Supporting teachers

"Where the university has a faculty or school of education, the links between the languages departments and the faculty/school is of great importance in taking forward a 1+2 agenda and in reviewing and developing programmes of ITE and CPD in support of the policy."

- Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 Approach (Scottish Government, 2012)

University of Aberdeen

Gaelic Medium Education, PgCert

This 60-credit programme is run in partnership with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and is fully-funded by the Scottish Government. It is delivered over an academic year via blended learning, with three face-to-face inputs, telephone tutorials and online support and delivery. Attendance at the face-to-face sessions is mandatory, and there is an ‘attendance’ requirement for telephone tutorials and on-line activity.

The programme covers a range of theoretical, historical and policy perspectives – interpretive, social, creative – relating to immersion and bilingual teaching and the promotion of Gaelic Medium Education.

University of Dundee

Distance Learning Graduate Diplomas for teachers in Spanish, French and German

In response to the growing need for language teachers in the UK and worldwide in Primary, Secondary, Further and Adult Education, the University of Dundee is pleased to offer a Diploma in Spanish for Teachers by Distance Learning.

The Diploma offers many advantages in that it allows you to study when and where you like, for as long as you like. It is designed to promote a lively, on-line learning community studying language and culture. A high degree of support is provided by native, or near-native, speaker tutors.

The Diploma is recognised by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and carries a rating of 160 SCOTCAT points (SCQF levels 9-11).

The University also offers Intensive Distance Learning courses in Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese & Gaelic.

Visit the website or download the flyer: Language courses by distance learning.

University of Glasgow:

Language courses for post-graduates

University of Strathclyde

Spanish Language and DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera) preparation courses

The University is a centre for the examination in the Spanish Government’s official Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE - Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera). The exams are the official accreditation for the degree of fluency of the Spanish exams. They’re issued and recognised by the Ministry of Education, Culture & Sport of Spain and are organised by Instituto Cervantes and the University of Salamanca.

New online preparation courses for the DELE exams are available and are aimed at prospective candidates for the DELE exams.

Three year cycles to upskill in Italian and Spanish are offered by University of Strathclyde.

Both options are designed for:

secondary school teachers wishing to acquire an additional language
teachers of classics
primary school teachers
musicians
a range of professional people with an interest in Italy/Spain and its language

Follow the links below for information on the relevant course:

Gaelic immersion For Teachers (GiFT)

This is a full-time, one-year post-graduate diploma course. It’s designed to help qualified teachers with intermediate-level Gaelic transfer to Gaelic-medium classrooms.

The course is unique in Scotland. It combines language training with a focus on pedagogical requirements for working in GME including:

understanding approaches to language learning and teaching ‘immersion’ classrooms
current policy, provision & practice relating to GME
bilingualism in education

SCILT

Primary Language Learning for early phase teachers

group at Stirling training session

In recent years, SCILT’s support for student teachers and newly qualified teachers (NQTs) has expanded enormously. SCILT facilitates Primary Language Learning pedagogy courses for primary education students at the Universities of Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Universities of Highlands & Islands and Dundee.

These inputs aim to build the confidence of student teachers, regardless of their level of expertise in another language. The focus is upon embedding language learning in the classroom routine and providing contextualised language learning experiences with the key message are that a little language goes a long way.

photo of PLL session

Feedback from the workshops has been extremely positive with former students recommending the course to others and expressing how useful the content has been in their careers.

At the request of local authorities, SCILT designs and facilitates bespoke PLL inputs of varying length and content for Primary NQTs in Scotland.

For more information or to book CLPL sessions, please email scilt @strath.ac.uk