exclusively to Tes Scotland the e-Sgoil – which has four years’ experience in beaming lessons into schools across the country – said it was hoping to partner with online learning platform Scholar in order to deliver live national qualification lessons in a wide range of subjects, as well as offering some lessons aimed at primary pupils.

Scholar – a partnership between Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and education directors’ association Ades – runs online courses in a range of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher subjects, providing pupils with learning materials and assessments.

Meanwhile e-Sgoil – which was set up to ensure equal access to courses and subjects for pupils irrespective of where they live – has a team of teachers on its books who have experience of delivering remote lessons in real time in everything from Higher physics, to primary Gaelic. This year it has had a presence in 15 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

The plan is to start streaming the lessons incrementally, beginning with maths and languages – thanks to Scotland's National Centre for Languages (Scilt), and Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools.

Together the languages bodies and e-Sgoil plan to offer taster courses in Spanish, Arabic, Italian, Gaelic and Mandarin suitable for primary and secondary pupils, as well as delivering national qualification courses in French, German, Italian, Mandarin and Gaelic.

Read more...

Around the World resources

8 April 2020 (British Council)

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

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

Read more...

SecEd Newsletter

2 April 2020 (SecEd)

The latest edition of the newsletter aimed at secondary educators has just been published and is available online. This issue includes advice on remote teaching and learning.

Read more...

Professional learning for teachers during the school closures

2 April 2020 (SCILT)

Are you a teacher, a student teacher or aspiring student teacher? Are you looking for some professional learning to do online, at your own time and at your own pace?

Visit our professional learning pages to view our collated list of courses, webinars and materials that are free to access. Scroll down to the 'Professional learning for teachers during the school closures' section.

Read more...

uTalk Language Games

1 April 2020 (uTalk)

In case you are looking for fun language learning activities for your schools - we've responded to the need for home learning with a competition, called the uTalk Language Games, the format gives entrants access to any one of our languages -  pupils and teachers from the same school or class can learn together and compete, learning the same language - tracking their scores and rankings on a leaderboard exclusive to their group.

The competition builds on our award-winning Junior Language Challenge competition (JLC) which has helped more than 25,000 children learn languages over the last 15 years, but is now open to all - this has resulted rather amusingly in people of all ages, from grandchildren to grandparents competing against each other - spread around the country - indeed world ... entrance is £5, $5 or €5 and the competition runs until the end of July 2020.

Read more...

Online beginner Mandarin classes

30 March 2020 (CISS)

banner advertising upcoming online Mandarin beginner classes

Related Files

Coronavirus: Taking small steps into online learning

28 March 2020 (TES)

The huge amount of 'free' apps and online learning offers can feel overwhelming. Here are seven simple steps to follow.

Read more...

SecEd Newsletter

26 March 2020 (SecEd)

SecEd is the voice of secondary education. Their latest bulletin has a focus on teaching and learning during the Coronavirus pandemic, with a range of advice and links to numerous resources for teachers continuing to practice in schools and parents who are now homeschooling.

Read more...

The 1+2 Languages Leadership Programme 2020 - **CANCELLED**

26 March 2020 (SCILT/Education Scotland)

Unfortunately, due to the current uncertainty relating to COVID-19, it has been decided with careful consideration to cancel the Summer School this year.
SCILT and Education Scotland will continue to work closely and plan for next summer 2021. Further updates will be communicated in due course.

SCILT and Education Scotland's flagship national leadership programme has been running since 2014 and was recognised at GTCS Excellence in Professional Learning Awards in 2017 and 2018.

Read more...

Supporting online learning - links for practitioners

25 March 2020 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland has compiled resources and links which are intended to support practitioners in developing online opportunities for learning at home. There are resources for all areas of the curriculum which will be supplemented as time goes on. See the Supporting Online Learning webpage on the Education Scotland website.

Read more...

COVID-19: SCILT and CISS update

24 March 2020 (SCILT/CISS)

Given last week's announcement about the cancellation of the exam diet, the SCILT and CISS teams are refocusing their efforts on supporting the BGE. Officers are currently collating high quality, freely available, online materials into an easily accessible section of the SCILT website. Teachers, parents and youngsters  will be able, therefore, to find interesting resources and activities in a range of languages, appropriate to their age and stage, all in one place. As you can imagine, this is a huge task, but we are determined to have it completed by mid-April. 

In addition, we are currently in discussion with our friends at e-Sgoil so we can provide live streamed classes in Mandarin suitable for beginners in both primary and secondary school stages of the BGE. More news about this and other language learning opportunities via e-Sgoil will be announced nearer the time. 

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Young Scots Writer of the Year Competition 2020

16 March 2020 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland has a fantastic competition for young people aged 11-18 to write a poem, a play, or a song in Scots Language. The competition is run in partnership with Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Government, Scots Hoose and Hands up for Trad.

Visit the competition website for more details and submit entries by Wednesday 24 June 2020.

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Bring the world into your classroom

13 March 2020 (TES/British Council)

We believe every young person should have intercultural and international experience. As the UK’s cultural relations organisation, the British Council creates opportunities for schools and teachers in the UK and worldwide to connect and work together to share ideas and practices.

Our range of international education programmes can help develop teaching skills with funded professional development, connect schools across the globe and bring language learning to life.

TES and the British Council have joined forces to explore different ways to bring the world into the classroom and open the door to a host of international learning opportunities.

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Never Such Innocence competition

10 March 2020 (Never Such Innocence)

For the 2019/20 academic year, the Never Such Innocence competition will be bigger than ever! We have expanded our focus to include all conflicts throughout history and today, and have broadened the age range to 9-18. We are also delighted to open a new speechwriting category!

This year’s theme is ‘The Impact of Conflict on Communities’ – We invite young people all across the world to write a poem, speech, or song, or create a piece of art reflecting on how a conflict has or is affecting a community. This conflict could be past or present; international, national or local.

Entries can be in any language.

Visit the competition website for more information and submit entries by 20 March 2020.

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German Teacher Award 2020

6 March 2020 (Education Scotland)

The German Embassy is looking for nominations for the German Teacher Award 2020.

Scottish schools have been notable by their absence from this competition, but thanks to the new German Consul General in Scotland, we are now firmly placed to have our fabulous German teachers in the running for this!  

So if your primary or secondary school has an outstanding German teacher who deserves recognition, visit the German Embassy's website or see the attached flyer for more information about the award and how to submit a nomination by 10 April 2020.

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Vacancy: Professional Development Officer

3 March 2020 (SCILT/CISS)

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

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

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

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

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

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eTwinning Spring Campaign - Climate Change and Environmental Challenges

2 March 2020 (eTwinning)

We are launching the eTwinning Spring Campaign around the annual theme of Climate Change and Environmental Challenges on 2 March.

Our Spring Campaign in 2020 celebrates eTwinning and eTwinners on a local level while raising awareness on climate change and environmental challenges.

During this campaign, eTwinners are encouraged to get inspired by the annual theme and to create on-site events in their schools and the classrooms! Activities and resources are aimed at both experienced eTwinners and newcomers.

Visit the website for more information about how to get involved.

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Nihongo Cup 2020

2 March 2020 (Japan Foundation)

Last chance to apply for this year's Nihongo Cup, the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students.

Finalists will be invited to perform their speech at the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford in front of a panel of judges and VIPs from the field of Japanese language education and Japan-UK relations, for the chance to win some fantastic prizes – including a trip to Japan!

Visit the website for more information and to download an application pack. Closing date is 20 March 2020.

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Francophone culture teaching and learning materials

2 March 2020 (University of Stirling)

An English and French fourth-year student at the University of Stirling is carrying out research for her final year dissertation on the representation of the francophone cultures in the French language learning materials of S1/S2 and S5/S6 and the role of culture teaching in French language classes. For this investigation, she has prepared an interview for secondary French teachers asking about the French language learning materials they use in class, the way they teach culture and the cultural aspects that they teach.

If you would like to support her research, please complete the questionnaire.

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Exclusive: DfE funds undergrad MFL GCSE volunteer force

28 February 2020 (TES)

The Department for Education has backed a deployment of specially trained undergraduate MFL mentors in secondary schools designed to boost the number of pupils studying languages at GCSE.

The Language Horizons Mentoring Scheme, which is led by Cardiff University's School of Modern Languages, has been awarded a £430,000 grant from the DfE and involves degree students are working with Year 8 and 9 students either through face-to-face or digital sessions.

[..] During a recent pilot in ten schools in South Yorkshire, 53 per cent of students who took part went on to choose a modern foreign language at GCSE, and most said it "changed the way they think about languages in relation to their future lives" say scheme organisers.

(Subscription required to access full article)

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Language Linking Global Thinking 2020-21 - registrations now open

28 February 2020 (SCILT)

Applications are still being taken for this programme with the intention of it running as planned in session 2020/21. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
 
SCILT is now inviting schools to register their interest in taking part in the Language Linking Global Thinking project for session 2020-21. 
 
The project links students on their year abroad with primary and secondary schools. Students communicate with a designated class in their partner school during the course of the year to illustrate how enriching it is to spend a year abroad using a language other than English. 
 

While the student is abroad they keep in regular contact with the partner school using blog posts, emails and other resources. The correspondence between student and class brings the language alive for pupils and shows them the real relevance of learning a language. New for this year - you can now be linked with a CISS scholar spending a year in China! Just complete the registration form with 'Mandarin' as your preferred language for a link. 

Key points for teachers

  • Please note this is a two-way correspondence, and schools are expected to reply to blog posts, submit questions, and fully engage with their link student. 
  • A representative from the school, ideally the class teacher using the link, must attend the training afternoon on 12th June in Glasgow. 
  • There is no cost for schools to participate in the programme, however schools will need to cover travel costs for teachers attending the training session. Students are expected to visit their link school before they go abroad, and schools may wish to help with the travel costs for that visit.

Visit the LLGT webpage for more information on Language Linking Global Thinking, and to read some of the student blogs from previous years.

Please note places are limited. Please email scilt@strath.ac.uk to request a registration form. 

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Creativity with Languages in Schools: bringing research into the classroom

27 February 2020 (Creative Multilingualism)

Having already featured some of the inspiring work of the Creative Multilingualism initiative on episode 3 of the #mfltwitterati podcast, I was delighted to have the opportunity to attend one of their recent free events at SOAS in central London in person to find out more, writes Joe Dale.

The day focused on the theme of creativity in languages in schools and showcased the work that the Creative Multilingualism team of researchers have carried out with secondary and primary schools since the start of the project, encouraging students to engage more creatively with language learning.

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Gaelic CLPL Opportunity - Streap: Postgraduate Certificate in Gaelic Medium Education

24 February 2020 (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig)

The fully funded Postgraduate Certificate in Gaelic Medium Education (Streap) is a Master’s Level qualification of 60 credits at SCQF Level 11. 

The programme is aimed at Gaelic speaking GTCS registered teachers (nursery, primary or secondary) who are seeking Gaelic medium education CLPL, or those who are currently in English medium education and who wish to further develop their skills, knowledge and understanding in order to teach in Gaelic medium education. 

Visit the website for more information and apply now for September 2020 start.

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French pop video competition 2020

24 February 2020 (Institut français)

Do you think you could sing or rap in French? Do you have the skills to make a video clip for your song? If so, this competition is for you!

The competition is open to any student or groups of students in full time education in the national-curriculum primary and secondary schools of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the Channel Islands, in 3 age-group categories: 7-11, 12-15, and 16-18.

Entries should be original compositions around 3 minutes long and must be performed in French.

Visit the competition website for more information and submit entries by 3 April 2020.

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Cuts to teacher subject advisers could explain declining exam results

23 February 2020 (Brinkwire)

Cuts to subject specialists, advisers and teacher support networks may be the cause of falling exam results, according to a new report.

An analysis of the falling exam pass rates, published on Thursday evening by the Scottish Government, also cites an growing gap in attainment between the richest and poorest pupils in the country.

Bridging that gap, as well as improving education standards, has long been a key priority for the Scottish Government, which critics now argue they have failed on.

Last night, trade unions and experts spoke out about the contents of the report which had been commissioned by Education Secretary John Swinney last year.

[..] The number of teachers who are specialists in their fields has also declined in the past decade, which has been cited by trade union chiefs as part of the decline in standards.

Figures obtained by the Herald in 2018 show that between 2008 and 2018, the number of subject specialists in secondary schools in Scotland had fallen by 11 per cent overall, with some areas seeing as much as a 44% fall in numbers.

The number of English teachers had fallen by 20% in the decade up to 2018, while the number of French teachers had plummeted by 32%.

German teachers fell by 44%, maths teachers by 15% and general science teachers had declined by 11%.

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Education Scotland Modern Languages Newsletter

21 February 2020 (Education Scotland)

The latest edition of Education Scotland's newsletter for Modern Languages is now available to view online. This issue includes links to the second suite of resources to support progression from Second to Third level.

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Makeathon: Deutsch Digital 2020

19 February 2020 (Goethe-Institut)

There are different opinions on what good media-based foreign language teaching should look like in the 21st century. In 2020, seven Goethe-Institutes in Northwest Europe will be carrying out a project that deals with this problem and wants to address the following questions:
 
Does digitalisation enable customized learning opportunities? Do digital learning opportunities motivate German learners? Should modern foreign language teaching be project-oriented and multidisciplinary? Does the use of technical devices such as tablets automatically make teaching modern? Does internal differentiation work better with digital media? Does foreign language teaching contribute to the development of media literacy?
 
The aim of our project is the development of digitally supported, task- and action-oriented teaching scenarios for German lessons.

The highlight of the project is a multi-day Makeathon (from 13 to 15 May 2020) in Germany. During the Makeathon, you will work with German teachers from the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Norway to develop scenarios for your German lessons with the support of experts. After the Makeathon, you will try out the teaching scenario you have co-developed in your German lessons.
 
Would you like to be part of the Makeathon and develop teaching scenarios together with other German teachers? There are four places available for teachers in Scotland. Apply until February 28, 2020!

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Le Grand Quiz de la Francophonie 2020 - Spécial Québec

18 February 2020 (Francophonie UK)

Vive la Francophonie Quiz is back!

Last year's quiz was a huge success, with more than 787 entries (individuals or collectives) around the UK. 

This year the quiz is prepared by the Québec Government Office in London, together with the group Francophonie UK;  so expect lots of question about la Belle Province, and not only about poutine, maple sirup, circus or Céline Dion!

There will also be the same number of questions about la Francophonie and french speaking countries.

The quiz is a fun way to test your French (or the French of your students) and learn more about the culture of the 88 countries part of l'Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)!

This quiz is open to UK learners of French in the United Kingdom. For the first time, we are also introducing a new category open to anyone living in the UK (all ages). Here are the categories:

● UK Secondary Schools : KS3 pupils (S1,S2, and S3 in Scotland) - can enter as teams or individuals

● UK participating Alliances Françaises and Instituts Français : all students, teens and adults

● UK people interested in French and French speaking countries

Registration is open until 13 March 2020. The quiz will be available online during la Francophonie week, from 14 to 22 March 2020. 

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

17 February 2020 (BBC)

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

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

See the video.

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Gaelic Sports Leader SCQF Level 4 Award

14 February 2020 (Highland Council)

A Gaelic sports leader’s level 4 will be running in Plockton High School for pupils aged 13+ between Monday 30 March and Thursday 2 April (3 overnight stays).

The feedback from previous courses has been positive and this gives participants a great chance to enhance their leadership whilst also using Gaelic as the tool to do this.

There are up to 16 places available (8 Highland 8 Western Isles to begin with but this could be flexible depending on demand).

The course is free of charge and all accommodation and hot food is provided - breakfast, lunch and dinner all served at the hostel which is on site at Plockton High School.

See the attached flyer for more information and the booking form.

eTwinning 2020 Annual Theme - Climate Change and Environmental Challenges

12 February 2020 (eTwinning)

Supporting the European Green Deal, eTwinning acknowledges that students of today are the adults of tomorrow most likely to experience the effects of climate change. That is why it is imperative to learn to live sustainably in order to counteract climate change and other environmental challenges.

2020 is the year of 'climate change and environmental challenges' for eTwinning. It's free to sign up, meet and partner with teachers from schools in 44 countries and start an international classroom project.

See the website for more information and get involved.

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Issue to action: Teaching toolkit for a fairer world

11 February 2020 (Scotdec)

An online course for secondary school teachers across Scotland with an interest in Global Citizenship Education.

From the comfort of your own home, at a time and location that suits you, you can take part in the Issue to action in a way that fits around your other commitments.

Open to all Scottish Secondary school teachers of Maths, English, Modern Languages, Science and Social Subjects, Issue to action will connect you with a network of teachers across Scotland and equip you with the skills to teach your subject through a Global Citizenship lens. You’ll come away having undertaken a minimum of 12 hours of CLPL and a subject-specific toolkit of classroom activities, along with inspiration, ideas, a network of like-minded practitioners and practical activities that will empower you to teach through a global citizenship lens.

The course kicks off with a face-to-face meet up of all teachers involved across Scotland on 21 March 2020 in Edinburgh. The remainder of the course is delivered digitally.

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Funded summer courses in Germany - applications now open!

6 February 2020 (UK-German Connection)

We offer three summer course opportunities for pupils and teachers, all combining language-learning with cultural trips and excursions, as well as staying with host families. All are part or fully funded. Follow the appropriate link to find out more about each course.

Application deadline for each programme: 1 March 2020.

If you have any questions about the courses, don't hesitate to get in touch with the UK-German Connection team at pupilprogrammes@ukgermanconnection.org

The Linguacuisine ‘LinguaChef’ Prize 2020

3 February 2020 (Newcastle University)

The LinguaChef Prize will be awarded to the person who uploads the best language learning recipe using the Linguacuisine recipe author software during the period 1 February to 15 June 2020. The prize consists of a payment of £200 plus a LinguaChef Gold Certificate. There are 2 runner-up prizes with £50 each plus a LinguaChef Silver Certificate. All will feature on the front page of all Linguacuisine media and the recipes will be promoted around the world on the website.

The language learning recipe can involve learning any language and any recipe. Entry to the competition is open to all and is free.

Visit the website for full details and submit entries by 15 June 2020. For any queries regarding the competition, contact Professor Paul Seedhouse - paul.seedhouse@ncl.ac.uk.

(PLEASE NOTE, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE LINGUACHEF COMPETITION PREVIOUSLY RUN BY SCILT.)

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Science Specialist Confucius Classroom / Beyond the Panda

29 January 2020 (RZSS)

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

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

The German Olympics (IDO)

28 January 2020 (Goethe-Institut)

The German Olympics (IDO) is the biggest competition for the German language. Every two years over 100 students from all around the world meet to compete in their most beloved foreign language.

We are happy to welcome the German Olympics for schools worldwide to the United Kingdom in 2020 for the third time. The competition is open to secondary school students born between August 2002 and July 2006.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information about eligibility and how to enter the competition. Submission deadline is 27 March 2020.

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Espacios Increíbles 2020 – Get your school involved!

24 January 2020 (SCILT)

Following the successful pilot last year, this exciting competition, using Spanish, design team work and creativity is now officially open to secondary schools across all local authorities in Scotland to take part in this year.

Aimed at S3, learners will work in teams to research and design a building in a Spanish speaking area. They will present their design in Spanish, and then go forward to represent their school at national level. The finalists will take part in a live event at the University of Strathclyde where their designs will be judged by industry professionals and academics. The winners (as part of their prize) will have their model made in 3D by the School of Architecture.

This highly motivating project for learners has had a positive effect on uptake in the senior phase for those schools who participated in the pilot in 2019. The skills focus delivers on key aspects of Developing the Young Workforce. The learner materials that are designed to fulfil evidence requirements for achieving Level 4 Benchmarks are available on the SCILT website, and can be easily adapted to suit your chosen group. 

Visit the Eventbrite page to find out more and register your interest by Friday 27 March 2020. 

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German Educational Trainees Across Borders 2020/21

23 January 2020 (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz / SCILT)

Expressions of interest are now being taken from local authorities who would like to host a German student teacher for a 6 month placement during the 2020/21 school session.

German trainee teachers from Universities in Mainz, Leipzig and Koblenz are available to work in Scottish schools for a six month placement from September/October 2020 to March/April 2021. Participating students are native German speakers, training to become secondary teachers of English. 

German Educational Trainees (GETs) support language teaching and intercultural understanding, bringing language alive for learners with a trained and motivated native speaker. 

Local authorities interested in hosting GETs should register with SCILT by Friday 31st January. For more information and to register your interest please contact SCILT

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Language competitions

22 January 2020 (RZSS)

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

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

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

Scottish Education Awards 2020

16 January 2020 (Education Scotland)

If you haven't already done so, make sure you get your nominations in for the 2020 Scottish Education Awards! The awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education.

The annual event recognises those who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcases the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.

Among the wide range of categories are the awards for Gaelic Education and the Internationalism and Languages award. 

Visit the Scottish Education Awards website for further information and to submit your nomination by 14 February 2020.

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Erasmus+ funding for UK schools – apply now!

14 January 2020 (British Council)

Want to inspire your students and teachers – and help them to succeed?

The Erasmus+ 2020 Call is now open for applications. Erasmus+ offers funding to UK schools for life-changing international opportunities. You can apply for one or more of the following funding streams:

  • School Education Staff Mobility (Key Action 101):
    Application deadline - 5 February 2020 at 11am (UK time)
    School staff can teach, train or job shadow abroad - to develop their professional practice, build relationships with international peers and gain fresh ideas.
  • School Exchange Partnerships (Key Action 229):
    Application deadline - 24 March 2020 at 11am (UK time)
    Pupils and students can take part in international exchanges and study experiences, and staff can do training and teaching assignments overseas - to develop new skills, get inspired and gain vital international experience.
  • Strategic Partnerships for School Education (Key Action 201):
    Application deadline - 24 March 2020 at 11am (UK time)
    Schools can collaborate with international partners - to drive innovation, share best practice, and offer new opportunities to young people.

The funding is open to UK schools and colleges providing general, vocational or technical education to pupils aged 3 – 18 years. Local and regional authorities, school coordination bodies and consortia can also apply.

Please visit the website to find out more and apply for Erasmus+ schools funding now.  Any questions? Please contact the Erasmus+ UK National Agency at: erasmusplus.enquiries@britishcouncil.org.

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Discover the Arabic world – A unique experience for Scotland’s schools

10 January 2020 (SCILT)

SCILT, in partnership with Qatar Foundation International and eSgóil is currently looking for ten state schools in Scotland who would be interested in opening the door to the Arab world with an innovative new pilot project. 

The collaboration will provide an opportunity for both primary and secondary schools to offer L3 learning experiences in Arabic language and culture.  Courses will be co-created by the SCILT team and a specially commissioned writing team of native speakers, with language lessons delivered online by a native speaker of Arabic via e-Sgoil. For learners in primary schools the course will be offered as a ten-week inter-disciplinary block of learning.  For secondary schools, the course will focus on developing employability skills and be aimed at S6 senior phase learners who are seeking to enhance their language learning experience and their CVs.  Participating schools will also receive the support of a fully-trained, native speaking, language assistant. The lessons will give learners the chance to explore aspects of Arabic culture as well as providing a solid linguistic foundation for learning the world’s fifth most spoken language.

In addition to teaching support and professional learning opportunities, schools participating in the pilot phase will also receive a grant of £2000.  This can provide schools with resources and experiences that enhance and support the language learning and promote a positive experience of Arabic culture.

If you would like your school to be considered to take part in the pilot, please note your interest at SCILT scilt@strath.ac.uk before close of business on Friday 31 January 2020.

School Partnership Bursaries for 2019-20

9 January 2020 (UK-German Connection)

Did you run any activities with your German partner school last year?

School partnership bursaries are available once more to help you to keep your UK-German partnership alive.

All you need to do is answer a few short questions about your partnership activities last year and your plans for 2020.

For further details and to enter your information, please visit the UK-German Connection website and submit your information by 31 January 2020. 

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Learning foreign languages should be compulsory, says report

9 January 2020 (The Guardian)

Learning a new language should be compulsory for pupils up to the age of 16, according to a new report highlighting the UK’s recent abysmal record in encouraging young people to study languages other than English.

The report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) cites an EU-wide survey showing that just 32% of young people in the UK say they are able to read or write in more than one language, compared with 79% of their peers in France and more than 90% in Germany.

The report calls for the overturning of the government’s 2004 decision to drop compulsory study of languages at key stage four – when pupils take GCSE exams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – which has led to a steep decline in the numbers in England going on to study languages at colleges and universities.

It also recommends that the government should start subsidising the teaching of languages at universities, “in light of declining enrolments and growing vulnerability for lesser taught languages”, for strategic and cultural reasons.

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UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO)

7 January 2020 (UKLO)

UKLO is a competition for students who are still at school (or equivalent college) – any age, any ability level, where competitors have to solve linguistic data problems. It’s free to enter and offers participants the chance to be the team selected for entry in the International Linguistics Olympiad. In recent years the UK teams in the international competition have been very successful.  

Round 1 of the competition takes place 3-7 February 2020.

To find out more and to register to take part, visit the UKLO website.

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French Pop Video Competition 2020

6 January 2020 (Institut français)

Do you think you could sing or rap in French? Do you have the skills to make a video clip for your song? If so, this competition is for you!

The competition is open to any student or groups of students in full time education in the national-curriculum primary and secondary schools of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the Channel Islands, in 3 age-group categories: 7-11, 12-15, and 16-18.

Entries should be original compositions around 3 minutes long and must be performed in French.

Visit the competition website for more information and submit entries by 3 April 2020.

Read more...

Nihongo Cup 2020

2 January 2020 (Japan Foundation)

Applications are now open for this year's Nihongo Cup, the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students.

Finalists will be invited to perform their speech at the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford in front of a panel of judges and VIPs from the field of Japanese language education and Japan-UK relations, for the chance to win some fantastic prizes – including a trip to Japan!

Visit the website for more information and to download an application pack. Closing date is 20 March 2020.

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Why we offer Mandarin and Spanish, not German and French

20 December 2019 (TES)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Note - subscription required to access full article).

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Chinese New Year

19 December 2019 (British Council)

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

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

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

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

Read more...

European Language Gazette Issue 49

19 December 2019 (ECML)

The latest issue of the European Language Gazette is now available.

The e-newsletter provides up-to-date news about the ECML (events, projects, resources), other relevant sectors of the Council of Europe, as well as our partners. The current issue is dedicated to the ECML 25th Anniversary Conference "Languages at the heart of learning: 25 years of inspiring innovation" (Graz, Austria, 5-6 December 2019), the forthcoming resources resulting from the ECML programme 2016-19 "Languages at the heart of learning programme" and the launch of the new programme 2020-23 "Inspiring innovation in language education: changing contexts, evolving competences".

Read more...

School partnership bursaries

16 December 2019 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection is again offering bursaries of £1,000 to help keep UK-German school partnerships alive. The bursaries can support pupil visits and joint activities taking place in 2020.

Visit the website to find out more and submit your application by 31 January 2020.

Read more...

Secondary students urged to learn foreign languages to boost career prospects

6 December 2019 (Irish Times)

Some 3,000 students attended an event in Dublin’s Convention Centre aimed at highlighting the personal, social, professional and economic benefits of language learning.

While most Irish students study foreign languages in school, surveys show Irish adults lag behind other Europeans in language competence.

Karen Ruddock, director of Post Primary Languages Ireland, said the global dominance of English has given rise to the mistaken belief that “English is enough”.

This, she said, can result in complacency and a lack of motivation to learn other languages.

“Today’s event is about delivering a message that learning a foreign langauge will create more work opportunties, more chances to make friends and have great life experiences,” she said.

Read more...

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

6 December 2019 (CISS)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jackie Killeen, Director, British Council Scotland said;

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

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

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

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

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

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

photos from the Mandarin Speaking Competition

The German Olympics (IDO)

6 December 2019 (Goethe-Institut)

The German Olympics (IDO) is the biggest competition for the German language. Every two years over 100 students from all around the world meet to compete in their most beloved foreign language.

We are happy to welcome the German Olympics for schools worldwide to the United Kingdom in 2020 for the third time. The competition is open to secondary school students born between August 2002 and July 2006.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information about eligibility and how to enter the competition. Submission deadline is 27 March 2020.

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Professional learning - Issue to action: Teaching toolkit for a fairer world

4 December 2019 (Scotdec)

Scotdec offers this online course for secondary school teachers across Scotland with an interest in Global Citizenship Education.

Open to all Scottish Secondary school teachers of Maths, English, Modern Languages, Science and Social Subjects, Issue to action will connect you with a network of teachers across Scotland and equip you with the skills to teach your subject through a global citizen lens.

From the comfort of your own home, at a time and location that suits you, you can take part in the Issue to action in a way that fits around your other commitments.

Visit the website to find out more and register your interest for the Spring cohort.

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Scottish Education Awards 2020

4 December 2019 (Scottish Education Awards)

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education.

The annual event recognises those who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcases the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.

Among the wide range of categories are the awards for Gaelic Education and the Internationalism and Languages award. 

Nominations are now invited.

Visit the Scottish Education Awards website for further information and to submit your nomination by 14 February 2020.

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SCILT professional learning menu - available for booking!

29 November 2019 (SCILT)

The SCILT professional learning menu for 2019-20 is available for booking. Authorities, clusters or schools may be interested in booking one or more from our range of workshops for primary, secondary and BGE. 

Remember all of our professional learning sessions are free to book by teachers and local authorities. You find a date and a venue and get in touch with us.

Details of the workshops available and how to submit a request are on the professional learning pages of our website. 

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SCILT Christmas 2019 webpage now live

29 November 2019 (SCILT)

Are you looking for ways to bring the festive season to your languages classroom?

SCILT have compiled a range of online resources for use with your pupils, from songs and games to lesson plans and festive facts. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in France, Germany, Spain and around the world!

Read more...

‘Know your place, show your place’ photo competition

28 November 2019 (Queens University Belfast)

This competition invites you to consider the linguistic ‘ingredients’ that make up place-names, and capture elements of these as they exist today in a photo

  • Entries welcome from individuals and schools
  • Cash prizes for both categories
  • Easy to enter, email some details and the photo to townlands@qub.ac.uk
  • Closes 31st Dec
  • Funded by the ‘Language Acts and World Making project

Visit the website for more information.

Read more...

Education Scotland Gaelic Newsletter

20 November 2019 (Education Scotland)

The November 2019 edition of Education Scotland's newsletter for Gaelic Medium Education is now available to view online.

Topics in this issue include:

  • National Improvement Hub resources to support GME in the curriculum
  • Music and wellbeing resources
  • Professional learning and leadership opportunities
  • Early years support
  • Sharing effective practice to support improvement

Read more...

SEET school competitions reminder

20 November 2019 (SEET)

Have you registered your school yet for either of the competitions run by the Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET)?

The Euroquiz project is open to all P6 pupils across Scotland and 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 commence January 2020.

Our World is a film making project for S3-S6 pupils asking them to use modern languages to express thoughts on topics such as migration and sustainable tourism through the media of film. Deadline for storyboard submissions is 3 December 2019.

More information about each project and how to register can be found on the attached document or visit the SEET website.

Read more...

Related Files

Hour of Code 2019

19 November 2019 (Turn It On)

The ‘Hour of Code™’ is an initiative by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org to introduce millions of students to one hour of computer science and computer programming and this year will be celebrated in Computer Science Education Week, 9th – 15th December 2019. Try a one-hour tutorial designed for all ages in over 45 languages. Join millions of students and teachers in over 180 countries starting with an Hour of Code.

Now in its fourth year there are even more resources out there for schools to use free of charge. The Hour of Code initiative is a really good opportunity for schools that are not that confident in following the computing curriculum to try it out with students for just one hour as well as some good activities for those that are already teaching it. 

On the Hour of Code website there are activities created by many partners for a variety of subjects so that you can bring an hour of code into any lesson, for students, and teachers, of any ability.

Read more...

Spanish stamp competition

7 November 2019 (RZSS)

RZSS and partner StampIT have launched a great new Spanish competition. It's a fantastic activity which covers many curriculum objectives all starting with just one postage stamp. Tell the story of a Spanish stamp. Full details about the competition and how to enter are on the attached pdf leaflet. This activity links to the RZSS & StampIT Spanish language pack (but you don't need the pack to enter).

The competition will continue to run each year, therefore there is no time limit for entries. Entries will be entered as appropriate to the current year competition, so schools can just send in when complete. All age levels can enter in primary and secondary.

Related Files

International Education Week 2019

5 November 2019 (British Council)

International Education Week takes place 18-22 November 2019, and British Council has a range of ways to help your school #BeInternational.

International partnerships have changed the lives of pupils in thousands of schools. Pupils who have learnt new languages, developed their understanding of different cultures, and discovered more about the global issues that affect us all. Here are some of the ways you can participate in International Education Week 2019:

  • Take the #BeInternational languages quiz 
  • Enter our Unexpected Voices speechwriting competition
  • Partner with a school in Europe through eTwinning 
  • Partner with a school outside Europe with Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning 
  • Download The Great Languages Challenge and get your students to design their own challenges for their classmates or peers in their partner school overseas.
  • Apply for funding to take your students on an international exchange
  • Get recognised for your international work through the International School Award . 
  • Share your international activity with us using the hashtag #BeInternational 

Visit the British Council website to find out more.

Read more...

Entries sought for Scots writing competition

3 November 2019 (Grampian Online)

Entries are being sought for an annual Scots language writing competition.

The Keith branch of the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland are looking for entries for the Charles Murray Writing Competition, which encourages the passing down of the Scots language from generation to generation.

The competition was launched to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Murray, an Alford-born poet, and is now into its sixth year.

Work entered into the competition can be prose or poetry and can be written about anything – but has to be in Scots. The competition is open to anyone, of any age, but must be written by two or more people of different generations – for example mother and daughter or grandfather and grandson.

Read more...

FOKUS: Films from Germany 2019-20

30 October 2019 (Goethe-Institut)

The fifth edition of FOKUS: Films from Germany runs from 21 November 2019 to 31 January 2020. Screenings will take place at various venues throughout Scotland. The programme includes two school screenings of 'the Resistance'. The film is suitable for pupils aged 12+ and is screened in German with English subtitles.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for full programme details.

Read more...

School competitions for learners of German

28 October 2019 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut currently has the following opportunities for schools teaching German. Click on the relevant link for more information:

Visit the main Goethe-Institut website for more information about the organisation and the full range of activities offered.

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Concours de la Francophonie

28 October 2019 (Institut français)

The Institut français d'Ecosse has launched their annual Concours de la Francophonie for schools, which aims to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland to celebrate the international day of la francophonie.

​All Scottish primary and secondary schools offering French may enter this competition by submitting a short video of a classroom activity in French.

Entries can be submitted in four categories: P1/P4 - P5/P7 - S1/S3 - S4/S6.

The submission deadline is 20 January 2020. 

This school competition is sponsored by TOTAL E&P, the Franco Scottish Society and is organised in partnership with the Alliance française de Glasgow, SALT, SCILT and the University of Edinburgh.

Visit the Institut français website for more information and to discover previous competition winners.

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Get ready for Hallowe'en!

25 October 2019 (Various)

A selection of spooktastic activities to celebrate Hallowe’en in the languages classroom:

do your :bit competition

22 October 2019 (British Council)

There’s a new opportunity for Connecting Classrooms partnership schools – the do your :bit competition!

do your :bit is a coding competition, which encourages children and teenagers to combine creativity and technology in solutions for the Global Goals, using BBC micro:bit handheld computers.  

The partnership resource has been produced to help schools collaborate on the do your :bit design challenge and enter the competition. Completing this unit together will give pupils opportunities to develop core skills in digital literacy, critical thinking and problem solving, creativity, communication and collaboration, and citizenship. 

Visit the British Council Connecting Classrooms website to find out more about the competition and how to get involved.

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Prestigious Scottish school to open Chinese campus

22 October 2019 (ECNS)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Espacios Increíbles/Amazing Spaces – Case Study

21 October 2019 (SCILT)

Modern Languages and Design & Technology teachers in five secondary schools across three challenge authorities collaborated with staff and students of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde during session 2018-19. The result was a highly competitive design challenge for sustainable homes in Latin America.

A Case Study of the project has been produced and is available for schools through the SCILT website.

Moderation templates were created using the benchmarks. These have been uploaded onto the SCILT website and can be found together with all the resources from the project

French Film Festival 2019

17 October 2019 (French Film Festival)

The 27th French Film Festival takes place throughout the UK during November and December 2019.

Visit the Festival website to discover screenings near you. Educational packs are available to accompany the following films:

  • La Famille Bélier
  • Gus petit oiseau, grand voyage
  • Une colonie

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Unleashing the creative potential of linguistic diversity in our classrooms

15 October 2019 (Creative Multilingualism)

Many of our students are already multilingual, but our classrooms often don’t reflect this. In our action research project, we were amazed by the transformation that occurred when we invited students to use their home languages in class.

Imagine walking into any science or humanities-based lesson in a UK school or elsewhere in which all of the students are engaged in the same task yet using different languages. For most of us that would probably be an unusual sight. Yet we have to ask ourselves why. Why does this seem such an unlikely scenario when our schools commonly serve a multicultural and multilingual student body with home languages that are not English? If we are to promote multilingualism and encourage students to learn languages other than English, shouldn’t we also value and welcome all the languages that already exist in our school communities?

Think of the wealth of knowledge and intercultural exchange as well as language learning opportunities that students from different backgrounds can bring to the classroom. Also, when charged with the education of children whose primary home language is not English, we need to consider how we can facilitate and encourage our students’ development in their home language too. Multiple longitudinal studies by UNESCO have consistently revealed that a student’s academic proficiency in their home language plays a significant role in their success in additional language learning and across the whole curriculum.

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Discovery Film Festival 2019

8 October 2019 (Discovery Film Festival)

This year's Discovery Film Festival takes place from 19 October to 3 November. Now in its sixteenth year, the festival brings another selection of the best films for young audiences from around the world. With several native language films on offer, and a programme for schools, language learners have a great opportunity to test their listening and comprehension skills.

Read more...

eTwinning – what it is and why UK educators should get in quick

4 October 2019 (London Connected Learning Centre)

London Connected Learning Centre’s Peter Lillington reports back from last week’s UK eTwinning Conference.

If you’re a UK educator of 3-19 year olds and you haven’t yet heard of eTwinning – get up to speed and get in quick (and certainly before 31 October). eTwinning is a free online community for schools in Europe and some neighbouring countries, which allows you to find partners and collaborate on projects within a secure network and potentially access Erasmus+ funding.

This fantastic initiative is supported in the UK by the British Council and of the 670,000 registrations on the platform, more than 27,000 are teachers from the UK. Take a look to get a flavour of some of the projects that show the power of online international collaboration between schools: from coding, robotics, Lego and laughter to challenging perceptions on migration, language learning, history and inclusion.

Read more...

Professional Development in Germany

3 October 2019 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut is again able to offer a number of grants to teachers for training in Germany. The offer is aiming at German teachers just embarking on their career, as well as at teachers expanding their commitments to GCSE and A-level. Those who train German language teachers are also able to benefit from the variety of courses.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and to apply.

Read more...

Modern Languages Newsletter - October 2019

3 October 2019 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland's latest Modern Languages Newsletter is now available online. This edition includes an update on 1+2 policy on the delivery of L3 in the secondary context.

Read more...

Into Film Festival 2019

3 October 2019 (Into Film)

The Into Film Festival is a free, annual, nationwide celebration of film and education for 5-19 year olds.

Taking place from 6-22 November 2019 in various locations across the country, film titles will include premieres and the latest blockbusters alongside old favourites, documentaries, animations, short films, modern foreign language titles and much more, all mapped against curricula from across the four UK nations, and supported by the Festival's various educational resources.

Visit the website to discover screenings near you.

Read more...

Oxford German Olympiad 2020

3 October 2019 (Oxford German Network)

The Oxford German Olympiad competition 2020 is now open!

The 2020 theme is Natur und Technik.

There are four age categories with different competition tasks for each, which can be found on the competition webpage. There is also a category for group/class submissions as well as a Discover German - Taster Competition for those with no prior knowledge of the language.

Visit the website for full details. Submission deadline is 13 March 2020.

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School links in Spain 2019-20

30 September 2019 (Consejería de Educación)

Looking for a partner school in Spain in the 2019-20 academic year? The Spanish Embassy Education Office in the UK and Ireland can help. They will only promote the links between schools. Any actions decided upon by the schools will be their exclusive responsibility. 

Visit the website to find out more and to make an enquiry.

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Want to boost language learning? Be creative

27 September 2019 (TES)

Could the recent slump in modern languages entries be down to students being put off by boring texts? Researchers Suzanne Graham and Linda Fisher put this idea to the test, and found that a broader range of literature and more creative teaching reaped rewards.

Describe your living room. Tell me about your local town. What is in your pencil case?

These requests are not the most inspiring starters for a conversation. They certainly would not inspire you to overcome the struggles of learning a new language in order to communicate your ideas and opinions: who wants to wax lyrical about the number of hairdressers and bakers in their home town?

And yet such functional questions are frequently used in language learning in the UK. We suspect that this is driving potential learners to boredom and leading them to ditch languages altogether. Are we right? Our research project, Linguistic Creativity in Language Learning, should tell us. It is exploring the impact of using poems (about such themes as love, death and migration) and different teaching approaches (“creative” versus “functional”) on 14-year-old language learners’ motivation and creativity levels.

Before beginning our classroom-based research, we wanted to understand why pupils weren’t choosing to continue with language study to GCSE level and beyond. We asked around 550 French and German learners (14-year-olds) whether they planned to continue studying languages in the future and what they thought of language learning. We also used a metaphor elicitation task to gain a greater understanding of how they viewed language learning, asking the pupils to finish the following sentence: “Learning a language is like …”

The results showed that, contrary to popular belief, most thought that it was important to learn a language, but this did not have an impact on whether they intended to continue with language study. What did impact on their decisions was instead whether they could imagine themselves using the languages in their future lives, and how confident they were in being able to express their thoughts and feelings in the language.

The metaphors revealed the learners’ lack of efficacy or self-belief in being able to achieve in language learning: “Learning a language is like trying to ice skate – I keep falling over and can’t get the hang of it”; “Learning a language is like trying to fly … I just can’t do it”.

We wanted to see whether we could alter this negative self-perception regarding language learning by using creative teaching methods and texts. Could putting the emphasis on feelings and emotions (through the exploration of creative texts), rather than just on grammar and vocabulary, have an impact on a language learners’ efficacy? And what would be the effects on other aspects of language learning, such as vocabulary development?

We devised an intervention where we compared text types (literary versus factual) and teaching methodologies (creative versus functional). Briefly, in the creative approach, learners engage with the text primarily on the level of personal, emotional and imaginative response. In the functional approach, the focus is on the text as a vehicle for teaching language, vocabulary and grammar, and for developing the skill of identifying key information in a text on a factual level.

The first step was to find poems suitable for use with Year 9 learners. We chose six for French and six for German, in consultation with the teachers involved in the project.

We then modified another 12 authentic texts so that they contained the same core vocabulary and grammar structures as the other chosen poems and were of a comparable difficulty level.

Next, we conducted baseline tests so that we could track the impact of the teaching materials and methodologies.

Then, in collaboration with language teachers, we developed around 50 PowerPoint presentations and lesson plans in French and German for the intervention phase. The themes we covered included some not often featured in language-teaching materials – for example, love, death and war. In the creative approach, we addressed them in some unusual ways.

[..] Based on findings from the research, teaching materials that combine both a creative and a functional approach will be uploaded and freely available on the Creative Multilingualism website.

(Note - subscription required to access full article).

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French classes in Glasgow

24 September 2019 (Alliance Française)

The autumn term has now started at the Alliance Française in Glasgow. Below is information on some of the upcoming events and activities this session. Click on the appropriate link for more information:

To find out more about the full range of courses and activities on offer, visit the Alliance Française website.

Read more...

Newsletter for Gaelic education

24 September 2019 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland has published their latest Gaelic education newsletter. This edition includes information on the following:

  • New educational resources
  • Leadership programmes 
  • Sharing effective practice - workshops and resources
  • Professional learning opportunities
  • Links to information and resources from partners supporting Gaelic in the curriculum

Access the newsletter online.

Read more...

Magical Christmas Trips for primary and secondary schools - deadline reminder: 24 September

19 September 2019 (UK-German Connection)

Apply for funding of up to £10,000 for a Christmas trip to a partner school in Germany this year!

These visits offer primary pupils the chance to get a taste of Germany at Christmas time, meet their German peers and get involved in some seasonal cultural activity. Secondary pupils have the opportunity to brush up their German and develop their skills as young leaders.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information.

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Maths Week Scotland – Maths wi nae Borders

19 September 2019 (Maths Week Scotland)

As part of Maths Week Scotland, pupils of all ages can participate in the 'Maths wi nae borders' competition, which requires students to respond to one of the questions in either Gaelic or Scots.

The competition is inspired by 'Mathématiques sans frontières'. North Lanarkshire Council, the University of the West of Scotland and Heriot Watt University work together to encourage young language learners to apply their knowledge in a Maths setting.

This stimulating and light-hearted competition for secondary schools combines Maths and Modern Languages and aims to motivate pupils in both their Maths and Language Learning. The first question requires an explanation in a foreign language. 

Teachers look out for the e-mail inviting you to take part in 'Mathématiques sans frontières' in January 2020.

Meanwhile get your classes involved this Maths Week in the 'Maths wi nae borders' competition. Entry deadline 18 October 2019.

Visit the website for more information.

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Our World film making project has launched for 2019-20

18 September 2019 (SEET)

Want to get pupils more engaged in language learning, global citizenship and encourage uptake? Are you keen to improve their confidence and win an award or two? Then get involved!

SEET’s popular Our World film making project has now launched for the 2019-20 year! Our World uses film making and global citizenship as a means to help pupils explore and improve their use of foreign languages. It’s totally free, and all you have to do is sign up. Last year over 70% of participant pupils said they were more likely to continue with their study of languages after taking part.

Teams of four, from S3-S6, need to come up with a creative idea for a film based on one of this year's themes and submit their storyboard by 3 December 2019.

See the attached flyer or visit the website for more information.

Read more...

Related Files

Reigniting the love of languages

17 September 2019 (Erasmus+)

With multilingualism being a key ingredient in making your CV stand out from the crowd, language skills are in high demand.

As well as boosting employability, learning a language also helps people to become more culturally aware, and can even improve cognitive skills in observation, memory and creativity.

In the UK less than half of the working age population can speak a foreign language. The BBC reported earlier this year that foreign language learning was at its lowest level in UK secondary schools since the turn of the millennium.

However, the Erasmus+ programme, which supports language learning in schools, is making a difference by providing funding to UK schools to run vital international activities. 

Ahead of the European Day of Languages on 26 September, let’s take a look at the UK language landscape and how Erasmus+ is helping school staff and pupils to reignite their love of languages.

Read more...

British Council Mandarin Speaking Competition 2019/20

10 September 2019 (British Council)

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

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

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

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

Entry deadline: 14 October 2019.

Read more...

UK-German Connection - Back to School Newsletter 2019

9 September 2019 (UK-German Connection)

As the new school year gets underway, find out about the latest selection of initiatives from UK-German Connection in their autumn newsletter.

This edition includes information about the following opportunities:

  • Host a Teacher from Germany in 2020
  • Youth Seminars in Germany
  • Magical Christmas trips
  • UK-German bears - Alex and Ben

Read more...

Working together for Languages evaluation report

6 September 2019 (AHRC)

UCMLS, SCILT and AHRC's evaluation of four collaborative language promotional initiatives is now available. The Working Together for Languages report covers the impact of these initiatives on learner attitudes and uptake in secondary school after a three-year collaboration from 2014-15 up to 2016-17. The report can be accessed on the AHRC website.

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Host a teacher from Germany

5 September 2019 (UK-German Connection)

There are just over two weeks left to register for this free CPD opportunity to host a teacher from Germany for 1, 2 or 3 weeks in spring/summer 2020.

What are the benefits?

  1. Choose your own timings - it's flexible and fully funded!
  2. Enhance the intercultural dimension in your school community
  3. Share best practice on an international level
  4. Boost speaking confidence in your classrooms
  5. Create a connection with a German school

Deadline: 20 September 2019 to host in spring/summer 2020.

Visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more and to apply.

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International school exchange facilitated seminar

27 August 2019 (British Council)

Would you like to set up a student exchange visit but don't yet have a partner school?

For schools looking for a partner school, we still have a few spaces available on our seminar in Germany in the Autumn term 2019, designed to allow schools to set up a partnership and plan your exchange.

All arrangements will be made by the British Council and travel, accommodation and meal costs will be covered.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply by 13 September 2019. Be quick, spaces are extremely limited!

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Our World film making project 2019-20

23 August 2019 (SEET)

Our World is a languages and citizenship based film making project for S3 - S6 pupils run by the Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET). It's designed to complement the curriculum for excellence and attainment challenge by providing a free project, which uses an interdisciplinary approach to encourage pupils to become more engaged in their language learning.

Participants submit a storyboard outlining the film they propose to make. This year's films should explore the idea of global citizenship and touch on one or more of the following themes:

  • Migration and welcome
  • Sustainable Tourism
  • Trade

The film must also include the use of a language other than English. Entry deadline is 3 December 2019.

Schools wishing to take part should visit the SEET website for more information and to register.

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Beyond the Panda resources - update

19 August 2019 (RZSS)

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

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

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Related Files

Discovery Film Festival 2019

15 August 2019 (Discovery Film Festival)

Discovery is Scotland's International Film Festival for children and young people. Taking place from 19 October to 3 November 2019, the Festival is in its sixteenth year and brings another selection of the best films for young audiences from around the world. With several native language films on offer, language learners have a great opportunity to test their listening and comprehension skills.

Teachers visit the Festival website to take a look at the programme for schools. The programme contains information about associated CPD sessions taking place during August and September which you can attend prior to your school visit.

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EU Code Week 2019

14 August 2019 (European Schoolnet Academy)

Are you keen on bringing innovation to your classroom but don't know where to start? Why not get involved with Code Week this October? Teachers from all subject areas with no prior experience of coding are invited to join the EU Code Week - Deep Dive MOOC run by the European Schoolnet Academy. The five-week course begins on 16 September 2019. Enrol and discover how you can incorporate coding into your subject lessons.

Visit the website for more information.

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Into Film Awards 2020

13 August 2019 (Into Film)

The Into Film Awards is the best place to showcase young filmmaking talent, with categories designed to highlight the large pool of young creatives in the UK. Setting out to discover and honour the most talented filmmakers, reviewers, Into Film Clubs and educators, we encourage children and young people aged 5-19 from all backgrounds and with all abilities to get involved.

The 6th annual Into Film Awards will take place in March 2020, and this year sees some exciting new changes. Entering the Awards now not only gives you the chance to be nominated and join us at our star-studded ceremony in London, but this year, every single verified submission will also be entered into a prize draw to win £1,000 worth of filmmaking equipment for the filmmakers, film clubs or schools!

Visit the Into Film website for more information about the award categories and submit your entry by 6 December 2019.

The site also contains a wide range of films and teaching materials, including a selection for the languages classroom.

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Inclusion in Practice: The CIRCLE Framework - Secondary

13 August 2019 (Education Scotland)

Inclusion in Practice is a badged professional learning module which has been designed to support equitable professional learning on inclusive practice for education practitioners in secondary schools and local authorities in Scotland.​

It is based on The CIRCLE Framework, a collaboration between practitioners in Edinburgh City, Queen Margaret University and NHS Lothian, that has been adapted for modular learning by Education Scotland.​​

Visit the Education Scotland website for more information about the resource and how to use it to improve practice.

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Bring the world into your classroom

8 August 2019 (TES/British Council)

We believe every young person should have intercultural and international experience. As the UK’s cultural relations organisation, the British Council creates opportunities for schools and teachers in the UK and worldwide to connect and work together to share ideas and practices.

Our range of international education programmes can help develop teaching skills with funded professional development, connect schools across the globe and bring language learning to life.

TES and the British Council have joined forces to explore different ways to bring the world into the classroom and open the door to a host of international learning opportunities.

Visit the TES and British Council websites to access a wide range of resources and information.

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eTwinning free 'Culture in a Box' resource

8 August 2019 (eTwinning)

British Council is giving away free classroom resources to UK teachers to help kick start an international project. Culture in a Box is a ready-made, easy-to-run project, making it easy for your class to exchange aspects of UK culture with that of another school in one (or more) eTwinning countries. The resource is designed to help you to kick start an international project with pre-prepared, cross-curricular activities spanning key stages one to five.

Register on the eTwinning platform before 15 September 2019. The 'Culture in a Box' ready-made resource will then be posted to your school in September.

Visit the website for more information.

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Language travel still popular for UK students, with Spain gaining foothold

8 August 2019 (The Pie News)

Despite headlines reporting drops in language studies in schools across the UK, youngsters from secondary schools around the UK are continuing to travel overseas in busloads, educational tour operators have said. And Spain – and its language – is becoming increasingly popular.

However, concerns surrounding Brexit and safety have caused issues of their own, and the lower uptake of languages at GCSE level is reflected in language travel industry trends.

The British Council’s Language Trends 2019 report found that entries for GCSE languages had declined by 19% over the past five years. French and German GCSE candidate levels saw reductions of 30%, the report explained.

“Spanish language trips are getting very close to the demand for French language”

At A-level, between 2017 and 2018, German was down by 16%, French by 7%,  and Spanish by 3%. However, provisional entry figures for 2019 show Spanish candidate numbers increasing by 10% and French increasing by 4%.

German instead is set to continue to fall by 2.5%.

Of the 776 primary schools and 845 secondary schools surveyed for this report, 8% said they had offered school trips abroad in the previous year.

In last year’s survey, that number was 12%, but more respondents were included in the 2019 report.

Michelle Evans, head of product & marketing at educational tour operator NST noted that a large proportion of its language trips were for students under GCSE age.

“Teachers are trying to engage the students in lower secondary years in languages, so that they can encourage them to take that subject at GCSE,” she told The PIE News.

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New for 2019-20! SCILT series of professional learning webinars

24 May 2019 (SCILT)

New for session 2019/20, a series of SCILT professional learning webinars.

These webinars offer an alternative to our face-to-face workshops. Practitioners may wish to get together to participate in the live streaming of events which will include opportunities for online discussion. Alternatively, the recorded version can be used as a stimulus for collegiate discussion, in-service days or as part of individual practitioners’ professional development.

Registration will be advertised via the weekly SCILT e-bulletin and on the National Modern Languages Hub prior to these publicised dates.

  • Glow login will be required
  • Recordings will be available to watch again on National ML Hub under the Anytime Learning tab

Keep an eye on our e-bulletin and social media channels for details of how to register for these webinars in the new session. 

New job profile on the SCILT website

9 November 2018 (SCILT)

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

We have a new profile from David Cant, Managing Director of Albion (Overseas) Ltd, a company which helps UK businesses to enter the Russian market. After learning French and German at school, David tells us that he took up Russian by chance at university - a choice which became life-changing.

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

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Survey: Education & careers abroad with #Globescotters

7 November 2018 (Young Scot)

As part of Scotland’s Year of Young People, Young Scot have partnered with British Council Scotland to encourage you to embrace the international experiences available to you at home and abroad as part of our joint campaign, ‘GlobeScotters’.

In this short survey we want to find out your thoughts on all things international when it comes to education and careers abroad!

Visit the website and complete the survey by 17 December 2018 to earn reward points!

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Slump in school language learning hits Scottish universities

6 November 2018 (The Herald)

The number of students from Scotland learning a modern language at university has fallen by more than 500 in the past five years.

New figures show 3,400 students chose languages at a Scottish university in 2016/17 compared to nearly 4,000 in 2012/13.

The decline, which shows numbers are falling for German, French, Russian and Spanish, has sparked fears Scotland will become increasingly isolated in the world, particularly following Brexit.

This summer, opposition politicians called on the Scottish Government to launch an inquiry into the decline in the number of pupils studying modern languages at school.

The drop has been blamed partly on curriculum reforms which mean pupils experience a broader education in the first three years of secondary.

That means exam subjects are chosen a year later than previously with a shorter time to prepare - resulting in some subjects getting squeezed out.

Professor Vicente Perez de Leon, Head of the School of Modern Languages at Glasgow University, said the school squeeze was hitting university recruitment.

And he argued language learning at school should be protected and resourced to ensure numbers increase.

“Languages are something that can open possibilities for employment abroad or having better jobs here,” he said.

“They can open minds and allow students to make connections with new people, new cultures and new literature. It should be a priority within the curriculum.”

Dr Dan Tierney, an independent languages expert, said the decline was also fuelled by the closure of some university departments.

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Report on language provision in Modern Foreign Languages Departments 2018

2 November 2018 (UCML)

The UCML has issued a new report on the language provision in UK modern languages departments.

The report investigates the provision of language modules (ie modules whose object of study is language) in MFL departments alongside models of collaboration between Languages departments and Institution-Wide Language Provision (IWLP) in UK universities. 

Read more...

Related Links

Modern (Foreign) Languages: time to rename? (University of Oxford blog, 8 November 2018)

New job profile on the SCILT website

2 November 2018 (SCILT)

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

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

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

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International Education Week 2018

29 October 2018 (British Council)

Teachers and school leaders in the UK and across the world are being encouraged to bring the world into their classrooms to celebrate International Education Week (IEW).

Each year, the British Council encourages schools to celebrate International Education Week to promote the benefits of international collaboration, languages and cultural exchange. During International Education Week, 12-16 November, The British Council is focusing on global communication and particularly language learning, believing these skills are more important now than ever. That is why this year’s theme is ‘Be International’.

Visit the British Council International Education Week website to find out more about how your students can take part in the Great Schools Online challenge and to access the IEW teaching resources.

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Open eTwinning: Project-Based Learning and the Community for Schools in Europe

28 October 2018 (School Education Gateway)

Join this course to learn about eTwinning and how it can help you design a project-based learning experience for your students in cooperation with colleagues across Europe and beyond. During the course, you will learn about the principles of project-based learning and how to start a project in the eTwinning community.

Throughout the activities, we will look at the entire life cycle of a project, starting with the initial idea, including finding a partner and negotiations to design a common project, and ending with the implementation and evaluation of the project. We will include principles of project work and collaboration, as well as the educational use of various ICT tools that facilitate project work. We will also look at the social aspect of collaborative projects, showing eTwinning not only as a platform in which to implement educational projects, but also as a meeting place between colleagues, an environment where we can share ideas and participate in various professional development activities.

Visit the website for more information and to enrol on the free course, commencing 5 November 2018.

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Grants for UK-German activities

25 October 2018 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a number of grants for joint activities between schools and youth groups in the UK and Germany.

The next deadline is approaching, so if you have any projects taking place in 2018-19 for which you'd like funding, visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and apply by 31 October 2018.

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Calls for Scots children to be taught Chinese and Urdu

24 October 2018 (The Scotsman)

A new study suggests more pupils could learn Chinese and Urdu as part of a shake up in learning foreign languages.

The independent think tank, Reform Scotland, has published a report calling for a fresh approach to be taken towards the education of languages in Scottish schools.

The report indicates a practical model of learning should be introduced to help adapt to changing demand.

The number of Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) entries in “traditionally taught” languages has decreased over the last 20 years, with entries for higher grade French down by 18.2% and entries for German at the same level reduced by 58.4%.

In contrast, entries for higher Spanish exams increased by 219.8% increased over the same period, while Chinese entries have increased by 17.8% in the past two years.

Reform Scotland argue this highlights a changing global economy, with Asia seen as a growing economic market.

The report also calls for an end to distinctions between “community” and “modern” languages so that learning reflects the increasing number of communities in Scotland speaking languages such as Polish, Arabic and Urdu.

Reform Scotland Director Chris Deerin said: “If we want to see genuine growth in language skills in Scotland, rather than just paying lip service to the idea, we need to rethink our approach.

“There is a danger the languages currently on offer within the education system are not keeping up with Scottish or global society.

“We need to think much more freely - as many other countries do - about how best to equip ourselves to thrive in the modern global economy. Brexit, the shift of power from West to East, and Scotland’s pressing need to secure greater economic growth, all demand fresh ideas.”

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ELAPSE – Embedding Languages across Primary and Secondary Education

23 October 2018 (ALL)

In September, we received some fantastic news from the British Council – ALL is part of a successful KA2 ERASMUS +application and along with our partners has been awarded funding for the ELAPSE project.

ELAPSE (Embedding Languages Across Primary and Secondary Education) aims to develop primary and secondary language teachers’ awareness of CLIL and soft CLIL methodology transnationally and build teachers’ confidence and expertise to adopt a cross-curricular approach to the planning and delivery of language lessons. It will involve the creation of a good practice guide as well as resources for teachers of English, French, German and Spanish as additional languages while focusing on Literacy, Numeracy, STEM subjects and Health and Wellbeing. There will also be an online course and training opportunities for teachers in participating countries.

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Get ready for Hallowe'en!

23 October 2018 (Various)

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

Schools awarded the European Quality Label 2018

23 October 2018 (eTwinning)

We are pleased to announce the schools awarded the European Quality Label 2018! A total of 1204 projects received the Quality Label for their outstanding work. See the list of the distinguished schools, teachers' name and the project that got them their Quality Label.

Congratulations to all the Scottish schools on the list who have been recognised with an award!

If you'd like to get involved with eTwinning and collaborative projects with schools overseas, visit the website to find out how you can get involved and be rewarded with a Quality Label for your school.

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Pupils teach us why it’s important to learn about other countries

16 October 2018 (British Council)

This year, pupils from Kinlochbervie in the Scottish Highlands took part in our Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning programme by partnering with Sachangwan Secondary School and Nguzu River Primary in Kenya. 

The distance between the schools, which we are reliably told by Kinlochbervie students is exactly 4623 miles as the crow flies, didn’t stop students speaking, giving tours of their schools and teaching each other about their culture.

Via letters, and a video directed by S1 pupils, Kinlochbervie students told their Kenyan peers about otters, lochs, shinty, fishing and snow. In a video response, the Sachangwan students showed off their impressive school grounds, sang, and planted trees in honour of the partnership. There were dance performances on both sides and in footage yet unseen by British Council Scotland, the Kenyan students learned to ceilidh dance.

However the partnership didn’t stop at school tours and dancing. The Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning programme , delivered by the British Council in partnership with the Department of International Development, provides teachers with the resources and training to teach internationally. As part of this, partnered schools work together on a project focusing on one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Kinlochbervie and Sachangwan students chose to focus on gender equality, exploring the issue as part of their Modern Studies (High School) and Citizenship (Primary School) courses. In the summer, P5-S2 pupils hosted an event in Kinlochbervie to celebrate their work on the project. The event featured live performances from the Scottish pupils and video performances by Kenyan pupils around the gender equality theme.

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Language Perfect Northern Championships 2018

12 October 2018 (Education Perfect)

Raise the profile of languages at your school. The competitive element threaded through Education Perfect can excite and engage even the most unenthusiastic students!

The championships are a brilliant chance for revision of vocabulary and celebration of achievements in language learning. Students compete live and online from computers and iPod/Android apps.

The competition runs from 6 - 13 November 2018 and registration is now open!

Visit the website for more information.

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Book Week Scotland 2018

12 October 2018 (Scottish Book Trust)

Book Week Scotland is a week-long celebration of books and reading that takes place every November. This year's event is taking place from Monday 19 – Sunday 25 November 2018.

There are a range of events, some with specific appeal to Gaelic and Scots readers. Visit the website to find out more on these and other ways you can get involved. Why not host a foreign language reading club or book sale?

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Our World film making project 2018-19

11 October 2018 (SEET)

SEET’s popular Our World film making project has now launched for the 2018-19 year! Our World uses film making and language learning as a means to help pupils explore the themes of LfS and the Sustainable Development Goals. It’s totally free, and all you have to do is sign up.

The project has been running for the past 6 years, has a proven track record of encouraging languages uptake at higher secondary levels, and is open to any team of four from S3 - S6 (no previous film making knowledge is required). All teams have to do to enter is come up with a creative idea for a film, based on one of this year's themes. Then, with SEET’s help teams put that idea into storyboard form and send it to us with an audio or video clip explaining it. The deadline for storyboard submissions is 5th December 2018.

Themes:

As part of a team of four, come up with a creative idea for a short film about being a citizen of the world. Your team should consider one of the following themes to get you started:

  • Sustainable Tourism (going on holiday, exploring other countries and cultures and making a positive impact on the environment)
  • Migration and welcome (refugees, moving abroad, how people are treated)
  • Trade (how businesses work in different countries, importing and exporting)

All films must include the use of at least one language other than English - but the more the merrier!

After all the entries are submitted, 18 teams from across Scotland will be invited to one of three regional film making workshop days (roughly 6 teams per workshop) where they will get the opportunity to make their film a reality. Pupils are given technology and professional film-making training on the day to help them, so don't worry if they don't have experience - all they need are their ideas. 

Throughout the project SEET staff are happy to make trips to schools to work with classes and answer any questions you might have. 

If you'd like to register or sign up a team visit the website, where you can also hear previous participants talk about their experience of the project, OR contact Madeleine McGirk at SEET (madeleine@seet.org.uk).

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Edinburgh Council to open new Gaelic schools by 2024

10 October 2018 (The Scotsman)

The city council will press ahead with proposals to open new primary and secondary Gaelic schools despite a “problematic” shortage of teachers who speak the language.

The authority hopes to open a new primary school in 2023 where pupils are taught through the medium of Gaelic - while a secondary school could follow by 2024. A host of short-term improvements will also be taken forward.

The council is facing a growing demand for Gaelic education but council officers admit that at the Bun-Sgoil Taobh na Pairce primary school, “as the school has grown, the recruitment of sufficient Gaelic-speaking teachers has proven to be problematic.”

Conservative education spokesman, Cllr Callum Laidlaw, said: “Clearly, there’s a demand for it in Edinburgh for primary expansion. There’s a problem with the citywide catchment area for the current primary school with transport, which is provided by the council. If we move forward with any expansion of primary GME, I would like to see that geographic problem tackled by building it in the south west of the city.

“As it stands, the plan demonstrates ambition rather than reality. There’s a significant recruitment challenge the council has to address first before it moves forward. We need to focus on delivering the six priority high schools in the Wave 4 funding before we commit to the GME secondary school.”

The primary school in Bonnington now has 20 Gaelic-speaking teachers. At James Gillespie’s High School, the city’s Gaelic Medium Education (GME) secondary school, a recruitment drive has helped fill vacancies – but fewer lessons than expected have been taught in Gaelic.

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French Film Festival 2018

9 October 2018 (French Film Festival)

The 26th French Film Festival takes place during November throughout the UK.

School screenings are supported by free Learning Resources prepared by Institut français d’Écosse and Edinburgh Filmhouse. These resources have been designed in accordance with the Modern Languages outcomes and experiences for the Curriculum for Excellence.

Visit the website for full programme details, booking information and to download the accompanying learning resources.

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The British Council's International School Award

8 October 2018 (British Council)

The International School Award (ISA) can help with your vision for school improvement. If you are writing your School Improvement Plan, and you’re looking for something new that has a proven track record of making a difference, then the International School Award could be what you are looking for.

It works in all profiles of schools: primary and secondary, inner-city and rural, thriving and struggling. Everyone has something to gain.

Experienced head teachers like Kevin McCabe, now Director of Improvement at Drb Ignite Multi-Academy Trust, testify to the ISA’s effectiveness as a tool to change the culture of your school. It does this by opening up the classroom to the world, giving the students the motivation they need to change the way they work and enriching the curriculum with cross-curriculum work.

Visit the website for more information and to register interest. Action plans should be submitted by 18 November 2018.

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The Pushkin Prizes 2019

4 October 2018 (The Pushkin Prizes)

Somewhere out there, in an S1 or S2 class in a school in Scotland, there are ten writers worthy of the title Pushkin Prize-winner. Are you one of them?

What can you write about? ANYTHING! We're looking for stories, poems, plays, articles, memoirs - anything you like on a subject of your choice. You can write in English, Scots or Gaelic.

Visit the website for more information and submit your entries by 20 December 2018.

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Grants for professional development in Germany

2 October 2018 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut is offering German teachers grants for courses in Germany. The programme includes courses on methodology and didactics, "Landeskunde" as well as specialised language courses for teachers.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and apply now for a course in 2019.

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Vocab Express League of Champions 2018

2 October 2018 (Vocab Express)

Create a languages buzz around your school by taking part in a global online vocabulary competition.

The competition is free to all existing school subscribers to Vocab Express. There are also a limited number of free places available for schools not currently subscribed. 

Our week-long global competitions are a great way to get your school enthused about language learning. We run our League of Champions competition in the autumn term from the 10th - 16th of October and our Global Challenge competition in spring. 

Each sees 10s of thousands of students competing to win the top spot on our overall and individual language leaderboards. There are competitions in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Latin, Greek, Arabic, Urdu, Hebrew, Mandarin and Japanese.

Applications for the next League of Champions are now open. Visit the Vocab Express website for further information and to register by 9 October 2018.

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International inspiration at Carluke High School

1 October 2018 (British Council)

It’s not often that I get to visit a school, so I was really pleased when Alan Sinclair, Teacher of Music at Carluke High School, invited me along to a special day of sharing and celebration with not one but two of their international partners, writes our Communications Manager, Jordan Ogg.

Last week, pupils and staff from Institut Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia in Barcelona, Spain, and Mercy College Coolock in Dublin, Ireland, were welcomed as part of their Erasmus+ funded 'What’s Ours is Yours' project. A busy schedule saw the pupils collaborating through a variety of activities, taking in Spanish language tasks, multimedia production, a Ceilidh in the PE department and Scottish cookery classes in the afternoon.

It was an insightful opportunity to see first-hand how the schools have embraced international and inter-cultural learning and, in particular from a Scottish perspective, how Carluke High School's approach has complimented the wider curriculum. For example, I was impressed to see film and home economic students engaging with classes on music technology and modern languages – and all through this one partnership. 

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Global Treasure Apps / Rocket Fund £100 Boost

27 September 2018 (Global Treasure Apps)

Global Treasure Apps allow schools to publish their own local walking tour content. These tours could be of a local tourist attraction or of the local area. The school could choose to develop the content in L2 or L3, providing students with a practical, hands-on approach to language learning.

Global Treasure Apps workshops are on the school crowd funding site Rocket Fund. Rocket Fund are currently offering a £100 funding boost to the first 50 projects launched before 5th October.

Visit the site to find out about a project at Edinburgh Castle where digital and language students at Edinburgh College worked together to produce a digital treasure trail.

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News from the Alliance Française

21 September 2018 (Alliance Française)

The Alliance Française offers a range of courses and activities for French language learners. Click on the relevant link below to find out more about upcoming events:

Visit the main Alliance Française website for more information about the organisation and their initiatives.

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Inspire your students with new funding for global learning

19 September 2018 (British Council)

Connecting Classrooms is back, and we have some exciting updates for the new school year.

If you are thinking about taking your school on an international journey this year, it’s time to take a look at how you can join the new Connecting Classrooms through Global Learning programme.

You can apply for Connecting Classrooms opportunities either as an individual school, or part of a cluster, which will be overseen by a lead school.

Becoming a lead school provides a host of benefits, including access to grants to develop your cluster, the opportunity to deliver CPD to other schools in your area and cover support for your co-ordinator’s time. 

Visit the website for more information and apply by 28 October to be included in the first round of grant awards.

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Into Film Awards 2019

18 September 2018 (Into Film)

Submissions to the 2019 Into Film Awards are now open!

The Into Film Awards is the best place to showcase young filmmaking talent, with categories designed to highlight the large pool of young creatives in the UK. Set out to find the most talented filmmakers, reviewers, Into Film Clubs and educators, we encourage children and young people aged 5-19 from all backgrounds and with all abilities to get involved. 

A great place to start is by entering the 'Film of the Month' competition. These entries are also eligible for submission to the Into Film Awards. Why not get your students to create a short film in the language they are learning?

You have until 14 December 2018 to get your entries in and there are resources and guides on the website to help you.

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Into Film Festival 2018

18 September 2018 (Into Film)

The Into Film Festival is a free, annual, nationwide celebration of film and education for 5-19 year olds.

This year's festival takes place from 7-23 November with UK-wide events and screenings. There are some foreign language options included in the 'Visions of Europe' selection of the programme.

Visit the website for more information and to find events near you.

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Erasmus+ funding for schools: twilight sessions

17 September 2018 (Erasmus+)

Interested in funding for international pupil exchanges, staff overseas teaching/training placements and partnerships with schools across Europe?

Erasmus+ and eTwinning offer fantastic opportunities for UK schools to connect with schools across Europe.

Taking place in September to November 2018, we are running free sessions in cities across the UK for school staff interested in beginning or enhancing international collaboration. There's an event in Glasgow on 30 October.

Whilst the twilight session offers a particular focus for schools, there is also a daytime information session more specifically for organisations who are new to the Erasmus+ programme and are considering submitting an Erasmus+ application in 2019.

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17 September, 2018 - Minister Bruton Launches Campaign to Encourage Learning of Foreign Languages & Announces Funding for School Exchanges

17 September 2018 (Department of Education and Skills (Ireland))

(Applies to Ireland) The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton T.D. today (17th September 2018) launched a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of foreign languages and announced new funding for teacher upskilling and school language exchanges.  

The campaign is aimed at school principals, teachers, guidance counsellors, parents, students and higher level institutions. Embassies, cultural services and bodies such as IBEC and Enterprise Ireland (EI) are also involved in supporting the campaign to raise awareness of the importance of learning foreign languages.  The campaign will be supported by a new website (www.languagesconnect.ie) which will act as a one stop shop for schools, parents and students on language learning. 

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Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) multilingual poetry competition 2018-19

14 September 2018 (SCILT)

Today we're launching the 2018-19 Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) multilingual poetry competition in Scotland.

All students who are learning a language at school, college or university, or who speak a native language at home, can get involved in celebrating their linguistic and cultural diversity through creative poetry writing as there are options to enter in either the Mother Tongue or Other Tongue category. All entries must be the students' own, original work.

For more information about this year's competition and previous events, visit our MTOT website and register to take part! The closing date for registrations is 26 October 2018.

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1+2 Modern Languages in Parliament

13 September 2018 (Scottish Parliament)

Read the First Minister's response when asked at the Meeting of the Parliament 13 September 2018 what action the Scottish Government will take to improve the implementation of the one-plus-two modern languages policy in broad general education.

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The Local Storytelling Campaign

13 September 2018 (SISF)

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival (SISF) takes place 19-31 October. Across Scotland, schools and communities are encouraged to take part in an initiative that celebrates the art of storytelling under the theme Growing Stories. The Local Campaign, running from Monday 17 September – Friday 30 November, aims to highlight how stories help communities connect, grow together and play a vital part in preserving heritage and cultures for new generations.

To celebrate, audiences are invited to book a storyteller for a local event, strike-up new community activity and engagement with storytelling. 

Visit the Scottish International Storytelling Festival website for more information and suggested ways to take part.

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Time to Move T-shirt contest

13 September 2018 (Eurodesk)

The Time to Move T-shirt contest returns in 2018! 

If you are at least 13 years old and not more than 30, design a Time to Move themed T-shirt that best represents the spirit of the campaign, share it with us and have a chance to travel around Europe by train!

Time to Move is a collection of events for young people organised all over Europe during the month of October. The activities focus on introducing hundreds of possibilities through which you can go abroad and take part in an international project, explore Europe or gain experience you need for your future.

Visit the website for more information and submit entries by 31 October 2018.

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Lefèvre Trust school grants for French study visits

13 September 2018 (British Council)

The British Council is working in partnership with the Lefèvre Trust to offer a limited number of grants to Scottish secondary schools to facilitate reciprocal visits to partner schools in France. The opportunity marks the final round of Lefèvre funding and recognises the recently re-signed Memorandum of Understanding between Scotland and France. 

Schools interested in applying should have an existing link to France through a partnership or exchange. Projects with a STEM focus, and from schools in underprivileged areas, are encouraged.

A French study visit is the ideal way to instil a love of the French language in learners, give them exposure to authentic language usage and enable them to experience French culture first-hand. Pupils can also benefit from:

  • raised levels of language proficiency in preparation for exams
  • improved confidence in speaking French by practising with peers at the partner school
  • increased motivation in continuing to learn French by exchanging language and culture in an authentic environment
  • strengthened partnership and development of new cross-curricular projects for the whole school.

Visit the British Council website for more information and apply by 19 November 2018.

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UK-German Connection - Back to School Newsletter 2018

13 September 2018 (UK-German Connection)

Make this a year to remember for your school; welcome a German teacher, take part in our funded Christmas trips to Germany and support your Language Assistant to become a Cultural Exchange Ambassador!

Find out about these initiatives and more in the UK-German Connection 'Back to School' newsletter.

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Theatre play for schools - The Arrival

13 September 2018 (Education Scotland)

A new theatre play, The Arrival, will be touring Scotland from 26 September to 26 October 2018.

The story is about a man that travels to a new land in search of a future for his family.

The play and classroom activities are targeted at S1-S2 pupils. The aim is to engage the students in the world of The Arrival throughout the day, setting up playful interventions, happenings and surprises that create the sense of an event, building towards a performance of the play after lunch.

The key fact is that the play is accessible to deaf, hearing and people who have English as a second/other language.

See the trailer and visit the website for more information and to book.

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EAL: Working with new arrivals

12 September 2018 (SecEd)

This September, many secondary schools will have new arrivals from abroad who have English as an additional language. Continuing our series on EAL, Dr Ruth Wilson gives some practical advice for you and your schools in meeting the needs of this diverse group of learners

New arrivals with English as an additional language (EAL) are a very diverse group. Their language proficiency can range from “new to English” to “fluent”. The young person can arrive at any age and with widely different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. Some students may come from an advantaged context with a high standard of education; others may have had little or interrupted schooling or experienced traumatic events. A new arrival could for example be a refugee from a war-torn country or a child of a German banker working in the City of London.

Data show that, on average, pupils arriving late into the English school system do less well in external exams than their first language English peers, and that the older the pupils are when they arrive the less likely they are to achieve good results in year 11 (Hutchinson, 2018).

This article gives some practical advice for you and your schools in meeting the needs of EAL learners who are newly arrived from abroad. 

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Lithuanian and Korean to be taught in Irish schools

10 September 2018 (Irish Times)

Lithuanian and Korean will be taught from this week as part of a drive to diversify the number of languages on the curriculum in Irish schools.

Lithuanian will be a short course for junior cycle in schools in Dublin and Monaghan where there is the highest concentration of the country’s natives in Ireland.

According to the last census in 2016, 36,683 Lithuanians live in Ireland. However, the Lithuanian embassy estimates the real figure is twice that if the number of children of immigrants are taken into account.

The course is for a minimum of 100 hours over two years. Some 43 applicants were received from teachers of the language.

The introduction of Lithuanian into Irish school is part of the foreign languages strategy which identifies the need to support immigrant communities to maintain their own languages.

It was introduced last year as part of a 10-year strategy to prepare Ireland for Brexit through a series of steps such as potential bonus Central Applications Office (CAO) points for studying foreign languages.

The Korean language, the 17th most spoken language in the world, is being introduced as a module for transition year. Trade between South Korea and Ireland reached €1.8 billion in 2015.

The language will be introduced into four schools in Dublin.

French accounts for more than half of all language sits in the Leaving Certificate, followed by German (13 per cent), Spanish (11 per cent) and Italian (1 per cent).

Minister for Education Richard Bruton said the teaching and learning of foreign languages is a priority in the post-Brexit world.

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DAAD German writing and video competition 2018

10 September 2018 (DAAD)

In addition to accompanying written texts, competitors are asked this year to make a short video on ‘Auf deutschen Spuren - In the footsteps of German-language culture’.

Find out about historical or current traces of German-language culture in your area and create a short film not exceeding 3 minutes featuring German-language dialogue or voice-over. Judges will be looking for creativity and language use - rather than technical ability.

The competition is open to all German speakers upwards from secondary school level.

Find out more about the competition on the DAAD website and submit entries by 5 October 2018.

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'Host a Teacher' Programme: free CPD opportunity

10 September 2018 (UK-German Connection)

Welcome a teacher from Germany to any department in your school for 1, 2 or 3 weeks in 2019 to give your pupils a real-life learning context for German language and culture.

What are the benefits?

  1. Choose your own timings - it's flexible and free!
  2. Enhance the intercultural dimension in your school community
  3. Share best practice on an international level
  4. Boost speaking confidence in your classrooms
  5. Create a connection with a German school

"The guest teacher's input into our curriculum was excellent. She came equipped with resources and lessons, which she delivered to our classes, helping to boost the numbers opting for German."

To find out how you can take part, please visit the UK-German Connection website and apply by 21 September 2018 to host in spring or summer.

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Curriculum for GLE and GME

10 September 2018 (Education Scotland)

e-Sgoil is an interactive, real-time teaching facility which uses Glow, Office 365 and Vscene to support the teaching of Gaelic and through Gaelic in any school in Scotland. It supports the curriculum for 1+2, Gaelic Learner and Gaelic Medium Education. A short promotional video is available on the Education Scotland learning blog.

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Maths Week Scotland - Mathématiques sans frontières / Maths wi nae borders

7 September 2018 (North Lanarkshire Council)

As part of Maths Week Scotland, pupils of all ages can participate in the 'Maths wi nae borders' competition, which requires students to respond to one of the questions in either Gaelic or Scots.

The new competition is inspired by 'Mathématiques sans frontières'. North Lanarkshire Council, the University of the West of Scotland and Heriot Watt University work together to encourage young language learners to apply their knowledge in a Maths setting.

This stimulating and light-hearted competition for secondary schools combines Maths and Modern Languages and aims to motivate pupils in both their Maths and Language Learning.  S4 classes attempt 10 questions and S5 classes 13 questions.  Ideally a whole class should tackle groups of questions in order to complete the test within the 60 minutes allowed.

The first question require an explanation in a foreign language.  It is hoped that this competition will encourage cross-curricular working and teamwork.

This year 42 teams from 27 schools took part in 'Mathématiques sans Frontières', the winning team in S4 was Girvan Academy and the S5 winners and overall winning school was Grange Academy.

Look out for the e-mail invitation inviting you to take part in January 2019.

The return of Business Brunches 18-19: Language skills in the world of work

7 September 2018 (SCILT)

Would you like to invite 10 of your S3-S6 pupils to discover the benefits of language skills in the world of work and engage with a variety of dynamic employers to encourage learners to continue with their language studies into the senior phase of their education, and beyond school? Look no further….

For the fifth year in succession, SCILT, in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce and the University Council of Modern Languages Scotland will be hosting a series of five Business Brunch events in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness over the course of December this year, and January 2019.  Registration will open at 9am on Friday 14th September.

Find out more on our Business Brunches webpage.

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Languages in the Lords

6 September 2018 (They Work For You)

Baroness Coussins, co-chair of the All-Party Group on Modern Languages, calls for language skills to be prioritised in careers advice in schools in today's Lords' debate.

In contributing to the debate she highlighted the specific need for careers education and advice to convey the enormous and increasing value of language skills to school leavers and graduates as they make their career choices. Stating this advice must also start early enough for school students to have the opportunity to choose one or more foreign languages among their GCSE options. 

She went on to stress that it is often wrongly assumed that studying foreign languages is just for the brightest students, and that they can be beneficial for anyone, at whatever level. Foreign language skills are in use in practically every sector in the economy, with higher than average demand in the financial services, IT and telecommunications, passenger transport, fashion and design and hotel and catering industries. They are in use at all levels in the workforce, not just senior management. In fact, the greatest skills gaps are among administrative and clerical staff, and those working at elementary grades. All that is before we even mention the need for languages and linguists in diplomacy, defence and security.

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CLPL for Beyond the Panda

5 September 2018 (RZSS)

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

Find out answers to these questions and more:

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

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

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

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

HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition 2018/19

3 September 2018 (British Council)

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

Taking part in the competition:

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

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

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

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

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The Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival (ESFF)

27 August 2018 (Consejería de Educación)

The fifth Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival (ESFF) will run from 4 -13 October 2018. Primary and secondary schools are invited to take part in its School Programme.

Also, to link with the Year of Young People, special workshops and screenings have been prepared that will explore Spanish language, cinema and youth.

More information and how to book places can be found on the attached invitation letters.

European Day of Languages 2018

24 August 2018 (SCILT)

The European Day of Languages (EDL) is celebrated across Europe on the 26th of September every year. It aims to promote the rich linguistic diversity of Europe and raise awareness of the importance of lifelong language learning for everyone.

SCILT is helping schools across Scotland to celebrate by distributing materials developed by the ECML. These resources are free to order and act as excellent prizes and rewards.

Visit our European Day of Languages 2018 webpage for information on how to order packs, for ideas on how to celebrate, and to find out how your school could feature in our EDL 2018 blog.

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Magical Christmas Trip

21 August 2018 (UK-German Connection)

Would you like to take part in a Magical Christmas Trip this year and build on or set up a partnership with a school in Germany?

These visits offer primary pupils the chance to get a taste of Germany at Christmas time, meet their German peers and get involved in some seasonal intercultural activity. Secondary pupils have the opportunity to brush up on their German and practice their skills as young leaders.

There are two options for getting involved:

  • apply to take part in a visit to Berlin run by UK-German Connection to set up a link to a school in Berlin
  • apply for funding and organisational support to run your own Christmas visit to an existing partner school anywhere in Germany.

Application deadline: 18 September 2018.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information.

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Deaf Science Club

20 August 2018 (Glasgow Science Centre)

Due to popular demand, Glasgow Science Centre is running a second Deaf Science Club starting on Saturday 8 September 2018. 

The fortnightly science club has been created for Deaf, BSL users and those hard of hearing.

Budding scientists aged 6–14 years old can explore the Universe in the Planetarium, see a live science show full of spectacular demonstrations and get hands-on in workshops.

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Runrig say farewell as Stòrlann launch rocking resource

20 August 2018 (Stòrlann)

Legendary Gaelic rock band Runrig said farewell at the end of a 45 year career with a two-night event which attracted 50,000 people to Stirling Castle. At the event were showcases for FilmG, the Gaelic Sort Film Project, and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Scotland’s Gaelic College. FilmG’s theme this year is “In the Blink of an Eye.” Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig have also launched a newly developed Runrig resource for use in schools, alongside redeveloping their Fileanta website for Gaelic Medium Education in Secondary.

Access the resources via the following links:

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2018-19

20 August 2018 (Japan Foundation)

If your school is interested in introducing Japanese into the curriculum, supporting Japanese at GCSE or A-Level or starting a Japanese Club, you could be eligible for funding.

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK.

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and apply by 22 September 2018.

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Concours de la francophonie 2019

16 August 2018 (Institut français)

The Institut français d’Ecosse launched in 2016 le concours de la francophonie, a national school competition to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland to celebrate the international day of la francophonie.

All Scottish primary and secondary schools offering French may enter this competition by submitting a short video of a classroom activity in French. Entry deadline: January 2019.

Visit the Institut français d’Ecosse website for more information. 

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

13 August 2018 (4barsrest)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Thousands more pupils to learn Mandarin ahead of Brexit

7 August 2018 (TES)

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

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

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

(Subscription required to read full article)

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Concours de la francophonie 2018 - final report

17 July 2018 (Institut français d'Ecosse)

The Concours de la francophonie was launched in 2016 by the Institut français d'Ecosse to support and encourage teachers and learners in primary and secondary schools and to showcase the vitality of French learning in Scottish schools in the context of the 1+2 policy.

To enter the competition schools sent in a short film of a class activity in French.

See the attached document for full details of the 2018 competition, winners and photographs.

Manchester’s Language Army

28 June 2018 (CIOL)

Set in the culturally diverse Crumpsall/Cheetham Hill area of Manchester, Abraham Moss Community School is one of very few schools in northwest England to operate a formal programme that identifies bilingual pupils and offers them basic training in the skills required to act as language mediators within the school environment. 

More that 60 languages are spoken at Abraham Moss, which began the programme five years ago with a group of just eight pupils in Key Stage 4 (ages 14-16). Since then it has blossomed into an impressive ‘language army’ – nearly 40-strong – of ‘young interpreters’ aged 12-16, who cover languages as diverse as Arabic, Chinese, Hungarian, Italian, Pashtun, Polish, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu.

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Language lesson gap means poorest miss out, says report

27 June 2018 (BBC)

Children from poorer backgrounds in England are increasingly likely to miss out on learning a foreign language, suggests a report.

Some teachers blame new tougher GCSEs for putting lower ability pupils off language learning.

There is also a perception that languages are less important since the vote to leave the European Union, says the British Council study.

The government says its reforms are boosting modern languages in schools.

The Language Trends Survey has published an annual report since 2002 when more than three-quarters of pupils (76%) took a modern language GCSE.

By 2011, only 40% of pupils took a language at GCSE.

The subject has recovered in recent years - in 2016 almost half of 16-year-olds took a language GCSE - but this figure fell to 47% last year.

There has been a similar long-term decline at A-level.

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FilmG

20 June 2018 (FilmG)

The successful Film G project which encourages the use of Gaelic through film-making has entered it’s 11th year. Film G is run by MG Alba in partnership with CGS and has been a very popular event for Gaelic Learners and Fluent speakers alike over the last decade. Film G organise school visits and more information can be found on their website.

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Yell pupils pick up French language awards

20 June 2018 (Shetland News)

TEN pupils at Mid Yell Junior High School received prizes on Monday (18 June) as part of a celebration of the teaching and use of French in Scottish schools.

The S2 students, winners of this year's Concours de la francophonie competition, received their prizes during a special award ceremony at the school in the presence of education attaché of the French Embassy in the UK Thomas Chaurin and Shetland Gas Plant facilities management co-ordinator Jenny Wink, who was also representing sponsor Total E&P UK.

The VIP visit came after the Yell bairns were unable to attend the official award ceremony in Edinburgh in March.

With the majority of children now learning French from P1 in Scotland, la francophonie is said to be thriving.

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A National Framework for Languages supporting implementation of 1+2

19 June 2018 (SCDE)

The Scottish Council of Deans of Education (SCDE) Languages Group, which represents all language strands within the Schools of Education across Scottish Universities, has created a National Framework for Languages (NFfL) and associated digital resource to support teacher educators and teachers at all stages of their careers, with the aim of transforming the 1 + 2 Languages Policy in Scotland into purposeful classroom pedagogies promoting plurilingualism and pluriliteracies.

The NFfL is based on four overarching principles: plurilingualism, diversity, policy and legislation and transformative practice, and reflects the strands of the Professional Standards established by GTCS. For each of these strands the NFfL has identified a series of statements which encourage practitioners to consider a broad and inclusive understanding of the role of language in and for learning. These statements are linked to the associated digital resources: a reflective tool and digital resource bank.
The reflective tool includes a personal biography based on Pepelino and the European Language Portfolio as well as a series of reflective questions. These reflective questions are directly linked to the statements of the NFfL and aim to support teachers in evaluating their own practices.

The digital resource bank was created after a systematic review of the international literature covering formal language learning across all ages and stages, the increasingly complex demands of plurilingual and pluricultural classrooms and the need to develop a shared understanding of the role of languages for learning, which addresses the fundamental role played by languages (including the learners’ first language) in developing global citizens.

The NFfL and accompanying digital resources are now being piloted and can be accessed on the National Framework for Languages (NFfL) website.

Further information can be obtained from Ingeborg Birnie (Ingeborg.birnie@strath.ac.uk).

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GlobeScotters

18 June 2018 (British Council)

British Council is excited to announce the launch of GlobeScotters! We've partnered with @YoungScot to inspire Scotland's young people to embrace the international opportunities available to them at home and abroad!

Over the next six months the GlobeScotters website will be updated with all things international - from funding opportunities, to fun videos on international foods and some big Young Scot Rewards prizes!

Whether you are studying abroad next term, or want to learn about different cultures in your community, we have you covered!

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Language Linking Global Thinking

12 June 2018 (University of Edinburgh)

French and Spanish MA (Hons) student, Róisín MacFarlane, describes her involvement in SCILT’s Year Abroad schools initiative.

Róisín and three other students from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) recently attended a course with Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT) preparing both students and teachers for the Language Linking Global Thinking (LLGT) project.

In this article - her first as Web, Communications and Social Media Intern for LLC - she talks about the LLGT programme and explains why so many schools and students are getting involved.

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Host a Teacher from Germany

12 June 2018 (UK-German Connection)

Opportunity for UK schools to boost their intercultural dimension by welcoming a teacher from Germany to any department for one, two or three weeks this school year.

This free programme provides pupils with a real-life learning context for German language and culture and offers teachers the chance to share best practice on an international level.

Hosting can take place at any time during the school year.

Application deadlines - 26 July for autumn 2018 hosting slots and 21 September to host in spring/summer 2019.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information.

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The 50-Word Fiction Competition

8 June 2018 (Scottish Book Trust)

Can you write a story in just 50 words? Each month we’ll provide 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 Writer 12-18. The entries will be judged by a panel and the four winning stories will be published on our website two weeks after the closing date.

Entries for our June competition are currently open. The prompt is to 'write a story set on a beach'. Submit your story by Tuesday 3 July 2018 at noon. 

Visit the Scottish Book Trust website for more information.

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Stephen Spender Trust - Polish Spotlight

7 June 2018 (Stephen Spender Trust)

The "Polish Spotlight" is a new strand of the Stephen Spender Prize for 2018, with entries in three categories: 18-and-under, 14-and-under and 10-and-under. You do not have to be fluent in Polish to enter the prize: it is open to all those interested in trying their hand at translation. To enter translate any Polish poem into English.

Resources for teachers to introduce poetry translation as a classroom activity, and suggestions of Polish poems for translation, are available on the Stephen Spender Trust website.

Entries should be submitted by 5 October 2018.

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Briefing on Gaelic Education

7 June 2018 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland's latest briefing on Gaelic Education is now available on their website.

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eTwinning: European professional development workshops

6 June 2018 (eTwinning)

This term, why not apply to go on a short, fully-funded workshop in another European country?

Applications are now open for teachers of pupils aged 3-19 across a range of subject areas to attend a fully-funded 2-3 day professional development workshop in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, France and Greece. 

These events are designed to facilitate new eTwinning projects through partner-finding and project planning activities. Workshop themes and subject areas are varied, spanning ICT, Maths, and sustainable development.

Find out about, request a free workshop in the UK or register for one or more of the available opportunities on the eTwinning website. Application deadline: 18 June 2018.

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Radio Edutalk: Gillian Campbell-Thow on ‘Language Learning in Scottish Education’

5 June 2018 (Radio Edutalk)

Listen to Gillian Campbell-Thow talk about ‘Language Learning in Scottish Education’ broadcast on Radio Edutalk on 5 June 2018.

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German writing and video competition 2018

23 May 2018 (DAAD)

To all learners and lovers of German, it’s time again to release your creative spirit and enter the annual writing DAAD/IMLR writing competition! 

This – our fifth – jointly organised competition branches out into new territory: after successful (and exciting!) forays into poetry, prose, translation and dramatic dialogue writing, competitors are asked this year to make a short video on ‘Auf deutschen Spuren - In the footsteps of German-language culture’.

Find out more and how to enter on the DAAD website. Submission deadline is 5 October 2018.

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SALT Modern Languages competition for schools

18 May 2018 (SALT)

Entries are now being accepted for the #SALT18 competition!

Primary, secondary and senior phase students are invited to produce a promotional video, poster or presentation in the language of their choice. 

Find out more on the SALT website. Entry deadline is 7 September 2018.

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Business Brunches 2018 webpage now live!

18 May 2018 (SCILT)

The Business Brunches took place earlier on this year across Scotland, and supported DYW and the Scottish Attainment Challenge by giving young people the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the role of languages in the business world. 

Take a journey through the entire series of events and explore some of the highlights for yourself, such as:
  
  • A taste of what really went on at these events and why languages play an important role in the world of work by viewing our Business Brunch video located on the main page
  • Inspiring quotes and uploads of presentations from a handful of business leaders who were present that you can share with your own learners
  • Feedback received from pupils who participated
  • Images, tweets, press releases and more

Read through our resources and materials which you may find useful to promote languages for employability in your own school. 

Important news! Business Brunches will be returning for year 2018/19. Further details will be announced on the SCILT website and through our e-bulletin after the summer with instructions on how you can register your school to attend. Keep your eyes peeled! 

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

18 May 2018 (SCILT/CISS)

S1-S3 pupils from across Scotland took part in the national final of Word Wizard at the Scottish Parliament on 11 May 2018. Word Wizard is a multilingual spelling competition for pupils learning French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish. Forty-eight learners from ten local authorities and independent schools competed in the final in front of an audience of teachers, supporters and guests.
 
Each year pupils and teachers report that the competition increases motivation, enhances language performance and improves attitudes to language learning. Word Wizard promotes literacy skills amongst pupils and helps schools develop partnership working with universities.

A teacher entering pupils into the final commented: “It provided our pupils with a huge sense of motivation and excitement for learning languages.” 

A pupil competing in the final said: “I liked learning new vocabulary and getting to show it off to everyone.”

Word Wizard is organised by SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages based at University of Strathclyde, in partnership with the University Council for Modern Languages Scotland. 

Fhiona Mackay, Director of SCILT said of the competition: “It’s wonderful to see so many young people taking part in the Word Wizard competition representing a wide range of local authorities. Having an understanding of another language can really transform a person’s life and encourages the development of a whole range of important skills. Through such events, SCILT aims to offer teachers really motivating ways of enhancing the curriculum so that Scottish young people can reap the benefits of learning languages.”

Word Wizard supports the Scottish Government initiative, “Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 approach” by offering a diversity of languages as recommended by the report. The targets laid out in the Scottish Attainment Challenge are about achieving equity in educational outcomes, with a particular focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap. One of the key drivers is improved literacy. 

In March 2018, 190 pupils from 14 local authorities and independent schools competed in semi-finals in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh to battle it out for a place at the prestigious final. 

Word Wizard is supported by the University Council for Modern Languages Scotland (UCMLS) and the final was sponsored by Joan McAlpine MSP

Full details of the winners and further information on the competition can be found on the SCILT website.

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Call out to young film-makers in Scotland

10 May 2018 (National Library of Scotland)

A competition opens today (10 May) which invites young people to show in film what Scotland means to them. The competition has been organised by the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish Youth Film Festival as part of the Year of Young People.

Anyone under 19 years of age can submit a one-minute film on any theme, in any language and in any genre.

Visit the National Library of Scotland website for more information.

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"Developing language awareness in subject classes": join the network of the European Centre for Modern Languages/Council of Europe!

8 May 2018 (ECML)

Are you a secondary school teacher of a non-linguistic subject (other than mathematics or history) working in a linguistically and culturally diverse school? Do you teach 12/13 year olds whose first language is different from the language of schooling? Are you interested in sharing your subject expertise and exchanging experiences with European professionals in the field of language in subject teaching? Then this project is for you!

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“Beairteas” seeking to add richness to Gaelic education

2 May 2018 (Fèisean nan Gàidheal)

Fèisean nan Gàidheal have launched a new initiative through their Fèisgoil project to help increase Gaelic language skills by creating and strengthening inter-generational links. 

With support from the Scottish Government, Fèisean nan Gàidheal is now seeking assistance from Gaelic speakers to establish Beairteas.

What is it?

Beairteas is an intergenerational programme to match community-based fluent Gaelic speakers with schools and community groups. Their richness of language, specialist knowledge of Gaelic culture and many other subjects about which they could speak in Gaelic, would provide a valuable resource for pupils. This would complement the sterling work being done by teachers in Gaelic education.

Why?

Gaelic education is very successful and an essential component in growing a new generation of Gaelic speakers. Teachers work extremely hard to immerse children in the language and deliver a range of subjects through the medium of Gaelic.

Gaelic speakers involved in almost any walk of life have a tremendous amount to offer Gaelic education. The Curriculum for Excellence encourages work and engagement with people in communities.

Beairteas aims to complement schoolwork, offering opportunities for children to communicate in Gaelic with people other than their teachers. Engaging them with Gaelic speakers with specialist knowledge of the work they do or have done, as well as any interesting pastimes in which they may have been involved, will strengthen the language skills of the young people giving them a breadth of vocabulary they may not pick up through their daily schoolwork.

You may be a police officer, involved in the health service, community work or a trade. You may have specialist knowledge of Gaelic songs, history, traditional stories, war, sport or working in other countries. You may be involved in fishing, crofting, gardening, photography, weaving, cooking or almost anything in which you could engage young people through the medium of Gaelic.

Would you be willing to be involved?

If you would enjoy working with young people and are passionate about the revitalisation of Gaelic, Fèisean nan Gàidheal would like to hear from you. Work will be paid, but dependent on schools engaging with the Beairteas scheme. If you have any questions, please call Eilidh Mackenzie, Fèisgoil Manager on 01463 225559 or e-mail any queries to beairteas@feisean.org.

More information is available on the organisation's website.

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Competition: Eine Welt für dich und mich

30 April 2018 (Goethe-Institut)

The German Foreign Office is looking for children and teens who love writing and who would like to publish their own texts: Along the lines of “A world for you and me” young authors from around the world are invited to depict their fantasies, hopes and dreams.

Children and teens up to 19 years old can participate. Entries can be short stories, essays, poems or songs consisting of no more than 3000 characters (including spaces) and can be written in either German or English.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for further information. Entry deadline is 15 July 2018.

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National Digital Learning Week (14-18 May)

24 April 2018 (Education Scotland)

National Digital Learning Week is an annual Education Scotland event where teachers and learners from all schools in Scotland are encouraged to take part in digital learning and teaching activities.

There are loads of ways to get involved in #NDLW18; the sky is the limit! 

To help get things started Education Scotland are launching 2 main activities:  

  • An exclusive National Digital Story telling activity for 30 schools across Scotland with famous children’s author Lari Don. 
  • A digital story telling activity schools can enjoy in their local setting.

Why not use the local opportunity to create a digital story with your pupils in the language they are learning?

Find out more on the Education Scotland Glow blog.

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MTOT celebration event - webpage now live!

20 April 2018 (SCILT)

The celebration event for this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition took place on Saturday 17 March at the University of Strathclyde. 

Visit the SCILT website to see the full list of winners and to view the anthology of winning poems. You can also find photos from the event and read some of the feedback received from pupils, parents and teachers. 

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Spanish sessions at the Zoo!

18 April 2018 (RZSS)

Spanish Days are being replaced with Spanish sessions at Edinburgh Zoo.

Suitable for P4-P7 and S1-S2, schools can now book their own date and time to suit.

Costs as per education rates at Edinburgh Zoo - £7 per pupil, with 1 adult per 7 children free of charge (Primary) and 1 adult per 10 children free of charge (Secondary). See how to book on the website. 

Please use the booking form and choose 'Science in the Language Class - Spanish'.

Free resources are available to download to help your visit.

Spanish Packs are available at £50+VAT and £6 post and packing - details also on the website.

For further information or to purchase a pack contact Sandie Robb.

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China stories: 500 words competition

17 April 2018 (University of Liverpool)

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

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

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

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

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

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Language Leaders - training week in Cavilam

16 April 2018 (Institut français)

For the third year, the Institut français is offering grants to six Language Leaders of Scotland to attend a one week training course in France.

The course will take place at the Cavilam Alliance française de Vichy from 30 July to 3 August 2018.

The Cavilam is an international centre of excellence for French teachers and teachers' trainers which welcomes teachers from all over the world.

This course is open to all practitioners with a leading role on your 1+2 strategy: in a school, a cluster, or at the council or regional level.

Further information regarding the grants, programme, accommodation/transport and how to apply can be found in the attached documents. Please note that the Institut français covers only the course fee.

The application deadline is 11 May 2018.

Mandarin will give school leavers career advantage

11 April 2018 (UCL/CISS)

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

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

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

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

You can read the full article on the UCL website.

Opening Doors in Scotland

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

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

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

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Together arts project for schools

10 April 2018 (UK-German Connection)

Together is a creative arts project, which invites young people to produce poetry, art, or songs on the themes of hope and unity, inspired by the shared history between the UK and Germany to mark the WW1 Centenary.

Open to all young people aged 9-16 working in groups or individually, projects should be on the theme of hope and unity, inspired by the First World War. Poetry and songs can be in English, German, Gaelic or Welsh.  Art work can be in any medium.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information. Entry deadline is Friday 15 June 2018.

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Japan Foundation Local Grant Programmes 2018-19

3 April 2018 (Japan Foundation)

Japan Foundation (JF) London is now accepting grant applications for UK based Japan related projects taking place in 2018-19 through our local support programmes.

Grants of up to £3,000 are available to schools seeking to promote the introduction of Japanese into the curriculum (or onto the main school timetable) at primary and secondary levels, supporting Japanese qualifications in school or introducing the language as an extra-curricular activity. 

For more information and to apply by 4 May 2018, see the online information sheet and application form.

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European Language Gazette 41 - March/April 2018

3 April 2018 (ECML)

The latest edition of the ECML's Language Gazette is now available on their website. The newsletter includes updates on the organisation's projects along with new initiatives, events and resources of interest to the language teaching community across Europe.

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Graeme High pupil wins multilingual poetry award

2 April 2018 (Falkirk Herald)

The multilingual talents of budding poets from Graeme High and Moray Primary were celebrated in the 2018 Mother Tongue Other Tongue awards. 

Graeme High pupil Danai Nikitea was crowned the winner of the Mother Tongue category during a prestigious ceremony at University of Strathclyde on March 17. 

While Kole Murray from Moray Primary and Harely Ewen and Simi Singh, both from Graeme High, were Highly Commended in the Other Tongue category. 

These students used their language skills to create and share poetry for the ceremony.

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Scottish Education Awards 2018 - Finalists announced!

29 March 2018 (Daily Record)

Following an editorial campaign running in the Daily Record, the finalists for this year's Scottish Education Awards have been announced.

Finalists will attend the prestigious awards ceremony at Glasgow's Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Central on June 6th, where each of the fifteen winners will be announced.

Details of all the finalists can be found in the Daily Record news article online.

Congratulations and good luck to the schools shortlisted in the language-related categories!

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Related Links

Falkirk district schools aiming for top marks at Education Awards (Falkirk Herald, 16 April 2018)

Online learning event: Welcoming refugee and migrant children to mainstream classrooms in Europe

27 March 2018 (British Council eTwinning)

Aimed at teachers of primary and secondary learners aged 4-16, this eTwinning workshop will develop teachers' awareness, confidence and skills in learning about refugee issues, welcoming refugee and migrant children to mainstream classrooms from a social and emotional perspective, and will give a basic introduction to language acquisition and the importance of maintaining and developing mother tongue and home culture.

Visit the website to sign up for the course between 9 - 17 April 2018.

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New job profile on SCILT's website

23 March 2018 (SCILT)

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

Our latest addition comes from Ross Yuill, a student and front desk associate for the Marriott Hotel whose interest in Korea and its culture led to him learning the language. He's been able to apply these skills in the workplace with visiting guests.

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

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The state secondary school where the only language taught is Mandarin

22 March 2018 (TES)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Young People in Scotland 2018 YOYP - New National Lottery "Spark a Change" Fund

22 March 2018 (YOYP/National Lottery)

To mark the Year of Young People 2018, a new National Lottery fund has been launched to help young people #SparkAChange in their lives. Grants between £3,000 and £10,000 are available for heritage, community and sports projects which are run by and for young people aged eight to 26. Funding is available for projects which encourage positive mental health for young people and inspire them to lead active lives. 

We’re all aware of the positive mental health benefits of language learning, so why not encourage your students to set up a language project, perhaps a community language class or an outdoor language adventure trail? Visit the Lottery Fund website for more information and to apply by one of the two funding deadlines - 30 April 2018 or 18 June 2018.

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European professional development workshops

22 March 2018 (British Council eTwinning)

This term, why not apply to go on a short, fully-funded workshop in another European country?

Applications are now open for teachers of pupils aged 3-19 across a range of subject areas to attend a fully-funded 2-3 day professional development workshop in Turkey, Latvia, Norway and Armenia. These events are designed to facilitate new eTwinning projects through partner-finding and project planning activities. Workshop themes and subject areas are varied, spanning cultural diversity to SEN and the environment.

Visit the website for more information about each event and submit your application by 31 March 2018. 

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German Teacher Award 2018

21 March 2018 (Goethe-Institut)

The German Embassy is pleased to announce to award the 15th German Teacher Award. The award recognises outstanding achievements by individual teachers of German and pays tribute to the work of German language teachers in primary and secondary schools in the UK. 

Teachers will be selected who have made an outstanding and dedicated contribution to German teaching within the curriculum and beyond, e.g. through: 

  • a record of successful teaching at a school, including innovative language teaching 
  • successful introduction of German teaching at a school, e.g. in a primary school as a first foreign language or in a secondary school as a new language 
  • established and successful link activities with Germany, e.g. projects and exchanges, bilingual projects, curriculum projects 
  • use of German language in subjects other than German
  • local or regional outreach activities.  

Nominations must be submitted and signed by the head teacher by Monday 7 May 2018.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and to download the application form.

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Scotland-Russia Forum news bulletin

20 March 2018 (SRF)

The latest news and events from the Scotland-Russia Forum (SRF) can be found in their March 2018 news bulletin. This edition includes information about Russian taster events and materials for schools, so why not take a look and find out how to introduce the language to your pupils?

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Arsenal Double Club 2018 World Cup Competition

20 March 2018 (Arsenal Double Club)

Calling all modern language teachers! As we look forward to this summer’s 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Arsenal Double Club are back with yet another FREE languages competition – open to all UK secondary schools – for boys and girls in Year 7 or 8 (S1 or S2 in Scotland).

In small groups, pupils must organise and run a language-themed football match or activity.

Visit the Double Club website for more information and to enter your school by 29 March 2018.

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Young People in Scotland Survey 2017: STEM and language findings

19 March 2018 (Scottish Government)

This report presents data from Ipsos MORI's Young People in Scotland Survey 2017 on the choices young people make regarding STEM and language subjects in school.

The report can be accessed on the Scottish Government website.

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A 1+2 approach to language learning in the secondary sector - FAQs

19 March 2018 (Education Scotland)

These FAQs produced by Education Scotland cover the main points raised during a series of secondary 1+2 ‘roadshows’ held in 2017.

This resource is for those teachers in secondary modern languages departments who are responsible for transition and course planning. It can be accessed on the Education Scotland website.

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Employ a language assistant for 2018/19

12 March 2018 (British Council)

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

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

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

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

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

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Enter our 2018 World Cup Competition!

19 February 2018 (Arsenal Double Club)

Calling all MFL teachers! As we look forward to this summer’s 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Arsenal Double Club are back with yet another FREE languages competition – open to all UK secondary schools – for boys and girls in Year 7 or 8 (S1 or S2).

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New competition launched - LinguaChef 2018!

13 February 2018 (SCILT / City of Glasgow College)

We are thrilled to announce that we are working in partnership with City of Glasgow College to host a pilot version of a new SCILT competition called LinguaChef. The competition brings together two of our favourite topics – languages and food! As well as practising linguistic and culinary skills, pupils will work on their wider social, literacy, numeracy and financial skills.

Pupils from P1 – S6 are invited to work in teams of four to submit a recipe for an international dish symbolic of a country where either a language they are learning in school or a language that pupils use at home is spoken. So we are expecting to see some exciting recipes from France, Spain, Germany, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Poland, Russia, the Middle East or even as far as China or Japan. We are also encouraging pupils to be creative, for example they could incorporate a bit of Scottish ‘fusion’ into their recipe to give it a twist.

Three semi-finalists from each age category will be selected based on their submitted recipes and they will then be invited to the grand finale with a chance to prepare, cook and present their dish in the professional kitchens at City of Glasgow College. An overall winner from each category will be chosen to win a prize for themselves and their school. Their recipes will also feature in the first ever SCILT cook book.

There are four age categories:

o P1-P3


Primary categories to present a
SWEET dish that could be a cake, biscuit, pudding or dessert for example

o P4-P7

o S1-S3


Secondary categories to present a
SAVOURY dish that would be eaten as a main course

o S4-S6

Recipes should include an introduction/explanation of the dish, a list of ingredients and the method. It can be submitted as a video clip (3 mins max) or as a PPT including photos of steps involved and the final dish, and possibly a voice-over too if pupils would like to add audio. Younger primary pupils in particular may find a video clip easier to submit as it does not require writing although if they choose to submit a PPT version we understand they may require some adult help with this.

A costings sheet will also be provided to help pupils with their financial education skills and to stay within budget.

Key dates and deadlines

Friday 9th March - Deadline for teachers to register interest using the online form
Friday 27th April - Submit entries via email to SCILT
Early May (tbc) - Judging of videos/PPTs to select semi-finalists
Friday 22nd June - Grand Finale at City of Glasgow College

After registration closes on 9th March, teachers will receive a further email with detailed guidelines, exemplar entries, costings sheets and an entry form. However, if you have any queries in the meantime then please contact Angela de Britos by email (angela.de-britos@strath.ac.uk ).

Register now via the online form

Business brunches inspire Scotland’s future global workforce in Edinburgh

6 February 2018 (SCILT)

Young people from twenty schools across the Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders areas had the opportunity to engage with local businesses at Dynamic Earth on 30 January 2018. 208 learners from S3 heard from a range of business leaders who view language skills as key to the growth and success of their company. The Business Brunch demonstrated the relevance of language skills in a work context and aimed to encourage pupils to continue with their language studies into the senior phase of their secondary education, and beyond school.

A teacher attending the event said: “The presentations were relevant. Pupils could relate to the speakers, especially those from Scotland. They really highlighted languages as an additional skill that give you the edge, which is an important message for our learners.”

One of the young people added to this, and commented: “I learnt that knowing a language can bring you a lot of opportunities and can be fun.”

Leanne Banks, Industry and Education Partnership Manager at Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian regional group, and one of the organisers, stated: “Allowing young people to hear directly from businesses across a wealth of sectors highlighted why continuing with their language(s) at school could be so beneficial to opening up a world of opportunities beyond school. With a variety of industry led workshops and exhibitors speaking directly with young people, everyone had opportunities to be informed and inspired. The day was action packed from start to finish and the feedback received from young people and teachers has been so positive we ought to start planning for the next one to make it bigger and better for 2019.”

The event was organised by SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages based at University of Strathclyde, in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian, West Lothian and Borders regional groups together with the University Council for Modern Languages Scotland (UCMLS). Schools represented were Beeslack Community High, Broughton High, Drummond Community High, Dunbar Grammar, Firrhill High, Liberton High, Newbattle Community High, North Berwick High, Portobello High, Preston Lodge High, Ross High, St Augustine's High, St David's High, Galashiels Academy, Kelso High, Peebles High, Armadale Academy, Bathgate Academy, St Kentigern's Academy and Whitburn Academy.

Companies attending included China-Britain Business Council, GlobalScot, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, NHS, JPMorgan, Skyscanner, Food and Drink Federation Scotland and College Development Network, Asia Scotland Institute and Asia Scotland Partnership for the Environment. Apex Hotels, Dig It! 2017 Archaeology Scotland, Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh College, Farne Salmon, Napier University, University of Edinburgh, Historic Environment Scotland, Laing O'Rourke, Languages by KLothian, Macdonald hotels, Multrees Walk, Project Trust, Royal Air Force, Scotland-Russia Forum, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Tourist Guide Association and The Open University in Scotland supported the event by hosting a stall in the Marketplace.

Marion Spöring, Senior Lecturer (Languages and European Studies) at the University of Dundee and Chair of UCMLS said: “The learning of languages is not only fun, but also essential for the future employment opportunities of our young people in Scotland. Languages set the foundation for varied careers, for future engineers as well as artists and in tourism, to name but a few.”

Fhiona Mackay, Director of SCILT said: “In these times of uncertainty, it is even more important than ever that we equip our young people with the skills they will need for life beyond school. We want them to be outward-looking and able to operate in an interdependent world. Events such as these highlight the importance of language skills and intercultural competencies in the world of work.

“The business leaders who speak at these events give of their own time because they understand how much these skills are needed and valued by employers and how vital they are for Scotland’s business community. This kind of collaboration is an example of how education and business sectors can work together for their mutual benefit so that we can support young people and help them develop the portfolio of skills that employers require in their workforce.”

Meaningful employer engagement and providing relevant careers advice are both key recommendations of Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy, “Developing the young workforce”. This Business Brunch supported these aims by giving young people the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the role of languages in the business world. The targets laid out in the Scottish Attainment Challenge are about achieving equity in educational outcomes, with a particular focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap. Through hearing from a range of business leaders and interacting with employees, the aspirations of the young people who attended were raised.

This collaboration between schools and businesses supported Scotland’s International Policy to equip young people with international communication and employability skills that they will need in our increasingly globalised society and economy.

The event is one of a series of Business Brunches being held across Scotland in January and February 2018.

More information on SCILT’s 2018 Business Brunches.

  

Nihongo Cup 2018 - Applications Open!

8 January 2018 (Japan Foundation London)

Japan Foundation London is delighted to announce that the Nihongo Cup Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary Schools in the UK is open for applications!

Nihongo Cup, the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students, is accepting applications across three categories: Key Stage 3, Pre-GCSE Key Stage 4/5, and Post GCSE Key Stage 4 and 5.

Finalists will be invited to perform their speech at Conway Hall in front of a panel of judges and VIPs from the field of Japanese language education and Japan-UK relations, for the chance to win some fantastic prizes – including a trip to Japan!

Applications will close on 23rd March 2018 (Friday) and finals day will take place on 16 June 2018 (Saturday). Finals will take place at Conway Hall in London.

Read more...

St Thomas Aquinas Secondary new 1+2 Case Study: language uptake into the senior phase

17 November 2017 (SCILT)

St Thomas Aquinas RC Secondary is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, secondary school based in the West End of Glasgow. As the catchment area is the largest of any school in Glasgow, St Thomas Aquinas serves a very diverse set of local communities that contributes to the multi-ethnic nature of the school. All learners in the St Thomas Aquinas learning community study Spanish throughout the broad general education until the end of S3. This case study focuses on language uptake from the broad general education into the senior phase through a journey of self-evaluation.

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Word Wizard 2018 - new semi-final added!

3 November 2017 (SCILT/CISS)

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

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

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

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

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Young Europeans Award

23 October 2017 (UK-German Connection)

Calling all pupils interested in European issues! Take part in the Young Europeans Award and win a trip to Warsaw!

This initiative aims to encourage dialogue and exchange between young people in the 'Weimar Triangle' countries - Germany, France and Poland. For the 2017-18 round, the UK has been invited to take part as a guest country.

Teams of young people from within schools in Germany, France, Poland and the UK are invited to enter the competition (with support from their school) in groups of 6+ by sending in a collaborative creative project of their choice addressing the statement: 'To be or not to be...a European'.

Winning teams will have the opportunity to visit the Polish capital, Warsaw.

Applications should be submitted by 1 March 2018.

To find out more about the initiative and how to take part, visit the UK-German Connection website.

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UK-German Connection opportunities

17 October 2017 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a number of initiatives and opportunities for partnerships between schools in Germany and the UK. Click on the relevant link below to find out more about their latest initiatives:

  • School Partnership Bursaries - Special **school partnership bursaries of £1,000** are currently available to help keep you UK-German partnership alive and help cover any costs arising from recent changes to safeguarding regulations. All you need to do is answer a few short questions about your partnership activities this year and your plans for next year by **7 November 2017**.
  • Young Europeans Award - Are your pupils interested in European issues? Encourage them to enter the competition and win a trip to Warsaw! With the UK (and UK-German Connection) as a partner for 2017-18, pupils are invited to team up with young people from Germany, Poland and France and enter with a project on the theme 'To be or not to be... a European.’

To find out more about other activities the organisation provides, you can also visit the UK-German Connection website.

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Pupils losing out as schools prepare for GCSE early, says Ofsted

11 October 2017 (TES)

It is unnecessary to shorten key stage 3 to make more time for GCSEs, Amanda Spielman, the chief inspector of Ofsted, has said.

An investigation by the schools watchdog has found that schools are often shortening KS3, which means “some pupils never study history, geography or a language after the age of 12 or 13”.

The intensity of exam preparation is getting in the way of pupils receiving the subject knowledge they need, the watchdog has said.

Read more...

eTwinning face to face workshops

10 October 2017 (eTwinning)

This term, why not apply to go on a short workshop in another European country?

Applications are now open for teachers from Early Years to Upper Secondary to attend a 2-3 day professional development workshop in Ireland and Spain. These events are designed to facilitate new eTwinning projects through partner-finding and project planning activities. Workshop themes and subject areas are varied, spanning e-safety to computational thinking, MFL, history and culture.

Visit the website to find out more and apply by 16/19 October 2017 respectively.

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DAAD/IMLR Competition

9 October 2017 (DAAD)

Jointly organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the IMLR, this year sees the fourth writing competition for all learners and lovers of German. The competition is open to secondary schools, undergraduates, postgraduates and anyone else who feels up to the challenge!

This year, the task ties in with the 500th anniversary of Luther’s publication of his 95 theses that sparked the Reformation. Put yourself in the shoes of a time-travelling spy: you overhear a conversation between Luther or one of his German, Austrian or Swiss contemporaries (real or imagined) and a figure from public life in 2017 Britain. Is the German-speaking 16th-century time traveller debating Brexit with Boris Johnson or comparing sporting skills with Andy Murray? Does Jamie Oliver try to revolutionise cooking skills of Reformation Germany? Write down what you hear! The only two rules: the dialogue must be written in German and it must not be longer than 350 words.

Visit the DAAD website for more information and to submit entries by 23 October 2017.

Read more...

What's your story? - Creative writing programme for teens in Scotland

6 October 2017 (Scottish Book Trust)

  • Are you 14-17 years old, living in Scotland, and care about creative writing and illustration?
  • Do you want to meet other teens interested in creative writing and illustration?
  • Do you want to improve your own creative skills?
  • Do you want to help create events and resources for other teens?
  • Do you want to show Scotland that teenagers make brilliant creative work?

If this sounds like you, read on to find out more about our What’s Your Story? Development Programme and how to apply to join us this year! It’s free to apply and to take part.

The programme invites and encourages Gaelic speakers to get involved.

Application deadline: 12 noon on Monday 16 October 2017.

Read more...

Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition 2017-18

22 September 2017 (SCILT/CISS)

Today sees the launch of this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) multilingual poetry competition and we're delighted to announce the addition of a category for students in further and higher education, enabling all Scottish educational establishments to participate.

Whether pupils are learning a language at school, college or university, or whether they speak a native language at home, everyone can get involved in celebrating their linguistic and cultural diversity through creative poetry writing as there are options to enter in either the Mother Tongue or Other Tongue category. Even if you've taken part in the competition before, please note and read the new rules and criteria as only original work will be considered.

For more information about this year's competition and previous events, visit our MTOT website and register to take part! Closing date for registrations is 27 October 2017.

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Keith Grammar and associated primaries – new 1+2 Case Study!

22 September 2017 (SCILT)

Keith Grammar School promotes an inclusive policy where the school and local community are encouraged to work together to provide young people with academic and vocational opportunities. Strong links with local businesses and employers contribute to high numbers of young people moving into positive destinations after leaving school. This Case Study looks at how teachers across sectors (early years through to S6) have worked creatively and collaboratively to ensure that their learners are afforded their full entitlement to learning two languages.

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Scots language writing competition

20 September 2017 (Education Scotland)

2017 is the year of History, Heritage & Archaeology . To celebrate, Education Scotland are launching a Creative Writing competition at the Scottish Learning Festival on 20 September. Learners of any and all ages are invited to enter to win Scots Language books for their school. Learners should write a poem or short story of not more than 750 words in length. The story or poem must be written in Scots language – though can be in any dialect of Scots, as broad or unique as the writer would like.

Log onto Glow and join the Scots blether to be kept up to date on all information on the competition. Go to the Visit Scotland website for more info on the 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.

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

20 September 2017 (Glasgow Live)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more...

Related Links

China bolsters Confucius Institute culture scheme in Scotland (The Times, 20 September 2017)

Confucius Hub opens at Braehead Primary (Stirling Council, 21 September 2017)

HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition 2017/18

19 September 2017 (British Council)

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

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

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Language Perfect Northern Championships 2017

18 September 2017 (Language Perfect)

The 2017 Language Perfect Northern Championships dates have been announced!

Join schools from the northern hemisphere 7-14 November for a week of online competition, and celebration of language learning!

Visit the website to find out about how the competition works and register to take part.

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eTwinning

15 September 2017 (eTwinning)

eTwinning offers a platform for teachers to communicate, collaborate, share and develop projects with like-minded colleagues across Europe.

Visit the website to find out more about eTwinning and how being part of the community can benefit you and your pupils.

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Host a Teacher from Germany

15 September 2017 (UK-German Connection)

Would you like to have authentic German cultural input in your school? Through the Host a Teacher from Germany programme, your school can host a German teacher for two or three weeks during the academic year, at no cost.

All schools and FE colleges from the whole of the UK can take part. The UK coordinating teacher does not need to be a teacher of German, and German does not need to be on the school’s curriculum; visiting teachers are either teachers of English or have good knowledge of the English language.

There's still time to apply. Closing deadline is 21 September 2017.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information.

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Languagenut and SCILT exclusive

15 September 2017 (Languagenut)

Languagenut is a professional teaching tool that offers teaching resources across 21 modern foreign languages. 

It is the perfect tool to support the 1+2 approach to language learning, as all audio files are recorded by native speakers. With a range of games, songs and stories, Languagenut supports the four key skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading and writing. 

In addition, Languagenut offers special integrated tools which allow teachers both create their own classes and content, and also set and track homework, generate certificates and evaluate students’ progress in real time. These timesaving tools help teachers to deliver more personalised teaching and customise lessons to fit each individual.

Accessible at school and at home, Languagenut helps to bridge the gap between classroom and home learning.

We’ve collaborated with SCILT to give Scottish schools free exclusive access to Languagenut for 45 days! Visit the website to register.

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Our World film making project

14 September 2017 (SEET)

Want to get pupils more engaged in language learning and encourage uptake? Are you keen to improve their confidence and win an award or two? Then get involved!

SEET's Our World is a free film making project, run by the Scottish European Educational Trust, which is designed to encourage language learning and uptake among pupils. The project is open to any team of four from S3 - S6 (no previous film making knowledge is required) and last year resulted in over 88% of participant pupils saying they were more likely to take languages into their next year as a result of taking part.

All teams have to do to enter is come up with a creative idea for a film, based on this year's theme. Then, with our help teams put that idea into storyboard form and send it to us with an audio or video clip explaining it. The deadline for storyboard submissions is 4 December 2017.

Visit the website to find out more about the project and how to enter.

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ECML Think tank - Language learning pathways

13 September 2017 (ECML)

The aim of the new ECML think tanks is to create a network of expertise from across ECML member states and beyond which can advise the ECML secretariat on how to address a range of key priorities in language education.

The first step in the think tank process is the development of an online questionnaire for each theme which is then disseminated as widely as possible so that a picture of the current state-of-play emerges, revealing both success stories as well as challenges. 

You are invited to share your views and experiences on language learning pathways in the online survey by midnight (CET), Sunday 1 October 2017, and you might be selected to participate in the think tank meeting in January 2018.

Visit the ECML website to find out more about the think tanks.

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Professional development in Germany

13 September 2017 (Goethe-Institut)

Every year the Goethe-Institut offers an attractive range of residential training and language courses for teachers of German: for primary and secondary teachers, for teachers in further education and teacher trainers:

  • Language Courses
  • Landeskunde
  • Methodology/Teaching Strategies

Deadline for applications: 15 October 2017. 

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information. Teachers from Scotland, please apply to Goethe-Institut Glasgow.

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ALL Language Teacher of the Year Award 2018

7 September 2017 (ALL)

Do you know an inspirational primary or secondary teacher?

The Association for Language Learning (ALL) are now looking for nominations in the two categories for the 2018 awards – which are now open to teachers throughout the UK.

The award scheme aims to support and promote language teaching, recognise the efforts and achievements of language teachers, encourage and disseminate exciting, motivating practice among language teachers and raise the profile of language teaching as a career.

Visit the ALL website for more information about each award and how to make a nomination.

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Education Scotland Gaelic news

6 September 2017 (Education Scotland)

The latest edition of Education Scotland's Gaelic e-bulletin is now available.

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News from UK-German Connection

6 September 2017 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a number of funded opportunities for schools in the UK to link with schools in Germany as well as providing resources and activities for the classroom and professional learning for teachers.

In their latest newsletter you can find out more about current opportunities, including:

  • Deadline reminder: seas and oceans youth seminar
  • Host a Teacher in 2018
  • Voyage kids: back to school special
  • Magical Christmas Trips
  • Partnerships Bursaries
  • Young Europeans Award
  • Looking ahead

Find out more on their website.

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Why asking struggling pupils to take a language GCSE early is a winner

25 August 2017 (TES)

How do you encourage lower-ability students to stick with learning a new language? By offering them the chance to take the subject at GCSE … a whole two years early. The results speak for themselves, says Eva Vicente.

Learning languages didn’t come easy to Jack when he first joined secondary school. Ordinarily, he would have dropped the subject when he was choosing which GCSEs to study at key stage 4. So imagine his delight that he’d already notched up a Spanish GCSE by the end of Year 9, two years before his more proficient friends would have the opportunity to do the same.

His impressive achievement was made possible by the unconventional system we have implemented at Rushcliffe School, which allows struggling pupils the chance to study for their Spanish GCSE in Years 8 and 9. Asking teenagers to sit what is supposed to be one of the hardest GCSE subjects two years early may seem a little crazy – even more so when you consider the pupils in question are the ones who are struggling the most with the subject – but there is method in our madness.

Britain is at the back of the queue in terms of language skills. Why? Because children here don’t study languages as early, as often or for as long as those in other countries. Despite endless changes in policy, the UK simply does not invest in language learning.

But at Rushcliffe we don’t buy into the idea that learning a language is only for a handful of very academic students who are able to leap over the education system’s barriers – delayed exposure to learning languages and limited timetable allocation. We decided to turn things around and commit to ensuring that as many students as possible get a language qualification, without it impacting on their GCSE choices at key stage 4. So how does it work?

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History teachers' professional development tour to Berlin

25 August 2017 (German Embassy)

The German Embassy is inviting applications for their next Professional Development Tour for British Teachers of History to Berlin, Germany, 15 – 21 October 2017.

The purpose of the trip is to give participants a wide-ranging impression of present-day Germany as a background for teaching German history in UK schools. The trip will include highlights of contemporary Berlin, talks with history teachers and teachers’ associations, visits to the German Historical Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Federal Foreign Office, the Reichstag and more.

The tour will be conducted in English. All costs relating to the trip will be covered by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Please see the attached flyer and booking form for more information. Apply by 8 September 2017.

Cross-Sector Hub meetings

24 August 2017 (SCILT)

UCMLS, the professional organisation representing languages staff in Scottish universities, is again holding two sets of regional cross-sector meetings during 2017-18, with support from SCILT.

The first round of meetings will be during the week beginning 11 September 2017. We will present our planned events and initiatives for the coming session, including the new Languages Lost & Found events on 18 November.

Language teachers and staff in schools, colleges and universities are warmly invited to attend. For those who live too far to attend in person we are also offering the option of joining us on one of two virtual meetings via Skype.

Please register for your session choice by Friday 1 September 2017.

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Vocab Express League of Champions 2017

21 August 2017 (Vocab Express)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Concours de la francophonie 2018

18 August 2017 (Institut français)

The Institut français d'Ecosse is pleased to launch this year's concours de la francophonie, a national school competition to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland to celebrate the international day of la francophonie.

All Scottish primary and secondary schools offering French may enter this competition by submitting a short video of a classroom activity in French.

Visit the Institut français website to find out more about the competition and how to enter by 19 December 2017.

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'The Smart Choice: German' schools network

15 August 2017 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut is accepting applications to join the schools' network 'The Smart Choice: German'.

In 2016 the Goethe-Institut set up 19 Digital German Networks in the United Kingdom. It is now looking to build on this success and to identify further networks of secondary and/or primary schools that have the intention to start, facilitate and strengthen the teaching of German. 

At least three schools need to build a network. The lead partner can apply for the funding with the Goethe-Institut. It can be a secondary school supporting feeder schools or a cluster of primary schools reaching out to a secondary school teaching German. It can also be three primary schools in one area wanting to make a start with German or already having started with it.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website to find out more and to apply by 30 September 2017.

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Beyond the Panda programme for schools

15 August 2017 (RZSS)

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

The programme now has two main parts:

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

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

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

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

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French classes in Edinburgh

15 August 2017 (Institut français)

The Institut français d'Ecosse is enrolling for their autumn classes commencing September 2017.

Classes and workshops are offered for all ages (toddlers to adults), from complete beginners to fluent speakers.

Visit the website for more information and to enrol.

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Concours de la francophonie 2017 - final report

15 August 2017 (Institut français)

The Concours de la francophonie was launched in 2016 by the Institut français d'Ecosse to showcase the vitality of the French language in Scottish schools and to encourage all learners from P1 to S6.

To enter the competition schools sent in a short film of a class activity in French.

See the attached document for full details of the 2017 competition, winners and photographs.

Magical Christmas Trips 2017

15 August 2017 (UK-German Connection)

Would you like to take part in a Magical Christmas Trip this year and build on or set up a partnership with a school in Germany?

These visits offer primary pupils the chance to get a taste of Germany at Christmas time, meet their German peers and get involved in some seasonal intercultural activity. Secondary pupils have the opportunity to brush up on their German and practice their skills as young leaders.

There are two options for getting involved:
  • apply to take part in a visit to Berlin run by UK-German Connection to set up a link to a school in Germany
  • apply for funding and organisational support to run your own Christmas visit to an existing partner school anywhere in Germany
To find out more, please visit the UK-German Connection's website and apply by 26 September 2017.

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French drama workshops

15 August 2017 (Theatre sans Accents)

Whether you want to perfect your French or your English, Theatre Sans Accents has the right workshop to suit your needs and your level!

No need to be fluent or an experienced actor, everyone is welcomed in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere!

Bookings are now being taken for Autumn term classes, with early bird discounts available.

Follow the appropriate link below to find out more about classes for adults and children:

For children:

For adults:

You can find out more about Theatre sans Accents and their other activities on the website.

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Autumn term French classes

14 August 2017 (Alliance Française)

French classes for adults and children will start at the Alliance Française in Glasgow on 11 September 2017.

Visit the website for full details and to find out about Open Days where you can visit, meet staff and have your language level assessed to establish the best course for you.

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Gaelic school planned for Edinburgh as demand soars

11 August 2017 (The Times)

A dedicated Gaelic school could open in Edinburgh to cope with rising pupil numbers and soaring demand.

Edinburgh city council expects there to be more pupils than places at James Gillespie’s High School, where Gaelic education is currently provided, as soon as 2021.

The number of new pupils starting this month at Taobh na Pàirce primary, Edinburgh’s only Gaelic primary school, has also been far higher than anticipated.

Read more...

New approach to SCILT/CISS promotional events

23 June 2017 (SCILT/CISS)

SCILT and CISS are currently reviewing their strategy for promotional events. In order to ensure all schools have the opportunity to benefit from our involvement, we are now requesting that you complete an online application form. You will be asked to outline how a promotional event might support your uptake in the senior phase and what other measures you are putting in place to address the Attainment Agenda, National Improvement Framework and Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

Please contact us at SCILT (scilt@strath.ac.uk) in the first instance. An application form will be sent to you once finalised.

Gaelic e-bulletin - June 2017

21 June 2017 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland's latest Gaelic e-bulletin has just been issued and can be accessed online.

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UK-German Connection news - Summer 2017

9 June 2017 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a number of opportunities for UK schools to partner with a school in Germany. The following options are currently available. Follow the appropriate link for more information:

Visit the UK-German Connection website to find out more about all their activities.

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Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2017

5 June 2017 (Japan Foundation)

The Japan Foundation London is looking for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education. You can apply for up to £3,000.

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the three following categories:
  1. Introducing Japanese into the curriculum at a primary or secondary school
  2. Supporting GCSE or A-level Japanese courses
  3. Introducing Japanese extracurricular club or enrichment subject at a primary or secondary school
The next deadline to apply for funding is Friday 16 June 2017.

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information.

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Host a teacher from Germany

2 June 2017 (UK-German Connection)

Would you like to have authentic German cultural input in your school? Through the Host a Teacher from Germany programme, your school can host a German teacher for two or three weeks during the academic year, at no cost.

All schools and FE colleges from the whole of the UK can take part. The UK coordinating teacher does not need to be a teacher of German, and German does not need to be on the school’s curriculum; visiting teachers are either teachers of English or have good knowledge of the English language.

Offers from UK schools to host teachers from Germany in 2017-18 are now being accepted. Application deadlines are 10 July 2017 / 21 September 2017.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information.

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Celebrating BLC success!

2 June 2017 (CISS)

Pupils from Lasswade High School were presented with certificates and a badge each on Wednesday 31 May for completing an app which they designed for young Chinese visitors to Edinburgh Castle.

The S3 pupils had researched Edinburgh Castle, making a visit before and after designing the trail (the latter visit to test it). With the support of the app company, 'Global Treasure Apps', they created a trail for young speakers of Chinese who might visit the castle. This is an age group the castle want to attract to the premises more effectively; moreover, the number of tourists from China is increasing all the time. After London, Edinburgh Castle is the second favourite spot for Chinese visitors to the UK.

The S3 pupils worked in teams and the winning team all received a phone charger from the app company.

The pupils will build on their success and most will continue with Mandarin into S4.

This is a good example of a Business Language Champions (BLC) project impacting on uptake in the Senior Phase: working together with outside partners such as Historic Environment Scotland, the app company and CISS.

Visit the BLC pages of our website for more information about the scheme and to find out how schools and businesses can get involved.

BLC participants at Lasswade High SchoolBLC presentations at Lasswade High School

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2017

31 May 2017 (EIFF)

The programme for this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) taking place from 21 June to 2 July 2017 has just been published.

The event will showcase films from 46 countries so there are plenty of opportunities to test your language skills!

For more information about what's on offer, visit the EIFF website.

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1+2 National Events for Principal Teachers of languages and colleagues i/c timetabling : June 2017

30 May 2017 (Education Scotland/SCILT/ADES/GTCS)

These events will focus on 1+2 in the secondary sector and feature inputs from ADES, ES, GTCS, SCILT and a representative from a local business. Purpose of the day:
  • 1+2 – overview of current developments
  • sharing practice across authorities re implementation in secondary
  • transitions between primary and secondary
  • examining the place of languages in BGE and Senior Phase in secondary schools
Scottish Ministers have a clear message to all stakeholders: that learning languages is a normal part of the curriculum from P1 onwards. These regional 1+2 events for the secondary sector are part of the Strategic Implementation Group’s priority to focus on curriculum such that there is clear and effective design which ensures progress through primary and secondary schooling, and on Career Long Professional Learning to ensure practitioners are equipped, enabled and empowered to deliver high quality language learning in primary and secondary schools. Given the significance of the 1+2 policy for secondary modern languages departments, it is important that all schools are represented at these regional events.

Your LA languages contact (usually DO/QIO) will have alerted you to the event for your region, however if you have not yet received the invitation to attend your local event (two invitees per school – PT languages, plus timetabler- usually a DHT) please contact EDSCFE@EducationScotland.gsi.gov.uk

Your regional event will take place as per the schedule below:

Date

Event Location

Authorities involved

Tuesday 20 June

Stirling

Stirling, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire

Wednesday 21 June

Coatbridge

North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, West Lothian


Venue details, timings and a programme for the day will be emailed to you when you register for the event.

Young Language Learner Award - 2017

15 May 2017 (B small publishing)

The Young Language Learner Awards are back!

B small publishing are inviting children and young people to write a four-page story in a foreign language they are learning (choose from Chinese, English, French, German, Italian or Spanish) to be in with a chance of winning books worth £50.

One winner will be picked from the under 6 category and one winner from the 6 and over entries.

Visit the website for full details and to submit entries by 15 June 2017.

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EOL network ’Learning environments where modern languages flourish’ - 99 partner schools registered

9 May 2017 (ECML)

The EOL ECML project “Learning environments where modern languages flourish” has already succeeded in recruiting 99 partner schools and teachers in ten different countries; we will continue to accept new partner schools until the end of July 2017.

This European network of project partner schools will not only support one another in developing innovative approaches to establishing language friendly learning environments through an exchange of relevant resources, research and practice, but will have dedicated support from the project team throughout the lifespan of their school projects.

Visit the ECML website for more information and to register to join the EOL network.

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MTOT 2016-17 celebration event webpage now live

5 May 2017 (SCILT)

We're pleased to announce the SCILT website has been updated and details of this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) multilingual poetry competition award celebration held at the SEC, Glasgow in March are now available.

Here you can see photos of our winning performers, read the anthology of winning entries, access press articles and see feedback from pupils, teachers and parents.

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New job profile on SCILT's website

28 April 2017 (SCILT)

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

Our latest addition comes from Charlie Foot, founder of Bili, the online language exchange platform for schools. Charlie explains how speaking to people in their own language creates opportunities for much deeper connections and cultural understanding.

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

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Business Brunch 2017 events webpage now live!

25 April 2017 (SCILT)

A series of five successful Business Brunch events organised by SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages in partnership with the University Council for Modern Languages Scotland took place this year where 535 learners from S3-S6 were given the opportunity to hear from a wide range of exciting business leaders who view language skills as key to the growth and success of their company.

The events demonstrated the relevance of language skills in a work context and aimed to encourage pupils to continue with their language studies into the senior phase of their secondary education, and beyond school.

Find out more about the events on our new Business Brunch 2017 webpage.

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Link with a German school

24 April 2017 (UK-German Connection)

Broaden your pupils' horizons and enhance your school's international dimension by linking with a German school. Find out how to set up and develop a partnership with a German school, including practical tips and advice on joint activities, projects and visits to Germany.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information.

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Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to offer new degree course for Gaelic teachers

23 April 2017 (SALT)

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (SMO), the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, is to deliver a new Gaelic teaching degree.

The BA (Hons) Gaelic and Education recently received validation from the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and accreditation from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS ) and the first cohort of students will begin the course in September.

The course will be part of Sabhal Mòr’s degree pathway and will be taught through the medium of Gaelic and will focus on immersion and bilingual teaching practices in schools. This is the first time that SMO has taken the lead role in delivering a teacher training degree, and the course is designed for either secondary teaching (Gaelic as a subject) or Gaelic-medium primary teaching.

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Biscuits galore!

20 April 2017 (CISS)

For some S2 pupils from Elgin Academy, the term began with a busy and exciting visit to Walkers Shortbread HQ in Aberlour, Moray.

The pupils have been studying Mandarin since January with the support of the Hanban teacher Sufang Wang and under the guidance of Jerome Lestienne, PT of Modern Languages. The pupils presented to members of the International team from Walkers and the HR team. The presentations reflected what they had learnt so far, which included simple greetings, some numbers (and how to express numbers with hand gestures) and explanations of what is peculiar to the Chinese language such as learning tones, characters, etc.

The presentations also incorporated advice on effective “dos and don’ts” of Chinese Business Etiquette. These were well received by the International Team, who later explained they are increasingly doing business with China. It is now one of the top ten countries with whom they deal and in the near future will be opening an office in Shanghai.

Pupils were judged on presentation skills, clarity of delivery, content, structure and language skills. (The latter were judged by members from CISS and the Hanban teacher.) The winning group were generously rewarded with a prize and all pupils left with a goodie bag.

Pupils were asked questions by the team regarding how they found learning Chinese. They replied they had found it interesting and were grateful to have the chance to learn some Chinese whilst at school.

The Director of the International Team thanked them for the useful and stimulating presentations. He highlighted the fact that future employees with such knowledge would be most welcome for the company to employ.
Walkers' staff enjoying the presentationElgin Academy pupils presenting

All Junior Cert pupils to study a foreign language under new plan

19 April 2017 (News Talk)

(Applies to Ireland) All pupils will study a foreign language for their Junior Cert by 2021 under ambitious new plans being announced by the Education Minister.

The strategy also aims to increase the number of Leaving Cert students studying a foreign language by 10%.

Chinese will be introduced as a Leaving Cert subject for the first time, while so-called 'heritage languages' such as Polish, Lithuanian and Portuguese will get a proper curriculum.

Speaking to Pat Kenny, Minister Richard Bruton explained: "We are going to have to, post-Brexit, realise that one of the common weaknesses of English speaking countries - that we disregard foreign languages - has to be addressed in Ireland.

"We need now to trade in the growth areas - and many of those speak Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin. Those are the languages that we need to learn to continue to trade successfully."

On the subject of Eastern European languages, he observed: "We now have many Lithuanians and Polish here, and we can develop those languages.

"We also need to use programmes like Erasmus - we want to increase our participation there by 50%. Clearly it has to become more immersed in the language.

"At the moment if you look at Leaving Cert and Junior Cert, French dominates. French is a lovely language, but we need to recognise that we need to diversify into other languages."

Read more...

Education Scotland Modern Languages newsletter - April 2017

18 April 2017 (Education Scotland)

The latest edition of Education Scotland's Modern Languages newsletter is now available.

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Dingwall Academy's pioneering sign language work hailed at Holyrood

2 April 2017 (Ross-shire Journal)

Dingwall Academy’s leadership in promoting British Sign Language (BSL) has been applauded by the Scottish Parliament – after the school was highly praised by Strathpeffer-based MSP, Maree Todd.

She used the recent debate on the consultation on the Draft BSL National Plan to highlight the initiative of Dingwall Academy’s unit. During her speech, she used BSL to welcome former Dingwall Academy pupil, Caitlin Bogan, who was watching the debate from the viewing gallery.

The MSP later said: “We should all be proud of what is being done in the Highlands. Dingwall Academy is one of the few schools to deliver a BSL unit – all students in first year, including my son Gregor this year, take BSL classes as a taster along with other languages, including French, Gaelic and German.

Read more...

New job profile on the SCILT website

31 March 2017 (SCILT)

We have a selection of job profiles on our website demonstrating languages being used in a wide range of professions.

Our latest addition comes from Jane Robb, PhD student at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich. Jane has studied several languages, including French, German and Spanish and says her Spanish language skills enable her to conduct fieldwork and live and work in Guatemala.

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

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ECML online questionnaire "Language in subjects"

27 March 2017 (ECML)

This online questionnaire is part of an ECML project called "Developing language awareness in subject classes". It targets subject teachers (mathematics, history, science, physical education etc.) and teacher trainers who:
  • are experienced in teaching students at the age of 12/13 with a different language background, and/or
  • take an interest in developing their students’ academic, subject specific language.
It takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Visit the ECML website to access the questionnaire.

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Jackie Kay celebrates pupils’ multilingual poetry success

24 March 2017 (SCILT)

The multilingual talents of budding young poets from across Scotland were celebrated at a prestigious award ceremony in Glasgow. Jackie Kay, Scotland's Makar, presented the prizes.

Primary and secondary students from Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Stirling and West Lothian used their language skills to create and share poetry for this year’s Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition. Winners received their prizes on the main Piazza stage at the SEC Glasgow on Saturday 11 March 2017 as part of the wider Languages Show Live Scotland event. Their work is published in an anthology.

Mother Tongue Other Tongue is an exciting project which celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity through creative writing and showcases the many languages which are used by children and young people across Scotland, in school and at home. The competition is organised by SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, based at University of Strathclyde. Jackie Kay is the patron of the competition.

One teacher said of the event: “Taking part in the Mother Tongue Other Tongue poetry competition was a very worthwhile endeavour. Pupils really enjoyed creating poems in another language and interesting language based discussions were generated. The emphasis on celebrating all languages from across the globe was a great message to share with pupils and they especially enjoyed mixing their own language with the languages they are learning at school. We will definitely be taking part again next year.”

Whilst one of the pupils summed up their feelings: “I feel happy, proud and special.”

Fhiona Mackay, Director of SCILT, says: “Mother Tongue Other Tongue is a celebration of the many languages that are spoken and learned by children and young people across Scotland. The collection of their poems weaves a rich tapestry of voices that honours cultural diversity and pays testament to the wealth of Scotland’s many languages and cultures. We were delighted to see such a high calibre of entries this year, submitted in 35 different languages. Our congratulations go to the winners and to all who took part in the competition.”

Mother Tongue invites children who do not speak English as a first language to write a poem, rap or song in their mother tongue and share their inspiration. Other Tongue encourages children learning another language in school to use that language creatively with an original poem, rap or song in that other tongue. Prizes are awarded in both categories.

Mother Tongue Other Tongue supports the Scottish Government initiative, ‘Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 approach’ by allowing pupils to apply their language learning in a creative way. The competition provides children who do not have English as their first language an opportunity to celebrate their mother tongue.

The targets laid out in the Scottish Attainment Challenge are about achieving equity in educational outcomes, with a particular focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap. One of the key drivers is improved literacy. Through reflecting on poetry in their mother tongue and creating poetry in another tongue, learners are developing their literacy skills.

Mother Tongue Other Tongue is supported by the University Council for Modern Languages Scotland, creative writer Juliette Lee and the Scottish Poetry Library.

Details of the winners and the anthology are published on the SCILT website.
MTOT 2016-17 winners with Jackie Kay

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Curriculum for Excellence Benchmarks

23 March 2017 (Education Scotland)

The Benchmarks in modern languages provide clarity on the national standards expected from first to fourth curricular level.

They draw together and streamline a wide range of previous assessment guidance (including significant aspects of learning, progression frameworks and annotated exemplars) into one key resource to support teachers’ and other practitioners’ professional judgement of children’s and young people’s progress.

The Benchmarks will also support consistency in teachers’ professional judgements and will help teachers to ensure that young people achieve the pace of progress they need right across the Broad General Education.

The Benchmarks can be accessed on Education Scotland's National Improvement Hub along with Benchmarks exemplification to support practitioners to use the Benchmarks.

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New job profile on SCILT's website

17 March 2017 (SCILT)

For relevant, labour-market focused career advice on languages, direct from the workplace, read our latest Job Profile from Lynn Sheppard, Masters Student and travel writer, former English teacher, diplomat and civil servant.

Lynn tells how languages have not only helped in all her diverse job roles, but in developing and maintaining personal and professional relationships around the globe. Language skills have given her a cultural insight into how others think and behave.

Teachers, use this resource in your classroom to enhance learning about the world of work.

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Gaelic e-bulletin

17 March 2017 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland's March e-bulletin for Gaelic education is now available online.

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Chinese L3 resources

13 March 2017 (CISS)

In order to build capacity for L3 in Scottish schools throughout Scotland, CISS has focused on developing a variety of resources. The latest L3 materials can be used to support the introduction of Mandarin as the L3 by using stimulating cultural contexts, whilst carefully building in progression. They are the first of a series of L3 resources which will support non-specialist Chinese teachers – including complete beginners! – as well as specialist Chinese teachers. The resources favour a gentle progression and will help practitioners embed Chinese into their learning context. These resources can be used as stand-alone resources or in conjunction with The Happy Emperor ebooks 1-5.

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SALT schools competition 2017

11 March 2017 (SALT)

There are four categories in this years competition: Primary & BGE, National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher.

The theme is I love Languages Because and students can submit their entries in any format (PowerPoint, poster, song, poem, etc).

Visit the SALT website for further information and to submit entries by 26 May 2017.

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New job profile on SCILT's website

10 March 2017 (SCILT)

We have a range of Job Profiles on our website designed for teachers to use in the classroom to enhance learning about the world of work and how language skills can play a part.

Our latest addition comes from Kirsten Matthews, a Distillery Tour Guide and Public Service Interpreter. Kirsten tells us her language skills make it possible for her to perform a service and to help people in her roles.

You can see Kirsten's profile on our website.

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Pupils celebrate success at multilingual poetry competition

9 March 2017 (Renfrewshire 24)

Six bilingual pupils from Renfrewshire have scooped up awards at a national poetry competition for their creative writing talents.

Of the 14 awards up for grabs through the ‘Mother Tongue Other Tongue’ competition run by SCILT – Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, six were awarded to pupils from St John Ogilvie Primary School, St James Primary School and Castlehead High School, who had written poetry in their native tongue in order to share their “other voices”.

Renfrewshire EAL (English as an additional language) teachers helped support bilingual pupils to create a collection of poems written in languages such as; Polish, Hungarian, Chinese, Punjabi, Catalan, Arabic, Greek, Filipino, Korean and Dutch.

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Mapping Chinese survey

9 March 2017 (SCEN)

At the meeting of Confucius Institute Directors last year, we all decided that it would be a great help if we shared information about the teaching and learning of Mandarin at all levels in Scotland. We want to map all the opportunities to learn Chinese accurately, and to share it with everyone to help with productive links between schools, colleges, universities and businesses.

We would like to invite primary and secondary school teachers to complete our online survey to help gather this data.

Visit the SCEN website for the survey link. Please complete by 31 March 2017.

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UK-German Connection initiatives for schools

7 March 2017 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German connection have the following opportunities they'd like teachers and schools to be aware of:
  1. What do you need now? Have your say.
    It’s now more important than ever to maintain connections with Europe. With this in mind, we’re reviewing the opportunities and support we offer schools and are asking teachers for their input on what schools currently need in order to keep links with Germany alive. We’ve put together a short questionnaire for you to have your say and would be grateful for your feedback. Complete the survey.

  2. Plastic Pirates
    There’s now another chance for UK and German partner schools to apply for funding to get together in Germany and undertake research on Germany’s rivers and oceans.

Dumbarton Academy get to grips with business and language

6 March 2017 (Dumbarton Reporter)

Pupils from Dumbarton Academy had the opportunity to learn the language of business at a recent school event.

Third year students heard from a range of local business leaders who view language skills as key to the growth and success of their company.

The event demonstrated the relevance of these skills in a work context and aimed to encourage pupils to continue with their language studies into the senior phase of their secondary education, and beyond school.

Cara Brown, subject leader for Modern Languages at Dumbarton Academy, said: “The event was a success, emphasised by the positive feedback given by pupils. The presentations delivered by the range of speakers were well received by everyone involved and really engaged the learners who discovered the value of language skills for employment and for life beyond school.”

One of the pupils added: “I enjoyed hearing different peoples’ stories and learning about what they had been able to do through learning another language. I was surprised to find out how many ways languages can be useful.”

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New Job Profile on the SCILT website

3 March 2017 (SCILT)

For relevant, labour-market focused career advice on languages, direct from the workplace, read our latest Job Profile from Sandie Robb, Senior Education Officer for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).

Working on conservation projects around the globe, Sandie explains how knowing even a little of a language is respectable and polite when working with colleagues worldwide.

Teachers, use this resource in your classroom to enhance learning about the world of work.

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Articulate Language Camps 2017

1 March 2017 (Articulate Language Camps)

Articulate Language Camps run an International Camp (12-17 year olds) and Launch Camp (6-11 year olds) each summer in Scotland.

The International camp brings together young people aged 12-17 from across Europe and beyond to share their language and culture and provides the opportunity to learn French, Spanish, German, Italian or English.

The Launch camp gives young campers the chance to experience the same languages in a fun and interactive way, learning through digital media projects and outdoor activities.

Find out more in the Articulate Language Camps videos on YouTube where you will also find links to their online brochure and registration form. Follow the relevant link below for more information about each camp:
You can find out more about Articulate Language Camps by visiting their main website.

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Fairtrade Fortnight

28 February 2017 (SCILT / Traidcraft)

#mfltwitterati it’s Fairtrade Fortnight! Please tweet @scottishcilt and @FairtradeUKEd the lesson ideas and resources that you’re using with your learners as a meaningful context for language learning #Fairtrade.

We’ve already found these from @traidcraft, tell us what you think.
  • Explore the world of cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire with a range of teaching resources for learners of French at 2nd level, 3rd level and in the Senior Phase.
  • Explore a range of resources relating to Apicoop - honey and blueberry producers in Chile. Aimed at 2nd level learners of Spanish materials include a poster, an advert and a game.

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Vive la francophonie 2017

27 February 2017 (Institut français)

Each year the embassies of the francophone countries organise a UK-wide quiz for S2 and S3 students entitled Vive la francophonie. This year's competition will take place on 13 March.

It is simple for schools to take part:
  1. Enrol your team
  2. The quiz will be online on 13 March any time from 10am to 2pm. It should take maximum an hour to answer the questions.
The top 3 teams with the most answers right, in the shortest time, wins!

Visit the website to find out more about the competition and to register your students by 8 March.

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Languages Teacher Training Scholarships

23 February 2017 (British Council)

Are you passionate about French, German or Spanish? If so, you could receive a languages scholarship of £27,500 to train as a secondary school teacher in England.

Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply by 31 July 2017.

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Do we need modern language graduates in a globalised world?

23 February 2017 (THE)

Six academics offer their views on the state of language learning in a populist climate.

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UK-German Connection latest news

21 February 2017 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection offers a number of opportunities for schools in the UK and Germany to develop and maintain partnerships. In their latest Spring 2017 newsletter they highlight the following:
  • With the changing landscape of international relations, we want to make sure we're still offering you the right kind of support to keep your connections with Germany alive.We're currently reviewing the opportunities and services we offer and would like to invite you to tell us what you need now for your schools and pupils. Complete the short survey.
  • Deadline reminder of 1 March for applications for the following summer courses in Germany:

For upcoming deadlines for the rest of the school year, download our calendar of opportunities for 2016-17.

For further information about UK-German Connection and their activities, visit their website.

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Time to listen to teens on language learning

21 February 2017 (Scholastic blog)

For far too long it seems that media columns have been filled with reports of declining interest of British teenagers in modern foreign languages (MFL).

Take the figures published last summer. The number of children studying French to A-level has fallen by around 50 per cent in eight years to fewer than 10,000. Only around 3,800 youngsters took German. There was also a fall in those studying Spanish, which had previously bucked the anti-languages drift.

The government replied that it has been encouraging pupils to take languages, mainly through the English Baccalaureate – the wrap-around qualification which requires pupils to sit a range of certain GCSEs including a language.

But the problems don’t end there. More university language departments are facing closure if student recruitment continues to decline, and the key problem facing language courses is the drop in the number of students sitting the relevant A-levels that are required for entry. And there is a shortage of MFL teachers.

This ought to worry us – even more so as we head towards Brexit. It has been estimated by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages that our failure to communicate in anything other than English costs Britain up to £50 billion a year in lost trade. Declining numbers of MFL students have led to calls for a joined up strategy where the full contribution of languages to the economy and society is realised, with the National Association of Head Teachers particularly vocal.

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Agenda: So much to be gained from young people learning modern languages

12 February 2017 (Sunday Herald)

Does language learning have a place in the Scottish curriculum? Yes. Are modern languages and their teachers under pressure in secondary schools? Yes. Has there been a better opportunity for promoting language learning in our schools ? No.

Language learning has a vital place in Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) on a learner journey from 3-18 but in a manner that does not see it as the preserve of the secondary school.

It has always baffled me that traditionally in Scotland, given its place in Europe, we started language learning so late in a child’s development.

The earlier we expose children to learning languages, the better their chance is of seeing this as something that is just part of their culture.

From a child development point of view, there’s much research to confirm that children are more receptive educationally and emotionally to language learning from an early age.

They soak it up and acquire language skills at a great pace. We know that bilingualism not only helps the cognitive development of the child but also that children who are in bilingual education such as Gaelic Medium Education also attain and achieve at least as well as, in many cases better, than their monoglot peers. They are fluent in two languages and are learning a third by the age of 11. In addition, there is another plus to early exposure to acquiring additional languages; most parents like it, understand it and support schools that promote it.

The Scottish Government-led 1+2 languages programme is a long-term policy commitment started in 2011 due to run until 2021, aimed at making it normal for all children and young people in Scotland to learn languages from primary one.

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Gaelic Translation Competition!

10 February 2017 (Education Scotland)

This translation competition is open to all children and young people in both Gaelic Learner and Gaelic Medium Education.

There are nine English and eight Gaelic posters of Scotland’s scientists available on the National Improvement Hub. One of the Gaelic posters is missing- Alexander Graham Bell.

Children and young people are invited to translate a short biography on Alexander Graham Bell into Gaelic. This is an exciting opportunity to have your work shared nationally and to feature alongside the other eight scientist biographies available on the National Improvement Hub. Your work could support learners of Gaelic across Scotland.

For more information visit the Education Scotland Learning Blog. Entries should be submitted by 3 March 2017.

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MTOT 2016-17 winners announced!

10 February 2017 (SCILT)

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate everyone who took part in this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition for schools in Scotland. We had a wonderful variety of entries and appreciated the creative effort that went into the submissions.

Selecting the finalists for this year's anthology was incredibly difficult for the judges. However, after considerable deliberation, we're pleased to now be able to announce the winners in each category along with highly commended entries which will also feature in the MTOT anthology of poems.

Mother Tongue

Category

Award

Name

School

P1 – P3

Winner

Jan Piwowarczyk (Polish)

St Benedict’s Primary

 

Highly commended

Kacper Jodelka (Polish)

St John Ogilvie Primary

P4 – P6

Winner

Laith Kabour (Arabic)

St John Ogilvie Primary

 

Highly commended

Ashley Li (Mandarin)

St James’ Primary

 

Highly commended

Amira Shaaban and Aidah Abubaker (Swahili)

St Rose of Lima Primary

 

Highly commended

Caroline Rotimi and Joolade Adekoya (Yoruba)

St Maria Goretti Primary

P7 – S1

Winner

Miriam Espinosa (Catalan)

St James’ Renfrew

 

 

Highly commended

Lemuel Pascual (Filipino)

 

St James’ Renfrew

 

Highly commended

Noemi Dzurjanikova (Slovak)

St Rose of Lima

S2 – S3

Winner

Stefan Benyak (Hungarian)

Castlehead High

 

Highly commended

Éva Tallaron (French)

Royal High

Senior Phase

Winner

Boglarka Balla (Hungarian)

Graeme High

 

Highly commended

Ayesha Mujeb (Urdu)

George Heriot’s

 

Highly commended

Nadya Clarkson (Russian)

George Heriot’s

 

Other Tongue

Category

Award

Name

School

P1 – P3

Winner

Julia Gawel (Scots)

Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral Primary

P4 – P6

Winner(s)

Nathan Watson and Aiden Wardrop (French)

Johnshaven Primary

 

 

Highly commended

Jack Shaw (German)

Gartcosh Primary

 

 

Eva Campbell (German)

Gartcosh Primary

P7 – S1

Winner

Rosalind Turnbull (French)

Doune Primary

 

Highly commended

Samuel Kassm, Theo Wilson, Emma Cullen and Darren Campbell (French, Spanish, Italian, Urdu, Scots)

Battlefield  Primary

S2 – S3

Winner

Simi Singh (French)

Graeme High

 

Highly commended

Ciara Wilkie (French)

St Margaret’s Academy

Senior Phase

Winner

Jordanna Bashir (French)

Shawlands Academy

 

Highly commended

Holly Mincher (Spanish)

St Andrew’s

 

Highly commended

Rachel Cairns (French)

Graeme High

Well done to everyone who took part in the competition. It's been a marvellous celebration of the various languages spoken in our communities. You should all be very proud of your work.

To mark participation in the competition, registered schools will shortly be sent a certificate which can be printed out and presented to pupils who took part. The finalists above will be invited in due course to receive theirs at the MTOT celebration event on 11 March.

Thank you all once again and keep writing!

Boost language attainment with a Modern Language Assistant

8 February 2017 (British Council)

Modern Language Assistants bring authentic language and culture to the classroom. In a recent survey of host schools, Heads of Languages reported improved exam results – raising standards in under-performing students and motivating talented students to achieve more. The support of an Assistant is particularly valuable with the on-going focus on languages in the 1+2 initiative, and can particularly help to complement the development of language teaching in primary schools.

The British Council Language Assistants programme draws on over 100 years of experience with overseas education authorities to provide a trusted, high quality service.

Applications are now open! For more information visit the British Council website.

In 2016 the Erasmus+ UK National Agency awarded nearly €1.2m+ to Scotland’s schools and colleges for Key Action 2 (KA2) Strategic Partnerships, and 70% of Scottish applications for school-only partnerships were successful. The next Erasmus+ funding deadline is 29 March. If you are planning to apply, access our tailored guidance for school-only applications and school education applications; pre-recorded videos; and telephone support sessions.

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Le concours de la francophonie competition winners

8 February 2017 (SALT / Institut français)

Winners of the 2017 Concours de la francophonie, a competition run by the Institut français d'Ecosse for schools in Scotland, have now been announced!

Visit the SALT website for more information about the winners in each category.

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Josh Martin, student of Psychology & German and part-time racing driver

3 February 2017 (SCILT)

Our Job Profiles are designed for teachers to use in the classroom to enhance learning about the world of work and how language skills can play a part.

Our latest addition comes from student and part-time racing driver, Josh Martin, who appreciates how languages are key in helping him communicate with fans around the world and in negotiating sponsorship deals.

Read his profile and others on our website now.

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eTwinning Workshops

3 February 2017 (British Council eTwinning)

Interested in eTwinning and partnering with schools across Europe on collaborative projects? Check out the professional development opportunities in the UK and overseas for both primary and secondary sectors.

Visit the British Council eTwinning website for more information.

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Summer courses in Germany: Deadline 1 March 2017

1 February 2017 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection has the following summer courses in Germany, which are currently open for applications:
Both programmes combine language learning with cultural trips and excursions, as well as staying with host families.

Not sure about applying? Our mentors are happy to answer your questions. Pupils can contact us to be put in touch.
The application deadline for all programmes is 1 March 2017.

For more information about the courses in Germany and other activities undertaken by UK-German Connection, visit their website.

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New Job Profile on SCILT's website

27 January 2017 (SCILT)

Inspire the future generation with relevant career advice on languages direct from the workplace via the Job Profiles on our website. These resources are designed for teachers to use in the classroom to enhance learning about the world of work and how language skills can play a part.

Our latest addition comes from modern languages teacher, Olivia Ingleby, who tells how language skills helped her discover new places, cultures and the varied opportunities that brought prior to becoming a languages teacher.

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UK-German Connection Funding

26 January 2017 (UK-German Connection)

A reminder that the next deadline for grants for UK-German activities is 31 January 2017.

For an 'at a glance' overview of our grants and details about each programme, please visit the UK-German Connection website.

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Language Show Scotland – Free event + 20% discount on language classes!

24 January 2017 (Language Show Live)

Scotland’s biggest and most prestigious event dedicated to all things language is back at the SECC in Glasgow on the 10th – 11th of March 2017. Officially sponsored by Education Scotland and the Scottish Government this free to attend event is a must for anyone interested in learning or advancing their languages, exploring job opportunities in the language industry, considering teaching or working abroad, enjoying a fantastic range of international cultural performances and much, much more!

10TH MARCH – 9:00AM – 6:00PM GLASGOW SECC
11TH MARCH – 9:00AM – 5:30PM GLASGOW SECC

Sample our extensive free seminar programme, meet over 100 top exhibitors like the European Commission, the Chartered Institute of Linguists and the British Council, meet language professional recruiters, enjoy our fantastic array of cultural performances, free language classes and more.

Find out more and register for free today.

Our trademark intensive 2 hour Language Plus classes are also now available online at a heavily discounted early bird rate (over 20% off the standard price!) of just £18. These optional add-ons can be purchased at the end of the free registration process and are certain to add a productive language experience to your day!

Language Show Live Scotland 2017 logo

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Pass the Panda across Scotland

19 January 2017 (RZSS)

Conservation charity the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is excited to announce the official launch of its brand new ‘Panda Pass It On’ game for schools. The game, which is part of the conservation organisation’s Beyond the Panda education programme, launched at four schools in all four corners of Scotland on Tuesday 17 January: St. Patrick’s, South Ayrshire; Lasswade High, Midlothian, Portree Primary, Isle of Skye and Forehill Primary, Aberdeen.

With only four copies of the game available, the intention is for schools to keep the fun, learning resource for a week before passing it on to other schools. The panda games will hopefully make their way across Scotland, with each school logging their location through a QR code on the back of the game, which will allow RZSS to follow the games as they travel.

Sandie Robb, Senior Education Officer at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: “I’m incredibly excited about the launch of the Panda Pass It On game. It is the first of its kind and is a fun way for children to learn more about China, its history, culture and language as well as their famous animals, the giant pandas. It will be really interesting to track the games as they travel to different schools.”

The game forms an introduction to the Beyond the Panda education programme, which is designed to promote cross-curricular learning, with pupils investigating and discovering more about China. The materials cover Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes in science, topical science, social studies, language and literacy. This is delivered through an outreach programme with fun, interactive games led by an education officer from RZSS, or in the case of the Panda Pass It On game, by itself.

The programme is sponsored by the Confucius Institute for Scotland at the University of Edinburgh with support from the Scotland China Education Network and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools at the University of Strathclyde.

For more information, please visit the RZSS Beyond the Panda website.

picture of children playing gamepicture of children playing

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Glasgow Film Festival 2017

18 January 2017 (Glasgow Film)

The programme for Glasgow Film Festival 2017 has just been announced!

More than 310 separate events and screenings of films from 38 countries will show across the city from 15 – 26 February in one of the UK’s biggest film festivals. The event offers several special screenings for schools, which this year includes the following foreign language options:

  • Asterix: The Mansions of the Gods (PG) - 6-8 February (French, English subtitles)
  • Ma Revolution (N/C 15+) - 3-8 February (French, English subtitles)
  • The Olive Tree (N/C 15+) - 7 February (Spanish/German with English subtitles)
  • Shorts for Wee Ones (N/C 3+) - 9 February (English, French or dialogue free)
  • The Golden Dream (N/C 12+) - 9 February (Spanish & Tzotzil with English subtitles)
  • Zip Zap & The Captain's Island (N/C 8+) - 9 February (Spanish)

There are also CPD opportunities for teachers and workshops for pupils. Visit the 'What's on for Schools' page of the GFT website for full details and to book.

Tickets go on sale to Glasgow Film Festival Members at noon on Thursday 19 January and on general sale at 10am on Monday 23 January.

Visit the GFT website for more information.

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United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad 2017

17 January 2017 (UKLO)

UKLO is a competition for students who are still at school (or equivalent college) – any age, any ability level – in which they have to solve linguistic data problems. Thanks to our generous academic supporters, it’s completely free to both competitors and schools.

The UK Olympiad also enters at least one team in the International Linguistics Olympiad.

The United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) for 2017 will soon get underway with round 1 taking place from 6-10 February.

If you are interested in finding out more about the competition and registering your school to take part, visit the UKLO website.

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CISS professional learning menu update

16 January 2017 (CISS)

The CISS CLPL menu for 2016-17 'Making Chinese work for you!' has been updated.

Visit the CISS website to view the brochure and for information on booking a professional learning session.

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Japan days for schools

16 January 2017 (RZSS)

Come along to our Japan days at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, held in partnership with the Association of Scottish Philatelic Societies youth StampIT programme.

Experience a day at the park to visit the Japanese macaques along with an educational session using games and activities to learn about Japanese language and culture. Suitable for P6/7 and S1 levels. Entrance to the park is free for these special pilot events but places are limited and booking is essential.

Places available on Wednesday 8 March or Wednesday 15 March 2017. First come, first served. Contact Sandie Robb srobb@rzss.org.uk for further details and booking information.

Refreshed and ready for anything in 2017!

13 January 2017 (SCILT)

Here at SCILT, our New Year’s Resolution has been to review and refresh the CLPL menu. With your feedback in mind, we have made a few strategic changes that we hope will make a big difference. New on the SCILT website from today – the new and improved CLPL menu.

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Erasmus+ application support

9 January 2017 (Erasmus+)

The next Erasmus+ funding deadline for Key Action 1 School Staff Mobility is 2 February. For UK schools and colleges, the UK National Agency has guidance documentation, and videos on an introduction to Schools Key Action 1 and completing the eForm.

There is also a Q&A webinar at 4-5pm on 19 January.

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Nihongo Cup - Japanese speech contest for UK secondary schools

6 January 2017 (Japan Foundation)

The Nihongo Cup Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School Students in the UK is open for applications!

This contest is open to students in the UK studying Japanese language.

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and to download the application pack.

Closing date for entries: 24 March 2017.

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Oxford German Olympiad 2017

6 January 2017 (Oxford University)

The Oxford German Olympiad 2017 is open to UK pupils aged from 9 to 18 with a range of different tasks to suit different age groups. There is also an open competition for groups or classes of 4+ participants.

This year's theme is Deutsch(e) jenseits von Deutschland - German(s) beyond Germany.

Visit the Oxford German Olympiad website for more information and to enter by 17 March 2017.

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Oxford University Spanish Flash Fiction Competition

6 January 2017 (ALL)

A new competition from the Modern Languages Department at Oxford University invites secondary students to write a story in Spanish of not more than 100 words, and send it to schools.liaison@mod-langs.ox.ac.uk by noon on Friday 31 March 2017 with your name, age and year group, and the name and address of your school.

The judges will be looking for creativity and imagination as well as good Spanish!

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The Languages Challenge

6 January 2017 (ALL / SOAS)

Run by SOAS, University of London, the Languages Challenge is now in its third year.

The Languages Challenge is a collaborative project aimed at students in year 8, 9 & 10 (S2-S4). Students have a choice of task and a choice of which languages they use in each of them. The aim of the challenge is to:

  • provide students with opportunities to actively engage with languages
  • encourage independent study and a range of soft skills like team-work, planning, leadership and negotiation skills
  • raise awareness of the cross-curricular opportunities in language studies

Students are encouraged to use oral as well as written skills, to plan each task, conduct research and produce multiple drafts. They must take different roles and complete a short reflective report for each task.

Attached is a Teacher Information Pack, which is also available to download on the ALL website along with further information about how to take part.

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French writing competition launched from space!

2 January 2017 (Culturethèque)

An exciting French writing competition has just been launched by French astronaut, Thomas Pesquet, from the International Space Station.

Young people, up to the age of 25, are invited to write a short piece in French based on le Petit Prince and submit their entries by 28 February 2017.

See Thomas speaking about the competition on the launch video and find out how to enter on the Culturethèque website.

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Calderglen 1+2 Case Study

15 December 2016 (SCILT)

Calderglen is a six-year non-denominational, comprehensive school in East Kilbride, established after the merger of Hunter and Claremont High Schools. It serves approximately 1,600 pupils and shares a campus with Sanderson High School for young people with additional support needs.

The school uses an innovative and dynamic approach to the curriculum. Read how pupils benefit from creative language learning strategies and for interesting ideas for the implementation of 1+2.

Read more...

Media Release: Two weeks to go! Last chance to enter this year’s FilmG competition

29 November 2016 (All Media Scotland)

The closing date for entries in FilmG 2017 is fast approaching. However, if anyone is yet to complete their film there are still two weeks left, before the competition closes on Wednesday 14 December.

Whether it be a comedy, drama, documentary or even a music video, one of the simplest ways to make a short film, is to use mobile technology.

The FilmG team are hopeful that the increasing availability of technology along with a broader range of prizes than ever before will see a record number of entries this year.

The theme for this year’s FilmG competition is ‘Strì’ meaning to strive or endeavour. All films must be in Scottish Gaelic and can be up to five minutes long for youth category entrants or up to eight minutes in length for open category entrants.

Read more...

What's Your Story Development Programme 2017

29 November 2016 (Scottish Book Trust)

If you're 14-17 years old, living in Scotland, and care about creative writing and illustration then read on!

What's Your Story? is a Scotland-wide programme of support for teenage writers & illustrators – led by teens, for teens.

Seven teenagers from around Scotland will be selected to join the What’s Your Story? Development Programme for 2017. Thanks to our friends at The Gaelic Books Council there will be one place especially for a Gaelic language applicant, but no matter what language you work in you are welcome to apply.

Visit the website to find out more about the programme and to apply by 3 January 2017.

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School Partnership Bursaries

29 November 2016 (UK-German Connection)

Do you have a link with a German school? Have your schools engaged in any joint activities in 2016?

Keeping up connections between the UK and Germany is now more important than ever. To help you to keep your school partnership alive, UK-German Connection is offering schools special partnership bursaries of £1,000.

It's easy to apply. Just complete a short online questionnaire by 7 December 2016.

Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information.

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Quebec student exchange proposal

28 November 2016 (SALT)

Éducation Internationale (EI), a non-profit cooperative in education founded by Québec Local Education authorities (or school boards), would like to develop student exchanges between Québec and the UK, with a particular focus on Scotland and Wales. If you think this might be of interest to your authority, there is more detailed information, including contact details, in the document on the SALT website.

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SEET update

28 November 2016 (SEET)

Find out the latest about the Our Europe and Euroquiz competitions for Scottish schools in SEET's November 2016 newsletter.

Read more...

Pedagogy review offers help to revitalise languages education

23 November 2016 (SecEd)

Modern foreign languages are “at risk” and face becoming the domain of “certain types of school and certain sections of the pupil population”.

The warning has come from Ian Bauckham, chair of the Modern Foreign Languages Pedagogy Review, which published its report into MFL teaching at key stages 3 and 4 this week.

The Teaching Schools Council, which set-up the Review, is now encouraging schools to use the findings, alongside related evaluation documentation, to review and improve their MFL provision.

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Concours de la Francophonie 2017

23 November 2016 (Alliance Française)

L’Institut Français d’Écosse and the Alliance Française de Glasgow, in partnership with SCILT, are delighted to launch the 2nd edition of the Concours de la Francophonie which encourages young French learners and their teachers across Scotland to celebrate French language and the international Journée mondiale de la francophonie taking place in March each year..

To participate, you need to submit a short video (max 5mins) in French such as a dialogue, a song a short drama piece, etc. There are four categories:

  • P1-P4,
  • P5-P7,
  • S1-S3
  • S4-S6.

The four winning teams will be invited to the University of Edinburgh on Friday 17 March 2017 to take part in a special day of workshops in French and the awards ceremony.

For more information and to enter the competition by 14 December visit the Alliance Française or Institut Français website.

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Oxford German Olympiad 2017

16 November 2016 (Oxford German Network)

The Oxford German Olympiad 2017 is now open! This year's theme is Deutsch(e) jenseits von Deutschland - German(s) beyond Germany.

The competition is open to UK pupils aged from 9 to 18 with a range of different tasks to suit different age groups. There is also an open competition for groups or classes of 4+ participants.

Visit the Oxford German Olympiad website for more information. Entry deadline is 17 March 2017.

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UK-German Connection news

9 November 2016 (UK-German Connection)

The latest funded opportunities from UK-German Connection can be found on their website via the appropriate links below:

For more information about UK-German Connection and their full range of activities, visit their website.

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Make Time for Languages! - International Education Week 2016

8 November 2016 (British Council)

A reminder that this year's International Education Week (IEW), taking place from 14-18 November, has a focus on languages.

Find out how you can get involved by visiting the British Council's IEW website.

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LFEE Europe immersion courses 2017-2018 in France and Spain for primary and secondary teachers

8 November 2016 (LFEE)

The dates for our immersion courses 2017-2018 have just been released. Please visit the LFEE website to find out new dates and further information or see the attached brochure.

Successful applicants receive a grant from the British Council that covers all costs, including flights, accommodation and subsistence, as well as the course fee.

NEW: Immersion follow up

If you have already attended our immersion course in France in the past and wish to attend another course with us, we have created a follow up immersion which will take place in the beautiful city of Avignon in Provence. Please contact us for further information.

Should you wish to participate in our immersion courses in France or Spain from July 2017 to April 2018, please pre-register at immersions@lfee.net and we will send you further information on how to apply to the Erasmus+ European funding for schools.

Do not hesitate to visit our website and blog for more information and to see what your colleagues have said about their course last summer.

A bientôt!

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SALT 2016 Schools Poster Competition winners

7 November 2016 (SALT)

After a fantastic response to the 2016 Schools Poster Competition, the winning entries can now be seen on the SALT website.

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First Chinese classroom to open for Moray school pupils

4 November 2016 (Press and Journal)

School pupils in Moray will be transported from the north-east to the Far East with the opening of the region’s first Chinese classroom.

The Confucius base is scheduled to open at Elgin Academy at the end of the month with language and culture lessons for students. Two Chinese-speaking teachers will be based in the classroom, but will take lessons at five other secondary schools and eight primary schools in the region.

The initiative will also open up the opportunity for pupils and staff to take part in courses in the Asian country.

Read more...

Word Wizard 2017 - registrations now open!

4 November 2016 (SCILT/CISS)

SCILT's Word Wizard competition is returning for a fourth year and we are delighted to announce that registrations are now open!

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

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

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Scots Makar, Jackie Kay, supports MTOT

4 November 2016 (SCILT)

We are delighted to have Jackie Kay, the national laureate, as patron for this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue multilingual poetry competition for schools in Scotland.

Hear Jackie's message supporting the aims and values of the competition in the video on our MTOT webpage.

Read more...

Fokus: Films from Germany 2016/17

3 November 2016 (Goethe-Institut)

Returning to Scottish screens from 25 November 2016 to 28 January 2017, is this nation-wide event featuring 12 innovative, inspiring and challenging films by Germany-based directors. We have selected a wide array of topics and cinematic styles that shed light on current debates and discourses in Germany.

The following screenings are specifically for school groups:

For full programme details visit the Goethe-Institut website.

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Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day

3 November 2016 (British Council)

Shakespeare Lives in Schools Day will be marked in schools all over the world by children of all ages on Friday 2 December 2016. We are inviting you and your school to join in a global celebration of Shakespeare in this special 400th anniversary year.

Visit the British Council Schools Online website to discover how you can get involved. Many of the suggested activities could be adapted to the languages classroom or worked on with an overseas partner school.

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Business Brunches 2017

28 October 2016 (SCILT)

For the third year in succession SCILT, in partnership with University Council for Modern Languages (UCMLS) will be hosting a series of Business Brunch events across Scotland in January and February 2017. These will take place in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Aimed specifically at S3 - S6 pupils, these events will demonstrate the relevance of language skills in a work context with the intention of encouraging pupils to continue with their language studies into the senior phase of their secondary education.

Registration is now open for the Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen events. (Edinburgh and Inverness will open soon).

To find out more and to register by 21 November, visit our Business Brunch 2017 webpage.

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DAAD writing competition

25 October 2016 (DAAD)

The DAAD and the IMLR, together with the Goethe-Institut and the Swiss and German Embassies in London, are calling all learners and lovers of German to take part in a writing competition! This time, the task is to write a story in German.

Two German-speaking authors, Anja Tuckermann (Berlin) and Ulrike Ulrich (Zurich), have provided beginnings of stories of migration. Now it’s your turn to take one of these beginnings and continue spinning the yarn. You are free to develop your text in any direction you choose: to write a story of flight or refuge, of identities and self-images, of encounters or new beginnings … . Your story can be set in the past, the present or the future - and in any geographical setting you wish. The only rule: it must not be longer than 250 words.

The competition is open to students at secondary schools, Sixth-Formers, undergraduates, postgraduates and anybody else who feels up to the challenge!

Visit the DAAD website to find out more and submit your entry by 6 January 2017.

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Digital Days competition for schools

21 October 2016 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut London invites German teachers and their pupils to take part in this competition series requiring language and computer skills alike! The topic this year is Digital D.

Several categories for different levels of language skills are provided. Primary teachers and secondary teachers can choose which competition they think suits their students’ best.

To take part in the competition, visit the website and submit the registration form by 10 November 2016.

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Erasmus+ 2017 deadlines announced

21 October 2016 (Erasmus+)

All the deadlines and information on the types of activities you can apply for are contained in the 2017 Call for Proposals document and the 2017 Programme Guide both of which you can download from the Key Resources page of our website. The Call for Proposals is an overview document containing all the deadlines for 2017, while the Programme Guide contains all the detailed information on how to apply for Erasmus+ funding. You will need to read both documents when planning an application.

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Concours de la francophonie 2017

21 October 2016 (Institut français)

The Institut français d'Écosse is pleased to announce the launch of the second edition of our new Concours de la francophonie to encourage all young French learners and their teachers across Scotland.

The competition is open to primary and secondary pupils and involves producing a short video in French which should be submitted by 14 December 2016.

See the attached flyer for more information about the competition and how to take part. You can also see pictures from the first edition competition on the Institut français website.

Read more...

Related Files

French Film Festival school screenings

17 October 2016 (Institut français)

This year's French Film Festival takes place from 4 November - 1 December and is the only festival of francophone films in the UK.

There are screenings for primary and secondary school pupils taking place around Scotland during this time.

See the attached flyer for details of the school screenings and contact information for bookings.

Visit the French Film Festival website for the full programme.

Read more...

Related Files

Films for language learning

13 October 2016 (ALL)

The Association for Language Learning (ALL) has a focus on film this fortnight. Visit the website for links to useful film resources and the upcoming film festivals taking place this autumn around the UK. Each festival offers a selection of foreign language film screenings.

  • Discovery Film Festival (22 October - 6 November 2016) - Scotland's international film festival for young audiences.
  • Into Film Festival (9 - 25 November 2016) - a free nationwide celebration of film and education for 5-19 year olds.
  • French Film Festival (4 November - 1 December 2016) - the only festival of francophone films in the UK.
Visit the ALL website for more information.

Read more...

Our Europe - film competition for schools

12 October 2016 (SEET)

Our Europe 2016-17 is now open for registration!

The film-making competition for S3-S6 pupils is an annual competition run by the Scottish European Educational Trust. Teams of 4 design a storyboard outlining the film they propose to make based on the competition theme. This year the topic is global citizenship, specifically addressing one of the following themes:

  • Travel and Leisure
  • Migration and welcome
  • Trade

As always, films must include the use of at least one language other than English. This year any and all languages will be accepted in entries. All teams have to do is put their ideas into a storyboard and send them to SEET by 8 December 2016.

For more information, visit SEET's Our Europe competition website.

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ALL Language Teacher of the Year Awards 2017

11 October 2016 (ALL)

Calling all head teachers, heads of department, language coordinators and ALL primary hub leaders! Do you know a very special primary or secondary language teacher?

If you know a teacher who inspires pupils through superb teaching and supports colleagues by sharing their expertise and ideas, then why not nominate them for an Association for Language Learning (ALL) Language Teacher of the Year Award 2017?

Open to teachers throughout the UK.

Visit the ALL website for full details and submit your nomination by Friday 21 October 2016.

Read more...

How a deaf teenager from Congo found her voice in poetry

6 October 2016 (STV News)

For most of her life, it seemed as though Keren Mingole would never have a place to call home.

Forced to escape war-torn country of DR Congo, the 16-year-old has been brought up in Scotland from a very early age. Not only faced with the difficulty of communicating with strangers, Keren also had to learn British Sign Language.

[..] In 2015, an opportunity arose for Keren to explore and draw from her difficult experiences as a child through a multilingual poetry contest.

The Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition explores cultural identity, and allows pupils from P1-S6 to enter creative pieces of work and celebrate the many different languages used in schools throughout the UK.

Pupils from across Scotland are currently participating in the multi-cultural competition, which is officially endorsed by Nobel Peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Scottish Makar Jackie Kay is also the official patron.

Keren won the 2015 Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition with her poem 'Who am I?' - a composition of her journey from her native home to her current home, Scotland.

Read more...

Related Links

National Poetry Day (STV News, 6 October 2016) See Jackie Kay and one of last year's MTOT winners, Keren Mingole, talk about poetry in their lives (the programme is available on iPlayer until 13/09/16 - watch from 28:50).

Inverclyde Academy pupils’ modern languages day is a winner

6 October 2016 (Greenock Telegraph)

Inverclyde Academy youngsters explored other cultures as part of a day celebrating modern languages.

Third year pupils also served up coffee and cakes to their guests, who included language ambassadors from Strathclyde University and Mandarin speakers.

Principal teacher Sarah Bell invited along experts in British Sign Language, as she widened out the European day of languages.

Read more...

Language Ambassadors Programme

6 October 2016 (University of Strathclyde)

Now in its 5th year, the Language Ambassadors Programme is offering visits to Secondary or Primary schools (and other formats too). As Language Ambassadors we will talk about our varied experiences as language learners and do our best to encourage your pupils to follow in our footsteps…

Motivation, experiences abroad, transition to First year at university, job prospects, university courses… This is what we can tell them about.

Boost your young learners’ motivation, invite us in!

For more information see the Language Ambassadors website and to organise a visit, simply contact: Cédric Moreau, c.moreau@strath.ac.uk.

Language Ambassadors at Strathclyde photo

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Celebrate National Poetry Day!

6 October 2016 (SCILT)

Today is National Poetry Day and the theme this year is 'Messages'. To mark the occasion we've created our own triolet poem in French on this theme.

You can see the poem on the National Poetry Day webpage of our MTOT website. We hope it will provide some inspiration for those taking part in the Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition in Scotland! There are lots of other poetry resources on our website too. So take a look and get creative!

Read more...

How mentoring can improve modern languages uptake in schools

6 October 2016 (The Conversation)

For some time, there have been many stories told of the “crisis” in modern languages in secondary schools and universities. There is hard evidence to support this. Even though there have been upsurges in modern languages provision – following the introduction of the English Baccalaureate for example – pupil numbers continue to fall.

In Wales, where modern languages are still an optional choice at GCSE, research shows that the number of pupils studying a foreign language declined by 44% between 2002 and 2015. The number of pupils taking French in 2015 was less than half those who took it in 2002.

But why are pupils put off taking a language at GCSE level, and how can we improve attitudes to the subjects? As a bilingual country, it seems counter-intuitive that Welsh pupils cannot see the benefits of studying languages. However, research from an engagement project we have recently been running suggests a range of things are influencing pupils’ decisions not to study a language.

The mentoring project saw undergraduate modern language students from four Welsh universities trained to work with year eight and nine pupils (aged 13 and 14) in 28 schools. The students helped the pupils to practice their language, build confidence and knowledge, and teach them how modern languages can aid personal and professional development.

Our work was part of a push by the Welsh government, to arrest and reverse the decline in modern languages study by 2020.

Read more...

UK-German FLA/ELA Ambassadors

21 September 2016 (UK-German Connection)

Applications for the UK-German Connection's FLA/ELA Ambassador network 2016-17 are now open.

The FLA/ELA Ambassadors are a network of language assistants who are working in schools in the UK and Germany. They run small projects, activities, events or clubs in order to inspire and motivate young people in their schools for the language and culture of the other country.

FLA/ELA Ambassadors run at least one project within their school or in conjunction with other schools in the area. The project is bilateral, run either with a partner Ambassador from the other country, or with an existing partner school. The aims are to enable young people to have direct, meaningful contact with young people in the other country and to make lessons come to life through active involvement in a UK-German partnership.

To find out more about the scheme and previous Ambassador projects which have taken place, visit the UK-German Connection website and apply by 14 October 2016.

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eTwinning Professional Development Workshops - Autumn 2016

19 September 2016 (eTwinning)

Secondary school teachers and school leaders interested in embedding international practices in their classrooms are invited to apply for one of the professional development workshops taking place this November.

Each workshop aims to share good practice, meet project partners and set up high quality eTwinning projects on the themes below. The selected teachers and school leaders will have the opportunity to meet like-minded educators from Europe, learn innovative approaches and practice new skills.

  • Workshop 1 - Immigration and tolerance (17-19 November, Greece)
  • Workshop 2 - Storytelling (18-20 November, Iceland)
  • Workshop 3 - Strategic Leadership for high quality eTwinning and Erasmus+ projects (24-26 November, UK - Cardiff)

For more information about each workshop and to apply, visit the eTwinning website.

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Chryston HS part of the Smart Choice: German Network

19 September 2016 (Chryston High School)

Chryston High School has now been named as the first Scottish school on the Goethe Institut’s Smart Choice: German network.

The network recognises the school’s commitment to German as a foreign language and the support that the school offers to our feeder primary schools.

Part of the project involves setting up a digital network which will allow us to strengthen our partnership with our feeder primary schools while promoting the benefits of learning German.

Read more...

Related Links

The Smart Choice: German - Schools' Network - Goethe-Institut website containing information about the network and how schools can get involved.

MTOT - Free creative poetry workshops for teachers

9 September 2016 (SCILT)

Once again, we are delighted to be able to offer FREE poetry workshops for primary and secondary teachers at four different venues across Scotland.

Teachers will work with Juliette Lee, a poet and creative writer, for a half-day workshop to develop their own creativity, explore poetry and the impact of language we use. We hope that teachers will leave inspired and able to take back some ideas and examples to work with their own pupils who will then submit their poems/rhymes/raps/songs into the MTOT competition.

Teachers do not have to attend one of the workshops to register their school for the MTOT competition although the workshops are a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills in teaching poetry, languages and to gather ideas to take back into the classroom. Due to the creative and interactive nature of these workshops, places are limited to 15 teachers at each venue, therefore we advise you to book your place early.

Details of the workshops are as follows. Click on the appropriate workshop link below to register for the event.

  • Saturday 24 September, 10.00 – 12.30; Dundee University, Dundee (deadline for registration Friday 16 September)
  • Friday 30 September, 13.30 – 16.00; The Open University in Scotland, Edinburgh (deadline for registration 6pm Monday 26 September)
  • Saturday 1 October, 10.00 – 12.30; Inverness College - UHI, Inverness (deadline for registration 6pm Monday 26 September)
  • Saturday 8 October, 12.00 – 14.30; University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (deadline for registration Friday 30 September) PLEASE NOTE EVENT NOW FULL!
For more information about the competition visit the MTOT page on our website and register your school to take part!

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HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition

8 September 2016 (British Council)

The competition, organised by HSBC and the British Council, offers a fun opportunity for secondary students to practise and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills.

Participating students have the chance to win a week in Beijing, visiting historical sites, interacting with Chinese students and experiencing Chinese culture.

Visit the British Council website to find out more and to apply by 7 October.

Read more...

ALL Language Teacher of the Year Awards 2017

5 September 2016 (ALL)

Calling all head teachers, heads of department, language coordinators and ALL primary hub leaders!

Do you know a very special primary or secondary language teacher?

If you know a teacher who inspires pupils through superb teaching and supports colleagues by sharing their expertise and ideas, then why not nominate them for an Association for Language Learning (ALL) Language Teacher of the Year Award 2017?

Now open to teachers throughout the UK.

Visit the ALL website for full details and submit your nomination by Friday 21 October 2016.

Read more...

Travel grants for UK schools with partnerships in Germany

5 September 2016 (British Council)

The UK is the partner country for this year’s Oceans and Seas focussed Year of Science organised by the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). Together with our UK partners the British Council Germany, the UK Science & Innovation Network and UK-German Connection, we invite you to take part in a collaborative Citizen Science Project working on the “Plastic Pirates” project together with your German partner school.

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has agreed to bear the travel and accommodation costs incurred by British partner schools who take part in the project.

Would you and your pupils like to become Plastic Pirates? If so, get in touch with your German partner school if they are also taking part in the programme. They should then let the Editorial Office of the Science Year know who will help you organise your research trip to Germany.

Visit the British Council or UK-German Connection websites for more information.

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MTOT 2016-17 launch!

2 September 2016 (SCILT)

We're delighted to announce the launch of this year's Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) multilingual poetry competition and are thrilled to welcome the new Scots Makar, Jackie Kay, as the competition's patron.

Whether pupils are learning a language at school, or whether they speak a native language at home, everyone can get involved in celebrating their linguistic and cultural diversity through creative poetry writing as there are options to enter in either the Mother Tongue or Other Tongue category.

We are in the process of finalising poetry workshops for teachers, which will take place towards the end of September/beginning of October. Further details will follow soon.

In the meantime, you can find out more about this year's competition and previous events on our MTOT website and register your school to take part!

Read more...

Vocab Express League of Champions 2016

1 September 2016 (Vocab Express)

Share in the excitement and energy generated by the Vocab Express League of Champions. The championship will run from Wednesday 28 September until Tuesday 4 October 2016. It's a fantastic way to engage students in vocabulary building by challenging them to compete against other schools across the UK and from around the world.

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

There are currently 84 free non-subscriber school places left. Visit the website for more information and to register now!

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Funding for Japanese Language Education Projects held in the UK

1 September 2016 (Japan Foundation)

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. We prioritise projects that fit into one of the three following categories:

  • Introducing Japanese into the school curriculum
  • Supporting formal Japanese courses and qualifications
  • Japanese clubs
The next funding application deadline is 16 September 2016.

For more information about the programme and how to apply, visit the Japan Foundation website.

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Film screenings for schools at Edinburgh Filmhouse

25 August 2016 (Edinburgh Filmhouse)

The Edinburgh Filmhouse invites primary and secondary teachers to an informal meeting and introduction to their autumn schools programme on Monday 29 August 2016.

On Monday 5 September there will also be a free screening for teachers to watch one of the films from the forthcoming French Film Festival and discuss practical ways it can be used with pupils.

Visit the Filmhouse website for full details of these events and film screenings for schools during the autumn term.

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Bilingualism workshops

25 August 2016 (SCILT)

SCILT is delighted to be able to offer a series of national workshops in collaboration with Bilingualism Matters and Glasgow City Council’s EAL Service which will showcase the benefits of bilingualism and consider practical strategies teachers can use to promote bilingualism in their classrooms. We will offer ideas on how to engage bilingual learners more and support literacy skills across both languages.

These free workshops are aimed at general class practitioners across Early Years, Primary and Secondary, not specifically for the MFL and languages community so please feel free to distribute to all teachers across your network or Local Authority.

Attached is a flyer with further information about dates, venues and how to book.

Please note there are only a few remaining places on the Aberdeen workshop - all other venues are now full.

Related Files

Funding for French exchange opportunities

24 August 2016 (British Council)

Secondary schools, sixth form and further education colleges that already have a partnership with a school in France can apply for funding for reciprocal student visits.

Both Charles de Gaulle and Lefèvre trust funding is available, each offering £5000 for reciprocal visits and extended project work.

Visit British Council's Schools Online website for more information and apply by 10 November 2016.

Read more...

Calendar of UK-German opportunities 2016-17

18 August 2016 (UK-German Connection)

Plan ahead for the new school year with this at-a-glance overview of UK-German opportunities and deadlines, now available on the UK-German Connection website.

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1+2 Case Study - Renfrew High School

16 August 2016 (SCILT)

Renfrew High School is a six-year, non-denominational comprehensive school which serves the burgh of Renfrew. It is situated on the south side of the River Clyde several miles to the west of Glasgow. Its associated primaries are Arkleston Primary School, Kirklandneuk Primary School and Newmains Primary School The school was opened in 1975 and has a capacity of 1287.

In addition to the current provision of French as L2, find out how Renfrew High and its associated primaries are taking a cluster approach to delivering Spanish as an L3.

Read more...

Beyond the Panda

1 August 2016 (RZSS)

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's 'Beyond the Panda' programme for schools has been designed to enable learners to explore a variety of topics within the overall context of giant pandas and China. The programme offers different activities to cater for primary and secondary pupils.

See the attached flyer for more information and how to get involved. Or visit the RZSS website for more information about the organisation and their work.

Read more...

Related Files

Enquire Connect Engage - leading learning through practitioner enquiry

24 June 2016 (SCEL)

Have you completed a practice-based enquiry project recently? If so, you’re probably looking for a chance to share your findings. In which case, you’ll definitely want to sign up to participate in the Enquire Connect Engage events that SCEL is hosting this autumn.

SCEL supported Pedagoo’s EnquiryMeet last November. Inspired by its success, we have taken the concept of a teacher-led forum to connect over practitioner enquiry and we are running with it!

Enquire Connect Engage, or #scelenquire if you prefer, will provide opportunities for practitioners to share:
  • the findings from their own small scale practice-based enquiry projects, and
  • practical advice on how to go about investigating classroom practice
Visit the SCEL website for information on how to submit your proposal or to register interest in attending.

Read more...

Vocab Express League of Champions 2016

20 June 2016 (Vocab Express)

Create a languages buzz around your school to kick-start the new academic year!

Share in the excitement and energy generated by the Vocab Express League of Champions. The championship will run from Wednesday 28 September until Tuesday 4 October 2016. It's a fantastic way to engage students in vocabulary building by challenging them to compete against other schools across the UK and from around the world.

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

The challenge is free to all schools subscribing to Vocab Express. In addition, there are 100 free school places available to non-subscribers.

Visit the League of Champions website to find out more and to register for one of the free school places. 

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Mathematiques sans Frontieres 2016

20 June 2016 (North Lanarkshire Council)

North Lanarkshire Council in association with Heriot Watt University once again organised winners at mathematiques sans frontieresthe “Mathematiques sans Frontieres” competition across Scotland this year.

63 teams took part from 39 schools and 18 schools entered an S5 team.

The competition requires one question to be answered using a foreign language.winners at mathematiques sans frontieres

The winners in S4 were Renfrew High and the S5 winners and overall winners were St Aloysius College.

The prize giving was held on Friday 17 June at Heriot Watt University. Gavin Reid gave an informative talk on probability which resulted in one lucky pupil winning an Amazon gift voucher!

LanguageStrathclyde: A conversation about Language Learning

17 June 2016 (SCILT)

SCILT, Scotland's National Centre for Languages and the School of Education, University of Strathclyde hosted an afternoon of seminars led by language practitioners, students and academics on various strands of language learning including bilingualism, motivation and translanguaging.

SCILT has used Storify to summarise the discussions from the day. Visit our Storify page for a flavour of the event.

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The Smart Choice: German schools' network

15 June 2016 (Goethe-Institut)

This opportunity is currently not available.

Host a Teacher from Germany 2016-17 - deadline approaching

13 June 2016 (UK-German Connection)

Add an international dimension to your classroom by hosting a teacher from Germany. Schools can now apply to host a teacher from Germany for two or three weeks. Application deadline: 21 September 2016*

* Please note: If you're planning to host a teacher in the autumn term, please make sure that your application reaches UK-German Connection before the end of the summer term.

For more information about the scheme and to apply, visit the UK-German Connection website.

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Word Wizard Final 2016!

10 June 2016 (SCILT/CISS)

S1-S3 pupils from across Scotland took part in the National Final of Word Wizard at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 24 May 2016. 46 learners from eight local authorities and independent schools competed in French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish in front of an audience of teachers, supporters and guests.

Visit our Word Wizard Final 2016 webpage to read the full list of prizewinners and to see photos from the event.

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Edinburgh International Film Festival modern languages screenings for schools

10 June 2016 (EIFF)

The following modern language screenings are being offered for schools in Scotland:

  • French language primary screening (P4-P7) - The Canterville Ghost
    21 June 2016, 10.00 am, Cineworld Fountain Park
  • Spanish language secondary screening - The Olive Tree
    22 June 2016, 10:00 am, Cineworld Fountain Park
Visit the Edinburgh International Film Festival website for more information and to make a booking.

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New SCILT/CISS Professional Learning Menus for 2016-17

10 June 2016 (SCILT / CISS)

It’s Launch Day! The brand new professional learning menus for SCILT and CISS are out now!

The focus of both CLPL menus is on supporting teachers and making connections between languages and other high profile aspects of Scottish education such as the Developing Young Workforce, raising attainment and parental engagement agendas.

As always, our CLPL comes to local authorities for no charge. Nada, zilch, gratis!

There are both sector specific and cross-sector workshop options to choose from. In addition, we are also happy to develop bespoke inputs to match your particular professional learning needs, just get in touch.

Don’t hang about though! Bookings have already started coming in and calendars at SCILT and CISS are filling up fast. Please contact scilt@strath.ac.uk with your request in writing.

P.S. Remember to keep a look out on the bulletin for other professional learning opportunities that will be taking place at SCILT HQ and on Glow during the year. If you don't already receive our weekly e-bulletin, make sure you don't miss out on updates and subscribe now!

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Articulate Language Camps

9 June 2016 (Articulate Language Camps)

Articulate Language Camps are based in Scotland and offer a variety of programmes from school day camps to residential summer camps as well as exam revision and CPD for teachers.

Tuition is offered in English, French, Spanish, Italian and German to learners aged 3-17, with a unique method of teaching through digital media projects, such as animation and podcasting, and adventure activities which take learning into the great outdoors. So, whether campers are taking an archery class in German, singing campfire songs in French or making a film in Spanish, they are having fun while learning in a meaningful way.

New this year is the International Camp in Italian. Find out more from camp leader, Lisa, in this short video 'Una breve introduzione ai nostri programmi' and for further information about Articulate Language Camps and all their programmes, visit the website.

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Scottish Education Award Winners 2016

9 June 2016 (SCILT / Education Scotland)

The Scottish Education Awards took place on 8 June in the Glasgow City Hotel. Congratulations to the winning schools in the language categories!

  • St Michael's Primary, Dumfries & Galloway - Making Languages Come Alive
  • Abercorn School, Glasgow - Gaelic Education
For more information about the awards and the finalists in each category, visit the Scottish Education Awards website.

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An effective way to kick start primary languages

7 June 2016 (ilanguages)

In September 2014 KS2 modern language teaching became compulsory in English primaries for children from the age of 7. Given that the vast majority of primary teachers are not trained or confident linguists this has been a challenge for many schools; especially as the new curriculum requires considerable learner progress in the four years leading up to secondary school.

Juliet Park and Wendy Adeniji, practising teachers and nationally renowned trainers and authors of creative resources decided to develop a scheme of work which would support teachers of all linguistic abilities. Additionally, they wanted to ensure that teachers had a comprehensive set of integrated resources which would work in harmony and be easy to follow.

The resources include pedagogical approaches which were presented at the language show in Glasgow in March such as Kagan co operative learner and Talk4Writing. These approaches raise engagement and also literacy levels and are equally useful to other areas of the curriculum.

The packs also include two effective approaches to teaching French and Spanish phonics, a key element for improving learner confidence in pronunciation and making the sound spelling link. Songs have also been embedded into the scheme from the Aberdeen based company The Language Factory.

To ensure children can get further practice between lessons, an app to support the scheme is being launched in the autumn.

The reaction from teachers using the ilanguages resources has been overwhelming and it is fast becoming the scheme of choice in England.

Helen Walker from Hursthead school says ‘my learners have made double the progress than in the past and I am an experienced teacher’

Richard Williams from High Lane school commented that he is a complete beginner in French but he ‘can rely on the resources do the talking because it’s such a user friendly scheme’.

Teachers can download free starter packs from the ilanguages website.

Juliet and Wendy are now looking to set up regional hubs in Scotland to support teachers in the 1+2 initiative. This will include expert training on the delivery of French and Spanish to regional networks and access to free resources.

If you would like to become a regional hub to support your local network please contact Juliet on julietpark@icloud.com. First come first served! 

Find out more about ilanguages and what they can offer to primary and secondary schools on their website.

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The UK-German Bears project - apply now to host Alex and Ben

3 June 2016 (UK-German Connection)

Alex and Ben, our UK-German bears, are preparing for their travels again and can't wait to find out who they'll visit next! We can match you up with a German partner school to work with on this fun, interactive three-week project for primary children, which helps them learn about each other's language and culture.

Find out more about the project and available hosting dates on the UK-German Bears website.

UK-German Connection offers a variety of funded activities including professional development opportunities for teachers to visit Germany, the chance to host a German teacher at your school, as well as a Youth Ambassadors programme for young people interested in German language and culture.  See the calendar of opportunities available on the UK-German Connection website for full details.

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Funding for Japanese Language Education Projects held in the UK

1 June 2016 (Japan Foundation)

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. We prioritise projects that fit into one of the three following categories:

  • Introducing Japanese into the school curriculum
  • Supporting formal Japanese courses and qualifications
  • Japanese clubs

The next funding application deadline is 17 June 2016.

For more information about the programme and how to apply, visit the Japan Foundation website.

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SCILT publishes new Business Language Champions case study

20 May 2016 (SCILT)

Business Language Champions helps schools and businesses to build exciting and sustainable partnerships to equip young people with international communication and employability skills for their future careers. A partnership between Johnstons of Elgin and Elgin Academy demonstrated to S2 pupils the importance of languages in the textile industry as well as developing employability skills within an interdisciplinary context. Learners considered marketing strategies for promoting textile goods in China and delivered a presentation to a “Dragon’s Den” judging panel.

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SCILT publishes new Business Language Champions case study

12 May 2016 (SCILT)

Business Language Champions helps schools and businesses to build exciting and sustainable partnerships to equip young people with international communication and employability skills for their future careers. A partnership between Jurys Inn Glasgow and Lourdes Secondary School demonstrated to S3 pupils the importance of languages in the hospitality industry. Learners created an information brochure in French for tourists to Glasgow. They found out about further skills that are important in the workplace.

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Business Brunch 2016 events webpage now live!

6 May 2016 (SCILT)

SCILT, in partnership with the University Council for Modern Languages Scotland (UCMLS), held a series of Business Brunch events (formerly Business Breakfast) across Scotland, during January and February this year where pupils from S3-S6 heard from a range of business leaders who view language skills as key to the growth and success of their company.

Find out more about the events on our new webpage.

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eTwinning webinar training May 2016

3 May 2016 (eTwinning)

Want to get started on your eTwinning journey? The following two webinar sessions will help you find out all you need to know.

  • Step 1 - Finding your eTwinning partner (17 May, 4.30-5.30pm)
  • Step 2 - Starting your eTwinning project (19 May, 4.30-5.30pm)

Visit the webinar website to find out more and sign up for one or both of the sessions.

For more information about eTwinning generally and see example projects, visit the British Council's eTwinning website.

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SALT schools modern languages competition 2016

30 April 2016 (SALT)

The SALT schools competition 2016 is open to all students studying a modern language in a Scottish primary or secondary school.

This year’s topic is Friendship and Solidarity and pupils are invited to submit a poster, Powerpoint presentation, or a short video (maximum 3 mins) containing foreign language expressions related to the topic.

Entry deadline is 2 September 2016.

Visit the SALT website for more information and a poster to download for your classroom.

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MTOT 2015-16 Celebration Event held at Language Show Live

29 April 2016 (SCILT)

The celebration event for MTOT 2015-16 saw 20 award winners receive their prizes on the main Piazza stage at the SECC on Saturday 12 March 2016 as part of the wider Language Show Live Scotland event.

Pupils took the opportunity to perform their poems and rhymes to the audience, showcasing the many languages used by children and young people both in school and at home. The event drew in a huge crowd, with passers-by stopping to also see and hear their work.

Find out more about the day on our MTOT Celebration Event webpage, where you can also find links to the list of winners, pupil videos and recitals, the anthology, press articles and photos from the event.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone again for their support and participation, which helped make the competition and celebration such a success. We hope to run MTOT again next year, so make sure you sign up to our e-bulletin for updates, or follow us on our social media sites Twitter or Facebook.

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A poetry competition has showcased the language skills of primary pupils who speak English as a second language

8 April 2016 (TESS)

Entries to Mother Tongue Other Tongue were submitted in 36 languages.

(Read the item in TESS online, page 8, under the 'a week in primary' feature - subscription required)

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Scottish island authority explores teaching Japanese in primary schools

25 March 2016 (TESS)

Orkney has already started trial projects on Japanese culture and language in its two secondaries, Kirkwall Grammar and Stromness Academy with plans now to extend provision to its primaries.

Read the item in TESS, page 8, under 'A week in primary'. (Subscription required).

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FREE! Euro 2016 challenge for secondary schools

16 March 2016 (Arsenal Double Club)

In celebration of the European Championships in France this summer, the Arsenal Double Club team are launching an exciting, free-to-enter language challenge for all UK secondary schools.

The challenge is to create a language activity for primary school children aged 9-11, in a language of your choice, about any aspect of France or French culture.

The best overall group, as decided by the judges, will receive the Arsenal Double Club Euro 2016 trophy and have their language activity adapted and published as an official Arsenal Double Club teaching material!

This competition is open to all UK secondary schools and you do not need to be an existing Double Club school to participate.

Deadline for entries is 6pm on Tuesday 10 May 2016.

Visit the Arsenal Double Club website for more information and how to register to take part.

Read more...

Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2015-16 finale!

15 March 2016 (SCILT)

Our Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) multilingual poetry competition came to its finale at the Languages Show Live at the SECC, Glasgow on Saturday 12 March. Pupils, parents and teachers celebrated the children’s creativity at the event which gave the opportunity for the children and young people to perform their poems to the audience.

The event drew in a huge audience, with passers-by stopping to also hear their poetry and see them being presented with trophies and prizes from Atta Yaqub, SFA Equity Officer and actor, and Juana Adcock, bilingual poet and translator. The MTOT 2015/16 anthology was also launched, with children and teachers taking home copies containing their wonderful poems.

With over 400 children participating, the hardest task was to decide upon our winners and highly commended entries from each category. Our award winners are as follows:

Category

Name

School

Mother Tongue

 

 

P1 - 3 (Winner)

Simon Paulicek (Czech)

St Paul’s, Shettleston

P1 - 3  (Highly Commended)

Emili Harris (German)

Preston Street Primary

P4 – 6 (Winner)

Daniel Homstol (Norwegian)   

Bishopton  Primary

P4 – 6  (Highly Commended)

Milmante Dzisevic (Russian)

St Fergus  Primary

P4 – 6 (Highly Commended)

Andras Poszmik (Hungarian)

St Anne’s  Primary

P7 – S1 (Winner)

Weronika Jargielo (Polish)

Douglas Academy

P7 – S1 (Highly Commended)

Blanka Szopa (Polish)

St Paul’s  Primary

P7 – S1 (Highly Commended)

Nina Bourdarias (French)

Inveralmond Community High

S2 – 3 (Winner)

Keren Mingole  (BSL)

St Roch’s Secondary

S2 – 3 (Highly Commended)

Solange Becquart (French)

Ellon Academy

Senior (Winner)

Lin Meng  (Mandarin)

Ellon Academy

 

 

 

Other Tongue

 

 

P1 – 3 (Winner)

Freya Mole (BSL)

Preston Street Primary

P4 - 6 (Winner)

Khadidja Chaher (French)

Netherlee Primary

P4 - 6 (Highly Commended

Avelon Mungersdorf (French)

St Ninian’s Primary

P7 – S1 (Winner)

Ailbhe Murphy (Gaelic) 

Glasgow Gaelic School

P7 – S1 (Highly Commended)

Maggie Lawson (French)

Douglas Academy

S2 – 3 (Winner)

Gregor Murray (Spanish)

St Margaret’s Academy

S2 – 3 (Highly Commended)

Aimee Campbell (French)

Inveralmond CHS

Senior (Winner)

Ronan McCart (Spanish)

St Margaret’s Academy

Senior (Highly Commended)

Eleanor Pain (Italian)

George Heriot’s School

 

Once we have published photographs from the day and the on-line version of the anthology, we will post via the weekly e-bulletin.  If you don't already receive the news bulletin you can sign-up to receive this each Friday during term time.

ASLS Young Writers Competition 2016

14 March 2016 (ASLS)

The Association for Scottish Literary Studies (ASLS) is running a creative writing competition for stories in Scots for S1 and S2 pupils.

Pupils should write a short story of not more than 750 words in length and submit their entries by 31 May 2016.

A slide presentation is attached which can be used to support the teaching of creative writing in Scots.  A further document is also attached containing examples of previous entries. 

Further information about the competition and how to enter can be found on the ASLS website.

Read more...

Related Files

Summer courses in Germany

4 March 2016 (UK-German Connection)

Only a week to go until the application deadline for UK-German Connection's funded summer courses in Germany!

Visit the website to find out more about the options available, check eligibility criteria and to apply by 10 March 2016:

  • German Pupil Courses - two-week courses in Germany during July or August for UK secondary pupils studying German.  Find out what one pupil has to say about the German Pupil Courses in the video 'Rachel's experiences'.
  • German Pupil Courses Group Leaders - 3 posts available for qualified UK teachers with experience of teaching German up to GCSE/S5 or A Level/S6 to lead groups on the GPC.
  • German Scholarships Programme - a four-week programme for senior pupils to spend in Germany during July or August to improve their language and learn more about the German culture.

Read more...

Concours de la francophonie 2016 - winners announced!

3 March 2016 (Institut français)

The Institut français d’Ecosse, in partnership with SCILT, launched in 2016 le concours de la francophonie, a new national competition to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland and to celebrate the international day of la francophonie.

Winners of this 2016 edition can be seen on the Institut français website.

Read more...

Related Links

Concours de la francophonie (East Lothian Council, 4 March 2016) - winning P1-4 video entry from Cockenzie Primary School.

International German Olympics Competition

29 February 2016 (Goethe-Institut)

Goethe-Institut (London) are happy to welcome the German Olympics for schools worldwide to the United Kingdom in 2016 for the first time. The final will take place in Berlin, 17th to 30th of July 2016 - 65 countries from all around the world will take part. The United Kingdom are eligible to send two secondary school students born 1997 to 2002. The German Olympics - the biggest competition for the German language - promotes young people from all around the world to encounter one another thanks to the fact they all study German. They will become friends and build up an international network.

Read more...

CPD - Task-based language teaching using ICT

16 February 2016 (UWS - PETALL)

This Continuing Professional Development course will allow language teachers to further develop their knowledge of a range of ICT applications and ICT mediated strategies.

This course is appropriate for teachers of modern foreign languages in primary and secondary
schools in Scotland. 

This course will introduce and explain the principles of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)
with specific reference to the work of Ellis, Willis and Nunan. It will introduce participants to the
EU-funded PETALL project including its background, aims and objectives. Particular focus will be
placed on the samples of good practice that teachers can freely access, download and adapt from
the PETALL project website.

The course will be delivered via two face-to-face sessions on 27 February and 26 March as well as online.

More information is available on the attached flyer.

Oxford German Olympiad

29 January 2016 (Oxford German Network)

The Oxford German Olympiad 2016 is open for submissions from primary and secondary pupils.

This year's theme is 'Deutscher Humor - nichts zum Lachen? You can find the full guidelines and instructions for taking part on the website along with a flyer for your school.

Entries should be submitted online before noon on Friday 4 March 2016.

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1 + 2 approach to language learning 'PanTayside'

19 January 2016 (Education Scotland)

Pan Tayside has produced a video showcasing the 'PanTayside' approach to implementing the 1+2 languages policy. Dundee City Council, Angus Council and Perth and Kinross Council are working together and sharing expertise in order to create the sustainable delivery of language learning across the three authorities.

See the video on the Education Scotland website.

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Weans’ Wurds

12 January 2016 (Education Scotland)

How many Scots words do you know? What about your friends and family? When and where do you use these words?

Have you noticed that some people in different parts of Scotland use different Scots words from you?

Here is a chance to share your words with those collected by classes from other parts of the country on the Scots Learners' site (Glow login required).

Find out more on Education Scotland's learning blog.

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'Pay for foreign exchange trips rather than a week in Majorca,' top headteacher tells parents

11 January 2016 (TES)

Parents should consider sending their child on a school foreign exchange rather than spending money on a week in Majorca, a headteacher has suggested.

Young people are likely to learn more on a cultural break in a city such as Madrid or Barcelona than they are sitting on a beach, according to Caroline Jordan, headmistress of Headington School in Oxford and the new president of the Girls' Schools Association.

Setting up a foreign exchange for students did not have to be expensive, Ms Jordan said.

"It's trying to convince the parents that that's good use of their finances as opposed to a foreign holiday to Majorca, where they may well be in a Spanish environment but they're less likely to be experiencing Spanish as they would be if they were in somewhere like Madrid or Barcelona on exchange," she said.

"Exchange is very important and we know that languages is a real area of concern in this country. The government is doing quite a lot about this by trying to encourage all children to take a language through the English Baccalaureate."

Figures show that last year, there was a drop in language GCSE entries, with French down 6.2 per cent on 2014, German down 9.8 per cent and Spanish down 2.4 per cent.

As well as ensuring that children learned a foreign language, Ms Jordan added that it was important that modern teenagers were given the opportunity to consider studying at a university overseas, arguing that it could be beneficial to them later on.

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International German Olympics Competition

11 January 2016 (Goethe-Institut)

The International German Olympics competition is coming to the UK for the first time in 2016! It's the biggest competition celebrating the German language and promotes the gathering of young people from around the globe who are united in their study of German and the forging of international friendships.

The final takes place in Berlin from 17-30 July 2016 with 65 countries taking part. Two secondary school students will be selected to attend and represent the UK. To take part in the preliminary selection process, students born between 1997 and 2002 are invited to produce a 2 minute video, upload to YouTube and submit the link to the Goethe-Institut by 31 March 2016.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for full competition details and entry criteria.

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UK-German Connection programmes and funding

7 January 2016 (UK-German Connection)

The next deadline for grants to fund projects and partnerships between UK and German schools is 31 January 2016.

See the full programme of opportunities available and deadline dates for each.

Some programmes have rolling dates, such as the UK-German Bears Project, a free three-week bilateral programme, which puts pupils not only in touch with Alex, the teddy bear from Germany, but also with a German school class. The German class hosts Ben, the British teddy bear, at the same time as the UK school hosts Alex, making this a fun, interactive way for primary children to learn about each other’s language and culture! The bears come with a wide range of downloadable resources with ideas for short-term bilateral activities, which tie in with primary curriculum topics wherever possible.  There are still some hosting dates available for February 2016. If you're interested in taking part, find out more on the Bears Project webpage.

For more information about all the programmes offered by the UK-German Connection, visit their website.

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Our Films:Our Europe

15 December 2015 (SEET)

We have now reached the end of the first stage in the Our Films:Our Europe project. We are delighted to announce that the following schools will be joining us in one of our three film-making workshops. During the workshop pupils will have all day to work with media professionals to shoot and edit their films, bringing their ideas to life.

  • Balfron High (Stirling)
  • Holyrood Secondary (Glasgow)
  • Lenzie Acadmey (East Dunbartonshire)
  • Drumchapel High School (Glasgow)
  • Harlaw Academy (Aberdeen City)
  • West Calder High School (West Lothian)
  • Larbert High School (Falkirk)
  • Kirkcaldy High (Fife)
  • St Mungos High School (Falkirk)
  • Falkirk Hgih School (Falkirk)
  • Bishopbriggs Academy (East Dunbartonshire)
  • Auchinleck Acadmeny (East Ayrshire)
  • St Roch's Secondary (Glasgow)
  • St Luke's High School (East Renfrewshire)
  • Cardinal Newman (North Lanarkshire)

A big thank you and well done to all of the schools who have participated in the project so far!

You can find out more about the film-making project on the SEET website.

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MTOT deadline for submissions – 18 December

15 December 2015 (SCILT)

Last chance to submit entries for this year’s MTOT multilingual poetry competition!  You have until midnight 18 December to get your entries in.

Thanks to all those who have participated. We look forward to seeing all the great work which has been produced and will be in touch again in the New Year once judging has taken place. 

If you still need to submit your pupils’ entries, follow the guidance in the Teacher's Pack within the RESOURCES tab on our MTOT pageOr see the MTOT blog where you can also find submission guidelines.

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Concours de la francophonie - coming soon!

15 December 2015 (Institut français)

The Institut français is delighted to present le concours de la francophonie, a new competition for all primary and secondary French learners across Scotland, in partnership with SCILT.

To participate, schools have to submit a video (filmed with tablets, phones or other devices) of a small piece in French: a song, a dialogue, a play etc. So, if you had prepared something with your students for les rencontres théâtrales, you just need to film the performance. This way, all schools across Scotland will be able to take part.

There are four categories:

  • P1/P4
  • P5/P7
  • S1/S3
  • S4/S6.

The competition will be held in two phases, semi-finals at the council level, and finals at the national level. The two best productions of each category will win the following: 

  • P1/P4 students and schools who may not be able to travel to Edinburgh in a day will win an immersion day in their school, with French native speakers. 
  • P5 to S6 students who are able to travel will be invited to celebrate la journée mondiale de la francophonie in Edinburgh on 18 March, with French immersion activities and an award ceremony.

Creativity is a key element of this student led competition; dialogues, reportages, interviews and all other forms are possible. In addition, jury will look at the command of the French language, which will be adapted to your students level. Finally, we encourage the participation of all students in the classroom.

More details about the competition will be available in January.

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Winners announced: Secondary school writing competition

14 December 2015 (British Council)

In partnership, Education Scotland and British Council Scotland launched a secondary school writing competition to promote international education in schools and to find pupils' views on how international they thought their school is.

To enter, Scottish secondary school pupils were asked to submit a short essay answering the question below:

‘How international is your school and how International could it be? Please write about how international experience has shaped or could shape your time at school.’

We received an overwhelming number of submissions from pupils across Scotland and the three winning entries can be seen on the British Council website.

Congratulations to the winners and their schools!

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Nihongo Cup - Japanese speech contest for secondary schools

11 December 2015 (Japan Foundation)

The Nihongo Cup Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School Students in the UK is open for applications!

This contest is open to students in the UK studying Japanese language. There are three categories: Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4&5 Pre-GCSE, and Key Stage 4&5 Post GCSE. Finalists will be invited to perform their speech at Conway Hall in front of a panel of judges and VIPs from the field of Japanese language education and Japan-UK relations, for the chance to win some fantastic prizes – including a trip to Japan!

For more information and to apply, visit the Japan Foundation website.

Closing date for entries is 31 March 2016.

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BB is back!

4 December 2015 (SCILT)

Due to popular demand, SCILT, in partnership with University Council for Modern Languages (UCMLS) is delighted to announce that we will be hosting a series of Business Brunch events (formerly Business Breakfast) across Scotland next year! Last chance to register for all events 4 December (except Edinburgh - 10 December)!

Aimed specifically at S3 - S6 pupils, each event will provide learners with the opportunity to hear from a wide range of dynamic business leaders who view language skills as key to the growth of the success of their organisations and why they compete successfully in a globalised market.
Most importantly, it will give young people the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the variety of careers and employment opportunities that are open to people who can demonstrate language skills on their CV.

In addition, we will highlight the benefits of offering the SVQ unit 'Building your own Employability Skills' from the Languages for Life and Work Award, because it can be an effective stepping stone for the employability context in National 4/5, Higher and Advanced Higher.

To find out more and register interest for these events, visit our Business Brunches 2016 webpage.

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Word Wizard 2016 - last chance to register!

26 November 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

Registrations for Word Wizard 2016 close on Monday 30th November, don't miss out on the chance to enter this motivating and challenging competition!

Open to S1-S3 pupils to compete in French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin or Spanish, Word Wizard provides learners with the opportunity to improve their vocabulary, pronunciation and memory skills in a competition format. 

In partnership with UCMLS this year we have semi-finals in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. Sign up now to receive the first set of word lists and start practising!

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Subject choice is vital in improving children's life chances, researchers say

20 November 2015 (TESS)

The Scottish government’s drive to close the attainment gap will fail to boost the life chances of deprived children because many are not choosing the right subjects, research suggests.

The University of Edinburgh researchers call for academic subjects such as English, maths, sciences and languages to be compulsory for longer and for schools to give pupils better advice about the long-term implications of their decisions.

(Please note a TES/TESS subscription is required to access the online article in full).

Read more...

New German ebook

13 November 2015 (SCILT)

SCILT, the Goethe Institute and LFEE are pleased to announce the launch of a new German e-book aimed at learners from P7 to S2. If your school has taken part in the Goethe Institute’s German Adventure project, or even if it hasn’t, you will be find this interactive book an enjoyable way to develop German language skills while discovering more about the culture of the EU’s most populated country.

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Oxford German Olympiad

10 November 2015 (Oxford German Network)

The Oxford German Olympiad 2016 is open for submissions!

This year's theme is 'Deutscher Humor – nichts zum Lachen?' with different tasks applicable to the various age categories being judged.

You can find the full guidelines and instructions for taking part on the Oxford German Olympiad website along with a downloadable flyer for your school.

Entries must be submitted before the deadline at noon on Friday 4 March 2016.

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Digital Days competition

10 November 2015 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut London invites German teachers and their pupils to take part in this unique competition series.  The topic for this year's competition is Geschenke - Gifts.

Five categories for different levels of language skills are provided. Primary teachers and secondary teachers can choose which competition they think suits their students best.

Please register by sending an email to roma.schultz@london.goethe.org by 13 November 2015.

More information is available on the Goethe-Institut website.

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The council where one language isn't enough

6 November 2015 (TESS)

Glasgow to insist on 'dual linguist' specialists in its secondary schools.

Read the article on page 10 of the electronic version of TESS magazine.  Please note this is only available free online until 12 November 2015 after which a subscription will be required to access.

Read more...

Related Links

Enjoy the digital edition of TES for free (TES, 6 November 2015)

Word Wizard 2016 - regional semi-finals added!

5 November 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

Registrations for Word Wizard 2016 are now open for your French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish pupils to develop their vocabulary, spelling and memory skills.

This year we have 3 semi-finals in venues across the country - in the Universities of Strathclyde, Dundee and Aberdeen. Schools can now choose to attend the semi-final which is most convenient for them.

The Stage 1 word lists were sent to registered schools this week, so sign up now to take part in this exciting and motivating competition!

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Fokus: Films from Germany - Screenings for schools

5 November 2015 (Goethe-Institut)

Fokus: Films from Germany is a Scotland-wide event featuring innovative, inspiring and challenging films by Germany-based directors.

We’re delighted to be screening two films to schools: one; Rettet Raffi!, an entertaining comedy about the adventures of a boy and his pet hamster, aimed at young children, and the other one, Who Am I – Kein System Ist Sicher, a gripping thriller set in the world of underground computer hackers aimed at older children.

The festival is jointly organized by Goethe-Institut Glasgow and Filmhouse Edinburgh.

See the ;attached flyers for further information about the screenings and how to book or visit the Goethe-Institut website..

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Word Wizard 2016 - registrations now open!

30 October 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

Scotland's National Centre for Languages and Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools, in partnership with The University of St Andrews, are proud to announce the return of Word Wizard for its third year!

Motivate your French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish pupils by taking part in this spellbinding multilingual spelling competition! 

Building on the success of last year's competition, this year we are holding 3 semi-finals across the country - hosted by the universities of Strathclyde, Dundee and Aberdeen. 

Visit our Word Wizard 2016 webpage for more information and to download the Teacher's Pack and Registration form. 

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No bad language from Gala pupils

23 October 2014 (The Southern Reporter)

A recent careers event highlighted the importance of language skills to Galashiels Academy pupils.

S3 pupils participated in the event held in the school on September 23.

It aimed to demonstrate the value of language skills for Scotland’s future workforce and to encourage pupils to consider the relevance of languages for their personal development as well as for further study and future career opportunities.

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Last chance to enrole for pnline Spanish course for teachers and PGCE students

2 October 2015 (Consejería de Educación)

The Instituto Cervantes and the Spanish Embassy Education Office in the UK offer Spanish Online Courses for Primary and Secondary School Teachers and PGCE students through Aula Virtual de Español Global (AVE Global), an interactive platform specifically designed by the Instituto Cervantes for the teaching and learning of Spanish.

The course is suitable for Primary and Secondary School Teachers and PGCE students with or without previous knowledge of Spanish and will run from October 2015 to March 2016.

See the attached flyer for more details and enrolment information.

Related Files

eTwinning Weeks

1 October 2015 (eTwinning)

Want to start your eTwinning journey?  "Follow me" is the theme for the 2015 eTwinning Weeks, which run until 9 October.

During this time you will have the chance to get all the information you need to embark on your eTwinning journey by exploring sample projects and reading testimonials from ambassadors who'll provide valuable tips to help you on your way.

Visit the eTwinning website to find out more.

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Call for contributions to an e-book 'Employability for Languages: A Handbook'

25 September 2015 (LLAS)

We are planning the publication of a selection of case studies showcasing the excellent and inspiring work of language teachers, academics and practitioners in the area of employability for language graduates. This collection will form a snapshot of good practice and show the outcomes of recent projects and debates in the area of employability. Case studies will accompany articles from invited contributors describing a variety of personal experiences in the area.

This open access e-book will be freely available for download and will be aimed at practitioners in secondary and tertiary education. The focus of the book will be around practical experience ‘in the field’ and reflective practice, rather than research.

Expressions of interest in contributing to the book are invited.  Deadline 5 October 2015.  More information can be found on the LLAS website.

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Schools Online

25 September 2015 (British Council)

School's Online is the British Council's international learning programme for schools and teachers.

The programme helps to develop international education in your school by creating meaningful connections with educational institutions on a global scale.

Embedding international learning into your classroom also deepens students' understanding and respect for the world around them.

By registering with Schools Online you will gain access to classroom resources, professional development courses and form relationships with schools across the world.

Visit the British Council's Schools Online website for more information.

Read more...

Into Film Festival 2015

23 September 2015 (SecEd)

The annual Into Film Festival takes place from November 4 to 20, with a host of screenings, workshops and resources available for schools, including foreign language options.

This article previews the event.  For further information and to book tickets visit the Into Film Festival website.

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Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival

23 September 2015 (Consejería de Educación)

The second Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival is just round the corner. From 2-10 October 2015 there will be screenings of 16 contemporary films in Spanish at the Filmhouse Edinburgh, plus a number of talks/discussions by experts and directors. A week of wonderful varied cinema. An event worth making time for! Please come and enjoy this with us, and spread the word to all your friends.

See the festival website for full programme details and how to obtain tickets.

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The Our Europe film making project 2015-16 has launched!

17 September 2015 (SEET)

This innovative, educational project, run by the Scottish European Educational Trust, asks pupils in S3-S6 to work in teams of four to come up with an idea for a short film based on how being a European citizen affects them as young people living in Scotland. The concept must creatively address European issues as well as include at least one language other than English.

Our Europe is a great way to get pupils engaged in language learning, boost their confidence
and develop their core skills. If you would like to know more about the project, or arrange a
school visit, see the attached flyer and head to the Our Europe website to register for the competition.

Read more...

MTOT - Free Creative Poetry Workshops for Teachers

4 September 2015 (SCILT)

In taking MTOT to a national level this year, we are delighted to be able to offer FREE poetry workshops for primary and secondary teachers at four different venues across Scotland.

Teachers will work with Juliette Lee, a poet and creative writer, for a half-day workshop to develop their own creativity, explore poetry and the impact of language we use, including our Mother Tongue and also experimenting with poetry in an Other Tongue too. We hope that teachers will leave inspired and able to take back some ideas and examples to work with their own pupils who will then submit their poems/rhymes/raps/songs into the MTOT competition.

Due to high levels of interest for the competition in general, we have decided to leave registration for schools open until Friday 9 October. Teachers do not have to attend one of the workshops to register their school for the MTOT competition although the workshops are a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills in teaching poetry, languages and to gather ideas to take back into the classroom.

Spaces are still available at the following workshop:

  • Friday 9 October, 13.30 – 16.30 ; Open University, Edinburgh (deadline for registration Friday 2 October)

Register by completing the MTOT workshop registration form on the SCILT website.

For more information about MTOT and to register your school to take part in the competition visit the MTOT 2015-16 page of our website.

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HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition

2 September 2015 (British Council)

Entry is now open for the HSCB/British Council 2015/16 Mandarin Chinese speaking competition!

The competition is a great, fun opportunity for students to practise and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills. It is open to UK secondary schools and further education colleges and entrants must be non-native speakers of Chinese.

Visit the British Council website to find out more and apply by 9 October and your students could win a trip to Beijing.

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Carey Mulligan, Sir Ian McKellen and Michael Sheen lend support to schools' film festival

2 September 2015 (TES)

Major film stars including Carey Mulligan, Sir Ian McKellen and Michael Sheen are backing the Into Film festival this year.

The Into Film festival is the world’s largest film festival for pupils and teachers. Supported by TES, it invites 450,000 primary and secondary children to participate in watching and making films.

The event, which will be held between 4 and 20 November in 520 cinemas around the country, will include preview screenings, film-making workshops and question-and-answer sessions with industry experts. These will all be accompanied by teaching resources.

Tickets are now available for more than 2,700 screenings of more than 150 films, held around the country. This includes a number of foreign language films.  Check the Into Film Festival website for full details and to book.

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MTOT 2015-16 registration extended

1 September 2015 (SCILT)

Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) 2015-16 has launched in Scotland!

The multilingual poetry competition celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity through creative writing. Mother Tongue encourages children who do not speak English as a first language to share a remembered poem from their mother tongue. Other Tongue encourages children learning another language in school to write an original poem in that other tongue.

The competition was successfully piloted in Glasgow last year and we're delighted to now offer all primary and secondary schools in Scotland the chance to participate.

Take a look at our MTOT 2015-16 webpages for full details about this year's competition. You'll also find a section on previous events and testimonials from those who took part, as well as links to the MTOT blog and a host of other useful resources, including the teacher's pack containing the categories, criteria and rules.

During September and October there will be some Saturday workshops available for teachers from schools registered for the competition. There will be a limited number of places which will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so watch for more details about these soon and ensure you don't miss out!

Register your school for MTOT now*! Deadline extended to 9 October 2015.

*Some schools are reporting an issue with accessing the online registration form. If your authority is also blocking the page, we would suggest registering from a home PC or emailing us to be registered manually.

Read more...

Our Films, Our Europe competition now launched

1 September 2015 (SEET)

Our Films, Our Europe is an innovative film making project run by SEET and supported by the European Parliament. Teams of S3-S6 pupils from all secondary schools in Scotland are invited to take part in the project which encourages European languages, international discussions and creative film making.

The competition has now launched and all secondary schools in Scotland are invited to take part.

For more information and to register for the competition visit the Our Europe website.

Read more...

Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2015-16 launch

21 August 2015 (SCILT)

Today sees the launch of Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) 2015-16 in Scotland!

The multilingual poetry competition celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity through creative writing. Mother Tongue encourages children who do not speak English as a first language to share a remembered poem from their mother tongue. Other Tongue encourages children learning another language in school to write an original poem in that other tongue.

The competition was successfully piloted in Glasgow last year and we're delighted to now offer all primary and secondary schools in Scotland the chance to participate.

Take a look at our MTOT 2015-16 webpages for full details about this year's competition.  You'll also find a section on previous events and testimonials from those who took part, as well as links to the MTOT blog and a host of other useful resources, including the teacher's pack containing the categories, criteria and rules.

During September and October there will be some Saturday workshops available for teachers from schools registered for the competition.  There will be a limited number of places which will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so watch for more details about these soon and ensure you don't miss out!

Register your school for MTOT now*!  Deadline 31 August 2015.

*Some schools are reporting an issue with accessing the online registration form.  If your authority is also blocking the page, we would suggest registering from a home PC or emailing us to be registered manually.

Read more...

Our Films, Our Europe competition

20 August 2015 (SEET)

Our Films, Our Europe is an innovative film making project run by SEET and supported by the European Parliament. Teams of S3-S6 pupils from all secondary schools in Scotland are invited to take part in the project which encourages European languages, international discussions and creative film making.

The competition will launch on 1 September 2015 with all secondary schools in Scotland invited to take part.

For more information, see the attached press release or visit the SEET website where you can also find details of last year's competitors and the winning films.

Read more...

Related Files

Funding for UK-German activities

14 August 2015 (UK-German Connection)

Schools can apply for grants for joint projects or activities with a German partner school, anniversary celebrations and preliminary visits for teachers.

The next deadline for grants is 31 October 2015 (the next deadline after this will be 31 January 2016).

Funding deadlines for the various opportunities on offer can be found on the attached document or visit the UK-German Connection website for full details of the opportunities available.

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Word Wizard 2015 final - now with photos!

13 August 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

After announcing the Word Wizard 2015 prizewinners back in June, we have now published the photos from the Final in the Scottish Parliament on 29th May. 

Visit our Word Wizard 2015 Final webpage for the full list of prizewinners and to view the photos via our Flickr album. 

You can download any of the photos by right clicking on the image and selecting 'Save as'.

Read more...

Insight: Why Scots face a language barrier

8 August 2015 (The Scotsman)

Our children’s lack of foreign language skills cry out for a shake-up in education policy, and yet constant upheaval in our schools may be one of the problems, writes Dani Garavelli.

Read more...

The German Language Adventure

11 August 2015 (Goethe-Institut)

Start the new school year with a motivational boost for your pupils. New dates are available to visit the Goethe-Institut Glasgow with your class and tackle the 16 challenges on German language and culture.

The game is suitable for pupils P7-S2.  Available dates are:

  • Monday 24 August 2015 (10:30 - 12:15)
  • Monday 31 August 2015 (10:30 - 12:15)

Booking is essential.  Visit the Goethe-Institut website for details.

Read more...

Our Europe Final 2015

30 June 2015 (SEET)

Finalist teams from Balfron High School (Stirling) and Lenzie Academy (East Dunbartonshire) spent three days in Brussels last week, from Sunday 21st June to Wednesday 24th June, competing in the final of the Our Europe Film Competition run by the Scottish European Educational Trust.

After a close-run final at Scotland House, Balfron High were determined to be the overall winners of the competition.

For more information about the final see the attached flyer or visit the SEET website.

Read more...

Win £4000 to get more of your students to aim higher!

19 June 2015 (British Academy / SCILT)

British Academy Schools Language Awards (BASLA) 2015

The deadline for applications is now approaching!  You have until 30 June to apply for the 2015 Schools Language Awards.

As part of its programme to support and champion the learning of languages, the British Academy is again offering a series of Awards to schools and colleges throughout the UK for the encouragement of excellence in language learning. This year the Awards focus on activity which encourages more students to take language learning to a higher level.

The Awards are intended to encourage schools to find imaginative and effective ways of improving take up and enthusiasm for language learning into S5, S6 and beyond, which build partnerships and address the social imbalance in the profile of language learners at higher levels.

The Awards are open to all secondary schools and colleges and cover all languages other than English, including those learnt as community languages. A total of 15 Awards of £4000 each will be made to schools throughout the UK and at least one Award will go to a winning proposal from Scotland. One outstanding project from across the UK will receive an additional £2000.

Supplementary education

The British Academy are also offering Awards for innovative and exciting projects throughout the UK that encourage larger numbers of supplementary school students to take language learning to a higher level – the sort of level where they can use the language in the workplace and their future careers to benefit others. Schools could win £4,000 or more to put their ideas into action.

The deadline for applications for both awards is Tuesday 30 June 2015. See the attached document or visit the British Academy website for more information and to apply.

Read more...

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Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition going nationwide in 2015-16!

19 June 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) is an exciting multilingual poetry project which celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity through creative writing, and showcases the many languages which are spoken and learned by young people in school and at home. After a very successful pilot of the competition in the Glasgow area last year, SCILT are excited to announce the roll-out of MTOT across the country from August 2015. 2015/16 will build on the success of last year’s initiative and see the competition go nationwide allowing all pupils from P1 – S6 to participate in collaboration with our partner universities.

The winning poems, as well as a wider selection of commendable entries, will be compiled and published in a Mother Tongue Other Tongue anthology. There will be additional prizes, so start thinking now about how you might get involved.

September will see the official launch of the competition with poetry and creative writing workshops for teachers taking place at our HE partner institutions across the country (dates and venues tbc). Registration to take part in the competition and to attend the teachers’ poetry workshop launch events will open in August 2015. More information on how to register and book a place on a workshop will be available to schools early in the new school year.

Why not visit our MTOT 2015-16 webpage where you'll find all the information you need, including links to our poetry resources page, where we have collated a number of downloadable poetry and language materials as well as links to useful websites. You could also read the 2014 winning poems featured in our anthology for some further inspiration and find out about last year's competition and celebration event, or take a look at the MTOT website from Routes into Languages North West and Manchester Metropolitan University to see how the competition ran in England and Wales last year.

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Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival for Schools

15 June 2015 (Consejería de Educación)

After the great success of last year, The Hispanic Studies of Edinburgh University, in collaboration with the Consejería de Educación (Spanish Embassy Education Office), is going to launch the second Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival (ESFF) from 2 - 10 October 2015 and would love to share this experience with schools in Scotland. For this reason, they are currently planning their programme, which also includes three Spanish films with English subtitles, particularly suitable for primary and secondary school pupils.

Please see the attached invitation letters for primary and secondary schools, which also include information on how to book.

Vive le Fringe!

9 June 2015 (Institut français)

For the past five years, the Institut Français has been a venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Under the banner ‘Vive le Fringe’, we have been bringing French companies to the Fringe and presenting an eclectic and ambitious programme of French theatre, circus and children’s shows.

The 2015 programme features three shows dedicated to young audiences for which we’ve been devising post-performance workshops for schools in order to complement the viewing and allow classes to make the most of their visit to the Institut français and to the Fringe. You can find out more details about each show by clicking on the relevant link below.

Out now: CISS and SCILT’s 2015-16 Career Long Professional Learning menu!

5 June 2015 (SCILT/CISS)

The new menu of workshops from SCILT and CISS are now available for bookings from August!

SCILT and CISS aim to provide high quality professional learning opportunities to support the teaching and learning of languages across all sectors and all parts of the country. Authorities, clusters or schools may be interested in booking one or more of the workshops from the SCILT and CISS Professional Learning Programmes for 2015-16. 

Whatever your professional learning needs, we will endeavour to meet them. If you have specific requirements we are happy to develop bespoke input and support.

Visit the pages below to view the menus for 2015-16, to read testimonials from previous workshop attendees and for information on how to book a workshop:

Book now for the start of the new session and remember all our services and workshops are absolutely free of charge!

Funding for Japanese Language Education Projects held in the UK

3 June 2015 (Japan Foundation)

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which will have a significant and wide impact on the promotion of Japanese language education throughout the UK, or in their local area. For example, conferences on Japanese language education, seminars for teachers, projects to produce Japanese language teaching materials, etc. We also welcome projects that introduce Japanese into the curriculum, or bring it into the timetable at Schools or Universities. Priority is given to the following: 

  • Projects with a wide impact on Japanese language education
    Up to £3,000 for projects that contribute widely to the maintenance and strengthening of Japanese language education, e.g. conferences on Japanese language education, seminars for teachers, projects to produce Japanese language teaching materials, projects by organisations working in partnership, which benefit not only the institution applying for the programme, but which have a beneficial effect on others. 
  • Introducing Japanese to schools or universities 
    • Up to £3,000 for projects that promote the introduction of Japanese into the curriculum (or onto the main school timetable) at primary and secondary schools. Or projects that support the introduction of Japanese language classes at university - as part of our Primary Japanese Campaign, primary schools that would like to introduce Japanese as their main language in the new Key Stage 2 curriculum will be able to maintain their project by re-applying for funding twice for the same project. This means primary schools will be able to apply for up to a total of £9,000 over three years
    • Up to £1,000 for projects in primary or secondary schools that introduce Japanese as an extra-curricular activity or enrichment subject, even if this is not within the school timetable. These activities must continue for at least a year to qualify for the grant

The next application deadline for the 2015-16 programme is 19 June 2015. 

Further information and how to apply is available on the attached flyer.

Learners International - new resource for schools!

28 May 2015 (British Council/Education Scotland)

British Council in partnership with Education Scotland has today launched a new online resource to help schools and pre-school centres improve outcomes for pupils and staff through international engagement.

The resource is designed to support schools in their journey of continuous improvement in learning through partnerships with educational establishments in other countries.  Working in partnership the aim is to develop learners' skills and attitudes that are necessary to participate effectively in a globalised world.

International engagement involves learning about other countries:

  • their cultures
  • education systems
  • languages
  • the global themes of interest to us all
  • and by forming a partnership with educational establishments abroad and/or being involved in global learning programmes

The aim of the partnerships are:

  • to improve knowledge and skills across curriculum areas
  • to challenge stereotypes and prejudices
  • and to make learners aware of the possibilities that exist for learning and work outside Scotland

This, by extension, allows learners to understand Scotland and its place in the world. Partnerships allow those involved the opportunity to share ideas in pedagogy and the space to reflect on their own practice; and in so doing, improve the quality of learning and teaching. Partnerships can be developed digitally or can also involve face to face meetings between staff and/or learners.

Find out more about Learners International on the Education Scotland website.

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Lesson planner - Secondary French

28 May 2015 (TES)

This “grammar challenge” was designed to motivate my 14- and 15-year-old pupils and make assessment more fun and interactive.

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Get the ball rolling in Spanish – with #fútbol

28 May 2015 (TESS)

Pupils can learn a surprising amount from foreign language tweets about football matches I began my lesson with that breezy staple “What are we going to learn today?” The answer to this question shocked the class: “Vamos a estudiar el encanto de la Copa FA.” Yes, the romance of the FA Cup. There was a palpable frisson of excitement.

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SALT Modern Languages Competition 2015

26 May 2015 (SALT)

Learners in all Scottish schools are invited to design a poster on the subject of food and healthy eating. You can create your entry using any form of media you prefer as long as it’s written in the language you’re learning.  Closing date for entries is 25 June 2015. 

For more information visit the SALT website.

Read more...

Interactive Exhibition with Guided Tours: Umdenken von der Natur lernen

26 May 2015 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut in partnership with Glasgow City of Science will bring this exciting interactive exhibition to the Glasgow Science Centre. The exhibition presents the four elements - water, fire, earth and air and promotes greater awareness of and a more sensitive attitude towards the environment, nature and natural resources. Our young visitors are encouraged to explore surprising facts, intercultural dimensions and study positive as well as negative examples in order to engage with central environmental themes.

Following an interdisciplinary and intercultural approach and providing customized teaching materials and workshops, the exhibition Umdenken - von der Natur lernen combines linguistic abilities and an interest in learning German with scientific topics and the subject of environment protection.

The interactive exhibition runs from 26 May to 9 June.  Guided tours are available for S2-S5/6 pupils (other age groups on request). 

Slots available:

  • Wednesday, 03 June, 13:00 - 14:30
  • Thursday, 28 May 10:00 - 12:30 
  • Thursday, 04 June, 10:00 - 12:30
  • Thursday, 04 June, 13:00 - 14:30
  • Friday, 05 June: 10:00 - 12:30
  • Friday, 05 June: 13:00 - 14:30
  • Monday, 08 June: 10:00 - 14:30

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for full details and to book your school's tour.  There are also taster materials available to try out in your classroom.

Read more...

Glasgow Science Festival 2015 - Energy for a sustainable world

26 May 2015 (Alliance Française)

The Alliance Française de Glasgow is delighted to take part once again in the Glasgow Science Festival in June and to present a special bilingual exhibition in French/English entitled Energy for a sustainable world / Energies pour un monde durable.

We will also be running educational workshops for secondary school pupils and their teachers who visit the exhibition (dates are 4, 5, and 8-12 June).

Among the themes covered by this interactive exhibition are the relationship between energy and development, the scarcity of some resources, and the impact on climate change that our ever increasing energy needs have.

Thanks to some playful elements, visitors to the exhibition will be made aware of issues relating to energy access, its link to economic and social development, and environmental issues. The exhibition contains description of such varied topics as:

  • What is energy? 
  • Sources and resources 
  • Geopolitics and energy access 
  • Research and innovation 
  • Energy storage 
  • Solar power

This exhibition fits in with the Curriculum for excellence (Science & French) and is suitable mostly for S1-S4 pupils, although S5 & S6 can also attend.

The exhibition will be accompanied by fun and engaging experiments as well as a French/English questionnaire so that pupils can learn more about the exhibition and the topics covered.

Visit the Alliance Française website for more information and to book your school visit.  Places are limited so don't delay!

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Digital European Language Portfolio (ELP)

15 May 2015 (SCILT)

For anyone who has been experiencing difficulties using the electronic version of our European Language Portfolio, please note the technical glitch has now been resolved. The ELP is available on the following pages of our website:

Vacancies: Professional Development Officer (2 posts)

12 May 2015 (SCILT)

SCILT requires two Professional Development Officers to support secondary schools as they continue to develop their strategy for the implementation of the 1+2 languages policy. This is an exciting opportunity to work at national level and drive forward the strategic languages agenda in Scotland. The Professional Development Officers will be responsible for developing and delivering a broad range of support measures for teachers of languages. This would include, for example, leading professional learning workshops and managing projects, national awards/competitions and other promotional events. It is expected that the post holders will support practitioners to turn policy into practice to create a positive impact on learners. This will be based on identification of practitioners’ needs, with particular reference to the aims of Curriculum for Excellence and the implementation of the 1+2 languages policy.

For the full job specification and how to apply visit the Stathclyde University vacancies webpage.

Closing date for applications is 25 May 2015.

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SCILT Business Breakfasts webpage now live

8 May 2015 (SCILT)

SCILT was delighted to host three motivational Business Breakfast events in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen at the beginning of this year. Our main aim was to support S3-S6 pupils in the uptake of language learning in the senior phase by providing schools with an opportunity to hear from various dynamic speakers who view language skills as a key part to the success of their businesses.

We have uploaded presentations and photographs from the event onto our website. You might find the presentations useful to use with your pupils to promote the benefits of languages.

Visit our Business Breakfasts 2015 webpage for more information.

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MOOC: Games in schools (2nd round)

29 April 2015 (European Schoolnet Academy)

Primary and secondary teachers are welcome to join this exciting MOOC exploring the potential of games-based learning in schools. The course is being run jointly by European Schoolnet and ISFE (The Interactive Software Federation of Europe) and is entirely free. The course will examine the opportunities but also challenges offered by integrating games into our teaching and learning and will provide practical examples of gaming tools and activities to use in your daily teaching practice. We will be learning through a mix of video, interactive activities and discussions as well as sharing of resources.

The first question we will explore is, why use computer games in schools? We will then look at a range of games which do not necessarily have an educational purpose but can be used nicely for thematic learning on topics such as gravity, planets, construction, and many others. However, we will also explore games that have an explicit pedagogical focus and are designed to help students learn anything from Maths to Languages.

The course commences on 18 May 2015 and runs for 6 weeks. Visit the European Schoolnet Academy website for more information and to sign up.

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Into Film Festival 2015

28 April 2015 (Into Film)

The Into Film Festival is a free and annual celebration of film and education for schools and young people across the UK.

The Festival, formerly known as the National Youth Film Festival, takes place from 4–20 November 2015. It aims to help educators bring learning to life for 5-19 year olds by inspiring young people to watch, make and understand film in new and creative ways.

There will be a series of foreign language films to choose from (with English subtitles) with dates and locations to be announced closer to the event.  In the meantime, teachers can register interest now on the Into Film website and be informed as soon as bookings are possible.

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1+2 learning events - registration now open!

24 April 2015 (SCILT)

To support the 1+2 language learning model SCILT and Education Scotland are offering the following learning events during May/June for language practitioners in Scotland.  Click on the appropriate link for further information and to register your attendance.

Senior phase learning events 

L3 learning events 

Project Trust and SCILT promote global citizenship

21 April 2015 (Project Trust)

Project Trust’s Global Citizenship Programme sends passionate and enthusiastic Returned Volunteers who have become Global Citizenship Ambassadors into primary and secondary schools to provide interactive educational sessions about global issues they’ve had unique first-hand experience of overseas. Lucy Hughes (Cambodia 2012/13) and Ben Haldane (Namibia 2013/14) ran a session at Kinross High School talking about their experiences of learning another language, presenting alongside our partners SCILT (Scotland’s National Centre for Languages).

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Secondary school writing competition

16 April 2015 (British Council)

British Council Scotland and Education Scotland are pleased to announce a writing competition for secondary schools in Scotland! We would like to ask you to encourage your secondary school pupils to submit short essays to highlight how international their school is, or how international could it be.

Examples of things pupils could write about are:

  • how their language learning experience allows them to think more internationally or opens international opportunities 
  • what they have learned about other countries and how that changed their perception of the world 
  • what other international activities already exist in their school such as school exchanges or school links with schools abroad 
  • what international activities they would like to see happening in their school in the future

Competition overview

Topic of the short essay: ‘How international is your school and how International could it be? Please write about how international experience has shaped or could shape your time at school.’
Word limit: 300 words maximum, 280 words minimum (the title is included in the word count)
How to enter: Pupils have to submit their work in PDF format by midnight on Monday 25 May 2015 to Natasha Kozlowska at natasha.kozlowska@britishcouncil.org stating the subject as ‘Writing entry’. Entries must be submitted with your name and your school.
Deadline: Midnight on Monday 25 May 2015
Prizes: The prize for the winning pupil is an iPad and a certificate signed by Education Scotland. The winning work will also be published on the Education Scotland website, and the winner will be invited to an awards ceremony to present their work. The prize for the school is a framed certificate signed by Education Scotland, presented during an event celebrating Scotland’s international links.

Please see the attached document for further information about the competition, which can be found be also found on the British Council website.

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Radio Edutalk

7 April 2015 (Radio Edutalk)

This Radio Edutalk podcast was taken at a recent meeting of the Practitioner Enquiry Network in West Lothian.

Jane Keegan, 1+2 Development Officer and Lynne Jones, Professional Development Officer at SCILT talk about the first phase of a small scale collaborative research project investigating attitudes to learning languages before and after the transition from primary to secondary.

Access the podcast on the Radio Edutalk website.

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Learning events coming soon!

27 March 2015 (SCILT)

Senior phase learning events

Recommendation 16 of the ‘1+2 Report’ states: ‘The Working Group recommends that schools provide all young people with flexible opportunities and encouragement to study more than one modern language to the level of a National Qualification Unit or course, in the senior phase, whether in their own school or through cluster arrangements with other schools.’

Would you like to:

  • expand provision in the senior phase? 
  • boost the number of young people continuing with a language beyond the broad general education? 
  • hear what others are doing and have an opportunity to discuss possibilities with colleagues?

If so, you may find inspiration at the senior phase learning events in May. Each event will have three different speakers talking about the courses they offer in the senior phase. They will say what they do to attract young people to study languages. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion with colleagues and representatives from SCILT and Education Scotland.

The dates are:

  • Saturday May 9 in Aberdeen 
  • Saturday May 16 in Dunfermline

Venues to be confirmed. Each event will last a morning. The opportunity to register for one or both of these events will be available soon.

L3 learning events

Recommendation 4 of the ‘1+2 Report’ states: ‘The Working Group recommends that a second additional language (L3) be introduced for pupils at a later stage in the primary school. The time for introduction of the L3 language would be…….no later than P5.’

Recommendation 11 states: ‘The Working Group recommends schools develop language learning for L3 during the broad general education, choosing from a range of approaches………’

As one would expect, schools and authorities are at different stages in their preparations for L3. Further guidance on L3 has been produced by Education Scotland and is available on their website and the SCILT website - 'A 1+2 approach to language learning - Further guidance on L3 within the 1+2 policy' under the Guidance tab. A range of approaches to the delivery of L3 in both primary and secondary schools is described in the guidance. Understandably, L3 remains the area where most schools and local authorities are still at the planning stage or are at the early stages of delivery.

There will be two learning events for L3.

  • Saturday 30 May in Glasgow - L3 in the primary school 
  • Saturday 6 June in Stirling - L3 in the secondary school

Venues to be confirmed but both events will last a morning and will take place in the central belt. Each will involve three presentations where speakers describe how they have begun working on L3 in their school or local authority. Much of this work is relatively new and some is at the trialling stage. Each speaker offers a different approach.

There will be dedicated time to ask questions and to engage in discussion with colleagues. Each event will be supported by representatives from SCILT and Education Scotland. The opportunity to register a place for one or both of these events will be available soon.

French immersion days for secondary students

24 March 2015 (Institut français)

Bring your class to the Institut français for an exciting day filled with French immersion activities.

Choose between a film viewing or a workshop shedding light on a piece of French culture for your S1 to S6 students, with or without the croissants and juices.

For more information and to arrange a visit, see the Institut français website.

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Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival Poster Competition 2015

17 March 2015 (Consejería de Educación)

We invite Scottish students studying Spanish in secondary education to take part in a competition to produce a poster with a striking image reflecting both cinema and Spain, although the competition is open to all students in secondary education, especially those studying media, product design and art.

The poster will be displayed around the city of Edinburgh in September and October 2015 in various sizes and formats. It will also be the cover of our programme and leaflets.

The deadline for entries is 1 April 2015.

See the attached flyer for full details and how to enter.

Articulate Language Camps

12 March 2015 (Articulate Language Camps)

Easter Revision Day

This Easter, we are offering National 5 and Higher pupils the chance to revise for their French exams with the support of qualified language teachers. Pupils can take part in a variety of listening, reading and writing projects to help them prepare for their upcoming SQA assessments. The Revision Day will give them a chance to leave their textbooks for a while, learn in a relaxed and supportive environment and have a little fun with the foreign language.

The revision day camp will take place of Wednesday 8 April. For just £12, pupils can join us from 10am until 5pm at the Glasgow Gaelic School in the city centre. To reserve a place or request an information pack, pupils should call 07791 698945 or email us at info@articulate-languagecamps.com.

Launch Camp

At our two-day residential summer programme for children aged 6-11, young campers get the chance to experience French, Spanish or German or improve their existing language skills in a fun and interactive way. Our camp ‘launches’ campers into the world of language learning through projects, play and songs. From making a film in Spanish and going on a forest scavenger hunt to singing campfire songs in German and taking an archery class in French.

For more information on dates, prices, location and the programme, please visit our website, Articulate Language Camps, or get in touch at info@articulate-languagecamps.com.

International Camp

Our week-long summer programme brings together young people aged 12-17 from all over Europe to share their language and their culture. With options to learn French, Spanish, German or English, campers can teach one another and practise their speaking and listening skills with young native speakers of the languages they are studying. With a variety of digital media project classes and outdoor sport activities, the programme is full of adventure and excitement.

To hear from previous campers or to find out more information about dates, prices, location and the programme, please visit our website, Articulate Language Camps,  or get in touch at info@articulate-languagecamps.com.

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How to travel the world from your classroom and get pupils excited about water conservation

9 March 2015 (TES)

Looking for an interdisciplinary project for your pupils?  Martin Crabbe, geography teacher at Glebe School, Bromley and Chair of London Sustainable Schools Network is a champion of encouraging students to show citizenship and collaborate with one another to improve the local environment. Here he tells us why he’s signed up to Global Action Plan’s water education project for 8-14 year olds, to teach his pupils about their use of water and why it matters.

There are many benefits for schools and pupils taking part in the Global Action Water Explorer project, including:

  • collaboratng with and learning from other students across the world
  • improving wider skills, including ICT, presentation, communication, team working and language skills
  • a way to reduce your school's water impact and work towards Eco-School certification

These are just a few of the advantages to be gained.  Read on to find out about Glebe School's experiences and follow the link below to access all the information you need to get your school involved in the Water Explorer project.

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How pupils are saying nein, danke to German

6 March 2015 (TESS)

Students can’t seem to get enough of Mandarin but are bidding ‘auf Wiedersehen’ to the language of Scotland’s near neighbour and economic partner Germany. Julia Belgutay asks why

The premise offered hope to foreign language teachers and all those promoting language learning in schools across Scotland. The 1+2 strategy, announced by the government in 2012, was finally going to bring language learning up to speed with other European countries.

Every child in Scotland would study one foreign language from the first year of primary school, and a second from no later than P5 – a pledge that the government backed up with £4 million of funding last year and a further £5 million in 2014-15.

But more than two years into the implementation of the ambitious strategy, it has become clear that not all languages have been winners. Indeed, some are losing – badly.

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Related Links

We need to speak up for the value of German (TESS, 6 March 2015)

Welcome to Mexico

3 March 2015 (British Council)

To celebrate the visit of the President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto to the UK, we have put together some resources to help schools to celebrate Mexico and the Spanish language. These include

  • A PowerPoint presentation about Mexico that can be used in an assembly
  • A story in Spanish and in English by the Latin American Children’s laureate Francisco Hinojosa (who is from Mexico) El peor senora del mundo/The worst woman in the world 
  • Two lesson ideas using the story – a writing activity and a Spanish activity 
  • An art activity based on the work of Mexican artist Diego Rivera

Access the resource pack on the British Council website.

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#DigiLearnScot - Have You Got the 1+2 Factor?

27 February 2015 (Education Scotland / SCILT)

Next week, as part of Digital Learning Week, sees the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning launch 1+2 Factor, an exciting new competition which aims to showcase the learning and teaching of languages in schools across Scotland. Individual classes, schools or clusters are invited to use any of the tools within Glow to create a learning space which will help with the implementation of 1 + 2.

On the 1+2 Factor site within GLOW you can find important dates, useful links and documents to help create your learning experiences.

Join us on Glow TV on Wednesday 4th March at 12:30 PM to find out how to get involved in this nationwide event for Scottish education establishments.  Register on the #DigiLearnScot - Have You Got the 1+2 Factor? webpage

So what are you waiting for? Create, Collaborate, Innovate.

Please note, Glow login required to access.

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Discover Germany! funded trip for S1 pupils - project ideas

24 February 2015 (UK-German Connection)

Interested in the UK-German Connection's funded trip to Berlin for your S1 pupils but need some help identifying a project? Take a look at some showcase examples on the UK-German Connection website.

For more information about the trip itself and to apply by 26 March 2015, visit the Discover Germany! webpage.

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Language linking, global thinking! - register interest

20 February 2015 (SCILT)

SCILT is inviting schools interested in taking part in the Language Linking Global Thinking initiative in session 2015/16 to register now. 

The project links students on their year abroad with primary and secondary schools. Students communicate with a designated class in their partner school during the course of the year to illustrate how enriching it is to spend a year abroad using a language other than English. 

While the student is abroad, the partner school keeps in regular contact with the student by emailing, sending postcards and other resources. The two-way correspondence between student and class brings the language alive for pupils and shows them the real relevance of learning a language. 

This initiative has been piloted this year in three local authorities, and SCILT is now extending it to schools across Scotland. 

If you would like to take part in this project for session 2015-16, please email SCILT. Places are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Schools who took part in the pilot are invited to register interest in the same way if they wish to continue the project into a second year.

More information on Language Linking Global Thinking 2014-15.

Some of the students have used blogs to facilitate their contact with the schools. Read the student blogs.

Online Spanish course for teachers, undergraduate BA students and postgraduate PGDE students

19 February 2015 (Consejería de Educación)

The Instituto Cervantes and the Spanish Embassy Education Office in the UK offer Spanish online courses for teachers, undergraduates and PGDE students through Aula Virtual de Español (AVE), an interactive platform specifically designed by the Instituto Cervantes for the teaching and learning of Spanish.

The course is suitable for primary and secondary school teachers, undergraduate BA and PGDE students with or without previous knowledge of Spanish and will run from April to October 2015.

*Please note that this course will not qualify secondary teachers to teach Spanish in a secondary school.

See the attached flyer for more details and enrolment information.

Discover Germany! programme

17 February 2015 (UK-German Connection)

Applications for Discover Germany! 2015 are now open.

The Discover Germany! programme is a 3-4 day taster trip, which gives UK lower secondary pupils (S1) the opportunity to discover some of Germany's most interesting areas, meet German peers and engage in intercultural learning.

The 2015 Discover Germany! trip will take place in Berlin, from 2 to 5 July 2015, and the theme of the trip will be 'accessible travel and culture'. Pupils will have the chance to visit famous and historical places, interact with German peers at a local school and take part in educational activities at cultural heritage sites. Pupils will also spend time on project work related to this year's theme.

See the UK-German Connection website for more details.  Apply by 26 March 2015.

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How to teach … German

16 February 2015 (The Guardian)

Deutschland ist wunderschön! Our collection of lesson ideas and resources will help you get students excited about learning German.

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Les Rencontres Théâtrales 2015

13 February 2015 (Le français en Écosse )

We hope rehearsals are now well under way for the theatre competition in French! If you're not enrolled yet with your class, you can still do so until 20 February. The competition takes place in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen from 24 to 31 March.

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Le Quiz de la Francophonie

13 February 2015 (Le français en Écosse )

Every year on 20 March, the world celebrates the French language and La Francophonie. The Institut Français and the representatives of the Francophone countries in the UK organise again in 2015 the Francophonie quiz. Our country of honour this year is Canada!

In Scotland, our online contest will be open to S2/S3 pupils.

This is a good opportunity to learn and have fun while developing key skills such as work in a team, make research using ICT, and enhance knowledge of French cultures.

Each team will have to find the right answers as quickly as possible using all available resources in the schools without the help of the teacher.

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Capital L Languages Challenge

5 February 2015 (Routes into Languages)

The competition invites teams of students to choose 6 of 7 challenges to complete in any language they wish. In fact, the more languages used to complete the tasks the better. After tasks are completed, students will need to enter examples of careers which use the skills and knowledge they have used!

This activity is targeted at Years, 8, 9 and 10 in England, S1-S3 in Scotland.

The deadline for submitting entries is 1 May 2015.

For more information about the competition, see the teacher information sheet or visit the Routes into Languages website.

To register to take part and to receive copies of the poster and students's sheets, please go to the Languages Challenge 2015 registration form.

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School support activities from Scottish universities

3 February 2015 (SCILT/UCMLS)

SCILT has worked with UCMLS to collate the opportunities available from Scottish universities to support language teaching and learning in schools across the country. We hope schools will access these opportunities to support the work being done in the classroom.

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Karneval Special

30 January 2015 (UK-German Connection)

Karneval / Fasching is just around the corner! That's right, from 16 to 18 February, large parts of Germany will descend into a jamboree of fancy dress, sweet-throwing and general merrymaking. Why not teach your pupils all about it with the voyage Karneval special?

Our Karneval Special features:

  • an interactive quiz 
  • a fascinating article about the biggest and most famous Karneval celebrations in Germany 
  • a photo gallery 
  • a podcast about the tradition of Karneval a
  • web quest (with worksheet) that you can use in class 
For Broad General Education (Key Stage 3), why not listen to the ever-popular Karneval song by a singing hairdresser on the voyage kids special? (with worksheet and PPTs to teach the vocabulary in the song).

Are you celebrating Karneval with your pupils? Send us a picture and brief description of your Karneval activities, and we'll feature them on the voyage website as a useful project example.



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Why Au Revoir les Enfants is the one film you should watch this week - video review

29 January 2015 (The Guardian)

Peter Bradshaw recommends Louis Malle's 1987 autobiographical film, which takes place in a boys' boarding school towards the end of the second world war, explores French guilt surrounding antisemitism and the events that took place during the Holocaust. The film traces the friendship between two 12 year olds during WW2 and is in French/German with English subtitles. Au Revoir les Enfants returns to the cinema on 30 January with a re-release by the BFI in conjunction with Holocaust Memorial Day.

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Related Links

See the BFI website for a list of screenings, including those in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Language linking, global thinking!

27 January 2015 (SCILT)

SCILT is shortly going to be looking for schools interested in taking part in the Language Linking Global Thinking initiative in session 2015/16. 

The project links students on their year abroad with primary and secondary schools. Students communicate with a designated class in their partner school during the course of the year to illustrate how enriching it is to spend as year abroad using a language other than English. 

While the student is abroad, the partner school keeps in regular contact with the student by emailing, sending postcards and other resources. The two-way correspondence between student and class brings the language alive for pupils and shows them the real relevance of learning a language. 

This initiative has been piloted this year in three local authorities, and SCILT is now extending it to schools across Scotland. We will be looking for schools to register their interest in the next few weeks. Please note places are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 

More information on Language Linking Global Thinking 2014-15.

Some of the students have used blogs to facilitate their contact with the schools. Read the student blogs.

Les Ateliers du Secondaire

23 January 2015 (Institut français d'Écosse )

It's still time to sign up for the first workshop of Institut français d'Écosse new monthly rendez-vous for secondary teachers on Thursday 29 January. These free workshops happen every last Thursday of the month and provide you with tools and resources for your class. The January session will be about video resources for your S1-S6 class.

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News from LFEE

22 January 2015 (LFEE)

See the attached newsletter from Le français en Ecosse (LFEE) for information on the following:

  • Erasmus+ guidelines for teachers wishing to apply to LFEE courses in France and Spain 2015-16.
  • Primary professional learning opportunities for teachers in Scotland.
  • Training for secondary teachers, including spaces available for 3 week course in Lyon and resources on embedding ICT into teaching practice.

You can also visit the LFEE website for more information about the training available for Scottish language teachers.

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Related Files

'Our Europe' film competition 2015 semi-final

22 January 2015 (SEET)

On Monday 2 February the Scottish European Educational Trust will host the semi-final of the Our Europe Film Competition 2014-15 at SocietyM in Glasgow.

In the initial stage of the competition, teams of four S3-S6 pupils were asked to submit storyboards, which made use of at least one European language other than English, explaining their ideas for a short film about how being an EU citizen affects them. This year 70 teams from high schools across Scotland signed up to take part. The six best entries were then chosen and invited to participate in the Our Europe semi-final workshop day.

This year’s semi-finalist teams come from: Balfron High School (Stirling), St Lukes High School (East Renfrewshire), Kinross High School (Kinross), Lenzie Academy (East Dunbartonshire), Douglas Academy (East Dunbartonshire) and Marr College (South Ayrshire).

See the attached press release for more information or visit the SEET website.

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Summer courses in Germany for secondary pupils 2015

21 January 2015 (UK-German Connection)

Do you have pupils who are interested in going to Germany this summer? UK-German Connection has two fantastic courses that might be of interest to them, both of which combine language learning with cultural trips and excursions, as well as staying with host families. The application deadline for both courses is 10 March 2015

German Pupil Courses: These two-week language and culture courses are part-funded and are for pupils in S5 or S3. Follow the link for further details and the online application.

German Scholarships Programme: This is a free four-week programme for excellent students of German in S5. Follow the link for further details and the application form.

There are also opportunities for teachers to act as group leaders on the German Pupil Courses.

Funding opportunities for UK-German activities

21 January 2014 (UK-German Connection)

Do you need funding for activities with your German partner school? UK-German Connection has grants available for UK-German projects, activities and anniversary celebrations. The next deadline for grants for UK-German activities is 31 January 2015 (the next deadline after this will be 31 May 2015).

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Google and Eurostar sponsor new Franco-British schools’ competition

15 Januiary 2015 (Franco-British Council)

The Franco-British Council is delighted to announce that the digital giant Google and Eurostar are both supporting its 2015 competition for schools.

The competition is directed at S2 and S5 pupils at state schools ONLY in Scotland and the equivalent Year 9 and Year 12 pupils from state schools ONLY south of the border. The competition requires pupils to pick a city* in France and create their very own website championing it and explaining why their friends should all go there. Entries will be judged by a panel of digital, communications and travel experts from Google, Eurostar, the Daily Telegraph Newspaper and the Foreign Office. The winning three groups (5 pupils and 1 teacher per group) will get the opportunity to visit their chosen French city for the weekend!

The aim of this competition is to stimulate interest and research in France amongst language students and to give them the opportunity to demonstrate their creative, linguistic and IT skills.

Please see the full competition details on the Franco-British Council website through the 'read more' link below.

The competition runs from Janusary - 24 April 2015. Teachers should send the link of their pupils’ website entry to prize@francobritishcouncil.org.uk and contact angela@francobritishcouncil.org.uk with any questions.

*French Cities included in the competition: Reims, Metz, Strasbourg, Nancy, Mulhouse, Besançon, Dijon, Lille, Rouen, Caen, Le Mans, Laval, Rennes, Angers, Nantes, Tours, Poitiers, Angoulême, Bordeaux, Lyon, Valence, and Avignon. Please take a look at the map.

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YouTube video session with Greg Horton, CILT Cymru Languages Wales 2014 - Engaging Language Learners in Key Stage 3

8 January 2015 (CILT Cymru)

How do we ensure that as many pupils as possible opt to study GCSE languages? This session demonstrates tried-and-tested ways of engaging pupils across the ability range while at the same time achieving maximum linguistic progression.

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Connecting Classrooms funding

7 January 2015 (British Council)

Apply for funding for your school partnership now! This is the last grant application round for the current Connecting Classrooms funding offer. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to get funding to collaborate directly with international peers. Connecting Classrooms brings challenging global issues to life through meaningful cross-cultural relationships.

The grant supports visits from at least one teacher from each of the schools in your partnership. Make sure you submit your application for funding in 2015 by the deadline of 30 January 2015.

For more information and to apply, visit the British Council Schools Online website.

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French film essay competition 2015

6 January 2015 (University of Oxford)

The Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages at Oxford University is looking for budding film enthusiasts in Years 7-11 (P7-S4) and 12-13 (S5-S6) to embrace the world of French cinema. To enter the competition, students in each age group are asked to re-write the ending of a film in no more than 1500 words.   Work can be done in English or French.

See the University website for more information and how to apply before 27 March 2015.

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Schools 2015 website competition

6 January 2015 (Franco-British Council)

Pupils in S2 and S5 are invited to choose their favourite French city from the list provided and design a website to promote the city and explain why we should all go there.  Extra credit will be given for including written or spoken French.

Winners will have the chance to visit their chosen French city, courtesy of Eurostar and the Franco-British Council.

Visit the Franco-British Council website for full details of the competition and how to enter.  The competition closes on 24 April 2015.

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Les Rencontres Théâtrales 2015

16 December 2014 (Institut français)

The Institut français has been organizing les Rencontres Théâtrales for many years. It is a unique experience for your primary and secondary school students to perform in French on a stage. These past years, les rencontres took place in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

In 2015, les Rencontres Théâtrales will take place in Edinburgh on 26 March at Broughton High School.  The date for Glasgow will be announced soon.

If you'd like to organise les Rencontres Théâtrales in your council, please contact Thomas Chaurin, Education Attaché for France in Scotland.

For more information about les Rencontres Théâtrales, see the video trailer.

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SCEN competition

9 December 2014 (SCEN)

A reminder that the closing date for the SCEN competition is drawing near!

Entries for the SCEN Competition, in collaboration with The Scottish Review and its Editor Kenneth Roy, should be a written article (maximum 850 words for senior students, 200 words for primary and S1-S2 students) on the following:

'Why all Scottish students should have the opportunity to learn Chinese'

The winning entry will be published in The Scottish Review!

  • Senior Prize (senior phase school pupils; university and college students and young professionals): £250
  • Junior Prize (upper primary and lower secondary pupils: £100!

Closing Date: 15 December 2014.

Please send entries electronically to the Convener of SCEN: judithmcclure12a@aol.com

Pupils put language skills to the test

3 December 2014 (Brechin Advertiser)

Brechin High School pupils, along with other Angus secondary school pupils, took part in an ‘on the job’ workshop to test their language skills.

The event saw pupils having to provide a solution to two real-life humanitarian crisis scenarios, and it required them to work on a solution and present the solution in French.

The first of the two scenarios involved the pupils assisting an engineer or medic from the Royal Navy to make them understood when they are operating within the challenging situation of a humanitarian crisis.

The solution had to be weather proof, easy to use, durable and effective. The pupils were also shown examples of what may or may not work and be asked to identify useful phrases that need to be included.

In the second scenario, pupils were asked to use their language skills to explore the properties needed for a building to withstand a Tsunami. Each group was given a budget and had to design a village within these constraints.

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Beyond the Panda education project - new website!

2 December 2014 (RZSS)

Thanks to a partnership with Jaguar Land Rover (China), Sandie Robb, Senior Education Officer for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland got the opportunity recently to visit Chengdu and Ya'an - along with 10 students and 4 staff from Lasswade High School. You can see an excellent video of the trip on the 'Beyond the Panda' new website, which not only includes a wealth of information on the giant panda project but has excellent lesson plans and activities.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland outreach sessions 'Beyond the Panda' and 'Giants' are still available for schools, however they are always revised and redeveloped each year to build on new resources and ideas. Please email Sandie Robb, srobb@rzss.org.uk, for full details.

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Languages for life

24 November 2014 (Angus Council)

School pupils in Angus recently took part in an ‘on the job’ workshop which used their language skills in real-life humanitarian crisis scenarios.

At the workshop, pupils had to provide a solution to two real-life crisis scenarios which required them to work on a solution and present the solution in French.

The top eight winning teams were selected from each project by the school staff and they will now compete in a Dragon’s Den Panel consisting of Naval, Angus and SCILT staff on 17 December.

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SCEN Competition

18 November 2014 (SCEN)

We invite entries for the SCEN Competition, in collaboration with The Scottish Review and its Editor Kenneth Roy. The challenge is to write an article (maximum 850 words for senior students, 200 words for primary and S1-S2 students) on the following:

'Why all Scottish students should have the opportunity to learn Chinese'

The winning entry will be published in The Scottish Review!

  • Senior Prize (senior phase school pupils; university and college students and young professionals): £250
  • Junior Prize (upper primary and lower secondary pupils: £100!

Closing Date: 15 December 2014.

Please send entries electronically to the Convener of SCEN: judithmcclure12a@aol.com

MTOT blog: The Creative Bag of Tricks - “Cinquains”

12 November 2014 (SCILT)

To support activities for the Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) competition, SCILT is sharing practical ideas for helping learners to write simple poems in the target language. These are published through our “Creative Bag of Tricks” series on the MTOT blog. The first of our items about short form poetry, “Cinquains”, is available to read now.

This is #6 in the "Creative Bag of Tricks" series.  If you've missed any of the previous activities these can still be accessed via the blog archive.

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Our Europe’s new Script Centre – an online language tool

12 November 2014 (SEET)

Following on from the launch of this years’ Our Europe Film Competition, the Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) has launched ‘Script Centre’. This brand new online language resource is designed to help pupils at various levels of learning construct sentences in foreign languages as well as provide the vocabulary they may need to talk about European issues. SEET aims for this new interactive study aid to assist Our Europe entrants in constructing sentences which they can use within their foreign language scenes. In addition, Script Centre should allow pupils to rely less on input from their teacher in terms of content and be able to express their views more independently, with only grammar needing checked.

The resource is available to any class who wish to use it, all teachers need to do is create an account. Script Centre is accessible via the ‘resources’ page of the Our Europe website or directly at the Script Centre webpage.
 
Please note that the Our Europe Film Competition is still open for registration, with the deadline for submissions being 10th December 2014. More details about the competition as well as links to register can be found at the website provided above.

If you have any questions or experience difficulties in using the resource, please contact: madeleine@seet.org.uk.

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'Make the most of your partner school' webinars

11 November 2014 (British Council)

For this year's International Education Week (17 - 21 November) the British Council is running a series of webinars aimed at UK teachers on 'Make the most of your partner school'.

There are a variety of sessions during November and December for both primary and secondary levels partnering with French, German and Spanish schools.

For dates and times of all the sessions on offer and to register for your chosen webinar, visit the registration webpage.

Read more...

Related Links

For other suggestions as to how schools can get involved in this year's IEW, visit the British Council's International Eduction Week 2014 website or see the IEW toolkit for schools.

New BLC Case Study live on SCILT website

6 November 2014 (SCILT)

SCILT’s Business Language Champions programme helps schools and businesses to build exciting and sustainable partnerships that equip young people with the international communication and employability skills they need for their future careers.

This case study shows how a partnership between Kilwinning Academy and the Scottish Football Association demonstrated to pupils that languages are necessary in all walks of life. S3 learners visited the Scottish Football Museum and took part in a range of activities which highlighted the relevance of learning French.

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The European eTwinning Prize Competition 2015

6 November 2014 (eTwinning)

To join the competition, projects must have been awarded the European Quality Label in any year of the project’s lifespan. Only the partners of a project who have received the European Quality Label can apply for and win a European Prize. All projects must demonstrate that they have been active in the 2013-2014 school year.

Prizes are available for primary through to secondary ages with special category prizes also being awarded in the 2015 competition.

Read more...

Scotland Goes Global Ambassadors

6 November 2014 (NUS Scotland)

NUS Scotland are looking to work with schools around Scotland between 17th -21st of November to celebrate and promote International Education Week. We will also be able to offer further sessions up to March as needed. The training is absolutely free as it is funded by the Scottish Government and we are ideally looking for S3-S6 cohorts although this is flexible with a training session of roughly 1 hour.

This is an innovative module on study abroad opportunities which was first launched on a pilot basis last year. Funded again by the Scottish Government as part of the Investing in Scotland’s Global Future project, the training module is now ready to be delivered by a Scotland Goes Global Ambassador at your school absolutely free of charge.

Scotland Goes Global Ambassadors are students who have studied abroad as part of their course. This scheme is a pilot project of paid students ambassadors designed to go out to schools, colleges and universities and deliver training on study abroad opportunities to students.

Schools Module
The schools module works from the basis of young people’s experience of global experiences that they might have locally and sets these in the context of their daily lives. It then takes them on a journey to understand why they should consider going global, either locally by opening up their minds to people in their community who might be from other cultures or online opportunities, or how they might go about trying to set themselves apart from the crowd by studying abroad as part of their future college or university choices.

Book a Global Ambassador or download the materials
Booking an Ambassador to come to your school couldn’t be easier. Complete the request form on the Scotland Goes Global website.

For more information on any aspect of our work, please do not hesitate to contact us by emailing scotlandgoesglobal@nus-scotland.org.uk or by phoning Helen O’Shea on 07515 575375 or Kate Samuels on 07974305692.

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Double Club German

31 October 2014 (UK-German Connection)

With Germany as the current winners of the World Cup, now has never been a better time to kick-start a programme combining football and learning German! Double Club German is an award-winning educational programme for primary and secondary pupils using Arsenal FC to show pupils that language learning can be fun! Teachers have access to a range of recently updated resources, including detailed, step-for-step teachers' notes, interactive PowerPoint presentations and a brand-new, bright and colourful pupils' workbook.

If you are interested in taking part, please contact Steve Eadon, Double Club Languages Coordinator at languages@arsenal.co.uk - expressions of interest will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Note: if organising Double Club German sessions as an after-school activity is not feasible at your school, it can also be run as an activity in lessons or during the lunch-hour.

Double Club German is a project developed and run in partnership between Arsenal FC, the Goethe-Institut London and UK-German Connection.  More information is available on the Arsenal Double Club website.

New resources now include interactive video activities with Arsenal winger and German U19 international, Serge Gnabry. The full set of videos is available to all teachers participating in Double Club: German, however two sample videos are publicly available. 

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Word Wizard 2015 now launched!

30 October 2014 (SCILT/CISS)

Our exciting spelling competition Word Wizard has now officially launched for school session 2014-15!

Visit our Word Wizard 2015 webpage to download the Teacher's Pack and registration form. School are advised to register to take part by Friday 28th November.

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Young people get advice on pursing a career using their Gaelic skills

29 October 2014 (Skills Development Scotland)

Siuthad! Invites S2 and S3 students to hear about Gaelic careers.

Up to 300 Highland pupils are expected to attend an event designed to inform young people about career options they could pursue using their Gaelic skills.

Siuthad! will bring together a wide range of organisations including the BBC, MG Alba, Feisean nan Gaidheal and Sabhal Mor Ostaig.

Representatives from several industry sectors such as education, television, arts, music, childcare, film, radio, translation and drama will be offering interactive and fun activities for the young people to get involved in.

Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages will also be there to address the S2 and S3 pupils.

Read more...

European Language Portfolio (ELP)

28 October 2014 (SCILT)

Celebrate and record language learning in and out of school with the SCILT ELP. This Prezi explains how. Also check out the Prezi alongside highlighting ‘What SCILT can do for you’.

Read more...

New eTwinning website

28 October 2014 (eTwinning UK)

If you’ve already been involved in eTwinning, enter the competition by 3 November 2014 to tell us how eTwinning has influenced your teaching.

For those yet to experience eTwinning, the site contains information on funding available, professional workshops and resources to help you get started and a video and case studies outlining eTwinning projects and their impact.

Read more...

Word Wizard - returning for session 2014-15!

23 October 2014 (SCILT/CISS)

Scotland's National Centre for Languages and Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools, in partnership with The University of St Andrews, are proud to announce the return of Word Wizard for its second year!

Following on from the success of last year's competition we are once again inviting S1-S3 learners of French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish to take part in this spellbinding competition.

We are currently taking registrations of interest from schools and the competition will officially be launched at the end of October 2014. If you would like to receive updates on the competition please email scilt@strath.ac.uk indicating which languages you are interested in entering.

Visit our Word Wizard webpage to download our 2014-15 flyer with more information on the competition. 

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The Language Ambassadors are here!

23 October 2014 (University of Strathclyde)

This year again we are offering to visit schools (Secondary or Primary) to talk about our varied experiences as language learners and try to enthuse pupils to follow in our footsteps.

Motivation, experiences abroad, transition to first year at university, job prospects, university courses…this is what we can tell you about.

Boost your young learners’ motivation, invite us in!

For more information visit the Language Ambassadors Programme webpage and to organise a visit contact:

Cédric Moreau, c.moreau@strath.ac.uk.

Read more...

DAAD Poetry-Writing Competition

9 October 2014 (Goethe-Institut)

This poetry-writing competition for students aged 12 and above is organized by the Institute of Modern Languages and the DAAD London in conjunction with the 'Germany: memories of a nation exhibition' at the British Museum.

Accompanying the object-based approach of the exhibition to make German history visible and tangible, the competition wants to draw on the students’ curiosity and creativity by letting them re-sculpt the objects in words. More specifically, they are asked to create a 'Dinggedicht', a poem based on any one of the objects presented at the exhibition.

Poems may be written in English or German; they do not have to rhyme. The only rule is that they must be no longer than 250 words.

In order to take part students do not have to visit the exhibition personally, they may view a number of iconic objects on the British Museum website and blog page which can be accessed via the DAAD competition website.

Submission deadline is Friday 14 November 2014.

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MTOT blog: The Creative Bag of Tricks

9 October 2014 (SCILT)

To support activities for the Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition, SCILT is sharing practical ideas for developing creative writing skills through the “Creative Bag of Tricks” series published on the MTOT blog. The fourth item, “I am” poems, is available to read now.

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Glasgow modern languages newsletter - Autumn 2014

9 October 2014 (Glasgow City Council)

Read about the latest language activities and events which have been taking place in Glasgow's schools in the attached Autumn newsletter.

‘Every learner a language learner, every teacher a language teacher’

3 October 2014 (British Council)

The British Council organised an evening event on 26 September on the European Day of Languages to celebrate language diversity and language learning in UK schools.

‘Every learner a language learner, every teacher a language teacher’ featured case studies from Bordesley Green school in Birmingham and St Austin’s Primary in Liverpool on how they support MFL, CLIL, and EAL learners.

For those who were unable to attend the event, the presentations can now be viewed on YouTube.

Read more...

Immersion courses in France and Spain 2015-16

3 October 2014 (LFEE)

LFEE now has course dates available in 2015 and 2016 for both primary and secondary teachers in either France or Spain.

The courses are fun and motivating and will help you implement the Scottish Government 1+2 language initiative and enhance your Professional Review and Development profile.

Funding for all courses is available through the European Union Erasmus+ Programme (formerly Comenius In-Service Training).  Please contact LFEE as soon as possible to pre-register and receive guidelines to help you apply for the Erasmus+ funding. Expected Erasmus+ application deadline: January 2015.

Full course details and how to register are available on the attached brochure or visit the LFEE website.

Along with LFEE we have other partner/cultural organisations who also offer professional learning opportunities both in Scotland and overseas.  Details can be accessed via the professional learning page on our website.

Read more...

RELAUNCH! 'Vorsprung mit Deutsch' Webportal for the Young Global Citizen

26 September 2014 (Goethe Institut)

'Vorsprung mit Deutsch' is a web project for young people with an interest in learning German or improving their existing German language skills while gaining experience in a professional or leisure context. Under several headings young people can find ideas for planning holidays or work experience, for job opportunities or career prospects as well as study options and scholarships. This is a great way to motivate and guide pupils towards making German part of their potential career pathways.

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E-Book: Insights – World War I

26 September 2014 (Goethe Institut)

The popular cross-curricular Teaching Unit is now available as E-book. This interactive resource for use on smart boards or computer holds a range of authentic materials which can be explored within the German medium. Interdisciplinary learning and teaching between the Modern Languages and History is supported by this resource.

Read more...

Resources for the German classroom

26 September 2014 (Goethe Institut)

Web links, teaching materials for Secondary and Primary, ideas for cross-curricular projects, films to compliment classroom teaching as well as content for Broad General Education within the context of Modern Language teaching – all this and more is listed as downloads or available online for German learners and practitioners.

Read more...

MTOT blog: The Creative Bag of Tricks

16 September 2014 (SCILT)

To support activities for the Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition, SCILT is sharing practical ideas for developing creative writing skills through the “Creative Bag of Tricks” series published on the MTOT blog. The third item, “Calligrams”, is available to read now.

Read more...

MTOT blog: The Creative Bag of Tricks

10 September 2014 (SCILT)

To support activities for the Mother Tongue Other Tongue competition, SCILT is sharing practical ideas for developing creative writing skills through the “Creative Bag of Tricks” series published on the MTOT blog. The second item, “Metaphor”, is available to read now.

Read more...

Languages and the Christmas Truce

9 September 2014 (British Council)

Learn some new languages and all about the Christmas truce during WW1 with this activity from the Football Remembers pack.

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HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese Speaking Competition

9 September 2014 (British Council)

Applications for the 2014-15 competition are now open.

The competition is a great, fun opportunity for students to practise and improve their Mandarin Chinese language skills. Winning students will win a trip to Beijing and visit historical sites, interact with Chinese students and experience Chinese culture.

See the British Council website for more information and to apply. Application deadline 10 October 2014.

Read more...

Launch of Gaelic immersion course for teachers

5 September 2014 (University of Strathclyde)

Gaelic language teaching in Scotland's schools is being boosted by a University of Strathclyde training programme. The Gaelic Immersion for Teachers (GIfT) course at Strathclyde offers qualified teachers who have learned Gaelic to intermediate level the chance to become fluent speakers of the language and learn the specialist skills needed for working in Gaelic medium classrooms.

Read more...

Related Links

Teachers to start Gaelic course (Evening Times, 6 September 2014)

Scholarships for teacher training in Germany

8 September 2014 (Goethe-Institut)

Every year the Goethe-Institut offers an attractive range of residential training and language courses for teachers of German (specialists and non-specialists) as well as teacher trainers.

Courses include: 

  • Language Courses (2 or 4 weeks) 
  • Landeskunde (1 to 3 weeks) 
  • Methodology/Teaching Strategies (2 to 4 weeks) 
  • Courses for Teacher Trainers (1 or 2 weeks)

Scholarships are available from the Goethe-Institut.  For full details and to apply by 15 October 2014 visit their website.

Read more...

Learning how to love languages

6 September 2014 (Lancashire Evening Post)

Recent research on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills shows that the lack of language skills in the UK is costing the nation an estimated £48bn a year, while the latest A level and GCSE results showed a drop in the number of some modern language entries, sparking concerns over the lack of recognition of the need for foreign language learning. Education Reporter Sonja Astbury looks at some of the work being done in schools to reverse the trend.

Read more...

Eurotoolbox 2014-15

4 September 2014 (Goethe-Institut London)

The Eurotoolbox consists of 5 specially chosen collections of children's and youth literature from Europe in the original language - German, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian, with between 12 and 15 books in each language.

The exhibition of books is free to borrow for 2-4 weeks at a time and is available from September.

Visit the Eurotoolbox launch webpage for more information about the collections and contact Mariella Riccobono at the Italian Cultural Institute to arrange a booking slot: maria.riccobono.iic@esteri.it 

Read more...

Primary school language lessons not translating to secondaries

2 September 2014 (The Guardian)

Lack of co-ordination between primary schools means secondary pupils can start with totally different linguistic skills.

Read more...

Ofsted will mark down schools that refuse to teach all pupils five 'core' GCSEs, Tories pledge

30 August 2014 (Telegraph)

Applies to England

All children should study a “core” of five traditional subjects until the age of 16 under plans to be set out in the Conservative election manifesto. State schools will be urged to enrol all pupils for GCSEs in English, maths, science, a language and history or geography.

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Schools need to vary language teaching amid ‘predominance of French’, report suggests

29 August 2014 (Irish Times)

About 70 per cent of second-level students study a foreign language up to Leaving Certificate level but the number studying a third is “declining year on year”, the Department of Education has warned.
Publishing a consultation document today on developing a new languages strategy, the Department cites an over-reliance on French as an option within schools.

Read more...

Opportunities for schools with Germany

28 August 2014 (UK-German Connection)

UK-German Connection has a number of current and upcoming opportunities for activities with Germany this term:

  • Host a teacher from Germany - application deadline 19 September 2014.
  • First World War Centenary - call on 020 7824 1570 for information on funding available for thematic UK-German learning activities around the First World War.
  • Funding for UK-German activities - the next deadline for grants for UK-German activities is 31 October 2014.
  • The Bears Project - teddies, Alex and Ben, bring a fun and accessible international dimension to the primary school classroom!
  • FLA Ambassadors network - if you have a language assistant from Germany in your school this year, then do encourage them to apply to be an FLA Ambassador. They can apply for funding to run a small project.  Application deadline 20 October 2014.

You can also find an overview of all deadlines for UK-German activity in 2014-15 on the website.

Read more...

European Day of Languages 2014 - SCILT webpage now live

22 August 2014 (SCILT)

Each year September 26th marks the European Day of Languages (EDL). It's all about finding ways to get people in schools, colleges and the wider community excited about languages. How you celebrate is up to you!

SCILT has launched the European Day of Languages 2014 webpage where you can finds lots of ideas for how your school can celebrate. You can also order EDL materials for your school like posters, stickers and pens.

Let us know how you celebrate, and you could even feature in our EDL 2014 blog!

Read more...

German Language Adventure at the Goethe-Institut Glasgow - register now!

19 August 2014 (Goethe-Institut)

The motivational game, suitable for P7 to S3 pupils, enables classes to discover German culture and language through a series of interactive challenges.  Teachers now have the opportunity to visit the Goethe-Institut with their class and tackle the German Language Adventure.

New bookings are now invited for dates from 20 September onwards.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more information and to see what previous participants have said about the project.

Read more...

Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2014 - new competition for Glasgow schools

19 August 2014 (SCILT)

Schools in Glasgow have been sent an email inviting them to enter the new multilingual poetry competition, Mother Tongue Other Tongue. The competition celebrates the diversity of cultures and languages spoken and learned by young people at school and at home and invites young people to be creative and find their own voice through poetry, lullabies, rap or songs. Full details are available on our website

Read more...

University role ‘crucial’ for languages recovery

14 July 2014 (THE)

Universities have a crucial role to play in “a national recovery programme” to improve the level of Britain’s linguistic skills.

Read more...

Related Links

Open letter from UCML (UCML website, 14 July 2014)

Word Wizard Final photos and video

20 June 2014 (SCILT)

Photos from the Word Wizard Final, featuring all of our great winners, and now available to view via our Word Wizard Final webpage. 

We also have a short video, filmed throughout the day, giving some background to the competition and showcasing the wonderful skills demonstrated by all of our spellers.

Read more...

Glasgow Modern Languages Summer 2014 Newsletter

19 June 2014 (Glasgow City Council)

Take a look at all the stimulating articles about Glasgow schools' languages projects in the attached newsletter.

How to use existing language skills to solve a challenge

18 June 2014 (Engage for Education)

Third year pupils at Inverclyde Academy recent took part in a Languages in Work event which saw them putting their problem-solving skills to the test.

The session, delivered in partnership with local employers, Strathclyde University and Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT), provided the pupils with the opportunity to use their existing language skills to solve a challenge in languages which they hadn’t previously studied. These languages included Dutch and Italian.

They took part in interactive activities which highlighted skills employers look for, skills which can be gained through the study of modern foreign languages and activities to raise their awareness of the variety of opportunities which are available to them through language skills.

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BLC Case Study live on our website

17 June 2014 (SCILT)

SCILT’s Business Language Champions programme helps schools and businesses to build exciting and sustainable partnerships that equip young people with the international communication and employability skills they need for their future careers. This case study shows how a partnership between Montrose Academy and Loch Duart, a salmon company that specialises in sustainable, high quality produce with offices in Scotland and France, gave the young people in S3 a real and engaging context for their learning of French. The project raised the bar for the pupils who benefited from seeing first-hand how languages and business work together.

Read more...

Word Wizard Final 2014 webpage

13 June 2014 (SCILT)

Following the announcement of the Word Wizard winners last week we now have a web page celebrating the final. We will be publishing photos from this fantastic event soon! 

Details of the 2015 competition will be announced later this year so stay tuned.

Read more...

Spanish Secondary Teacher Training Seminars in Spain

12 June 2014 (Consejería de Educación)

The Regional Government of Castilla y León (Spain), in cooperation with Instituto Español Murallas de Ávila (IEMA), an organisation which promotes Spanish Language and Culture in Ávila, Spain, invites British Secondary teachers of Spanish to participate in one of their Spanish Teacher Training Seminars in the World Heritage City of Ávila, Spain. Scholarships are available.

Available courses include:

  • “¡Recíclate!”, 28 July - 1 August: How to teach aspects of Spanish culture in class.
  • “Vivir en Tiempos difíciles”, 11- 14 August: From Franco to Democracy. How to teach aspects of Spanish History in the classroom.
  • “¡A Hablar!”, 4-8 August, or 27-1 October: Conversation course for Spanish teachers.

For more information please contact IEMA School director: Dr. Rainer Rutkowski. director@iema.com.  Telephone 0034-920 222 773.  Full details of the courses are also available on the IEMA website.

Read more...

Mother Tongue Other Tongue 2014

12 June 2014 (SCILT)

On Wednesday 28th of May, poets and young people from Glasgow schools celebrated the launch of the Mother Tongue Other Tongue (MTOT) multilingual poetry competition at the University of Strathclyde. SCILT is running the pilot competition for Glasgow schools from the start of the 2014-15 session. Take a look at the highlights of the launch event on our website and find out more about the competition and how your school can take part. Invitations to register in MTOT will be issued to schools throughout Glasgow in August so make sure you get involved!

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New FLAME website

10 June 2014 (ALL)

FLAME is an initiative led by the Association for Language Learning to support the integration of language learning with other curriculum subjects. They hope that the initiative will increase the number of primary and secondary schools that combine subject and language teaching, and that in this way help to transform the quality of language learning in schools. It’s called FLAME Plus and includes information about FLAME and links to cross-curricular primary resources.

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Motion congratulates SCILT and CISS on Word Wizard competition 2014

5 June 2014 (Scottish Parliament)

Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, has lodged a parliamentary motion congratulating SCILT and CISS on the Word Wizard competition 2014. The motion states:

"That the Parliament congratulates Scotland‘s National Centre for Languages and the Confucius Institute for Scotland‘s Schools on the Word Wizard Competition 2014, which was held in the Parliament on 30 May 2014; recognises the S1-S3 pupils, including those from Bucksburn Academy and Hazlehead Academy in Aberdeen, who impressed the judges with their French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Gaelic skills; notes that, in partnership with the University of St Andrews, and with the support of the Goethe-Institut, the contest encourages pupils nationally to improve their vocabulary, and highlights what it sees as the importance of language and learning."

Motions are used by MSPs to initiate debate or propose a course of action, or simply to generate support, and many other MSPs have signed up in support of this motion. It's very encouraging to have SCILT/CISS work acknowledged in this way.

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Strictly 1,000 Words competition

2 June 2014 (Language Show Live / Speak to the Future)

Strictly 1,000 Words is a national competition for language learners in schools, universities and language enthusiasts everywhere to produce a short video containing no more than 1,000 words in another language. Videos must be no more than 2 minutes long and contain up to 1,000 words in another language.

See the website for entry criteria. Deadline for applications is 11 July 2014.

Read more...

TES Languages Week: 2 - 6 June 2014

29 May 2014 (TES)

Applies to English curriculum

Between 2 and 6 June, we'll be bringing you Languages Week, celebrating all things MFL and looking at the changes to the national curriculum for primary and secondary and giving you blogs, live chats and resource recommendations to help you make the transition from September.

Ahead of the week, why not have a read of the national curriculum chats that have been led by our languages adviser, Rachel Hawkes over the past few months. You can also head over to our languages forum, where you can join fellow teachers discussing all things MFL.

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e-Stòras, a new resource for Gaelic Medium Education

19 May 2014 (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar)

The Multimedia Unit of the Education and Children’s Services Department of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has developed a new website to support 3-18 Gaelic Medium Education. Resources support Gàidhlig as well as a range of other curricular areas. The website is being continuously updated with new materials to enhance young people’s learning opportunities through the medium of Gaelic.  For more information, visit the website or contact evelyn.coull@cne-siar.gov.uk.

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Modern languages competition 2014

16 May 2014 (SALT)

For this year’s competition you are invited to design a poster, slide presentation or short video with pictures and text on the subject ‘FESTIVALS‘. Entry is open to any individual pupil/student or group of pupils/students in any Scottish school. The use of a language other than English must feature on the entry.  The closing date for submissions is 20 June.

Visit the SALT website for full details.

Read more...

Annual writing competition for Gaelic Medium and Gaelic Learner Education

14 May 2014 (CLAS)

CLAS, the Professional Association for Secondary Teachers of Gaelic, is pleased to launch their annual writing competition for Gaelic Medium and Gaelic Learner Education.

Young people in S1 and S2 are being encouraged to write on a choice of topics related to the significance of the year 2014 for Scotland. Schools should submit their entries by 9 June 2014.

For more information on the competition, please visit the CLAS website. For general information on CLAS, which celebrates its 10th anniversary later this year, visit their Facebook page.

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Football remembers the 1914 Christmas truce

9 May 2014 (British Council)

An education pack from the British Council is launching today to commemorate the truce. The pack contains accounts from soldiers from Germany, France, Belgium and India who were there in 1914 and wrote about what they had seen.

There is a section of the pack with resources in French and German that can be used to support MFL teaching, as well as video material in those languages

The pack acts as preparation for a mass participation call to action in December 2014 when clubs at every level of the game in the UK (and beyond we hope) will play matches to commemorate the Truce.

We hope that schools will select from these activities, adapt the suggestions and resources for their own use and for use with partner schools, and join in this special Centenary event.

Read more...

Owls stars discuss languages at Ecclesfield School

9 May 2014 (Look Local)

Two Sheffield Wednesday stars shared their linguistic skills with pupils at Ecclesfield Secondary School last week.

Jose Semedo, originally from Portugal, and Spanish-born Miguel Llera ran a question and answer session with language pupils aged 12-13 at the secondary school last Thursday.

The session, which was facilitated by the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme, saw Jose and Miguel talk about their experience of being a footballer adapting to living in England and the benefits of learning a foreign language.

Read more...

“Mother Tongue Other Tongue” Poet Laureate Education Project Coming Soon to Glasgow!

2 May 2014 (SCILT)

From August 2014, SCILT will be piloting the inspiring multi-lingual poetry competition and Poet Laureate Education Project, Mother Tongue Other Tongue, in Glasgow schools. If you are a teacher in a Glasgow primary or secondary school who is looking for a creative way to motivate language learning and celebrate all the languages spoken by your learners, go to our webpage to read more about what MTOT can offer you.

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SCILT’s Junior European Language Portfolio available for download now!

2 May 2014 (SCILT)

Are you looking for innovative ways to:

  • encourage your learners to reflect on and take responsibility for their learning? 
  • celebrate wider language and intercultural learning experiences?
  • ease transition between stages and sectors?

SCILT has become the first organisation in Scotland to successfully register a European Language Portfolio(ELP) with the Council of Europe. Visit our webpage for more information on how you can start using the ELP with your learners now!

Please hit 'Control' and F5 simultaneously to ensure you are viewing the most up-to-date version of these pages.

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Musical language lessons for school singers

1 May 2014 (ITV News)

Hundreds of children from schools across the North East have been taking part in a Eurovision-style Song Contest.

The event, at the Gala Theatre in Durham, was aimed at improving their language skills.

Around 400 children from 27 schools are singing in languages from Lithuanian to Spanish, Polish to Norwegian.

Read more...

German IT Competition: Digital Days - Reisefieber

29 April 2014 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut London invites German teachers and their pupils to take part in this unique competition series requiring language and computer skills alike! Fun and steep learning curves are guaranteed when you take on one of these tasks:

  • Watching a video animation clip to solve a German city puzzle
  • Doing a digital treasure hunt about Germany’s UNESCO sites
  • Taking part in a sports commentary reading competition by recording or filming your class/group (texts will be provided)
  • Completing your own German comic inventing a funny storyboard
  • Using your own creativity to write an e-postcard
  • Doing the sound recording for the Felix & Franzi-Reise animation clip and come up with creative German dialogues
  • Special: Finding German traces in your neighbourhood and present them

… and all you need is a computer.

Seven categories for different levels of language skills are provided. Primary teachers and secondary teachers can choose which competition they think suits their students’ best.

Please register by sending a registration form to roma.schultz@london.goethe.org by 20th May 2014 and you will be sent a USB-stick. All the categories are explained and the relevant materials are provided. The materials are also suitable for work offline.

Visit the Goethe-Institut London website for full details and the registration form.

Read more...

UK’s young people to benefit from €1 billion Erasmus+ fund

28 April 2014 (British Council)

The European Commission has announced it will make available almost €1 billion over seven years to help people in the UK to gain crucial international skills under the new Erasmus+ programme, managed in the UK by the British Council and Ecorys.

Hundreds of thousands of young people in the UK will be able to access the new programme over the next seven years in order to study, train, gain work experience and volunteer across the EU and further afield.

More than 30,000 young people per year – the equivalent of over 70 fully-laden jumbo jets – are expected to gain opportunities to expand their horizons under the programme. This represents a 50 per cent increase on the number of UK young people receiving grants compared with the EU’s previous Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action programmes, which Erasmus+ will replace.

Read more...

Related Links

Erasmus+ launches across Europe (The Pie News, 30 April 2014)

New resources for secondary German

25 April 2014 (SCILT)

We have uploaded materials to support secondary German onto the SCILT website. These materials were developed by the Modern Languages Department at Greenwood Academy.

The Gruffalo

Are you looking for a different way to teach descriptions to your German classes? Here is a novel approach one teacher took. By using the German translation of The Gruffalo, S2 German learners were exposed to different and unusual vocabulary in an engaging and interesting way.

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Erlkönig

Looking for a way to incorporate the literature of another country into the new Higher syllabus and develop literacy skills among your learners? Here is an approach taken by one teacher which links Erlkönig with Rammstein and develops learners literacy skills at the same time.

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Language World 2014: ALL Joined Up - catch up on what you missed!

22 April 2014 (ALL)

Language World is the annual flagship event of ALL, with two days of professional development for teachers, the largest UK exhibition of language teaching resources directly aimed at teachers, a social event, and a chance for teachers from all over the country to meet up with their subject community to celebrate language teaching and learning.

Language World 2014 took place last week at the University of Lancaster, and our theme this year was All Joined Up. The conference focussed on the need for teachers across sectors to work with one another to make language learning from age 7 onwards exciting, meaningful and successful. This year’s successful event showcased valuable and inspiring work which language teachers and language teaching professionals could learn from and use in their own practice.

If you didn't get the opportunity to join us this year, don't worry - we don't want anyone feeling left out! Speakers presentations and handouts are available through the link below.

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Gaelic Poetry Competition....!

8 April 2014 (Creative Scotland)

Struileag has launched a major new poetry competition, giving you the chance to win great prizes!

Struileag is a multi-faceted project, creating a live stage event to be performed during the Glasgow Commonwealth Games as part of the year of Homecoming, an interactive story-telling website, a TV programme, a book, a CD album and many other exciting elements, such as this competition!

Poems must be in Scottish Gaelic, be unpublished and under 50 lines in length. The deadline for entry is the 17th of May.

For full details visit the Creative Scotland website.

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Madrid visits for primary and secondary schools doing an exchange project

4 April 2014 (Consejería de Educación)

The Education Authorities of the Regional Government of Madrid offer the possibility of hosting students and teachers from domestic and overseas schools wanting to do an exchange project with a Spanish school in the Madrid Region.

Levels. Primary and Secondary school.
Groups. 15 to 50 students.

Accommodation. 2 possibilities: in hosting families or at the CIE, Centro de Intercambios Escolares (School Exchange Hostel).

The prices of the CIE, including lodging and 3 meals, are as follows:

  • 6 nights / 7 days: 145 Euros per person.
  • 5 nights / 6 days: 110 Euros per person.

Deadline to apply: 25th April.

Should you want to find a partner school in Spain, please email francisco.garcia@mecd.es

Find more information in the attached file.

Related Files

Language Perfect World Championships – registration now open

2 April 2014 (Language Perfect)

The ever popular annual global competition, the Language Perfect World Championships, helps students across the globe to learn vocabulary, verbs and common phrases from a wide range of foreign languages. Registration for the 2014 competition is now open!

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GLOW Meet British Academy Schools Languages Award 2014

4 April 2014 (SCILT )

Over £8000 to be won! BASLA Alert! Calling all secondary, supplementary and FE languages teachers!

£4000 will be awarded to two language learning projects in Scottish secondary, supplementary schools or FE colleges via the British Academy Schools Language Award (BASLA) this Autumn.

If your establishment has plans in place or is already involved in an imaginative language learning project which is improving uptake in languages in the Senior Phase and beyond, then you could be in with a chance of winning.  See the British Academy website for more information. 

All winning projects are then considered in the UK category. The overall UK winner will double their money, walking away with £8000 and the title of British Academy Schools Languages Award Winner 2014.

The deadline for applications is 30th June 2014. SCILT is hosting a GLOW Meet to provide key information and helpful insights to BASLA success. Anne Breivik, one of the BASLA judging panel will explain how to write a dazzling submission. Gillian Campbell-Thow, Education Support Officer for Modern Languages at Glasgow City Council and co-leader of one of the two Scottish winning projects in BASLA 2013, will share details of the very successful ‘Parliamo Glasgow’ venture.

This GLOW Meet will be recorded and made available to watch again.

Date: Monday 12th May Time: 4-5pm

Venue: GLOW - go to ‘View Web Conferencing Room GLOW MEET HERE’ in the ‘GLOW MEET HERE’ section of the page.

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Rencontres Théâtrales 2014

4 April 2014 (Institut français)

The Institut français d’Ecosse is organising the Rencontres théâtrales on 12 June in Glasgow.

Please register your school before 30 April 2014.

Download the attached registration form or visit the Institut français website for more information.

Read more...

Related Files

Bring French language and culture alive for your students with funding for a visit to France

31 March 2014 (British Council)

Secondary schools (including further education colleges) that have existing partnerships with a school in France can receive funding for reciprocal student visits. £5000 per school is available through the Charles de Gaulle and Lefèvre programmes. Apply for both grants simultaneously so you and your partner school could access £10,000 each in total. Apply by 2 May 2014.

Read more...

Glasgow Schools Modern Languages Newsletter

31 March 2014 (Glasgow City Council)

The latest Modern Languages Newsletter from Glasgow schools has been published. This issue contains: 

  • Interdisciplinary Projects at Celtic Learning Centre
  • Eurozone Crisis IP at Bellahouston Academy
  • Louis Pasteaur languages / science project
  • Euroquiz 2014 in Thornwood Primary
  • Bannerman High's Chinese events
  • Italian events at St Charles' Primary

The Voyage: Easter Special

27 March 2014 (UK-German Connection)

The voyage Easter special will be online from 31 March, featuring quizzes, articles and recipes on Easter in Germany and the UK - read about the Ostereiersuche and Osterfeuer, and try your hand at making an Osterzopf!

Easter in Germany 

Ostern in Großbritannien

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Language learning in primary and secondary schools in England

25 March 2014 (CfBT)

Based upon the findings from the 2013/14 Language Trends survey, this report assesses the state of language teaching in English primary and secondary schools.

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Leeds school to teach English as foreign language

24 March 2014 (Guardian)

A secondary school in Leeds at which more than three-quarters of pupils do not have English as a mother tongue has introduced lessons for all pupils to teach them English as a foreign language.

Read more...

Apply now for a Language Assistant. Bring language and culture alive with a native speaker in the classroom

20 March 2014 (British Council)

Support implementation of the 1 + 2 languages policy by hosting a Language Assistant in your school.

The British Council team is on hand at every step and our dedicated online support offers everything you need to get your pupils’ learning experience off to a great start. Our free service includes careful selection of the best candidate to suit your school, guidance on administration and training courses for Language Assistants.

How can Language Assistants help?

Their responsibilities can be tailored to suit your school’s requirements. Assistants can support the teaching of a first (L2) or a second (L3) modern language by:

  • supporting teachers’ language acquisition and improving their cultural knowledge
  • developing lesson plans and delivering classes on topics to complement different subject areas
  • running extra-curricular activities for additional support (e.g. lunch time clubs)
  • working across different areas of the Curriculum for Excellence to develop projects based on cultural themes
  • setting up an international partnership with a school overseas.

Where are they from?

Assistants are native-level speakers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Russian. They come from 15 countries in Europe and beyond.

You can also apply for a Chinese Language Assistant for free (by 31 January) or at a heavily subsidised rate (by 28 March). They  work from mid-September 2014 to 26 June 2015.

What do I do next?

Visit our website to find out more about the programme and apply. If you are a local authority school, your local authority should apply on your behalf.

Contact the Languags Assistants programme directly: assistants.uk@britishcouncil.org.

You can also read an assistant’s blog on her experience of teaching French in an Angus primary school.

Articulate Language Camps 2014

20 March 2014 (Articulate Language Camps)

Articulate Language Camps are back for summer 2014. There is something for everyone with their range of summer camps bringing foreign language to life, bringing together language learners from all over Europe and engaging children through digital media projects and outdoor adventure sport.

  • Launch Camp is our two-day camp (for ages 7-12) which gives children an authentic summer camp experience without them being away from home for too long. Our team of young teachers and experienced ‘mums’ make sure everyone feels safe and cared for with a 1:4 adult to child ratio.
  • International Camp brings together young people (aged 13-17) from all over the world so that they can make friends and learn from young native speakers of the language they are studying.

Visit the Articulate Language Camps website for more information.

Read more...

Languages on Screen

19 March 2014 (Languages on Screen)

Languages on Screen is an exciting new educational resource that puts French, German, Spanish and Italian - and soon Gaelic, short films online for free download and use in schools across Scotland. With a Glow username and password you have free access to these educational resources - you simply login to this site via Glow. If you don’t have a login you can request one via the website.

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Bring French language and culture alive for your students with funding for a visit to France

19 March 2014 (British Council)

Secondary schools (including sixth form and further education colleges) that have existing partnerships with a school in France can receive funding for reciprocal student visits.

There are two grants available, one from the Charles de Gaulle Trust and one from the Lefèvre Trust. They both offer student mobility grants to schools in the UK and France and can be used for individual and/or group visits.

The application process is now open and the deadline to apply is Friday 2 May 2014. See the British Council website for full details.

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Pupils Make Language Skills Work

18 March 2014 (Inverclyde Now)

Third Year pupils at Inverclyde Academy put their problem-solving skills to the test during a Languages in Work event.

Working with representatives from local employers BPI Visqueen, IBM, and Concentrix, as well as student language ambassadors from Strathclyde University, pupil teams drew on the skills they have gained during their studies of modern foreign languages to solve a challenge in languages they hadn't studied before, including Dutch and Italian, as well as French and Spanish which they have already had lessons in.

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Job profiles

18 March 2014 (SCILT)

More profiles of people who have found languages useful in their work have been uploaded onto the SCILT website. Read about successful people in the business and sporting worlds and see why they consider that learning a language is really important.

Recent additions include: 

  • Melville Petrie, Director of PAI Ltd, on the challenges of learning and working with Mandarin and Arabic 
  • Euan Johnston, Marketing Manager at Bellcom Worldwide, on his love of German and how this has helped his career
  • Ian Fyfe, Human Resources Director and SFA Referee on languages as an important skill for SFA coaches

This is a useful resource to inspire pupils to study languages and highlight how doing so may benefit their future career.

Visit our Job Profiles and Careers webpage for more information.

Read more...

Into Film

13 March 2014 (Into Film)

Into Film seeks to put film at the heart of children and young people's learning, contributing to their cultural, creative and personal development. Our UK-wide programme of learning through and about film provides 5-19 year olds with unparalleled opportunities to see, think, make and imagine. Visit our website for details of the free resources and opportunities available in your area to support all curriculum areas.

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Les timbrés de l'orthographe spelling competition

13 March 2014 (Alliance Française)

Test your level of French by participating in an international competition, "les Timbrés de l’orthographe" !

Organised by the Fondation Alliance Française and les Éditions de l’Opportun, an international spelling competition will take place on Saturday 5th April at 2pm at the Alliance Française de Glasgow. Test your abilities in French with a spelling bee and try to win a one-week trip Paris to attend the final!

This competition will be divided into two categories - Francophone and non-Francophone participants - and is open to anyone aged 8 years and over.

You must register in advance if you wish to take part in this competition; the deadline is Wednesday 2nd April.   Visit the Alliance Française website for full details.

Read more...

German Educational Trainees Across Borders 2014

13 March 2014 (SCILT)

Does your school teach German? Would you like to enhance the German learning experience for your pupils?

SCILT and the German Consulate General have sent local authorities in Scotland an invitation to host a German student teacher for a six month placement in primary or secondary schools.

If you think that your learners would benefit from regular contact with a native speaker, please speak to the person in your LA with responsibility for Modern Languages. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 30th April.

For further information, please email grant.mclean@strath.ac.uk

New funding programme from UK-German Connection

7 March 2014 (UK-German Connection)

We're pleased to launch a new grant for joint activities between partner schools in the UK and Germany. The 'Partnerships in Learning' Fund supports a wide variety of thematic activities designed to help pupils, teachers and schools to learn from each other. The activities should involve a broad range of young people across year and subject groups, with a particular focus on younger year groups.

The next deadline for the Partnerships in Learning Fund is 31 May 2014.

We have also revised our current grants - have a look at the updated guidelines and application forms for bilateral projects for partner schools in the UK and Germany.

Read more...

LEAP: funded professional development courses 2014

21 February 2014 (LEAP)

Take advantage of funding opportunities to improve learning and teaching while expanding the European Dimension in your curriculum!

Language Education And Partnerships (LEAP) offers a range of professional development courses for staff in primary, secondary, further and adult education. Their courses focus on the development of Learning & Teaching within the delivery and development of languages.  Courses are available in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

These immersion courses, which can be funded through the new Erasmus+ programme, are purposefully designed to enhance teaching practice while further developing language skills and intercultural understanding as a tool for generating original resources.

The deadline for funding applications is 17 March 2014, in respect of courses starting from 01 July 2014. Visit the LEAP website for more information, or simply contact the team on 01922 724993 or email info@leaponline.eu.

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Vive la Francophonie online competition

21 February 2014 (Institut français)

Every year in March, French speaking countries throughout the world celebrate “La Francophonie”. On 20 March 2014, from 12.45 to 2pm, the Institut Français d’ Ecosse will run an online competition, “Vive la Francophonie" for S2-S3 pupils in Scotland. Download the registration form for the online competition through the link below. Register your group by 1 March 2014!

Read more...

Erasmus+ French immersion courses for teachers

20 February 2014 (Institut français)

Primary and secondary teachers in Scotland are lucky as they have a great choice for immersion courses in France. Here is a selection of immersion courses specially designed for teachers. These courses are run by organisations which are accredited by the French Ministry of Education and are easy to recognise as they have the "label Qualite FLE".

Funding for all these courses is available through the new European Erasmus+ programme. Successful applicants will receive funding which covers all expenses - course tuition fee, accommodation, subsistence and travel.

See the attached spreadsheet for details of the courses available and how to apply.

Our Europe 2014 – winning films now online!

20 February 2014 (Radio Lingua/SEET)

The winning films from this year’s Our Europe film competition for schools can now be viewed online.

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Students given food technology lessons in foreign languages

18 February 2014 (Get Reading)

It sounds a little like a French lesson but this is one of a number of classes at The Willink School in Burghfield where the language is only half of what the students are being taught. The CLIL (content & language integrated learning) lessons are standard lessons, ie food technology, geography and music, but taught in either French or Spanish.

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Embedding the international dimension at Milton School

18 February 2014 (eTwinning)

Milton School, which caters for children with complex learning needs, has become a model of how to use international education to improve standards within the classroom and support the professional development of teaching staff.

The situation at Milton in April 2012, when the school first joined eTwinning, was extremely challenging. Staff morale was low following an HMI inspection in early 2012. However, with follow-up support through HMI Education Scotland’s Transformative Change programme, staff at Milton were able to work together to develop a whole-school strategy for improvement. In particular, they were interested in exploring how international education and ICT could help transform teaching and learning.

Read more...

World Stories

14 February 2014 (Global Dimension)

One in eight children in the UK speaks a language other than English as their first language. This website is a growing collection of short stories, both new and traditional, from all around the world. The stories are available in English, plus their original language, and can be read and listened to online, or downloaded, all for free.

Read more...

ML resources for Valentines Day

13 February 2014 (TES)

Use the following resources to celebrate St Valentine's Day in the modern languages classroom:

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resources.

Justin Bieber: L’expulser des États-Unis ?

11 February 2014 (Mary Glasgow)

Tell your students about Justin Bieber with Mary Glasgow news.

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Olympic Games quiz in French

11 February 2014 (Canadian Games website)

Try this quiz with your class and test their knowledge of the summer and winter Olympic Games.

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Foreign languages in Wales – from bad to worse

11 February 2014 (Speak to the Future)

Last year we heard that the Welsh Government intended to remove the languages element from the Welsh Baccalaureate. Now even more damage is to be done to language learning in Wales. In December last year we reported that the Welsh government intended to remove the languages element from the Welsh Baccalaureate, a move Speak to the Future deplored because, as Campaign Director Bernardette Holmes put it ‘even modest levels of competence connect us to the wider world and help us to understand other cultures’. Now we hear that even more damage is to be done to the teaching and learning of foreign languages in Wales: CILT Cymru’s budget is to be cut by two thirds from April.

Read more...

German Language Adventure

7 February 2014 (Engage for Education)

On Tuesday 28th January, S1 pupils at Bishopbriggs Academy participated in the German Language Adventure.  This was organised and led by an enthusiastic team of native German speakers from the Goethe Institute, Glasgow. The German Language Adventure is a motivational game where participants work in teams to complete interactive challenges and win points. Pupils are able to visit up to fifteen stations and each station represents a city in either Germany or Austria.

Linguaswap

6 February 2014 (ECML)

European Language Label 2013 award winner Linguaswap is a moderated language swapping and learning web-site specifically for second level students developed by teachers Anne Burke, Aisling Crowley , Rhoda Brookes & Siobhan Carley in Carnew, Ireland.

The European Language Label is an annual award given to projects where participants have found creative ways to improve the quality of language teaching, motivate students, and make the best of available resources. As part of a promotional offer, all users can sign up for one year's free membership for a limited time only.

Watch the YouTube video to learn more about the ELL winning project and visit the Linguaswap website.

Read more...

Our Europe Film Competition Winners 2013-14!

6 February 2014 (SEET)

Congratulations to Lenzie Academy who triumphed at the final of the Our Europe Film Competition hosted by the Scottish European Educational Trust on Monday 3rd February.

Six teams of high school pupils (S3-S6) participated in the film-making workshop at SocietyM in Glasgow. With the assistance of technology expert, Mark Pentleton from Radio Lingua, the pupils worked hard throughout the day to turn their storyboard ideas into short films.

Download the attached flyer for details of all the finalists who took part or for more information about the competition visit the SEET website.

Read more...

Related Files

Promoting spontaneous speaking

3 February 2014 (TES)

Templates to make it quick and easy to include varied speaking activities in lessons. Examples are in French and German but these could be adapted to any language/key stage.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resource.

Read more...

Red tape cut for Chinese teacher visits

3 February 2014 (Herald)

Teachers heading to Scotland to promote the Chinese language will be given leave to remain in the UK for a further year after five staff were at the centre of a row.

Read more...

Win £4000 to get more of your students to aim higher!

3 February 2014 (British Academy)

As part of its programme to support and champion the learning of languages, the British Academy is again offering a series of Awards to schools and colleges throughout the UK for the encouragement of excellence in language learning.  This year the Awards focus on activity which encourages more students to take language learning to a higher level.

The Awards are intended to encourage schools to find imaginative and effective ways of improving take up and enthusiasm for language learning into S5, S6 and beyond, and of addressing the social imbalance in the profile of language learners at higher levels. Projects which target learners from less advantaged social groups or areas of the country are particularly welcomed.

The Awards are open to all secondary schools and colleges and cover all languages other than English, including those learnt as community languages. A total of 15 Awards of £4000 each will be made to schools throughout the UK. At least one Award will go to a winning proposal from Scotland. Application is via a simple online form with a closing date of 30 June 2014.

Visit the British Academy website to download the complete information pack and apply now!

Two projects in Scotland won an Award in 2013.  Find out more.

Read more...

Slump in number of pupils enrolling for new exams

31 January 2014 (Herald)

The number of Scottish pupils enrolling for new national examinations has dropped sharply, prompting fears that some subjects are being squeezed out of the curriculum. Official figures show entries have slipped about 10% this year after the introduction of National exams, which replace Standard Grades. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) says pupils will take an average of 6.8 Nationals this summer, against the 7.3 Standard Grades sat last year, fuelling concerns among educationalists that subject choices for young people are being restricted. It is understood enrolments for language exams are down more than 10%, while the decline in sciences is about 8%. Maths and English enrolments have remained stable.

Read more...

Related Links

Assessment - Why National students remain spoiled for choice (TESS, 31 January 2014)

French for bilingual children

31 January 2014 (Institut français)

In association with la petite Ecole, the Institut français offers workshops in French for children who are growing up with a bilingual background using CLIL methodlogy (learning and improving language skills through other topics like science and arts).

Read more...

Our Europe Film Competition Final

30 January 2014 (SEET)

On Monday 3rd February the Scottish European Educational Trust is hosting the final of the Our Europe Film Competition 2013-14. Six teams of high school pupils (S3-S6) have won a place in the final film-making workshop. These pupils will spend the day working with Mark Pentleton, from Radio Lingua, to turn their storyboard ideas into short films. The films highlight what being an EU citizen means to them, and finalists are also required to demonstrate their knowledge of other European languages. This year’s finalists are teams from: Doon Academy, Linwood Academy, Lenzie Academy, Mary Erskine, Smithycroft Secondary, Stewarton Academy.

See the attached Press Release or visit the competition website for more information.

Read more...

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2014-15

29 January 2014 (Japan Foundation)

The criteria of the Japan Foundation’s Local Project Support Programme has changed for 2014-2015.  If your school is considering introducing Japanese, you might be able to take advantage of this funding programme.

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which will have a significant and wide impact on the promotion of Japanese language education throughout the UK, or in their local area. Priority is given to the following:

  • Projects with a wide impact on Japanese language education - up to £3,000 for projects that contribute widely to the maintenance and strengthening of Japanese language education, eg conferences on Japanese language education, seminars for teachers, projects to produce Japanese language teaching materials, projects by organisations working in partnership, which benefit not only the institution applying for the programme, but which have a beneficial effect on others etc. 
  • Introducing Japanese to schools or universities:
    • Up to £3,000 for projects that promote the introduction of Japanese into the curriculum (or onto the main school timetable) at primary and secondary schools. Or projects that support the introduction of Japanese language classes at university. 
      As part of our Primary Japanese Campaign, primary schools that would like to introduce Japanese as their main language in the new Key Stage 2 curriculum from September 2014, will be able to maintain their project by re-applying for funding twice for the same project. This means primary schools will be able to apply for up to a total of £9,000 over three years. 
    • Up to £1,000 for projects in primary or secondary schools that introduce Japanese as an extra-curricular activity or enrichment subject, even if this is not within the school timetable. These activities must continue for at least a year to qualify for the grant.

There will be four application deadlines for the 2014-15 programme: April 1st 2014, June 20th 2014, September 26th 2014 and November 28th 2014. This funding will last until March 2015.

For further information about the programme and the application process, visit the Japan Foundation website.

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How to teach … Chinese New Year

27 January 2014 (Guardian)

From making paper lanterns to learning about the culture and language of China, Chinese New Year lends itself to many vibrant classroom activities.

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Transport in Spanish

27 January 2014 (One Year in Spanish blog)

Infographic to display on your white board and/or classroom blog, which might be handy to help Spanish students to remember the correct prepositions for means of transport.

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Rencontres Theatrales - drama competition for schools 2014

24 January 2014 (Institut français)

Each year the Institut français d’Ecosse organises the Rencontres théâtrales, a drama competition in French for primary and secondary schools.  This year the competition will take place on the following dates:

  • Edinburgh (24 March 2014)
  • Aberdeen (31 March 2014)
  • Glasgow (12 June 2014)

Visit the Insitut français website for further information and to register your school.  Registrations for the March events should be submitted by 31 January 2014.

Read more...

What's hot - resources

24 January 2014 (TES)

In this week's round-up of resources in TES magazine, the following have been highlighted for the modern language classroom:

  • No 6 - En ville - a PowerPoint presentation that introduces phrases to help S1-S3 French students describe their home town.
  • No 10 - Spanish spats - a collection of slides to help S1-S3 students argue in Spanish.

You will need a TES userid and password to access these resources.

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Encouraging the use of target language: French

24 January 2013 (TES)

Collection of display and support materials for secondary students.

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Primary schools in Wales 'should teach foreign languages'

23 January 2014 (BBC News)

Primary school children in Wales should be taught foreign languages to boost the number studying them later, the National Centre for Languages has said.

Welsh government figures show a drop in pupils choosing a language at GCSE and A-level.
In 2005, 12,826 children studied a language at GCSE, but in 2014 it has fallen by a third to 8,601.

A government spokesperson said primary schools are encouraged to teach languages.

The number of teenagers studying a language at A-level has more than halved to 668 from 1,467.
A government spokesperson said they were looking at ways to improve secondary school take up.

The Welsh Conservatives said the figures were disappointing because the economy is so dependent on international links.

The National Centre for Languages (CILT Cymru) said primary school children in England and Scotland do learn a language.

Read more...

Related Links

Schools science project aims to boost foreign language take-up (BBC News, 21 December 2013)

Free classroom resources for international learning

23 January 2014 (British Council)

Bring the world into your classroom.  Our new guide to international learning gives you easy access to our projects, resources and professional development courses. Whatever your current level of experience, we have a wealth of opportunities to suit you. From setting up a partnership, to running a project and achieving the International School Award, there is plenty to explore as you embark on your journey with us.

British Council Connecting Classrooms also offer grants of up to £1,500 for partnerships between schools in the UK and other countries.  Applications are currently open until 31 January 2014.

Read more...

Subject choices - promoting languages

23 January 2014 (SCILT)

If you are looking for ways of persuading pupils, parents and school managers that learning Modern Languages is a positive choice, then look no further. The team at SCILT have prepared some materials, ideas and suggestions that may help you.

Read more...

Glasgow Youth Film Festival 2014

22 January 2014 (Glasgow Film Festival)

The Glasgow Youth Film Festival 2014 runs from 31 January to 7 February 2014 and offers a programme of screenings for both primary and secondary schools, including foreign language films:

Primary:

  • Le Gruffalo et le petit Gruffalo (French)
  • Sputnik (German)

Secondary:

  • Playground Chronicles (Chroniques d’une cour de récré) (French)
  • Sputnik (German)
  • O Apóstolo (Spanish)

Full details of all the screenings and how to book are on the Glasgow Film Festival website.

Read more...

Les expressions idiomatiques

19 January 2014 (TES)

A matching activity for some idiomatic french expressions for your S1-S3 students. The images are from TV Monde.  You will need a TES userid and password to access the materials.

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Online Resources for Teachers & Students

19 January 2014 (TES)

A booklet detailing some key free online websites which can be used in the teaching and learning of modern languages.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resources.

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7th National Russian Essay Competition 2014

18 January 2014 (Russian Teachers’ Group UK (RTG))

Students learning Russian in schools, colleges and universities in the UK, as well as heritage learners from Russian-speaking families and adult learners, are invited to take part in the 7th National Russian Essay Competition. This is a high-profile event which will give your students a chance to win great prizes including cash (1st prize - £100) and see their essays published on-line! It is a great opportunity for students to be creative, compete nationwide with their peers and raise the profile of Russian. The deadline for submitting entries is 11 March 2014. Judges will review the entries in March and April, and winners will be announced by 30 April 2014.

Read more...

What’s Hot - resources

17 January 2014 (TES)

Amongst this week's list of 'What's Hot' resources in TES magazine.

At number 7 is Facebook French - a PowerPoint-based lesson for developing French reading skills that imagines what Marie Antoinette would write on her Facebook page. For S1-S3.

At number 9 is Los Colores - a presentation on colours in Spanish. For S1-S3.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resources.

Read more...

Film Screenings for Schools - Sputnik

16 January 2014 (Goethe-Institut)

Enhance language learning by linking it to a wider context of culture, history and aspects across the curriculum. As part of the Glasgow Youth Film Festival the GFT in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Glasgow introduce the comedy SPUTNIK to pupils in the greater Glasgow area.

Set against the background of the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 – this ‘superb adventure’ opens up questions regarding the historical event. To quote Markus Dietrich, the director: “ But no matter what the politicians thought or kept silent about then: for me, the fall of the Wall wasn’t a world-changing event, but rather a superb adventure”.

Screenings take place at the Glasgow Film Theatre on Friday 31 January 2014 and Friday 7 February 2014 at 10.15 am and are suitable for P6-S3 pupils.

Prior booking required. Tickets are free for Glasgow local authority schools and cost £3 per pupil for other schools. Accompanying teachers attend free of charge.

Visit the Goethe Institut website for further details and how to book.

Read more...

Need help convincing children to take GCSE Spanish?

16 January 2014 (One Year in Spanish blog)

A resource to help persuade students to make a Spanish GCSE choice, that allows you to discuss the question of ‘Why learn Spanish?’ during your Spanish language lesson. There is even an extension activity, asking pupils to create a PowerPoint presentation that will convince others to take up GCSE Spanish.

Read more...

New Paul Hamlyn resources now available

15 January 2014 (Film Club)

In 2013 we launched three exciting inclusion projects alongside The Paul Hamlyn Foundation, focusing on using film to help students who face different forms of disadvantage.

The project is well underway now, with approximately 50 schools on each strand — Identity and Belonging, Rural Inclusion and SEN Inclusion. Now, a new selection of films have been added to each strand, along with brand new resources for each. These additions now mean that each film on the project has a free, accompanying resource to really enrich their screenings.

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Plus ... que + age! - resource

15 January 2014 (TES)

Useful lesson starter or online homework listening practice for introducing comparisons in French. 'Plus .. que' + age. Useful for encouraging chat about birthdays and being older or younger than somebody else. Suitable for Primary to early Secondary levels. You will need a TES userid and password to access the resource.

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Spanish Worksheet - Leisure activities

15 January 2014 (TES)

Spanish Vocabulary exercises to reinforce and expand the vocabulary for Leisure and Free Time activities. Suitable for secondary learners.

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Online pen pal platform for young language learners launched

13 January 2014 (University of Southampton)

The Pie News has reported on the launch of a new free language exchange platform, designed to connect teenagers around the world. Produced by a team of Spanish-based developers in 2013, ‘Blabloo’ has already attracted over 1,000 users. It aims to increase access to language learning by removing cost barriers and attract at least 100,000 young people to its service by the end of this year.

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Henri Matisse - Colours, shapes and opinions

12 January 2014 (TES)

Cross-curricular PowerPoint and worksheet to introduce Matisse's work to BGE French learners whilst learning colours, shapes and opinions.

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New materials for the German classroom - Youth in Germany

7 January 2014 (Goethe-Institut)

The 2013 calendar JUGEND in DEUTSCHLAND provides materials on themes such as ‘Hobby & Freizeit’, ‘Zukunft’, ‘Freundschaft’ and can now be downloaded from the Goethe-Institut website. This resource contains topical information, authentic texts and comes with teaching resources and worksheets for each of the 12 themes presented in this file.

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1+2 Secondary School Case Studies

7 January 2014 (SCILT)

We now have two new case studies uploaded on our website. Read how Breadalbane Academy and Queen Anne High School are working to embrace the recommendations in the 'Language Learning in Scotland: A 1 + 2 Approach' report. To ensure you are viewing the most up-to-date pages on our website, please refresh the page by pressing the CONTROL and F5 key simultaneously.

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University of Strathclyde Languages Ambassadors Programme

7 January 2014 (SCILT/University of Strathclyde)

Are you planning a languages event in your school?  Do you need some help promoting language learning to your students?  Why not arrange a visit from one of the student Languages Ambassadors from Strathclyde University's award-winning programme?

The Languages Ambassadors Programme is designed to provide support to schools by sending teams of two or three students to deliver a range of activities such as:

  • A general presentation by students about their experiences as language learners
  • Practical workshops or class-based activities focussing on fun language development
  • Q&A sessions about the benefits of studying a foreign language

As role models the Ambassadors will share their experiences and their successes, and they will also be honest about the challenges they have faced studying a foreign language.

Visit the Languages Ambassadors webpage to find out more and, if you would like to participate in the programme, please contact Cedric Moreau, Senior Language Teaching Fellow:

cedric.moreau@strath.ac.uk

Read more...

Teachersmedia

6 January 2014 (Teachersmedia)

Teacher’s Media International provide online professional development services for the education sector. Sign up for free to access a range of video clips sharing best practice in both primary and secondary modern language classroom settings.

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Big Bang Theory - Meine Routine

18 December 2013 (TES)

A resource for secondary German pupils.  Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory describes his very precise daily routine. The text is followed by true / false questions, a find the phrase exercise, a manipulation exercise, and a reminder about the verb needing to be the second idea.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resource.

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Glasgow Modern Languages Festive Newsletter 2013

17 December 2013 (Glasgow City Council)

Download the newsletter to learn about the range of language and cultural events which have taken place within Glasgow's schools.

Related Files

How I Teach - Stay afloat in Spanish lessons

13 December 2013 (TES)

Can Japanese poetry really help with another language? Si, si.

Read more...

CISS Newsletter Autumn 2013

12 December 2013 (CISS)

The latest edition of the CISS newsletter has been published. This edition highlights the promotion of Chinese language and culture around the country. Please download the newsletter if you'd like to find out more.

Related Files

Marché de Noël/Christmas market – lesson plan

12 December 2013 (One Year in Spanish blog)

There are about 25 notable Christmas markets or Marchés de Noël in France. Among these the traditional Christmas market in Strasbourg is the oldest and one of the largest. It dates back to the 16th century and spreads from the place de la Cathédrale throughout the city.

In our French beginners’ magazine Allons-y !, we have an article about the Christmas market in Strasbourg. It provides a glimpse into the magical world of its market stalls and local produce. It also gives information about the history of the town itself. Why not use this article with your students in class?

Read more...

Footballers give pupils language goals

10 December 2013 (The Guardian)

Football clubs across the country are using sport to cultivate children's interest in learning other languages.

"If I could say anything to Santi Cazorla? I don't know the Spanish words yet, but I'd say: 'You're a wicked footballer.'" Suraiya Farah, a year-five pupil at Primrose Hill primary school in north London, has just finished a taster Spanish session with the Arsenal Double Club and she is eager to put her new skills to use.

Arsenal is one of a number of clubs, including Newcastle United and Hull City, that runs a language Double Club, a cross-curricular course that uses football to teach students a foreign language.

The after-school sessions are made up of two halves: the first takes place in a classroom, where students are taught football-related vocabulary, and the second encourages children to practise their language skills out on the pitch.

Read more...

Year 7 looking for conjugations of “Vivir” in the article ¡Vivimos aquí!

9 December 2013 (One Year in Spanish blog)

Sue’s Y7 students are doing detective work: They are looking for conjugations of “Vivir” in the article ¡Vivimos aquí!  I always thought this is a great starter to learning verbs: familarizing oneself with the way its conjugations look through discovering them in an authentic text.  Additionally, knowing the various ways a verb can look is a great tool for accessing written texts. It’s a fantastic reading tool. See how many conjugations your students can find in our article!

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Linguatrivia 2014

5 December 2013 (Linguascope)

Linguatrivia is an annual competition open to Year 7 students in England, Wales and the Channel Islands, S1 students in Scotland and Year 8 students in Northern Ireland. Its purpose is to stimulate interest in learning French and to identify and reward achievement on the part of students.

Students are entered into the competition by their French teacher, and have to sit a 30-minute national test.

Sponsored by Linguascope, the competition offers a range of fabulous prizes. Every participant will receive a certificate and a prize!

For more information and to download an entry form, please visit the Linguatrivia website.  Entry deadline is 14 February 2014.

Read more...

Festive gift for your Spanish lessons

5 December 2013 (Pearson Education)

Your pupils know about Navidad, but have they heard about El Dìa de los Reyes Magos? As a special festive gift we're giving you a whole unit to explain about this very traditional Spanish festival from ¡Viva! 1, our new Spanish course. Just add sweets! Download the free unit now.

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Food and Drink – Likes and Dislikes

4 December 2013 (German Teacher Resources)

Powerpoint and worksheet for the German language classroom on cognates for food and simple opinions.

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Flipping the Learning in MFL

3 December 2013 (fliplearningmfl)

A blog detailing our journey through flipping the MFL classroom in the UK in a techy school on the outskirts of Southampton, Hampshire, including podcasts, videos and lesson plans.

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Festive Phrases: free video lessons each day of December

2 December 2013 (Radio Lingua Schools)

Access our daily episodes of Festive Phrases and learn to say “Happy Christmas” or “Happy New Year” to 2.6 billion people around the world!

The Festive Phrases course is available to members only, but you can sign up for a free account with Radio Lingua Schools.

Read more...

Secondary German

28 November 2013 (SALT)

Some new Secondary level German teaching materials have been published in the member area. You will need to register, or already be registered, as a SALT member to access these resources.

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A boost for language learning in the Forth Valley

28 November 2013 (Central FM)

Pupils at one Forth Valley High School are embracing their love for modern languages.
Larbert High's "Keep Calm and Study a Language" project is promoting the study of another tongue - and has seen a 113% increase in students picking up a lingual subject.

Read more...

Les vacances par Philippe

25 November 2013 (Francotoile)

Listen to children from Quebec speaking about school and holidays.  A useful listening resource for the French classroom.

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Catching Fire – article and lesson plan!

22 November 2013 (One Year in Spanish blog)

Have you watched the new Hunger Games film yet? We wrote about it in our November/December issue of Ahora. It’s a big hit with teens world-wide, we’re sure your students would love to have an excuse to talk about it in class!

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My best lesson - Turn language learning into a guessing game

22 November 2013 (TES)

What is the eternal fascination with guessing games? Shakespeare's work is full of riddles, the Victorians played charades, my own offspring loved Pictionary and schoolchildren will grab a pen and play hangman at any opportunity.

As a teacher of languages - French, Spanish and English as a foreign language - I have always tried to tap into this fascination as a way of helping students of all ages to learn vocabulary and structures.

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German Advent lesson plan

21 November 2013 (One Year in Spanish blog)

To start our new page of German MFL teaching posts, Britta has written about the beginning of the Christmas season.

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Film can have a leading role in education

19 November 2013 (The Guardian)

Film can be a powerful educational tool, especially for children with disabilities and from deprived backgrounds. So how can we place it at the heart of young people's learning experiences?

Film clubs are being run in more than 7,000 schools, with 220,000 young people watching, discussing and reviewing film. This service provides, for free, a curated catalogue of DVDs, curriculum-linked guides, film-making tutorials and a members magazine. It also offers masterclasses in film-making, reviewing and programming, and gives film club members the opportunity to post reviews on its website.

The Film Club website has films to suit a wide age-range including foreign language options.

Read more...

Related Links

To participate in Film Nation UK's Filmclub programme, which offers free access to thousands of films and education resources, visit: Film Club or email support@filmclub.org

The Voyage/Voyage Kids Christmas Specials

18 November 2013 (UK-German Connection)

The festive season approaches, and our websites for both primary and secondary pupils will be full of UK-German seasonal cheer with our Christmas Special!

Your pupils can: 

  • find out about St. Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht - Have they earned presents or the Rute on 6 December? 
  • practise their festive vocab with a Christmas memory game and jigsaw 
  • sing along to German carols such as Stille Nacht and Kling, Glöckchen 
  • learn Christmas facts, play games and enter this year's Christmas competition in our interactive Advent calendar (online from 1 December) 
  • learn how to bake a Lebkuchenhaus and Herrenplätzchen

Follow the links below to the relevant magazine pages:

Read more...

International Education Week 2013 (18-24 November)

18 November 2013 (British Council)

As part of our wider work in the international education sector, we champion and support foreign language learning in the UK.

To celebrate International Education Week 2013, lots of new resources are available to help you with your language skills. Visit our website for the many ways you can get involved now.

There is also the opportunity to join a live debate on Thursday 21 November 11:00-13:00 GMT asking the questions:

  • What languages do you speak and where do you speak them?
  • Why do you think it is important to speak other languages?

Join pupils around the world to share your views. Find out how to join the debate by visiting the Commonwealth Class debate website.

There are a couple of 5 minute films on the debate website - one from a very diverse school in Glasgow on the languages the pupils speak and what they think about languages and one from Australia about a primary school where half the curriculum is delivered in Mandarin. You could show the films early in the week, have a discussion, then some of the pupils can send in their responses on Thursday or in advance of the debate - #LearnALanguage.

Read more...

The Smart Choice: German at Primary Schools in the UK

15 November 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

As an introduction to German in primary schools we have created a short 10-minute film for teachers about how easy it is to include German in the timetable. The clip is available to view online or you can order a hard copy of the video on DVD, free of charge, for parents evenings or staff meetings. 

Also available: The Smart Choice: German at Secondary Schools in the UK - a similar film prepared for the secondary audience.

Read more...

New youth profile on the Auf Deutsch website

15 November 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

In this new video clip Felix is telling about his life in a small village in Bavaria and in particular about his project “Plant-for-the-planet”. The video is available with English subtitles and in addition an interactive transcript is provided to make it easily accessible to young learners.

Read more...

Latin teen celebrities – Y7(S1)/Level 1 lesson plan

14 November 2013 (One Year in Spanish blog)

Sue’s Year 7s have been working with the article ¡Uau! ¿Son Latinos?. As groups, they had to work out the meaning of the different paragraphs – as you can see and hear in the video.

Our Teacher’s Notes writer suggests that this article is a great springboard for beginners to learn to write a brief biography that introduces a person to a group.

Article and lesson plan available for free download.

Read more...

Ascolta Il Tuo Cuore

14 November 2013 (Lyrics Training)

Italian pop song by Laura Pausini with lyrics and games for beginner to advanced level.

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Molly le chat

11 November 2013 (Sylvia Duckworth)

A Google Presentations interactive story where you choose the adventure Molly the cat takes.

Also see how to make a “choose your own adventure” story with Google apps via the link below.

Read more...

Additional French Film Festival schools screening

11 November 2013 (Creativity Portal)

Edinburgh Filmhouse have added an additional date to their school screenings during the French Film Festival 2013 (until 24 Nov). The additional show is:

LITTLE LION
Wednesday 20th November, 10am (101 min)
Suitable for P7 – S4
In French and Senegalese with English subtitles

Visit the website for more information.

Read more...

¿Qué hora es? – El tiempo pasa volando

10 November 2013 (neiljones.org)

The resources attached to this post are linked to teaching the time in Spanish to beginners. In slides 22 and 59 there are links to some great websites where you can get some interactive practice taking place. The site contains a variety of resources and teaching ideas for secondary Spanish and French, with a small section on teaching numbers in Mandarin Chinese.

Read more...

Summer courses in Germany

8 November 2013 (UK-German Connection)

Do you have pupils who would be interested in going to Germany in summer 2014? The two-week German Pupil Courses and four-week German Scholarships Programme offer German language lessons, staying with host families, and cultural visits and excursions. Follow the links for more information.

The application process will open in January, with a deadline of 10 March - put it in your diary now!

Read more...

STEM Projects

8 November 2013 (UK-German Connection)

Do you want to organise a bilateral STEM project but don't know where to start? Have a look at the examples on the UK-German Connection website for some inspiration!

  • Hornsea School & Language College, The Hessle Federation of Schools and Bremerhaven’s Humboldtschule placed technology into the context of the socioeconomic potential of the wind industry.
  • Skipton Girls’ High School and Gymnasium Grootmoor in Hamburg came together in Germany and the UK to apply engineering skills to the design of environmentally friendly buildings.
  • Range High School in Formby and Berufliche Oberschule Schwandorf combined science and ecological awareness when assessing the pros and cons of using different energy sources.

Find out more on the UK-German Connection website.  

If you are planning a project, or want to read more about previous projects, why not have a look at the funding pages via the link below.  The next application deadline is 31 January 2014.

Read more...

Immersion Courses in France and Spain for Primary and Secondary School Teachers

8 November 2013 (Le Français en Ecosse)

Le Français en Ecosse run series of Immersion courses in France and Spain during the summer. There are courses suitable for both Primary and Secondary teachers. Erasmus funding may be available.

To reserve a place on one of these courses please contact Ros Main on ros@lfee.net.

Double Club primary and secondary resources updated

8 November 2013 (UK-German Connection)

A reminder that the primary and secondary versions of the award-winning Arsenal FC Double Club: German resources have been updated for the 2013-14 season.

In particular, the primary module has been completely overhauled, with detailed, step-for-step teachers' notes, interactive PowerPoint presentations and a brand-new, bright and colourful pupils' workbook.

Visit the Double Club website for more information.

Read more...

What’s Hot - cinéma français

8 November 2013 (TES)

A comprehension activity inspired by trailers for French- language films for secondary students. A great resource to use as a starting point for a lesson on French cinema, this reading activity is fun and focuses on key language skills.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resource.

Read more...

Monsters University Helps you Learn Spanish with Translated Trailers

28 October 2013 (Learning Spanish for Beginners)

Learn Spanish with ‘Monsters University’! Really engaging way to learn using a movie trailer.

Read more...

French Film Festival - screenings for schools

25 October 2013 (Institut français)

The French Film Festival UK will take place from 7 November to 7 December in 7 cities in Scotland: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bo’ness, Kirckaldy, Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen.

The cinemas will screen two films for schools: Le jour des corneilles (Days of the Crows), an animated fantasy film for primary schools and Comme un lion (Little Lion), a compelling drama about a young Senegalese dreaming of becoming a professional football player in France.

Teacher can find free resources on: www.ifecosse.org.uk/Education and get more information on the French Film Festival website in the “Learning” section.

Read more...

Good practice resource - Languages at the heart of the curriculum: Springfield Lower School

24 October 2013 (Ofsted)

At Springfield Lower School, teaching Italian through an approach based on content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is firmly established. Language lessons use the current topic in the curriculum for their content. Links with Italy and its culture provide rich opportunities to develop the pupils’ understanding and appreciation of other cultures.

This is one of four examples, two primary and two secondary, where pupils make rapid progress in learning modern languages through a curriculum designed to extend opportunities to be immersed in the language studied.

Read more...

Harry and his magical friends (German resource)

24 October 2013 (TES)

Using J K Rowling’s novels, this worksheet contains five tasks to enable your secondary students to develop reading, writing and speaking skills in the context of describing self and others in German.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the materials.

Read more...

TECLA online magazine – October 2013 now available

23 October 2013 (Consejería de Educación)

Tecla is an online publication for teachers and students of Spanish. It is published monthly by the Consejería de Educación in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

It includes texts for levels A (beginner), B (intermediate) and C (advanced) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, besides learning tasks and their solutions. It is also accompanied by recordings of the written texts.

Read more...

Hallowe'en: Potion Magique (resource)

23 October 2013 (TES)

A PowerPoint to introduce your secondary pupils to some Halloween vocabulary in French, to practise quantities and to enable them to write their own magic potion recipes.

Follow the link below to access a German version.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the materials.

Read more...

Related Links

German version of Geekie’s Potion Magique (TES, 17 October 2013)

Describe Van Gogh's bedroom (German resource)

23 October 2013 (TES)

Sequence of questions relating to Van Gogh's painting of his bedroom. Practice of colour, prepositions, and bedroom objects. For the first set of questions, students can see the painting. For the second set they have to do it from memory. Suitable for S1-S3 German students.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the materials.

Read more...

Embedded Recordings to go with Embedded Readings

23 October 2013 (Palmyra Spanish blog)

One thing I know my students need more exposure to is listening to the target language from someone other than me. Today I tried an activity using the Mary Glasgow website that worked well and required little preparation. News recordings and readings are available in Spanish and French at different levels.

Read more...

The HSBC/British Council Link2Learn Awards 2013

22 October 2013 (British Council)

We are offering a final chance to enter the Link2Learn competition. Please apply for this fantastic awards opportunity by Tuesday 29 October in order to win a grant for your school.

The Link2Learn Awards, supported by HSBC Global Education Programme, recognise and reward UK schools, International Co-ordinators and local authorities for their work in forming and sustaining international school partnerships.

Enter the competition to win a cash prize to support your existing international school partnerships. All educational institutions with students aged 3 to 18 are eligible to enter the competition, i.e. nurseries, schools (including special schools) and colleges. They must have worked with a partner school in another country for at least one year.

Visit the website for further information and how to enter.

Read more...

Videofrancaisful. You Tube Channel of video clips

19 October 2013 (TES)

Video clips on a variety of topics, themes and skill areas for your French classroom. Use as starters, motivators and presentations to engage your students with the target language. Always check the clip before use in the classroom as a wide range of age groups are catered for.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the materials.

Read more...

Murder mystery lesson - food & drink

18 October 2013 (TES)

Thinking skills on food & drink for your secondary French students - a family have been poisoned, pupils use clues and menu to work out what they chose in the restaurant and which food they all had in their meal that poisoned them.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resource.

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El Día de los Muertos – the Day of the Dead

18 October 2013 (One Year in Spanish)

El Día de los Muertos is celebrated between the 31st of October and 2nd of November. To help you to introduce your students to the Mexican holiday and to encourage your students to take part in the festivities we have prepared a variety of resources for you to download. First up our article ¡Viva el Dia de los Muertos!

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Spanish Quiz - General Knowledge

17 October 2013 (TES)

A Powerpoint quiz to introduce pupils to Spanish through some general knowledge on culture and language.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the materials.

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Video Competition for Children and Young Adults – Young Voices Against Poverty

11 October 2013 (eTwinning, via Twitter)

In the run-up to European Development Days 2013 - Europe's premier forum on development, poverty eradication and sustainable development - we want you to have your say!

All you have to do is make a short video (no more than 120 seconds) answering the following question: If you could have your say, how would you fight poverty?

You could be one of 4 lucky winners to win an all-expenses paid trip to Brussels to attend European Development Days, 26 - 27 November 2013, where your video will be screened.

The competition is open to young people aged 13-24 and video submissions can be made in one of the 5 official contest languages: English, French, German, Portuguese or Spanish.

More information on eligibility, competition rules and how to apply is available on the competition Facebook page.

Read more...

Celtic player Lukasz Zaluska visits John Ogilvie High for European Day of Languages

11 October 2013 (Daily Record)

Pupils at John Ogilvie High celebrated the diversity of European languages and culture last Thursday to mark the European Day of Languages.

The whole school participated in the celebration, with flags and garlands in the colours of the European nations decorating main areas of the school and youngsters and teachers dressed in various national costumes.

Pupils enjoyed a wide range of activities throughout the school day, including a visit from language ambassadors from the University of Strathclyde, who shared their experiences in Spain, Poland, France and Italy.

Read more...

Halloween ideas for modern languages

11 October 2013 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland’s resource calendar contains links to a selection of Hallowe’en resources in French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Read more...

HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese Speaking Competition 2013-14

10 October 2013 (British Council)

We are delighted to announce the launch of the HSBC/BC Mandarin Speaking Competition 2013-2014.

Motivate your students with a trip to Beijing!

Enter your students into the HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese speaking competition for a chance to visit the Chinese capital. There are four categories: beginner, intermediate, advanced and group performance. Students can enter regardless of their level of proficiency in Mandarin.

The closing date for entries has been extended to 18 October 2013. Read below for information on eligibility and how to apply.

The prize

The winners from each category will spend a week in Beijing. They will experience the culture by visiting historical sites and interacting with local students and British Council staff from China. The British Council, with over 20 years' experience of running cultural exchanges with China, is responsible for accompanying the group.

Who is eligible?

Secondary schools, sixth form colleges and further education colleges in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Students must be non-native speakers of Chinese.

Visit the British Council website to discover why your school should take part and to read the story of one of last year's winners.  The website also includes top tips on how to prepare a winning entry.

For enquiries please call our Customer Services team on 0161 957 7755 or email chinaschools@britishcouncil.org.

Read more...

Discovery Film Festival 2013 - language films for schools

10 October 2013 (Dundee Contemporary Arts)

The Discovery Film Festival 2013 takes place between 19 October and 3 November and offers a variety of foreign language films for all ages.

Opening this year's festival is the UK premiere of 'Victor and the Secret of Crocodile Mansion' – a hugely enjoyable mystery thriller that will have all the family guessing as to exactly what lies behind the secrets of Crocodile Mansion. Suspenseful and atmospheric, it’s a classic Hitchcockian mystery for thrill seekers aged eight upwards. Screening is in German with English subtitles and open to the public.

For schools, there is a programme of events running from 22 - 31 October, with screenings suitable for primary and secondary students in a variety of languages including French, German, Spanish, Russian and Japanese.

See the DCA website for full programme details.

The schools programme and booking information can also be accessed directly via the link below.

Read more...

Inspiring Projects

10 October 2013 (Speak to the Future)

We’re highlighting inspiring projects happening across the country which are promoting languages to the wider public – showing those in the languages community what you could do, and helping to give those outside an insight into the value of languages and language learning.

There are a host of projects and websites covering a number of languages for all ages – take a look and see what will inspire you.

Read more...

Hallowe’en activities – German

8 October 2013 (SCILT)

See our Vampirschule resources for S1-S3 pupils.

Read more...

The German Language Adventure: Discover Germany in 16 challenges

8 October 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

Available from mid October 2013, the Goethe-Institut are offering a new opportunity for pupils ready to embrace a new language. This free, motivational game is suitable for P7 to S3, with the main target group being S2 and S3 before subject choice.

This unique motivational game sends its participants on a discovery tour through 16 cities in Germany and Austria cities, each with an interactive task to complete.

A team of native German speakers will visit your school and set up a German adventure course with 16 discovery stations for a half-day of interactive German language fun.

Visit the Goethe-Institut website for full details and to register your interest.

Read more...

French Film Festival 2013 - Schools Programme

8 October 2013 (Filmhouse)

As part of the French Film Festival 2013 (Fri 12 Nov to Thu 25 Nov) Filmhouse are screening these fantastic new films for Edinburgh schools:

  • Little Lion - Tuesday 12 November, 10am (101 min)
    Suitable for P7 - S4
  • Day of the Crows - Tuesday 19 November, 10am (96 min)
    Suitable for 8+, P5 - S2

Tickets for both films are £2.60 per pupil, teachers free. To book please call our Duty Manager on 0131 228 2688 or email admin@filmhousecinema.com.

Read more...

Join the debate: language packs for schools and businesses

7 October 2013 (The Guardian)

The British Academy and the Guardian are holding a national Language Festival throughout November 2013 to celebrate the UK's diverse cultural richness and raise the profile of language learning among learners of all ages. Throughout November, the festival will provide a platform for schools, higher education institutions, policy makers and businesses from across the UK to discuss, debate and explore the academic, cultural and economic benefits of language learning.

To celebrate the launch of the Language Festival, we have created a series of downloadable packs for primary and secondary schools, as well as businesses, to provide ideas for organising your own language-related events.

Read more...

Speak Italian!

6 October 2013 (Speak Italian)

Part of the Speak Languages! network of websites, the site offers a wide range of materials to help learn Italian, with phrases and vocabulary broken down into topics and themes. Access to the site is completely free. We are currently adding sound, and soon users will also be able to hear all the phrases and vocabulary spoken by native Italian speakers.

Read more...

‘İBicis sí! ¿Por qué?’

6 October 2013 (Experiencia Prezi HCFN)

‘İBicis sí! ¿Por qué?’ is an eye-catching presentation created by Experiencia Prezi HCFN. This transport themed prezi in Spanish compares and contrasts bicycles and cars in terms of their impact on the environment. Freely accessible and suitable for BGE learners.

Read more...

Infografias de futbol

6 October 2013 (Spanish Plans)

Radamel Falaco, who plays club fútbol for Atlético Madrid in Spain’s La Liga, is a major component of getting Colombia to the World Cup in Brasil in 2014. Read about this tremendous goal-scorer. Always a good debate: who are the 11 best soccer players ever? See if your Spanish students agree with this editor’s Starting 11 for All-Time World’s Best Players.

Read more...

CISS 2013-14 professional learning menu now available!

4 October 2013 (SCILT/CISS)

Are you a teacher of Mandarin?  
Are you a teacher considering introducing Mandarin into your school?  

The new Confucius Institute for Scotland's Schools professional learning menu offers a variety of workshops to help you introduce, develop and embed Chinese language learning across the 3-18 curriculum. Relevant to practitioners in all sectors, the workshops draw on good practice from across the country and offer an opportunity for professional dialogue and the sharing of ideas and materials. Whether you are an experienced teacher of Mandarin looking for help with the senior phase, or you are just getting started and are looking for practical ways of introducing Chinese culture and language into your class, the CISS team is here to help!

Visit the CISS professional development page to view the 'Chinese Learning - let's work together' menu.

Word Wizard competition now launched!

4 October 2013 (SCILT)

We are pleased to announce the launch of our brand new spelling competition, Word Wizard! This competition is aimed at encouraging S1-S3 pupils, studying French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Gaelic, to learn vocabulary, and have fun at the same time. More details on the competition, and information on how to register your interest, are now available on the Word Wizard page on our website.

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eTwinning opportunities for Scottish schools

3 October 2013 (SCILT)

The following opportunities have arisen for Scottish schools to become involved in an eTwinning project. These teachers would like to find schools in Scotland to partner with: 

  • Spain - secondary school with pupils between 12-18 years
  • Italy - primary school with pupils between 6-13 years

If you would like further information on either of these schools you should contact SCILT in the first instance on scilt@strath.ac.uk

Learning journey - Scottish tourism

2 October 2013 (SCILT)

More from Game On! SCILT and Education Scotland have developed a learning journey designed to support the learning and teaching of modern languages at 3rd level.

Using the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a context this learning journey suggests opportunities for learners to explore ideas about how to promote Scotland as a destination to foreign visitors and encourages them to consider the importance of being able to communicate in different languages. Learners are also encouraged to consider the sustainability of the tourist industry by considering the impact of tourism on the environment, examining Eco-tourism projects overseas and designing similar projects in Scotland.

A Game On GLOW Meet to introduce all the literacy and languages learning journeys will take place later in the year. On your marks for GLOW tv!

The resource is available to download now at the Game On! website.

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Mind maps to support learners using the perfect tense

30 September 2013 (TES)

Useful resources to help your secondary French students.

You will need a TES username and password to access the materials.

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2013 National Poetry Day

30 September 2013 (Scots Language Centre)

National Poetry Day 2013 is on Thursday 3 October, and this year's theme is water. Among the poems being promoted is the Scots language poem by George Campbell Hay 'Seeker, Reaper'. Suitable for study by secondary pupils, the following resources have been provided by the Scottish Poetry Library.

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The importance of languages in the curriculum

30 September 2013 (Great Education Debate)

Teaching foreign languages to English speaking children in a world where the international lingua franca is English is a proposition that deserves some exploration and justification. In non-English speaking countries, learning English is more akin to studying a key skill or a core subject, such as mathematics. There is no reason even to hesitate over its importance or centrality, just as no one in medieval Europe would have questioned the importance of Latin in the curriculum of the educated.
However, for us, it is different. How does one justify the inclusion of a (randomly or historically chosen) language in the curriculum for our secondary or primary schools?

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Kirkwall Grammar School says ‘Salut’ to European languages

30 September 2013 (Orkney Islands Council)

It’s bon appétit for KGS S1 pupils as they tuck into a special continental breakfast on Monday 30th September.

In the week following the launch of Speak to the Future’s ‘1000 Words’ Campaign, to mark European Day of Languages on September the 26th the Modern Languages department has organised the big breakfast.

During the week, lessons will be geared towards language awareness. Alison Scott is Principal Teacher of Modern Languages: “We’ve made great use of the resources we have in the school, with pupils and staff sharing their knowledge of European languages by offering taster sessions in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish".

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Parlons Français, C'est Facile!

27 September 2013 (Parlons Français, C'est Facile)

Parlons Français , C'est Facile! is a free online resource for learning French, designed specifically for young adults.

Just like at the cinema: let yourself be guided by the webdocs and discover life in France through the eyes of four characters. As you go, workshops and games will help you to understand, learn and practise French.

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What’s Hot? - French dressing

27 September 2013 (TES)

A collection of French language resources looking at fashion. Suitable for secondary students.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resources.

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Funding deadline for UK-German activities - 31 October

27 September 2013 (UK-German Connection)

The next deadline for grants for UK-German activities is 31 October 2013, for projects taking place in 2014.

Our grants are:

CHALLENGE FUND: for joint thematic activities between UK and German schools in all curriculum areas.

CHALLENGE FUND - WORLD OF WORK: for UK-German school partnerships undertaking work experience or enterprise-related activities.

CELEBRATORY FUND: for activities in celebration of partnership anniversaries between UK and German schools.

If you have any questions about the above grants or would like to discuss your ideas or your project dates, please contact my colleague Frederike Müller either by email on frederike.mueller@ukgermanconnection.org or by telephone (020 7824 1570).

The next application deadline for these funds after October is 31 January 2014.

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Arteta supports language programme

27 September 2013 (Arsenal Football Club)

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has spoken about the importance of learning language skills ahead of the European Day of Languages, which encourages more people to learn a foreign tongue both in and out of school.

Arsenal in the Community has long championed language learning through its successful Double Club model – an innovative education and football programme which aims to fuse football and education to form a fun and enjoyable way for young people to engage with their academic studies and football at the same time.

In addition to Arsenal-themed language learning materials for German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, a DVD of one of Arsenal’s players speaking in their native language is provided as an exciting classroom resource.

Read more...

Related Links

Double Club German – new resources for 2013-14 season! (UK-German Connection, 24 September 2013)  Double Club: German is a joint project by Arsenal FC, the Goethe-Institut London and UK-German Connection. It is an innovative education and football programme which aims to show pupils that German can be fun, improving their knowledge of the German language and culture in a joint football / German club. Pupils attend one session per week, which can take place after school, in lesson time or during holidays, and is split up into two 45-minute sessions. Available as a module for primary or secondary level pupils, new materials for the 2013-14 season are now available. Follow the link above to find out more about the programme and how to sign up.

'Our Europe' 2014 - film making competition for schools

26 September 2013 (SEET)

Back for its second year, Our Europe is an innovative competition run by SEET and supported by Radio Lingua. Teams from all secondary schools in Scotland are invited to take part in this competition with the opportunity of winning an iPad for their school.

Teams are asked to create a short film to raise awareness of the positive impact of European Institutions on the lives of young people in the EU.

Further details are available on the SEET website, which also contains a link to the dedicated Our Europe competition webpages, or you can download the attached flyer and information sheet. 

Submission deadline for first round entries is Tuesday 10 December 2013.

Read more...

Oktoberfest-Regeln

24 September 2013 (Mary Glasgow)

A Mary Glasgow resource on Oktoberfest for your German classroom. Register for free to download the materials. The site permits 5 free downloads following registration or you can obtain an annual subscription to access all the language magazine materials for just £15 per year.

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British Council Schools Online

24 September 2013 (British Council)

Find out how you can tap into British Council’s Schools Online worldwide network. At Step one you are new to international learning and the British Council’s offer to schools. ‘Make a start’ is designed to inspire you to start your international journey with us. Whatever you are looking for, we have a wealth of opportunities to suit you.

Access our new brochure and wallchart to discover how an international dimension can be developed in your school. From curriculum resources to professional development courses and partnership funding, we have everything you need to bring the world into your classroom.

Read more...

Language films at the first National Youth Film Festival

19 September 2013 (ALL)

Free screenings of foreign language films to inspire young people From Therese Desqyeyroux to Wadjda, from Clara and the Secret of the Bears to AninA, over 30 foreign films in languages including French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Arabic and Hindi will be on offer at the first National Youth Film Festival, taking place from 21 Oct – 08 Nov 2013.

This groundbreaking new Festival is free to school groups all over the UK and offers young people aged 5-19 the chance to enjoy a wide variety of films, learn about film-making and meet film industry professionals. Linked to a packed programme of over 1600 free screenings, Q&A’s, workshops and events are over 100 teaching resources, including several related to the curriculum, to enable teachers to use screenings to bring learning to life, develop review writing and critical skills, or teach pupils about film and filmmaking. These range from a Beginner’s Guide to French Movies, to teaching ideas for, and guides to, individual films to encourage post-screening discussions and continued work back in the classroom.

Visit the ALL website for full details.

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¡Viva la moda!

19 September 2013 (Mary Glasgow)

It’s fashion week in Madrid. Why not use this article to kick off your Spanish lesson in style!

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Word Wizard Competition! New for school session 2013-2014

17 September 2013 (SCILT)

We are pleased to announce that our brand new spelling competition, Word Wizard, will be launched very shortly.

This competition is aimed at encouraging S1- S3 pupils, studying French, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Gaelic, to learn vocabulary, and have fun at the same time.

If you want to motivate your pupils, and take part in this new initiative, watch this space for details of how to register.

National Gaelic Short Film Competition, FilmG, Heads to the High Schools

11 September 2013 (Engage for Education)

Representatives from the Scottish government, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Highland Council visited Inverness Royal Academy to see first-hand some of the exceptional work being done by FilmG in high schools around the country.

FilmG, the National Gaelic Short Film Competition, runs a training scheme in parallel with its competition to gives adults and young people interested in film-making the skills needed to make their own short film in Gaelic. The 2014 training programme got under way with a story development class delivered by FilmG workshop co-ordinator and tutor Muireall Urquhart, she said: “we are very excited to be starting this year’s workshop programme and particularly happy to be here at Inverness Royal Academy, a school which has been very supportive of FilmG since it started.”

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Weil and opinions using a German pop/rock song

10 September 2013 (TES)

This lesson uses the song Du schreibst Geschichte by Madsen to explain the use of weil (nearly every line in the verses starts with weil). There is a gap fill sheet to do while listening to the song, and then a worksheet to practise using weil. Both sheets have two different versions depending on level.

You will need a TES userid and password to access the resources.

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Funding for Japanese Language Education Projects held in the UK

9 September 2013 (Japan Foundation)

Institutions can apply for up to 3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which will have a significant and wide impact on the promotion of Japanese language education throughout the UK, or in their local area. For example, conferences on Japanese language education, seminars for teachers, projects to produce Japanese language teaching materials, etc. We also welcome projects that introduce Japanese into the curriculum, or bring it into the timetable at Schools or Universities.

The next deadline for the 2013-14 programme is 27 September 2013.

Visit the Japan Foundation website for more information and to apply.

You may also wish to join their Primary Japanese Campaign 2014, which has been launched to support primary schools and teachers offering, or hoping to offer, Japanese language teaching.

You can read more about the campaign, and register to receive campaign updates and free, exclusive campaign stickers by following the link below.

Read more...

NAR Gaelic exemplars

9 September 2013 (Education Scotland)

Over the past few weeks, Education Scotland has published a number of new assessment and moderation exemplars, produced by practitioners, on the National Assessment Resource. This includes examples of innovative assessment practice in Gaelic in both primary and secondary sectors. The Gaelic exemplars may also be of interest to teachers of Modern Languages looking for creative ways to assess the broad general education. 

Access the materials  (you will need your Glow username and password)

Read more...

No more zoos!

5 September 2013 (Mary Glasgow)

Use this article to discuss zoos and animal welfare with your secondary Spanish pupils.

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Modern Language Screenings at Filmhouse

4 September 2013 (Creativity Portal)

A schools screening of a Modern Language film provides familiarity with the language and fosters appreciation of another culture. Filmhouse offers the best international cinema year-round and is home to the French Film Festival and many others. Our schools screenings are £2.60 (teachers free). To book, please contact the Duty Manager on 0131 228 2688 or email admin@filmhousecinema.com

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FILMCLUB - French themed Scalarama resources

2 September 2013 (FILMCLUB)

Throughout September FILMCLUB will be going "tous les francais" and be challenging your clubs to screen a film from a special French topic from the FILMCLUB website. So dig out your berets, get baking those croissants and download our special resources which include fun ways to decorate your film club room as well as games and costume ideas.

Resources are available for primary and secondary on the website.

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All we learn is bonjour... why language lessons bore young pupils

2 September 2013 (Daily Mail)

Boring, repetitive language classes are letting down a generation of young pupils, a survey suggested yesterday.

Language classes will become compulsory next year for Key Stage 2 pupils – those aged seven to 11 – in English state schools.

But the research warned urgent improvements were needed in teaching, with many primary pupils saying they were repeatedly taught basics such as counting to ten or saying ‘bonjour’.

Those in Year 7, the first year of secondary school, complained they had to redo topics completed at primary school because some of their new classmates were starting from scratch.

Read more...

Related Links

Children criticise language lessons (Daily Express, 3 September 2013)

Mandarin Explorer

27 August 2013 (Mandarin Explorer)

'Mandarin Explorer' is a platform for learners of Mandarin that is created & owned by Gabriella Belcher, an experienced Mandarin teacher based in Hong Kong. These visual tools are designed for Mandarin teachers & learners.

Read more...

Lesson Plans - European Day of Languages, 26 September

23 August 2013 (TESS)

TESS has produced 10 lesson plans for the MFL classroom to help celebrate the European Day of Languages on 26 September.

You will need a TES userid/login to access the materials.

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European Day of Languages 2013 - SCILT webpage now live

22 August 2013 (SCILT)

Each year September 26th marks the European Day of Languages (EDL) and is all about finding a way to get people in schools, colleges and the wider community excited about languages. How you celebrate is up to you!

SCILT have launched our European Day of Languages 2013 webpage, where you can finds loads of ideas on how your school can celebrate. You can also order EDL 2013 materials like posters, stickers and pens.

Visit our EDL 2013 webpage here and let us know how you intend to bring languages into your school this year!

Le français animé

22 August 2013 (Teresa Mackinnon)

Le français animé website contains bite-size clips explaining elements of grammar in an accessible way.  Best suited to the secondary French classroom.

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Materials to support IDL learning in French

22 August 2013 (SCILT)

The following websites contain materials which could be used to support interdisciplinary learning in French:

For secondary learners:

Universcience.tv - short clips explaining aspects of science.

Culturetheque - online comics with a historical focus.

For primary learners:

Milan schools - register for authentic downloadables to support IDL in French.

International Education Week: 18-24 November 2013

20 August 2013 (British Council)

International Education Week (IEW) is an opportunity to promote the importance of building an international dimension into the education of young people in the UK at primary and secondary levels. We know that familiarity with other cultures and modern foreign languages skills are an essential part of preparing young people to work in the increasingly globalised economy.

The British Council is an authoritative voice on language learning, through our English teaching around the world, and we bring an intercultural dimension to foreign language learning in the UK through sharing our experiences, providing research and data and bringing in examples of international best practice.

This year IEW will support a major policy shift in UK schools. From September 2014 primary schools in England will be required to teach a foreign language to pupils at Key Stage 2 (upper primary). There is also increasing policy support in other UK countries for language learning at primary level.

International Education Week will form the starting point of a longer-term campaign to promote language learning in UK schools, with events taking place throughout the academic year.

Read more...

Connecting Classrooms Professional Development

19 August 2013 (British Council)

Connecting Classrooms are offering a range of free Professional Development face to face courses across the UK this term. Course topics include ‘an introduction to international learning’ to ‘intercultural practice’ to ‘partnership journeys’.

A full list of locations and dates of courses is available on our website.

If you can’t attend a course in person, take our online courses in your own time and at your own pace.

Read more...

Get Funding for your UK/France Partnership

19 August 2013 (British Council)

The British Council administers the distribution of grant funding from the Lefèvre Trust and grants are now available to secondary schools embarking on projects in 2013.  These programmes support collaboration between the UK and France on educational opportunities that prepare young people to become global citizens.  

Please note the deadline for applications has changed: final closing deadline is 30 September 2013.

Visit the British Council website for a guide to the programme and to download a grant application form.

Read more...

Roald Dahl Day, 13 September

16 August 2013 (TESS)

Introduce your class to some of Dahl's much-loved characters in French - for example, Monsieur Fox and Le Bon Gros Geant.

Scroll down the Lesson Plans page to find this Roald Dahl Day resource.

Read more...

Chinese Pupils from Tianjin No.42 High School visit St Ninian's High School

2 August 2013 (East Dunbartonshire Council)

A group of 33 pupils and 5 teachers, led by the school’s Director, Mr Hongjie Liu, during their tour of the UK are visiting our East Dunbartonshire Council Confucius Hub, based in St Ninian's High School, Kirkintilloch. This visit will further deepen the partnership between the two schools, St Ninian's HS and Number 42 High School, Tianjin.

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The French Connection

9 August 2013 (TES)

Exchange trips to France, or further afield, were once a rite of passage for many British students, who returned with a stash of new swear words and tales of strange foreign food.  But in these risk-averse times the custom is under threat, as Irene Barker reports.

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Short films for language learning

2 August 2013 (Languages on Screen)

Short films can make fantastic authentic texts for language learners. 

Languages on Screen has a selection of shorts that is freely available to Scottish educators with a GLOW log in, and each is accompanied with teaching resources. Most appropriate for secondary learners. Films in German, French, Spanish and Italian.

Several of the shorts on the Screening Shorts and Moving Image Education websites have a soundtrack though no spoken word. Discussion and response to these films could be done in the target language. Teaching resources are also provided to accompany all of the films are provided. In addition, thanks to a creative commons licence, the shorts are available for download for education purposes. The films could then be imported into Windows Movie Maker and learners could add their own audio track in the target language. Potentially suitable for secondary and primary learners.

Also available to buy for primary learners of French, is the ‘Ciné-mini’ DVD from British Film Institut which also includes teaching resources.

Magical Christmas Trips 2013

1 August 2013 (UK-German Connection)

The application process for our Magical Christmas Trip to Berlin for primary and secondary pupils is now open.

The visit offers primary pupils the chance to get a taste of Germany at Christmas time, meet their German peers and get involved in some seasonal intercultural activity. Secondary pupils have the opportunity to brush up on their German and practice their skills as young leaders.

For full details of the programme and how to apply, visit the UK-German Connection website.  

Application deadline: 30 September 2013.

Read more...

Glasgow secondary leading way in modern languages

24 June 2013 (Evening Times)

THE kids at All Saints don't need to be convinced that foreign languages are important.  Because they hear them every day.

Scots-born pupils at this Glasgow comprehensive – thanks to a decade of steady immigration – are now routinely exposed to the chat in an estimated 30 languages.

And, say teachers, it is starting to rub off on them.

So much so that the school is expanding its capacity to teach languages amid solid demand.

Read more...

Grammar Usage - MFL - A whole new futbol game

21 June 2013 (TESS)

The use of social media sites in language learning does not have to preclude good grammar - in fact, it can introduce students to words through a familiar medium.

We begin with a lesson starter of verb conjugation. "Tuiteo, tuiteas, tuitea ..." The group soon deduces the words' meaning - tuit (tweet) and tuitear (Twitter) will be included in the 2014 edition of the Royal Spanish Academy's dictionary.

Next we follow an El Clasico football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona on the Twitter feed of sports daily Marca. Students quickly appreciate the value of the medium: bite-sized chunks of colloquial language prompting immediate intellectual engagement.

Read more...

Rencontres théâtrales drama competition for schools

20 June 2013 (Institut français)

The results of the competition which took place on Tuesday 11th June 2013 at Whitehill secondary school in Glasgow are now available on the Institut français d'Ecosse website.

Read more...

Should MFL teachers show films at the end of term?

20 June 2013 (Frenchteachernet blog)

I gather that some schools and departments have a policy which forbids teachers from showing films to classes at the end of term. I used to have slightly mixed feelings about this issue, but on balance I believe that showing a movie in the foreign language with subtitles, even without any attached work, is a valid activity.

Steven Smith explains why and suggests some French films to share with your students, including a collection of quirky short movies.

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Pupils rise to university challenge

19 June 2013 (East Ayrshire Council)

Young maths stars at Grange Academy performed well for the second year running in a national maths contest with a twist.

The Mathematiques Sans Frontières competition featured ten tricky problems which pupils had to solve together – but some questions were in French, German, Spanish and Italian, just to make it harder. And pupils had to explain the solutions for these in the appropriate foreign language!

Read more...

Our Europe Film Competition winners, Bearsden Academy!

19 June 2013 (SEET)

Throughout the past year, the Scottish European Educational Trust has run a film competition called Our Europe: Our People, Our Places, Our Parliament. Teams from all secondary schools in Scotland were invited to take part in this competition. They were asked to create a short film to raise awareness of the positive impact of the European Parliament on the lives of young people in the EU. The competition was organised over three stages and has been designed to offer young people the opportunity to increase their knowledge and understanding of Europe, develop their technology skills, increase their use of European languages and gain a range of transferrable skills through the creative process.

The final was held at Scotland House in Brussels on Wednesday 19 June, where Bearsden Academy claimed the winning title of this year’s Our Europe competition.  Runner's up were Douglas Academy.

Download the attached press release for full details.

Related Links

Our Europe Film Competition Edinburgh Filmhouse Showcase (Engage for Education, 16 June 2013)

Our Europe Film Competition Edinburgh Filmhouse Showcase

16 June 2013 (Engage for Education)

Students from all over Scotland met at the Edinburgh Filmhouse to showcase their European films in front of an audience consisting of representatives from European Parliament, Scottish Government, the European Commission, Creative Scotland, NUS and Young Scot.

Rhys, Emily, Milosz and Shannon from St. Margaret’s Academy touch on a range of topics including fair trade laws as well as work and study abroad opportunities in their video. They discuss these issues in English, Spanish, French and Polish throughout the film.

Read more...

Opportunities and funding for your UK-German school partnership

15 June 2013 (UK-German Connection)

Would you like to undertake a joint project with a German school? Are you interested in professional development? Could your German do with brushing up?

Visit the UK-German Connection website for up-to-date information on UK-German opportunities for you and your pupils, including seminars, events, courses and funding programmes.

The next funding application deadline is 31 October 2013.

Read more...

Lesson Plans - La Bella Durmiente

14 June 2013 (TESS)

Bring language to life by retelling the story of Sleeping Beauty in Spanish.

Read more...

Bucking the languages trend

13 June 2013 (SecEd)

In the midst of a decline in foreign language learning in Scotland, some schools are inspiring young people to buck the trend. Sam Phipps finds out how.

 

Read more...

End of term German activities

7 June 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

Looking for end of term activities? Have a browse on our resources pages. You will find presentations on topics such as recycling, Berlin, Frst day of School, Birthday celebrations and many more.

Read more...

MFL - The scoop on ice cream

7 June 2013 (TESS)

Got it licked.

We all know people for whom the phrase "when in Rome" was invented. They are usually the ones trying to familiarise themselves with the local language without a phrase book, mistaking bonjour for au revoir or turning a dinner order into a mime act.

Your students can take the lead on trips abroad with a lesson in transactional language.

Read more...

British Academy Schools Language Awards 2013 - Win £4000 to get more of your students to aim higher!

6 June 2013 (SCILT/British Academy)

As part of its programme to support and champion the learning of languages, the British Academy is again offering a series of Awards to schools and colleges throughout the UK for the encouragement of excellence in language learning. This year the Awards focus on activity which encourages more students to take language learning to a higher level.

The Awards are intended to encourage schools to find imaginative and effective ways of improving take up and enthusiasm for language learning into S5, S6 and beyond, and of addressing the social imbalance in the profile of language learners at higher levels. Projects which involve collaboration between sectors (e.g. between schools/colleges/universities, with business or employers) are particularly welcomed.

The Awards are open to all secondary schools and colleges, and cover all languages other than English, including those learnt as community languages. A total of 15 Awards of £4000 each will be made to schools throughout the UK. At least one Award will go to a winning proposal from Scotland. Application is via a simple online form, with an extended closing date of 30 June 2013.

Visit the British Academy website to download the complete information pack and apply now!

Read more...

Language learning in action: first National Modern Languages Spelling Bee

6 June 2013 (SCILT)

School pupils from the Highlands to the Borders tested their linguistic skills in the final of Scotland's first National Modern Languages Spelling Bee, at the Scottish Parliament on Friday 31 May.

In the spirit of “1+2”, pupils demonstrated their knowledge of vocabulary and spelling in French, German or Spanish before an audience of parents, teachers, fellow pupils and invited guests.

Congratulations to all the pupils who took part in the competition and especially to those who competed so admirably in Friday's final.

The winners in each category were:

French
1st Manon Robinson – Glen Urquhart High School
2nd Jessica Fowler – The Nicolson Institute
3rd Ellis Wright – Boclair Academy
4th Veronica Haughey – The Glasgow Academy

Spanish
1st Amy Spence – Carluke High School
2nd Zainab Munir – The Glasgow Academy
3rd Jack Anderson – Carluke High School
4th Rosie Hutcheon – The Glasgow Academy

German
1st Jodie Howlett – Bo’ness Academy
2nd Ben Gallacher – Paisley Grammar School
3rd Ben Hewitt – Paisley Grammar School
4th Yanna Zubido – Paisley Grammar School

We are in the process of developing a page on our website to showcase the final, including photos and video footage of proceedings, so please keep checking back!

Feedback from the inaugural event has been positive and encouraging and we will use this to build on our experience to make the Spelling Bee Competition even better next year.  We will be sending out details of the competition for 2014 at the start of the new term in August so please do sign up! 

If you'd like further information about this year's competition please visit our website.

Read more...

Related Files

Related Links

Language learning in action: first National Modern Languages Spelling Bee (University of Strathclyde Press Release, 30 May 2013)

First National Scottish Spelling Bee Competition (Charleston Academy, 2 June 2013)

Manon Robinson - First in National Scottish Spelling Bee Competition (Glenurquhart High School, 3 June 2013)

Opportunities and funding for your UK-German school partnership

5 June 2013 (UK-German Connection)

Would you like to undertake a joint project with a German school? Are you interested in professional development? Could your German do with brushing up? Visit the UK-German Connection website for up-to-date information on UK-German opportunities for you and your pupils, including seminars, events, courses and funding programmes. The next funding application deadline is 31 October 2013.

Read more...

First National Scottish Spelling Bee Competition

2 June 2013 (Charleston Academy)

Claire Macleod (1L1) represented Charleston Academy at the National Spelling Bee competition held at the Scottish Parliament on Friday. She achieved the highest score of all the first years taking part. She was very dedicated and practised every lunch time the week leading up to the event. Danielle Ross (1K1) came second and was invited as official supporter. Her enthusiasm was very much appreciated by all.

Thirty seven S1 pupils from twenty schools in thirteen authorities were invited to compete in the final. They were asked to learn two hundred words in French, German or Spanish. They had to be able to translate the words from English and spell them using the alphabet of the target language. They had to spell as many words as possible in one minute.

Read more...

Articulate Language Camps in Scotland

30 May 2013 (Articulate Language Camps)

Articulate Language Camps will be running a range of language-learning summer camps this summer just north of Glasgow. You can find out more about the camps themselves by visiting the website www.articulate-languagecamps.com.

In order to help spread the word about what they are offering, Kara from Articulate is spending June on a tour of Scottish schools. She is offering assemblies about why it is important to learn languages and mini language and digital media workshops for free. She will also be able to offer places to the young people at the net cost of running the camps. This is open to all primary and secondary schools.

If you are interested in Kara visiting your school before the end of term, email her at nisbet.kara@articulate-languagecamps.com or call her on 07791698945.

Read more...

Glasgow Science Festival 2013 at the Alliance Française de Glasgow

30 May 2013 (Alliance Française)

For the 3rd consecutive year, the Alliance Française de Glasgow is taking part in the Glasgow Science Festival. We are delighted to host a special bilingual French/English exhibition in June entitled “L’eau au coeur de la science", along with the screening of Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s acclaimed documentary “La Soif du monde”.

As with previous years, we are also running specialised workshops for secondary school pupils.  These will take place on Wednesday 12th June & Thursday 13th June. Please note that places are strictly limited and must be booked in advance.

For more information and how to book, please download the attached flyer or visit the website.

Read more...

Meet the Germans Materials

16 May 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

Our Meet the Germans Website now also features free teaching resources. The material is designed for A2 and B1 language levels. Introduce your pupils in a playful way to different aspects of German culture and train speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.

Read more...

Kurz und Gut macht Schule II

16 May 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

Kurz und Gut macht Schule II is a selection of animated short films from Germany, which are great for your secondary German classes. Teaching resources are available as a free download online.

Read more...

Learn German with fun!

15 May 2013 (Learn German Easily)

This website is full of funny things in German and English – for example: basic lessons, jokes, stories, articles, learning tips, songs and much more.

There are materials available for use across all levels from beginner basics to Advanced Higher.

Read more...

New assembly packs - Exam stress

14 May 2013 (BBC World Class)

See our new assembly packs for primary and secondary pupils. The packs contain scripts for teachers alongside a World Class film called 'Gaokao fever,' which is about the notoriously difficult Gaokao exams in China.

Read more...

Language learning: teaching tips and creative lesson ideas

12 May 2013 (Guardian)

Guardian Education Q&A: Join us to share advice and ideas on bringing languages to life in schools, Thursday 16 May 2013, 6pm to 8pm.

There have been a glut of reports criticising the state of languages in the UK; it's been found that we're lagging behind other countries, not preparing our graduates for the global job market and not doing enough to encourage students to stick with languages. So, what can we do to catch up?

 

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Related Links

How to teach ... languages creatively (The Guardian, 13 May 2013)  The Guardian Teacher Network has plenty of resources to help you inject some passion into your language lessons.

My best languages lesson: putting Spanish into practice with online books (The Guardian, 14 May 2013)

Why I became a languages teacher: to make my subject relevant to students

12 May 2013 (Guardian)

Head of languages Bertram Richter tell Emily Drabble how using Twitter and Skype has revolutionised his teaching and why he teaches in the UK rather than his native Germany.

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Der kleinste Film der Welt

10 May 2013 (Mary Glasgow)

The film, produced by physicist Andreas Heinrich and his team in IBM, appears in the Guinness Book of Records for being the smallest in the world with the stars of the clip being tiny atoms! Use the article to open up a discussion with your German students about the world of Physics.

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Zambombazo - Spanish teaching resources

7 May 2013 (Zambombazo)

A wide range of fun activities based on songs, comics, movie posters, advertising, art, and more! Learn about the Spanish language and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Suitable for use with Secondary pupils.

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New Materials for the German Classroom

6 May 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

We are pleased to introduce another popular topic for your classroom which can be downloaded from our website. Recycling and the environment have been central topics in Germany since the 1970s.  With this presentation we would like to familiarise young learners with some of the devices used in Germany in order to protect the environment, particularly the system of separating waste and recycling.

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Website of the month - Hwb

6 May 2013 (SCILT)

Hwb now includes all the content from the NGfL Wales website and hosts a resources section, 'find and use', including materials for language learning in French, German, Spanish and Welsh from primary through to senior phase.

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Pupils see language at work

2 May 2013 (Inverclyde Now)

Around 180 Third Year pupils at Inverclyde Academy took part in a Languages in Work Event.

The morning was organised to highlight the importance that local employers place on the skills pupils develop through their language learning at school and also to enable pupils to meet people from local firms who use languages in their job.

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Digital Days - a new competition series for learners of German

2 May 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut London invites German teachers and their students to take part in this unique competition series. German and IT is THE combination! Fun and steep learning curves guaranteed when you take on one of these tasks:

  • solving a family puzzle
  • inventing and performing a song text 
  • telling a joke 
  • doing a research puzzle about Germany’s Magic Cities 
  • producing your own mini - film in German 
  • taking part in a news reading competition

… and all you need is a computer.

Six categories for different levels of language skills are provided. Primary teachers and secondary teachers can choose which competition they think suits their students best.

Please register your interest with roma.schultz@london.goethe.org by 3rd June 2013.

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"Märchenwelten" Drama Competition – Results

1 May 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

In 2012 the Goethe-Institut Glasgow invited learners of German to take part in a competition, involving theatrical interpretations from one of the Brother Grimms’ fairy tales. The outcome of this project showed the great enthusiasm, linguistic skills and the creative abilities of young scots, who embrace modern languages. 29 Scottish secondary and primary schools took part. Apart from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes, special prizes for particular artistic or linguistic achievements were awarded. Congratulations to the participants and prize winners.

Category ‘Secondary Schools’:

  • Royal High School – 1st Prize
  • Holly Brook Academy, George Heriot’s School – 2nd Prize
  • Hutchesons’ Grammar School – 3rd Prize

Category ‘Primary Schools’:

  • Corstorphine Primary School – 1st Prize
  • Beaconhurst School – 2nd Prize

Special prizes were awarded to:

  • Beaconhurst School - for modern interpretation of a fairy tale
  • Bucksburn Academy - for costumes and set
  • Castlebrae Community High School - for animated adaptation of a fairy tale
  • Eyemouth High School - for creative script
  • Kemnay Academy - for German language
  • Morrison’s Academy - for humoristic interpretation of a fairy tale

The 1st Prizes will be awarded at the GALA opening of the fairy tale exhibition “Märchenwelten” on 8th May. All other winners and participants received their prizes/awards and a certificate by post. The prize winning entries have been compiled on a DVD which is now available from the Goethe-Institut - please e-mail our Language Department for a free copy.

Further information about the competition is available on the Goethe-Institut website.

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‘Motivate the demotivated’

26 April 2013 (SCILT)

Looking for ways to inspire and motivate your language students? Using film in the classroom is a great way to combine interdisciplinary learning and generate enthusiasm amongst your pupils for language learning.  These projects were filmed in three different Scottish schools involving pupils from P7 to S6 who worked together to create their own animated movies using skills they developed in Modern Languages, Art and ICT. Have a look at these video clips to see what can be achieved and hear feedback from some of the pupils who took part.

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'Märchenwelten' - exhibition for primary and secondary schools

25 April 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

Visit us and experience our interactive “Märchenwelten” exhibition from Tuesday 7 May 2013 to Thursday 23 May 2013 at the Goethe-Institut Glasgow. We offer tours with activities for children, ages 9 to 14; for learners of German and pupils interested in this central aspect of German culture.

Tours available in German and in English.  Registration is essential.

For further information and to register for this free event, visit our website or download the attached registration form.

Language practitioners are also invited to attend the exhibition's Opening Gala event on 8 May.  Follow the link below for further details.

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Language Perfect World Championships 2013

23 April 2013 (ALL)

The Language Perfect World Championships for 2013 has just been launched. This year’s event will take place from 20 - 30 May.

The Language Perfect World Championships is the largest online languages competition on the planet. Students compete for their class, school and country against other students from around the world, by earning points in a range of foreign languages.  It’s all about motivating students to get excited about languages, learning, and having fun at the same time!

ALL, which is an official partner in the competition, is delighted to announce that this year, we will have a special trophy to give away to the top scoring school in the UK. We’ll let you have more details as soon as we have them!

For further information about the competition and to register, follow the link below to the Language Perfect World Championships 2013 website.

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Youth in Germany materials available

22 April 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut London offers twelve fascinating language materials covering the main topic “Youth in Germany”. We also provide you with attractive pictures, interesting texts and statistics tailored for young people. In combination with our teaching resources, you will be able to integrate them easily in your class.

Suitable for use with S3-S4.

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MFL - Creature features

19 April 2013 (TES)

Every one of your students can have their very own "talking" pet in this lesson. All they need is a sock, some basic vocabulary and lots of imagination.

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SALT Poster Competition 2013

16 April 2013 (SALT)

Design a poster or leaflet with illustrations and text on the subject “Promoting Scotland to visitors coming to the Commonwealth Games”.

Entry is open to any individual pupil/student or group of pupils/students in any Scottish school. The age limit is up to and including 18.  There will be two age categories: Primary and Secondary. A separate ICT prize may also be awarded. 

The use of a language other than English must feature on the entry. There should be between 30 and 100 words in total. The entry should be no bigger than A3. 

There will be awards of up to £25 for winning entries and many other prizes.

The closing date for the competition will be 20 June 2013.

See the attached flyer for further information and how to enter.

Related Files

British Airways Language Learning Resources

16 April 2013 (British Airways)

British Airways’ award winning language programmes aim to improve students’ understanding and use of a number of key languages in practical situations.

Further details and resources are available from the British Airways website, including language learning resources for the BA Language Flag Award (BALFA), which is designed to promote the learning of languages and to show pupils how important languages are to business.

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The Only Way is Languages – New Careers DVD

11 April 2013 (Routes into Languages)

Routes into Languages West Midlands in conjunction with Stone’s Throw Media have produced a new DVD entitled “The Only Way is Languages!” The aim of this DVD is to inspire young people to study languages at school, college and university and to get them thinking of the different kind of careers they could go into with their language skills. They may think that teaching and interpreting are the only options but we can show them many different careers! We have six case studies of real life examples of people using their language skills in the workplace.

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Discover Germany! 2013 - Three-day taster trip for pupils to the Ruhr district, July 2013

27 March 2013 (UK-German Connection)

Do you have pupils in S1 who would like to visit Germany for a taster trip this summer? The Discover Germany trip to the Ruhr district, organised by the German National Tourist Office and UK-German Connection, will take place from 11 - 14 July 2013. UK schools are invited to apply to take a group of 5 pupils and one teacher on this trip, which includes cultural and project activities, excursions, and a visit to a German school.

Full information and the application form are available on the UK-German Connection website.

The deadline for applications is 3 May 2013.

If you have any questions, please contact Marta Piwowarski at UK-German Connection on 020 7824 1572 / marta.piwowarski@ukgermanconnection.org

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Language World 2013: Music to my ears

24 March 2013 (My Languages blog - Isabelle Jones)

Download the slides and reference sheet for my session on using music in the languages classroom presented at Language World 2013.

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Step into German

22 March 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

The Goethe-Institut San Francisco has developed this web resource which steps into the worlds of German music and Germany’s most popular sport, football, and provides an interesting web quest "Why German is 4 u!". Take a look for yourself and share it with your pupils.

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Schools switch to languages after English Baccalaureate, says report

21 March 2013 (BBC News)

(Relates to England) Schools in England have been encouraging more teenagers to take up languages since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate league table measure, a report suggests. At 50% of state-funded secondaries, at least half of older pupils are now taking a foreign language GCSE.  In 2010, this was the case in 38% of schools.

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Anti-European sentiment 'turning children off learning languages'

20 March 2013 (The Guardian)

(Relates to England)  Report finds A-level entries for French and German fell by half between 1996 and 2012, with language GCSEs also in decline. Anti-European sentiment is turning teenagers off modern foreign languages, experts have suggested.

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Related Links

Language learning in primary and secondary schools in England 2012 (CfBT, 20 March 2013)  CfBT Education Trust today published the results of national surveys of primary and secondary schools, revealing the multiple challenges for languages within the new English National Curriculum.

Anti-European attitudes 'turning pupils off languages' (The Telegraph, 20 March 2013)

Europhobia, language trends and scratchy labels (Alcantara Communications, 21 March 2013)

Languages barrier may persist despite EBac boost (TES, 22 March 2013)

'Our Europe' film competition semi-final

20 March 2013 (SEET)

On Monday 18 March secondary pupils from all over Scotland joined Scottish European Educational Trust and its partners at SocietyM in Glasgow to take part in the 'Our Europe' film-making competition semi-final.

The event saw six teams create the most wonderful, dynamic films about Europe and how the European Parliament impacts on their daily lives. These innovative films offered students the chance to work on an engaging interdisciplinary project, combining Modern Languages with Modern Studies and Media/ICT.

Congratulations to Bearsden Academy and Douglas Academy, who secured the top two places and will go forward to the final of the competition, which will be held at Scotland House in Brussels in June.

More information about the competition and those who participated in the semi-final can be found on the attached flyer.

Get Funding for your UK/France Partnership

18 March 2013 (British Council)

The British Council administers the distribution of grant funding from the Lefèvre Trust and Charles de Gaulle Trust and grants are now available to secondary schools embarking on projects in 2013.  These programmes support collaboration between the UK and France on educational opportunities that prepare young people to become global citizens.  

A case study of Portlethen Academy in Aberdeen demonstrates what can be achieved through partnership working.  Here their international work has evolved from a simple pen pal project in one class 25 years ago, into an exciting programme of projects, visits and international connections which permeate the whole curriculum and involve the majority of pupils across all year groups.

See the guide to the programme on the British Council website for more details and to download a grant application form.

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'Märchenhaftes Theater' - Competition for Primary and Secondary Schools

18 March 2013 (Goethe-Institut Glasgow)

To celebrate the Grimm-year 2012 the Goethe-Institut Glasgow would like to invite learners of German to take part in the drama competition: 'Märchenhaftes Theater'.

This opportunity provides pupils with a platform to practice their German in a fun way, to carry out a project as a team and learn to work in a group. With the help of their teachers pupils are asked to perform a short scene which relates to a situation from one of the Brother Grimm’s fairy-tales.

Entries to this competition should be approximately 5 minutes long and must be submitted as a video file.  Deadline for submissions is 30 March 2013.

This competition is available to two categories:

•Category 1: P6/P7
•Category 2: S1/S2

For more information and to register visit the Goethe-Institut website.

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MFL - Runaway success

15 March 2013 (TES)

Combining language lessons with gym sessions is a hit. French has always been popular with students at my school, but we continue to seek innovative ways to increase take-up and raise standards. So when we had the chance to teach French in the gym with Technogym's "active learning" gym equipment, it was too good to turn down.

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Could your language project inspire others and win a top prize?

15 March 2013 (SCILT)

Applications are now open for the 2013 European Language Label, and schools from across the UK are invited to apply.

This year’s theme is ‘Innovation in Language Teaching and Learning’, and the Award is open to schools in the Primary and Secondary sector, as well as FE and HE institutions. This award is a great opportunity for the innovative work being done in languages in Scotland to be recognised across the UK and Europe.

The European Language Label (ELL) is an award for innovative language-learning projects. It rewards creative ways to improve the quality of language teaching, motivate learners and make the best of available resources. Winning projects may use European Language Label on stationery and websites and, in addition, all winners receive prizes of books, vouchers or teaching materials from the Award sponsors. The awards are presented at a prize-giving ceremony on European Day of Languages, 26th September.

For more information, including the online application form, please visit the ELL website or contact idjouadj@cfbt.com.  For inspiration, follow the link below to see some of the previous winning projects.

The application deadline is Sunday 21 April 2013.

Previous winners from Scotland have included St Roch’s Secondary School in Glasgow in 2011 and Mid Calder Primary in 2009.

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YELL2 Project (Young Europeans Love Languages)

14 March 2013 (YELL2)

Supported by the Lifelong Learning Programme, the main aim of the project is to disseminate the results of the European Language Label Award winning "Yell Network" to raise awareness of its main product, the Virtual Documentation Centre, which hosts an array of resources designed to: 

  • improve language learning
  • encourage creative teaching to inspire more young learners to learn languages

We are pleased to feature as the Excellence of the month example, an exciting project submitted by Joel Josephson. The project, calledPopuLLar, takes a very interesting approach to harnessing a youthful enthusiasm for popular music within language learning contexts.

To find out more visit the PopuLLar site via the link below or visit the YELL2 website for more information on all their activities.

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Make Your Own Comic Book - a special competition for budding artists across the UK

27 February 2013 (Institut Français)

Calling all comics devotees: BD&Comics Passion is back at the Institut français in London from May 30th to June 2nd 2013! Workshops, live drawing, concerts and movies galore are on the agenda, with some of the greatest writers and illustrators. And since you love comics, why not make one yourself? If you’re aged 7 to 17 and live in the UK, you can participate in our nationwide contest and stand a chance to win amazing prizes! Whether you make it on your own, as a class project, or with friends…entries can be submitted in French or English or both.

For more information and how to enter, download the attached flyer.

Related Files

MFL - Step on the gas

22 February 2013 (TES)

The topic of climate change provides a great opportunity to look at how different countries are tackling the problem. Once you get them started, pupils could pick one issue from the country in question and research it themselves. They could then present their findings in simple forms such as posters, giving them plenty of focused practice in the target language.

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MFL - Get their teeth into it

15 February 2013 (TES)

How do you encourage your pupils to pick up a book written in a foreign language? Start with illustrated books to help them follow the story. Books written for children are good because they are designed to teach new vocabulary but have matching pictures.

Select a range of children's books in the target language and get your class to analyse the language. What tenses are used? What vocabulary? Are the sentences simple or complex? Then get your pupils to plan, write and create a short book of their own in the target language - for a younger brother or sister, perhaps, or for pupils in younger classes.

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Vorsprung mit Deutsch

14 February 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

It is decision time again: What kind of curricular pathway will I choose? Will I carry on with languages? Will I pick a second foreign language? The Goethe Institut provides information to help this process along and offers interesting ideas and opportunities for young learners’ development.

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German Language Films at Glasgow Film Festival & Glasgow Youth Film Festival

7 February 2013 (Goethe-Institute)

The Glasgow Film Festival 2013 is about to start. We are particularly pleased about the wide range of contributions from Germany to the sections cinema, music and education projects, supported by the Goethe-Institut Glasgow for this year’s programme:

  • Kaddish for a Friend (age 12+) - Tuesday 12 February, 12:45, Glasgow Film Theatre 
    94 mins, German with English subtitles.
  • Mercy (Gnade) (age 12+) - Monday 18 February, 20:30 / Tuesday 19 February, 13:15, Cineworld
    131 mins, German, Norwegian & English with English subtitles.
  • Reported Missing (age 12+) - Wednesday 20 February, 19:00 / Thursday 21 February, 15:45, Cineworld 
    86 mins, German with English subtitles.

Further information is available from the Goethe-Institut Glasgow Filmpages.

We also would like to draw your attention to German-language films featured in this year’s festival programme:

  • Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods (age 8+) - Sat 9 February, 13:30, GFT,
  • Lore (age 15) - Fri 15 February, 18:00, GFT/ Sat 16 February, 19:00, Cineworld
  • Cloud Atlas (age 15) - Sun 17 February, 19:15, GFT & Mon 18 February 13:15, GFT
  • Kuma (age 15+) - Mon 18 February, 18:45, Cineworld / Tue 19 February, 13:45, Cineworld
  • Museum Hours (age 12+) - Fri 22 February, 18:00, GFT / Sun 24 February, 12:45, Cineworld

Further information is available from the Glasgow Film Festival website.

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Mandarin competition may lead to study in China

6 February 2013 (British Council)

Nishat Ali writes about her experience of taking part in the HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese Speaking Competition, and how winning the contest has changed her life.

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Start of new German courses - enrol now!

6 February 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

The new spring/summer semester at the Goethe-Institut Glasgow will start on 11 February. If you are interested in enrolling in one of our courses, please contact us as soon as possible. If you are unsure about the level or suitable class we will advise further.

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Multilingual Mr Men

1 February 2013 (TES Resources)

Mr Men books are a great topic for language lessons. Excellent for learning new vocabulary and practising verbs and idioms, the books are almost guaranteed to be funny, which makes them perfect for a Red Nose Day class. Secondary school pupils love inventing new Mr Men using words such as "sarcastic", "worried" and "technophobe" in English. By translating these into the target language, they will learn some quite subtle new vocabulary in a memorable way.

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TES webchat - How learning foreign languages can improve students' understanding of English

31 January 2013 (TES)

TES MFL subject adviser Rachel Hawkes looks at how foreign languages learning can support literacy without us needing to use English. The chat will be an informal way for you to share ideas on the topic as well as ask questions and seek advice from Rachel and each other.

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J-Basic Online for Teachers

1 February 2013 (Japan Foundation)

The first term of Japan Foundation's online Japanese course for teachers 2013 will start on 25 February, and is now open for enrolment. The 8-week online course is for teachers with a basic level of Japanese who would like to build up their language skills.

Deadline for enrolment: 12 February 2013

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Learn Languages with Arsenal FC

31 January 2013 (European Commission)

Arsenal Double Club Languages is the north London football club’s innovative education programme for children that are learning French, German, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese at school.

The programme uses Arsenal and football as a theme to inspire school children to learn a language. The Club produces fun, relevant learning materials in collaboration with specialist language partners including the Goethe Institute, Institut Français and the Consejería de Educación. These resources include colourful workbooks that are filled with language activities based around football, and also a DVD featuring one of the Gunners’ players speaking in their native language.

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Valentine teaching ideas for French, German and Spanish

31 January 2013 (Brilliant Teaching Resources)

Germany has only recently started to celebrate 'Valentinstag'. As in this country, it is celebrated on 14th February, when people send romantic cards and presents to each other. Visit the Brilliant Teaching Resources website for ideas on how to discuss this tradition in the German classroom.

Follow the additional links for similar resources for Spanish and French.

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Guidance on NAR

29 January 2013 (SCILT)

Are you bamboozled by NAR? Do you need help to find materials relevant to language teaching? SCILT has developed a PowerPoint to guide you through the suggested assessment approaches that focus on Modern Languages.

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Vive la Francophonie - online competition for secondary schools

29 January 2013 (Institut Français d'Écosse)

Every year in March, French speaking countries throughout the world celebrate “La Francophonie”.

On Wednesday 6 March 2013 from 12:45 to 2pm, the Institut Français d’ Ecosse will be holding an online competition about “Vive la Francophonie" for S3-S4 pupils in Scotland.

Visit the Institut Français website or download the attached flyer for more information about the competition and how to enter.

Entries must be submitted by 25 February 2013.

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Play with Languages – Using Languages in Computer Games

25 January 2013 (Routes into Languages blog)

On Friday 18th of January pupils from across Yorkshire and the Humber were invited to take part in a pilot event called ‘Play with Languages – using Languages in Computer Games’ at The University of Hull. As the name suggests, the main focus of the day was to motivate pupils and showcase how computer games can be played in different languages and how there are many careers which languages can lead on to, including the gaming world.

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MFL - Fighting for equal rights

25 January 2013 (TES)

Inspire pupils by introducing them to famous foreign activists. Do your pupils know the national motto of France: Liberte, egalite, fraternite? In any language, this makes an excellent topic for discussion and debate. Pupils could also write essays exploring whether one quality is more important than the others.

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'Our Europe' film-making competition for secondary schools

25 January 2013 (Scottish European Educational Trust)

Win a trip to Brussels and an iPad for your school!  Winners will also receive an iPad mini each. The competition aims to offer students the chance to work on an interdisciplinary project, combining Modern Languages with Modern Studies and Media/ICT. 

Teams should consist of either:

  • two S3 pupils and two S6 pupils or
  • four S3 pupils

and up to three teams per school are permitted to enter the competition.

Teams will be asked to create a short film to raise awareness of the positive impact of the European Parliament on the lives of young people in the EU.   No previous knowledge of film-making is required and guidance and resources will be available on the competition website.

For full details download the flyer - Our Europe Competition.  Please note the deadline for entries has been extended to 1 March 2013.

Peace and Cooperation School Award 2013

23 January 2013 (Consejería de Educación)

Peace and Cooperation and the World Association of Early Childhood Educators (AMEI-WAECE) invite students and teachers from around the world to engage in Creativity for Peace using art as an expression of Cultural Identity for knowledge, outreach and understanding between people.

Entries are invited in the following age categories, with six diplomas to be awarded in each category and eight prizes of 300 Euros:

  1. Free drawing (up to 6 year-olds)
  2. Drawing with written message (7 to 12 year-olds)
  3. Mural or group work (12 to 15 year-olds)
  4. Free art (16 to 18 year-olds)

Works can be submitted in any of the 6 official languages of the UN (Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, English or Russian) and should be submitted by July 5th, 2013 to the headquarters of Peace and Cooperation in Madrid by mail or email.

Visit the website or download the attached flyer for further information.

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Related Files

German film screening - Kaddish for a friend

22 January 2013 (Goethe Institut)

Wed 6 February, 12:30pm, Glasgow Film Theatre
Suitable for S2 - S5

This educational screening of a German film is part of this year’s Glasgow Youth Film Festival. Based on actual events, this is a tragicomic story about understanding cultural and generational differences, told in naturalistic tones.

The film is relevant not only for Learners of German but also for Curriculum of Excellence subject areas: Literacy and English / Expressive Arts / Social Studies / Modern Languages / Religious and Moral Education / Health & Wellbeing.

Tickets are free for Glasgow local authority schools and cost £3 per pupil for other schools. Accompanying teachers attend free of charge. Free buses will be provided for Glasgow Local Authority schools and discounted transport for schools in other local authorities, if possible.

Read more...

Related Links

Booking information

UK Linguistics Olympiad 2013

22 January 2013 (UKLO)

Want to develop critical thinking skills? Want to show that languages are fun? Why not consider entering your school in the UK Linguistics Olympiad. It's a competition for secondary students, aged 11-18, in which they have to solve linguistic data problems. It doesn't rely on knowledge of a language but on trying to find patterns in the data.

There are 2 rounds of competition and then a team is selected to represent the UK at the International competition. Round 1 is taken in schools any time week commencing 4th Feb 2013 and students can be entered at either foundation, intermediate or advanced level. Round 2 will be held at St Mary’s College, Twickenham in late March. If you want to find out more, enter your school or just register an interest, please visit the UK Linguistics Olympiad website.

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Summer courses in Germany in 2013 for secondary pupils

18 January 2013 (UK German Connection)

The application process is now open for the UK German Connection 2013 summer courses in Germany for secondary pupils; the two-week German Pupil Courses and the four-week Scholarships Programme, both of which combine language learning with cultural trips and excursions, as well as staying with host families. The courses are run by the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD), which is the German governmental institution in charge of international education at school level. The courses are administered in the UK by UK-German Connection.

The application deadline for both courses is 11 March 2013.

For further information please the following websites:

For teachers
There are also opportunities for teachers to act as group leaders on the German Pupil Courses.

If you have any questions, please contact Marta Piwowarski.

MFL - Shopping en francais

18 January 2013 (TES)

Shopping online in a foreign language is such fun that pupils absorb new vocabulary without too much effort. Words in the target language are illustrated with photographs without the need for intervening translation. It is a great way to connect the new words with the reality they describe.

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Courses in Germany in summer 2013 for secondary pupils

18 January 2013 (UK-German Connection)

Do you have pupils who are interested in going to Germany this summer? UK-German Connection has two fantastic courses that might be of interest to them; the two-week German Pupil Courses and the four-week Scholarships Programme, both of which combine language learning with cultural trips and excursions, as well as staying with host families. The deadline for both courses is 11 March 2013.

For further information please see the websites.

For teachers

There are also opportunities for teachers to act as group leaders on the German Pupil Courses.

If you have any questions, please contact Marta Piwowarski (020 7824 1572 / marta.piwowarski@ukgermanconnection.org)

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New semester at the Goethe-Institut

17 January 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

For full details of all the language courses and examinations available at the Goethe-Institut in Glasgow for Spring/Summer 2013 visit the website, or view the information pages below.

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The Job Profile is Decisive – Foreign Languages in the Workplace

17 January 2013 (Goethe-Institut)

In today's professional world, knowledge of foreign languages is an indispensable skill and a must-have on any resume. Still, studies show that while good foreign language skills play an increasingly important role in the workplace, every situation is different.

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International School Awards

17 January 2013 (British Council)

Do you want international recognition for your school? Do you want to learn more about schools in other countries and be at the forefront of cultural exchanges among young people? If so, then you could bid for an International School Award (ISA) under the Connecting Classrooms programme.

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Linguatrivia 2013

15 January 2013 (Linguascope)

There is still time to enter Linguatrivia, the annual competition open to Year 7 students in England, Wales and the Channel Islands, S1 students in Scotland and Year 8 students in Northern Ireland. Its purpose is to stimulate interest in learning French and to identify and reward achievement on the part of students.

Visit the website for further information. Entries must be submitted by 15 February 2013.

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Les Misérables

15 January 2013 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

With the latest Hollywood adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel now released, this article in French can be used to discuss the story in your language class. Different versions are available to suit all levels from P7 to the senior phase.

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Modern Languages Newsletter – January 2013

14 January 2013 (Glasgow City Council)

To read about all the latest language events and activities within Glasgow schools, download the January newsletter.

Bring Spain to your Classroom

14 January 2013 (eTwinning)

Spanish primary and secondary schools are looking for English speaking partner schools. eTwinning provides advice on three easy ways to link up with schools in Spain.

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Professional Learning Resource for Modern Languages

11 January 2013 (Education Scotland)

Education Scotland have supplemented the advice in the Modern Languages Principles and Practice paper to support primary and secondary practitioners in making assessment decisions about learners’ achievement and progress. The Professional Learning Paper gives further guidance and information on significant aspects of learning and outlines what breadth, challenge and application looks like in the Modern Languages classroom.

The “Modern Languages: key aspects of achievement” document gives further, useful support to help practitioners moderate the experiences and outcomes and details what can be reasonably expected from learners who have achieved second and third level in Modern Languages.

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MFL - Making a meal of it

11 January 2013 (TES)

World travel and a Monty Python sketch will get pupils talking.
Learning a new language can take you anywhere. Pupils sometimes need reminding of this to motivate them. In the cold grip of January, they are learning words that could one day take them to new worlds.

Read more...

Languages drive is crucial for Scotland's future, MSPs told

10 January 2013 (STV News)

Children as young as nine will be taught three languages amid rising immigration, tourism and increasing demand for workers that speak more than just English, MSPs have heard.

The Scottish Government has set aside £4m for a pilot project to ensure Scotland's economy does not suffer as a result of its citizens' relatively poor language skills.

Read more...

French films on the GFT player!

10 January 2013 (Alliance française)

The GFT Player offers specially curated films at home and on the move. Programmed alongside the cinema schedule, the player offers an exciting and unique range of films, including French comedy 'The Women on the 6th Floor.'

Selected films screen simultaneously online and in the cinema, and you can also catch up with films you may have missed at GFT, and take advantage of Player-only exclusive content.

Please visit the website for more details.

Read more...

Additional beginners Chinese class now available

9 January 2013 (Confucius Institute Edinburgh)

Due to high demand we have now arranged an additional beginners Chinese class on Thursday evenings starting from 14 January for ten weeks.

This class is suitable for absolute beginners and over the course of the term students will learn the basics of Chinese pronunciation, practice basic conversations and be taught Pinyin.

Read more...

Scotland-Russia Forum news

9 January 2013 (SRF)

The latest round-up of news and events from the SRF is now available to download.

This edition includes a request from a casting agency seeking Russian-speaking actors, including children/teens, for a film to be shot in the UK between March and July 2013. 

If you need to brush up on your Russian first, the next Чай н Чат (tea and chat) at the Scotland-Russia Institute in Edinburgh is on 31 January.

Related Files

“Take Away China 2013”

8 January 2013 (Ricefield Arts Centre)

James Thomson, director of Ricefield Arts Centre, would like to offer an opportunity to schools to take part in the launch of “Take Away China 2013” on 12 February, the beginning of the Year of the Snake. This is the third year of “Take Away China” – the notion being to take a small part of China away with you from each event. Schools are invited to participate in forming a long snake. The idea is to form a snake made of twenty willow lantern sections with each section being supported by 4 or 6 pupils from each school or hub.  Download the attached file for more information.

If you feel your hub or school might be interested in this opportunity, please contact jamesthomson188@btinternet.com

ALL Language Perfect World Championships 2013

8 January 2013 (ALL)

Registration is now open for one of the world's largest online language competitions taking place from 20 - 30 May 2013.

The European Commission recently awarded the competition a European Language Label for being an innovative language-learning project.

For more details and to apply, visit the website.  The first 500 schools to register get 50 free entries!

Read more...

The Times Stephen Spender Prize for poetry translation 2013

8 January 2013 (Stephen Spender Trust)

The Times Stephen Spender Prize for poetry translation 2013 has been launched. Entrants should translate a poem from any language, classical or modern, into English to enter this competition. Winning entries will be published in a booklet and cash prizes will be awarded. The closing date for entries is Friday 24th May 2013.

Read more...

Why study languages calendar 2013

7 January 2013 (Language Box)

The why study languages calendar has been produced by LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies and includes a variety of languages, beginning in January with Italian. This is the first of a 12-month series lasting until December 2013.  The calendar can be downloaded or printable versions can be ordered.

Read more...

Top 10 most dangerous... !

7 January 2013 (SCILT)

SCILT have sourced the following YouTube clips for use at 3rd Level with French classes. Not for the faint-hearted!

The top ten…

most dangerous insects

most dangerous marine animals

killer animals

slowest animals

fastest animals

ugliest and strangest

animals with the shortest life expectancy

animals who can hold their breath the longest

Please be aware that these links will take you away from the SCILT website. You Tube is an open internet forum where clips and comments are posted by the general public. Practitioners should therefore check the suitability of the content of the clips and any links, advertising materials and comments posted around them before using them with a class.

Funding for UK-German activities - deadline reminder

7 January 2013 (UK German Connection)

Please note the upcoming application deadlines for the Challenge Fund and Celebratory Fund programmes from the UK German Connection: 31st January and 31st May 2013.

SCHOOLS CHALLENGE FUND

*       Enhance the international dimension in your school and get pupils involved in cross-curricular projects!

*       UK-German Connection provides grants for joint thematic activities in all curriculum areas, with or without a language element. The fund is designed to encourage young people to explore topics of their choice and develop their skills in an international and hands-on context.

*       Funding can go towards project resources, joint activities and reciprocal partner visits.

*       For further details, please see: http://www.ukgermanconnection.org/challengefund

*       NEW! The new Challenge Fund - World of Work funding programme specifically supports partnerships undertaking work experience or enterprise-related activities as part of their partnership visits: http://www.ukgermanconnection.org/worldofwork

CELEBRATORY FUND

*       Provides grants to support activities in celebration of partnership anniversaries.

*       Further details and an application form can be found here: http://www.ukgermanconnection.org/celebratoryfund

If you have any questions about the above programmes or would like to discuss your ideas, please contact Lucy Farrant either by email at lucy.farrant@ukgermanconnection.org or by telephone (020 7824 1570).

The Global Search for Education: UK on Testing

7 January 2013 (Huffington Post)

In the fall of 2012, the British Education Secretary, Michael Gove, outlined proposals for new qualifications in core academic subjects called English Baccalaureate Certificates. Mr. Gove stated that these new reforms would prepare British students for the 21st century and allow them to compete with the best performing education systems around the world.

Read more...

Accent is on language as Scots coaches prepare to start SFA’s UEFA Pro Licence course

6 January 2013 (Daily Record)

Football has become global. And Scotland’s managers are about to follow suit.

The latest candidates for the SFA’s UEFA Pro Licence will gather at Hampden today to kick off the two-year course they now need to boss at the elite level of European football.

But for the first time since the course began in 1999, candidates must learn a second language as part of their studies.

Read more...

Recent reports stress the importance of language skills for business

17 December 2012 (European Commission)

Communication and languages are crucial to business in a globalised economy. New evidence found in two reports published in the UK and in Ireland.

Read more...

Watch languages on Euronews!

17 December 2012 (European Commission)

Euronews, the multilingual TV broadcaster, proposes TV reports and news on languages in several sections devoted to education, business, culture and learning.

Read more...

Language Learning in Scotland: a 1 + 2 Approach

14 December 2012 (Teaching Scotland blog)

Tom Hamilton, Director of Education and Professional Learning at GTCS, talks about the teaching of languages report.

Read more...

MFL - Bah, humbug!

14 December 2012 (TES)

"What I love and hate about Christmas" is a rich topic for teenagers. Advertising tells us to aim for "the perfect Christmas". Yet Christmas is a strange and unpredictable mix. Different members of the same family experience it in different ways.  Teenagers love expressing their opinions and feelings about things. Doing so in a foreign language motivates them to extend their vocabulary so they can say exactly what they want to.

Read more...

Spanish Christmas resources

13 December 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

You will find a variety of Spanish resources about Christmas posted on this Pinterest board. You will need to register to download the resources, however registration is free. The articles are all available to suit learners at different levels, from P7 to S6.

Read more...

On Location German / On Location Italian

13 December 2012 (Radio Lingua)

Read the latest blogposts from Germany and Italy and pick up some useful phrases relating to Christmas.

Read more...

Related Links

On location Italian (Radio Lingua blog, 13 December 2012)

Wirkin Wi Wirds – Modren Scots Grammar

13 December 2012 (Engage for Education)

Modren Scots Grammar: Wirkin Wi Wirds is one of the recent projects undertaken by Scottish Language Dictionaries to celebrate their first ten years.
The book accords with Curriculum for Excellence in that it seeks to give readers an understanding of how language works and to give them the tools with which to discuss Scots, English and other modern languages.

Read more...

A few Christmas activities for the second week of Advent

12 December 2012 (ALL)

Here are some ideas for celebrating Christmas with your class, from ALL.  They cover different languages and different levels.

Language Rich Europe in the Netherlands – Multilingualism in Business and Education

11 November 2012 (Language Rich Europe blog)

As part of the Language Rich Europe project, we are holding workshops across Europe to discuss the findings and plan the next steps. In this blog post, Lorcan Murray, an intern at British Council Netherlands, writes about the workshop held in Utrecht in November.

Read more...

Les Français en NBA

11 December 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

Covering the topic of sport in your French language class? This article on French basketball players in the American NBA is a useful resource to introduce the sport. Different versions are available, adapted for use with pupils from P7 upwards.

Read more...

School partnerships improve pupils' and teachers' language skills

11 December 2012 (European Commission)

A new study on the impact of partnerships between schools in different countries has found that pupils significantly improved their skills, including foreign languages.

Read more...

Celebrities speaking languages

10 December 2012 (Routes Cymru / YouTube)

Routes Cymru posted the following YouTube links on Twitter. We thought you would enjoy using them with your pupils to promote languages.

MFL - characters to admire

7 December 2012 (TES)

Heroes and heroines is a great subject for language lessons because it involves strong characters and exciting stories. Children can explore what they think a hero is and who may be a hero to them.

Read more...

'Speak a foreign language and secure a job here'

7 December 2012 (TESS)

The ability to speak foreign languages is not only important in finding work abroad - it is becoming ever more crucial for getting a job in Scotland.  That was one of the most compelling messages from businesswoman Rebecca Trengove, guest speaker at a languages conference in Stirling.

Read more...

Christmas websites

7 December 2012 (SCILT)

We have pulled together a list of our favourite Christmas websites for teachers to use in class. These websites cover Christmas in France, Germany, Spain and around the world.

Read more...

Opportunities and resources from the Goethe-Institut

6 December 2012 (Goethe-Institut)

Resources for Primary German 
Presentations on German customs and traditions with Teachers’ Notes - newly added presentations ”German festivals and customs: Christmas” and “Birthday Celebrations”.

Promoting German for your school
A new DVD “The smart choice: German” is available free of charge from the Goethe Institut Glasgow.

"Vorsprung mit Deutsch”.  A website for German learners where you will find a lot of opportunities and ideas of how to take advantage, improve and make the most of your language skills. 

Festive phrases advent calendar

6 December 2012 (Radio Lingua)

With Festive Phrases you can learn a festive greeting each day of December, and you’ll soon be able to say “Merry Christmas”, “Happy New Year” or “Happy Holidays” to many millions of people around the world. In each short video Radio Lingua director Mark is joined by a native speaker of the language, and we’ll provide some background information about the number of speakers, where the language is spoken and much more.

Read more...

School Partnerships

5 December 2012 (British Council)

Is your school involved in a partnership between the UK and another country? If so, you could be eligible for our exciting new funding offer for school partnerships, from the Connecting Classrooms programme. The deadline for applications is 11 February 2013. For more information on eligibility and how to apply visit our website.

Read more...

On Location German

5 December 2012 (Radio Lingua)

Read the latest blogpost from Germany and pick up some useful German vocabulary for when you're moving house or feel under the weather and have to visit the doctor.

Read more...

Scottish Education Awards 2013

3 December 2012 (Education Scotland)

Nominations for the 2013 awards are now open. Categories include the Global Citizenship Award, which recognises the achievements of schools and pre-schools that have adopted a whole school approach to global citizenship, and the Gaelic Awareness Award in recognition of schools and pre-schools who are providing opportunities for all children to develop fluency in the Gaelic language and culture. Visit the Scottish Education Awards website for more information and to submit a nomination.

Read more...

Roald Dahl gets the Gaelic treatment for schools

2 December 2012 (Scotland on Sunday)

His works have been translated into 34 languages but now a new market is opening up for Roald Dahl – Gaelic.

Read more...

Spanish Christmas Songs

30 November 2012 (The Comprehensible Classroom)

Martina Bex’s favourite traditional Christmas songs from Spanish-speaking countries, as well as some Spanish-language-versions of English songs. Contains YouTube videos and lyrics.

Read more...

MFL - to err is divine

30 November 2012 (TES)

Language mistakes can be funny - and a useful teaching tool.

Mistakes are comedy gold. Most children make corrections in a rush. Take time over them, though, and you can have a laugh while learning a lot about languages. Start a lesson by writing mistakes on the board and waiting for the class to notice. It's a fun way to recap the last lesson.

Read more...

New National Qualifications – November 2012 update

30 November 2012 (SQA)

The latest progress on the new national qualifications from the SQA, including a reminder of the CfE subject implementation dates being run throughout Scotland. Modern Language events are taking place in February 2013 and places can be booked via the SQA website.

Read more...

New CPD for primary and secondary teachers

29 November 2012 (SCILT)

SCILT is delighted to announce we have expanded our Professional Learning menu to include further options for Primary and Secondary teachers from our colleagues, the Institut Français and the Consejería de Educación. To download the new menus visit the relevant Professional Development pages on our website.

Read more...

Millionaire sports stars (resource)

28 November 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

Read this article in Spanish about the richest athletes in the world. Different versions are available, adapted for use with pupils from P7 to S4.

Read more...

Nutella (French resource)

27 November 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

Article in French about the nutritional and environmental impact of the spread, Nutella. Adapted for use with pupils from P7 – S5.

Read more...

EDL 2012 blog

27 November 2012 (SCILT)

Our EDL2012 blog is now live! For a sneaky peek to see how the prize winning and other schools celebrated 26th September visit our EDL 2012 blog. There’s still time to add details of your school’s EDL, please send a short description of the event and any photos or film you would like included in your post to our Information Officer.

If you are already thinking ahead to 21st February 2013 (International Mother Language Day) or 9th May 2013 (Europe Day) or even the next European Day of Languages on 26th September 2013, all our EDL blogs over recent years have lots of great ideas that you might want to borrow or adapt for your own celebrations.

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Improving language opportunities for Scotland’s young people

27 November 2012 (Engage for Education)

Sarah Breslin, Director of SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages at the University of Strathclyde, talks about the importance of the Scottish Government’s 1+2 languages policy.

Read more...

Foreign language skills 'cost Scottish businesses'

27 November 2012 (BBC News)

A widespread lack of language skills could be damaging Scotland's ability to trade abroad, a report has suggested.  The British Council study warned there was a tendency among Scottish firms to limit their export markets to English-speaking countries.

Read more...

Related Links

Fears raised for overseas trade as young Scots shy away from studying foreign languages (The Scotsman, 27 November 2012)
A crisis in foreign language teaching across Scottish education is damaging overseas trade, the British Council warns today.

Analysis: Speaking the lingo goes to prove that it’s not only travel that broadens the mind (The Scotsman, 27 November 2012)

Leaders: Greater language skills key to breaking trade barriers (The Scotsman, 27 November 2012)

Crisis in study of languages a risk to trade (The Herald, 27 November 2012)
A lack of foreign language skills is limiting the ability of Scottish companies to tap into lucrative overseas export markets, according to a new report.

Kaye asks why Scots are so bad at learning foreign languages (Call Kaye, BBC Radio Scotland, 27 November 2012) - programme available until 3 December 2012.

Trade danger of language teaching cuts (Scottish Daily Express, 27 November 2012)

Language cuts 'will hit Scottish economy' (Morning Star, 27 November 2012)

Language Rich Europe - Scotland (British Council, 2012)

French Christmas resources for primary and secondary classes

26 November 2012 (Institut français d'Ecosse)

The Institut français d'Ecosse has produced some new resources about Noël (Christmas) for use with primary and S1-S3 pupils.

The resources can be accessed from the Institut français website.

Read more...

Related Links

Noël for S1-S3

Booking now open for Jan-Mar 2013 classes

23 November 2012 (Confucius Institute Edinburgh)

Bookings are now being taken for language classes at the Confucius Institute for Scotland for the winter term starting from week beginning 14 January 2013.

Visit the website for full details of all the classes on offer.

Read more...

Report on SCEN China Youth Summit

23 November 2012 (Confucius Institute Edinburgh)

The SCEN China Youth Summit at Gleneagles on 12 November, known as the G50 after the 50 schools, universities and other organisations represented and in memory of the famous G8 Summit held at Gleneagles in 2005 was an inspiring day for all those who attended the event.

Read more...

Yu han competition

23 November 2012 (YCP)

Can you write a song or rap in Chinese?  Do you have the IT skills to make a video?  If so this is the competition for you.

To find out more and to register visit the website. 

Read more...

Related Files

DELF/DALF Examinations UK 2012

23 November 2012 (Institut français)

The Institut français in Edinburgh and the Alliance Française in Glasgow are the two official examination centres that give French learners the opportunity to obtain the official French diplomas awarded by the French Ministry of Education and are recognised internationally.

  • The DELF, Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française(Level A1, A2, B1, B2) 
  • The DALF, Diplôme Approfondi en Langue Française, (C1, C2)

Anyone who is not of French nationality and who wishes to validate his skills in French may sit the examination. If not simply for your own personal benefit, the diplomas can be an asset to your CV as they are internationally recognized for both professional applications and university studies. If you wish to register for the examination before 15 December 2012 for the examination session in January 2013, please contact the Alliance Française in Glasgow or the Institut français in Edinburgh.

Read more...

New report published on Sustainable International School Partnerships

23 November 2012 (Education Scotland)

British Council Scotland and Education Scotland have recently published ‘Sustainable International School Partnerships – Make the Difference’.

Effective practices, challenges, opportunities and a framework for reflection combine to illustrate how the development of sustainable international school partnerships can ‘make the difference’ within Curriculum for Excellence. This new publication draws on the experience of practitioners who have been closely involved in developing international school partnerships.

Read more...

MFL - turn the key

23 November 2012 (TES)

Fairy tales can be as much fun to make up as they are to read or listen to. Their magic ingredients are quite simple and they use a lot of pattern and variation.
Start by giving pupils familiar tales like Cinderella in the language they are studying. Cartoon versions in French, German and Spanish are plentiful on YouTube. Show them Jean Cocteau's masterpiece La Belle et La Bete. You could give them key words and phrases in advance to listen out for.

Read more...

Related Links

Spotlight on ... Twisted fairy tales (TES, 23 November 2012).  Listen to storyteller Vicky Parson tell the creepy original French version of what we now know as Little Red Riding Hood in a TaleTimesStories video.

Twilight in Berlin

22 November 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

Feature in German about the premier of the new Twilight move in Berlin. The article is suitable for use in the secondary German classroom.

Read more...

Une chanson sur les cadeaux de Noël

22 November 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

Feeling Christmassy? Download this French resource about Christmas presents, which is suitable for P7-early secondary students. You will need to register to access the resource, but registration is free.

Read more...

MFL Christmas songs

21 November 2012 (CânSing)

New material for Christmas is now on the CânSing website with versions of the Christmas song ‘O holy night’ in Spanish (Santa la noche) and German (Heilige Nacht).

Read more...

Related Links

Heilige Nacht

Call of Duty and World of Warcraft double as language class

20 November 2012 (The Toronto Star)

Mette-Ann Schepelern remembers when she first heard a curious sound coming from her son’s bedroom. Someone was speaking fluent English loudly, peppered with mysterious slang. To her surprise, it was her 9-year-old Danish son. Schepelern and her son Carl live in Copenhagen, where English lessons begin in the first grade. To become fluent, a child would need to practice several hours a day — which Carl did, but not in front of a textbook. Carl was playing World of Warcraft, a multiplayer online game with more than 10 million players and available in 11 languages, none of them Danish.

Read more...

The Coaches: part four

20 November 2012 (Twitter - UEFA on YouTube)

UEFA.com speaks to the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Gérard Houllier, Arsène Wenger and Roy Hodgson about how they handle multilingual squads.

Read more...

Videominute International Contest (2012-2013)

19 November 2012 (Consejería de Educación)

The Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain, is pleased to announce details of the Videominute International Contest 2012-13 with 1000 Euros on offer for the winner. The competition is open to all ages and requires individuals or groups to submit a video lasting no longer than one minute. Any submissions in a language other than Spanish must be subtitled in Spanish or English. A maximum of 5 entries are permitted. For further information and how to apply visit the Videominute website, where you can also view previous competition entries.

Read more...

It's worth having a word about Wordles

16 November 2012 (TESS)

Whatever your teaching style or subject, you could benefit from creating 'word clouds', writes Dan Roberts. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that's certainly true of the Wordle website, where teachers or pupils can generate their own customised "word clouds".

Read more...

MFL - the long and the short of it

16 November 2012 (TES)

Foreign-language media such as films and advertising can be excellent teaching resources - their use of characters and stories is great for engaging pupils' attention and making vocabulary memorable.

Learning is reinforced when pupils use the target language in role play and written work. If they create a cheesy advertisement with a catchy slogan in Spanish, for example, the vocabulary they use becomes an in-joke they will remember long after the lesson has ended.

Read more...

Feature: Chinese learning flourishes in Scotland

13 November 2012 (Xinhuanet)

Gleneagles, Britain, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- It used to be the place where the G8 summit was held in July 2005, and on Monday another event, dubbed G50, was staged at the same venue.
But this time the participants are 50 high school students from across Scotland who were exchanging their joys and hardships in learning the Chinese language.

Read more...

English - MFL - singing their praises

9 November 2012 (TES)

Religion can be hard for small children to grasp as it involves abstract ideas. So it helps to have an activity that allows you to discuss world religions in a way that children of all faiths and none can relate to.

Start by asking pupils what problems people all over the world have. Put these words on the board and teach them in the target language.

Read more...

Pedagogy unplugged – understanding how children learn

8 November 2012 (SecEd)

From teacher collaboration to how children learn, the work of Professor Bill Lucas is providing a blueprint for 21st century education.

Read more...

Innovative secondary language projects

8 November 2012 (SecEd)

A total of 10 education projects from across England and Wales were awarded this year’s European Language Label, which recognises innovative and effective practice in language teaching and learning. The awards were presented at a ceremony at the European Commission’s UK office in London earlier this term and included seven secondary-based projects.  If you would like some ideas and inspiration, follow the link for more information on the winning projects.

Read more...

Clipbank MFL learning resources

8 November 2012 (Channel 4)

Follow the links to see previews of Channel 4’s learning portal, Clipbank.  Clips are available for learners of French, German and Spanish, all addressing a particular topic, or area of grammar in the target language:

French 

Spanish 

German 

Please note this is a preview only.  To access the resources you will need to subscribe to the service.

Read more...

QR codes for language learning

7 November 2012 (eTwinning)

eTwinning Ambassador Joe Dale shares his fantastic ideas on using QR codes to improve students language skills in today's article 'Bringing Language Learning to Life: teaching tips, tech and ideas' on the Guardian Teacher Network.

Read more...

Related Links

If you are a language teacher looking to reenergise your lessons and make language learning more meaningful to a 21st century learner check out the full range of innovative ideas on the Guardian Teacher Network.

Teaching in multicultural classrooms: tips, challenges and opportunities

7 November 2012 (The Guardian Teacher Network)

What does a range of nationalities in class bring to the teaching and learning experience? A collection of teachers give us a glimpse into their multicultural classrooms.

Read more...

New SCEN website launched

7 November 2012 (SCEN)

The Scotland China Education Network invites you to visit its new website and discover how it is promoting the learning of Chinese and about China in Scottish schools.

Read more...

Gaelic numeracy questions available in NAR

7 November 2012 (Education Scotland)

The National Assessment Resource now includes approximately 200 numeracy questions in Gaelic, which can be combined to form customised packages for assessment in the classroom at first, second and third level.

Read more...

A foreign language is the best way to stand out in tough job market

7 November 2012 (Business Insider)

Looking for another way to stand out in a tough job market, plus increase your competitiveness and versatility down the road in your career? If you can commit to adding one or more languages to your resume, you’ll instantly stand out from the crowd.

Read more...

Be special: become our fourth partner school

7 November 2012 (Goethe-Institut)

We are happy to announce that the Goethe-Institut London is currently looking for a new, fourth partner school in the UK and invite secondary schools to apply.

PASCH stands for the "Schools: Partners for the Future” initiative. It’s a global network of more than 1500 schools which place a high value on German.

The objective is to build on the school’s achievements and expand German teaching offering cross curriculum and extra curriculum activities with the help and support of the Goethe-Institut London.

Schools who may be interested in working with the Goethe-Institut and would like to know more about this initiative can see further details on our website and should contact Zarife Soylucicek by 30 November 2012 to make an appointment with the senior management of the school. 

Read more...

Memrise vocabulary learning resource

7 November 2012 (Memrise)

Do you have trouble learning new words in a foreign language?  Memrise makes vocabulary learning fast, fun and effective.  Memrise improves your ability to learn vocabulary by adding three powerful ingredients to normal flashcards…what’s more, it’s free to use!

Read more...

Related Links

Les sports – French interactive wordsearch

6 November 2012 (MFL Sunderland)

Introduce a fun element to learning French sports vocabulary with this online interactive wordsearch from MFL Sunderland. 

Read more...

Language Apps

6 November 2012 (Linguascope)

A range of Linguascope apps for individual learners are available from the Apple app store (vocabulary, verbs, word of the day, news, Linguatrivia, Talking Dice...). If you would like to advertise the apps to your students, we have a new colourful A2 poster for you to display in the classroom. If you would like to receive some posters free of charge, simply drop us an e-mail (www.linguascope.com/contact.php) with your name, school, school address and the number of posters required.

For more information about the apps, visit our website.

Read more...

Linguatrivia French Competition

6 November 2012 (Linguascope)

Linguatrivia is an annual competition open to Year 7 students in England, Wales and the Channel Islands, S1 students in Scotland and Year 8 students in Northern Ireland. Its purpose is to stimulate interest in learning French and to identify and reward achievement on the part of students.

Students are entered into the competition by their French teacher, and have to sit a 30-minute national test.

Sponsored by Linguascope, the competition offers a range of fabulous prizes. Every participant will receive a certificate and a prize!   For more information and to download an entry form, please visit the Linguatrivia website.

Read more...

Teaching and Learning in the Global Classroom

5 November 2012 (eTwinning)

This week the Guardian Teachers Network are exploring issues around global awareness and understanding in schools. Various articles and blog posts will be available to explore throughout the week.

Read more...

New GCSE-website 'Auf Deutsch'

2 November 2012 (Goethe Institut London)

While we were starting work on our new “Auf Deutsch” website we were pleased to see the positive feedback on our existing A-level website in our survey among German teachers conducted in 2011. It gave us a strong incentive to get going on a draft website that would include all the features of the final product and would cater for all levels of learning German including GCSE. Trips had to be made to Berlin, video footage as much as audio material had to be recorded, and blogs had to be written.

Read more...

Related Links

Auf Deutsch website

MFL - a darker vocabulary

2 November 2012 (TES)

When we learn a foreign language, we often deal with nice things such as buying ice cream and listing our favourite animals. But bullying is a topic that allows pupils to talk and write about darker things - and every pupil has opinions about it. Wearing a mask or adopting an "alter ego" can make it easier to tell the truth. Similarly, exploring this topic in a foreign language allows pupils to discuss painful things from a safe distance.

Read more...

Interview: Sarah Breslin

2 November 2012 (TESS)

The director of SCILT, Scotland's National Centre for Languages based at the University of Strathclyde, talks about the 1+2 policy, the benefits of CfE and how to persuade pupils to stick with languages.

Read more...

Related Links

A reader's response to the TESS Interview: Sarah Breslin (2 November)

"This has been a most interesting article to read. Many thanks to Sarah for all her hard work and support of the MFL teachers in Scotland. We are lucky to have such a fantastic professional with great personality. The 1+2 is an ambitious but not impossible goal to achieve - if all stakeholders are willing to work together for the benefit of generations to come."  (rosered27, TES Letters, 9 November 2012)

Strathclyde Language Ambassadors – Year 2

31 October 2012 (University of Strathclyde)

After last year's successful pilot, the School of Humanities at the University of Strathclyde are once again offering you the opportunity to have a team of Language Ambassadors visit your school. The aim of a visit by a team of Language Ambassadors is to raise awareness amongst young people of the opportunities on offer in Higher Education and in the world of work in general if you study languages. Through presenting their experiences of studying languages and living abroad we hope that our young ambassadors' enthusiasm will rub off on your pupils and influence their choices when thinking about their pathways.

The recruitment for the Ambassadors scheme has been very successful this year with a pool of nearly 80 students interested in taking part. A webpage for the Language Ambassadors scheme will be launched in the coming days and teams will be ready to travel from early November. In the meantime, if you are interested in setting up a visit to your school or want more information about what we offer, do not hesitate to contact Cédric Moreau.

James Bond – Skyfall (resource)

30 October 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

Bring 007 to the classroom with this article in French about the new James Bond movie, Skyfall. Several versions are available, adapted for use with pupils from P7 upwards.

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Kristen Stewart interview in French

25 October 2012 (Mary Glasgow Plus)

Read the magazine interview with Kristen Stewart, the American actress best known for her role as Bella Swan in the Twilight Saga. The interview is in French and is adapted for different levels from KS3 (P7) upwards.

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Free CPD workshops for teachers of Chinese

24 October 2012 (SCILT/CISS)

SCILT/CISS are offering two workshops for teachers of Chinese on 9 November 2012 at the University of Strathclyde. These workshops are free and are open to anyone involved in the delivery of Chinese in Scottish schools (teachers, probationer teachers, Tianjin teachers, CLAs etc).

For more information download the flyer.

To book email Katie Hawkins

Related Files

Funded In-Service Training Courses for teachers in France, Germany, Italy and Spain (2013)

23 October 2012 (Language Education And Partnerships (LEAP))

Language Education And Partnerships (LEAP) offer a range of in-service training courses for existing and aspiring teachers in primary, secondary, further and adult education, designed to develop your understanding of the teaching and learning of language and culture. These courses, which can be funded through a Comenius or Grundtvig In-service-training grant, are available throughout 2013. They provide an excellent opportunity for you to enhance your teaching methodology while improving your language skills and cultural knowledge. Next deadline for funding applications: 16 January 2013.

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Focus on German Fairy Tales

18th October 2012 (Goethe Institute Glasgow)

The Goethe-Institut Glasgow is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Brothers Grimms' tales by offering many various events reflecting Germany´s rich cultural history:

  • Filmscreenings
  • Illustrated Talk / Live Storytelling
  • Workshops / Discussions

Find our more by downloading the related PDF.

Related Files

MFL - Festival atmosphere

19 October 2012 (TES)

Go beyond Halloween to discover customs from around the world. For many schools, Halloween this year falls within the autumn break, but do not overlook the opportunity to insert a fun, culture-based lesson before or after the holidays. Why not broaden it beyond spiders, witches, ghosts and ghouls? Explore other countries' traditions for festivals at this time of year, including their food, festivities and music. Lessons based on these holidays can be fun and you can still weave in some specific vocabulary or grammar objectives.

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Rencontres Théâtrales Drama Competition for Schools 2013

10th October 2012 (Institut Français d'Ecosse)

Every year, the Institut français d’Ecosse organises Les Rencontres théâtrales, a drama competition for schools, in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow. In 2013, Les Rencontres Théâtrales in Glasgow will take place on Tuesday 11 June 2013 at Whitehill Secondary school. The deadline for registration is 17 May 2013. To apply for the Glasgow event, download the attached documents.

The Edinburgh event is taking place on Wednesday 13 March 2013 at Broughton High school and the date for Aberdeen will be announced shortly. For further details of the Inter-Schools Drama Competition 2013 and to see examples of last year's entries please visit the Institut Français website.

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New promotional video The Smart Choice: German

12th October 2012 (Goethe Institut)

The video showcases the importance of learning German as a foreign language for the career prospects of young people. Prominent figures from the UK support the case. The video is ideal for parents’ evenings, language days and all occasions promoting career opportunities. For more information and to order the six minute video as a free DVD visit the Goethe Institut website.

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World Class – BBC’s international project for schools

10 October 2012 (BBC)

Join the BBC's World Class to celebrate International Education Week during the week of 12-16 November.

International Education Week (IEW) is a British Council initiative giving schools a chance to learn more about education around the world, and to celebrate their own international links and partnerships. For IEW week in 2012, the main theme is entitled 'Use your Voice'. During the week, World Class will be hosting a series of live, interactive debates, in which pupils from across the world can offer their opinions on a range of topics. Email worldclass@bbc.co.uk to book into a live debate.

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University of Strathclyde Education Scotland British Council Scotland The Scottish Government
SCILT - Scotlands National centre for Languages