French
Parlons français 2020
6 December 2019 (AMOPA)
The competition for Advanced Higher students of French has now been running for over ten years and is back again for 2020!
To enter, all that's needed is a short recording of students as they prepare for their speaking test. Judges will assess it, provide feedback to everyone and some will be awarded prizes and certificates. It is hoped that taking part will be a useful exercise to support pupils' learning and preparation and not a distraction. Since they are practising anyway, why not let them have some feedback on that?
For more information and how to enter see the attached flyer.
6 December 2019 (SCILT)
The job profiles on our website cover a range of careers where languages are in use. Our most recent addition comes from Marion Geoffray, a theatre maker and drama teacher, who is the artistic director of Theatre Sans Accents, an innovative bilingual theatre company in Edinburgh.
Marion performs in several languages and believes immersing yourself in the language and culture is the most effective way to learn and to have fun!
Teachers use this resource with your pupils to support the Developing the Young Workforce initiative and highlight the benefits of language learning as a life skill.
Read more...
4 December 2019 (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...
French courses in Glasgow
2 December 2019 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is currently enrolling for the following courses taking place during January and February 2020. Click on the relevant link for more information.
29 November 2019 (University of Oxford)
UNIQ Spring and Summer gives students in UK state schools and colleges an opportunity to sample the Oxford undergraduate student experience. Applicants will live in an Oxford college for a week, attend lectures and seminars in their chosen subject area, and receive expert advice on the Oxford application and interview process. The timetable also allows plenty of time for social activities.
For those unable to attend the Oxford campus, the UNIQ Digital programme provides comprehensive information and guidance on the university admissions process, and aims to provide a realistic view of Oxford student life through videos, activities and quizzes.
A wide range of courses are on offer, including several language study options.
Visit the UNIQ website for more information about the programmes on offer and to apply. Applications are open from 2 December 2019 to 27 January 2020.
Read more...
French oral revision courses
11 November 2019 (Alliance Française Glasgow )
Alliance Française are running special revision courses in January and February for pupils sitting their Higher or Advanced Higher oral examinations in 2020.
Higher
Wednesday 4.30-6.30pm: 29th January to 19th February inclusive
£75/pupil
Advanced Higher
Monday 5-7pm: 27th January to 17th February inclusive
£75/pupil
8 November 2019 (ULIP)
Studying French at AS/A Level (or equivalent) and fancy a weekend away to the City of Light?
The University of London Institute in Paris’ (ULIP) annual Win a Trip to Paris competition is now open for students of AS/A-Level French (or equivalent)! The weekend offers the perfect chance to explore the French capital, try out your taste for croissants, and see what it might be like to live and study for your undergraduate degree in one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan cities.
This year's competition focuses on an important forthcoming event that will take place in Paris. To spur creativity, we have changed our format: this year we are inviting you to create an image caption. Be imaginative and bold! For your chance to spend a weekend in Paris, simply answer two questions and add your snappy caption under the image before midnight UK time 31 January 2020.
Visit the ULIP website for more information and to enter.
Read more...
6 November 2019 (The Telegraph)
Your Year 9 French teacher was right: learning a language can open a lot of doors. Not only will your fluency allow you to travel to distant corners of the globe, but having a degree in a language can make you highly employable.
Mastering a language has always been impressive to employers: it shows tenacity and commitment, but can also come in handy if they work with overseas clients.
Now, language skills are more sought after than ever, given the potential impact of Brexit on British industry, according to the CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Report 2018. “The need for languages has been heightened by the UK’s departure from the European Union,” the report states.
The British Council has also stressed the need for young people to learn a foreign language in order for Britain to become a “truly global nation”. In their most recent Languages for the Future report in 2017, the British Council listed the following as the most important languages for the UK’s prosperity: Spanish, Mandarin, French, Arabic, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese and Russian.
Even though multilingualism is needed for the UK’s prosperity, just 1 in 3 Britons can hold a conversation in a foreign language, according to the report from the British Council.
So, those who can speak another language are more needed than ever - as is clear from the 2018 CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Report, which surveyed almost 500 British employers and calculated which languages are most desirable to them. The following are the results from that report and, thus, the best languages to study for graduate employment.
Read more...
5 November 2019 (The Guardian)
French and German GCSEs are to be marked less severely from next year amid concerns that students are being put off studying modern foreign languages (MFL) because it is more difficult to get top grades in these than in other subjects.
The qualifications regulator Ofqual has ruled there should be an adjustment to grading standards in French and German GCSEs – entries for which have declined dramatically – but not in Spanish where numbers have been more buoyant.
The government also announced a review of the content of its recently reformed GCSEs in MFL after complaints from teachers that some of the questions are too difficult – particularly in listening and reading assessments – and may be discouraging students.
Ofqual said there were no plans to adjust GCSE grades retrospectively, but the regulator will now work with the examination boards in the run-up to next year’s exam season to bring the grading of French and German GCSEs in line with other subjects.
School leaders welcomed the move and called for a comparable adjustment in languages at A-level, where there has been a similar decline. The GCSE grading adjustments may need to be phased in over a longer period, and will affect grades 4 and above.
“We have conducted a thorough review of the evidence that GCSE French, German and Spanish are severely graded in comparison to other subjects,” an Ofqual statement said. “On the balance of the evidence we have gathered, we have judged that there is a sufficiently strong case to make an adjustment to grading standards in French and German, but not Spanish.”
The Ofqual announcement comes amid mounting concern about the dramatic decline in the study of modern foreign languages in schools in England over the past 15 years, with entries for language GCSEs down 48%. German has declined by 65%, while French is down by 62%.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
25 October 2019 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow currently has the following opportunities for French language learners. Click on the relevant link for more information:
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information about the organisation and the activities they offer.
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25 October 2019 (African in Motion Film Festival)
The Africa in Motion Film Festival takes place from 25 October to 3 November. Screenings in Glasgow and Edinburgh include several foreign language films.
Visit the website for full details of this year's programme.
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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:
23 October 2019 (SCILT)
If you find yourself in the Merchant City area of Glasgow why not complete our new 'The Ramshorn and Graveyard' digital trail? Pupils from Glasgow Gaelic School, Holyrood Secondary, Shawlands Academy and St Roch's Secondary worked with SCILT and Global Treasure Apps to create a multilingual trail around the new SCILT and CISS premises. The trail encourages visitors to learn about the history of the area by following clues set by the pupils, and gives people the chance to test their language skills.
The Ramshorn and Graveyard Digital Trail is available to download from Global Treasure Apps in Arabic, English, French, Gaelic, German, Italian, Mandarin, Polish, Spanish and Urdu.
Find Global Treasure Apps on the App store or Google Play.
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18 October 2019 (Life Spectator)
Most of my friends are moderate Remainers. There’s the odd fanatic, the sort who go on marches demanding a People’s Vote. What I can’t understand is why none of them can speak French, German, or indeed any European language.
They go on holiday to Europe, but only to those parts where they won’t have to speak the lingo because fortunately Johnny Foreigner has had the good sense to learn English.
Something else that confuses me is the belief, most pungently articulated by David Aaronovitch, that Brexit will be reversed in a few years because those stuck-in-the-past Gammons will shuffle off this mortal coil to be replaced in the electorate by a shiny new Briton: young, cosmopolitan and forward-looking, who believe the sun shines out of the Brussels’ class. In which case, why are fewer school children than ever bothering to learn a foreign language?
According to a report in the BBC this year, the learning of foreign languages is at its lowest level in UK secondary schools since the turn of the millennium. Since 2013 there has been a decline of between 30 to 50 per cent in the numbers taking GCSE language courses with German and French suffering most. That’s in England; in Northern Ireland the drop in pupils learning modern languages at GSCE is 40% while in Scotland there has been a 19% decline since 2014. And there was me thinking those two countries couldn’t get enough of all things European.
Furthermore, in March this year the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Modern Languages released a report stating that since 2000 more than fifty UK universities have cut language courses, or done away with departments entirely.
I blame the parents. In 2013 a report revealed that only a quarter of British adults were capable of holding even a basic conversation in a language other than English; of those, French was the most common, followed by German.
Read more...
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
Read more...
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...
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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.
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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...
11 September 2019 (Creative Multilingualism)
All the World is Our Stage: primary pupils never lost in translanguaging, a multilingual performance showcasing heritage and school languages, has brought pupils and teachers from Whinhill Primary School together with actress-singer, Rebecca Cameron, and creative language learning social enterprise, The Language Hub.
Warm and welcome feelings and emotions engulfed me the first time I set foot in Whinhill. Bilingual signs in English and Gaelic adorn the school, leaving no wall silent, and as you venture inside, the building also speaks through imagery and words in French. What a pleasure to the eye, and a delicacy for the soul!
The school currently offers Gaelic and French under the 1+2 language approach to language learning, and hosts a Gaelic Medium Education (GME) unit allowing pupils to learn through the medium of Scottish Gaelic.
The multilingual realities of our pupils is not always acknowledged, or even recognised, in the school context. English as the societal and school language can stifle pupils’ heritage languages. This project sought to combat that by raising awareness about multilingualism and celebrating linguistic diversity through the performing arts.
Visit the website to read the full article, which contains links to the resources used in the project.
Read more...
World Wide Napier magazine - call for submissions
10 September 2019 (Edinburgh Napier University)
Building on the success of the first three issues, Worldwide Napier, a magazine in foreign languages designed by our language students to encourage language studies, is currently looking for contributions in French, German and Spanish for its fourth issue.
Students from secondary schools, colleges and other universities are invited to submit articles, written individually or collaboratively in the language they are studying. The magazine will be published by the end of December and will be available in digital and hard copy format, distributed for free in Scottish schools, Edinburgh cafés and cultural institutions.
See the attached flyer for more information. Submission deadline is 1 November 2019.
9 September 2019 (SQA)
SQA has published Advanced Higher Spanish and French course reports for the 2019 exam diet.
The reports provide information on candidates’ performance.
Visit the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage to access the reports.
Read more...
26 August 2019 (Yakety Yak)
Improve your foreign language conversation in a local café, in a small group with an experienced tutor.
We meet
- in the relaxed atmosphere of local cafes and bistros in Edinburgh and Glasgow
- in small groups of similar level of fluency
- with a tutor who is a native speaker for each group
- each session normally has a minimum of 2 tutors to cater for most abilities
- No need to book - just drop in. However, if it is your first time with us, we recommend you phone or email us to discuss your level and the best session for you first
Conversation classes commence from 2 September 2019. Visit the website for details of sessions running in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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23 August 2019 (TESS)
Earlier this month the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) published annual data on qualifications at all levels.
Tes Scotland has examined the figures to find the most popular subjects at Higher level in 2019, a list that includes all 27 subjects with at least 1,000 entries. Also included are four subjects which had more than 1,000 entries in 2016 – the first year that only the new version of the Higher was run – but which have now dipped below 1,000 entries.
In brackets are the number of Higher entries for each of the 31 subjects in 2016. This offers a better comparison that the figures for 2015, the first year in which the new version of Higher was offered, as for that year only the old Higher was also available.
Finally, below that, we also take a look at which subjects are losing popularity at Higher level, and which are on the rise, by calculating the percentage difference between entries in 2016 and 2019 for each of the 31 subjects.
The figures suggest that social subjects are being squeezed, with geography, in particular, seeing a fall in entries of almost 16 per cent between 2016 and 2019.
But there are even bigger falls in some subjects, including computing science (27.5 per cent) and French (25.4 per cent) and – the biggest fall proportionally – philosophy (34.8 per cent).
Few subjects have seen rises in entries, with Spanish among those to increase (17.5 per cent), although by far the biggest rise proportionally is in politics (55.3%).
For context, overall entries fell from 197,750 in 2016 to 185,914 in 2019, a drop of almost 6 per cent. In italics are all the subjects where the percentage drop in entries is Higher than the overall percentage drop in entries across all subjects.
(Note - subscription required to access full article).
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23 August 2019 (SCILT)
We have job profiles on our website covering a wide range of careers where languages are in use. Our latest addition comes from Stephanie Mitchell, a Civil Servant in the Scottish Government who has previously worked in Europe and Asia, thanks to her language skills. Stephanie shares her experiences and how vital languages have been throughout her life and career.
Teachers use this resource with your pupils to support the Developing the Young Workforce initiative and highlight the benefits of language learning as a life skill.
Read more...
21 August 2019 (British Academy)
As nationwide GCSE results are published, the British Academy today responds to the modest rise in students choosing to study a language in England.
A rise of 4% in entries for language GCSEs has been driven by growth in French and Spanish, although in entries in German continue to decline.
The British Academy highlights these positive signs in language take-up, but cautions that there is still a long way to go to turn around the long-term decline in language-learning in the UK, noting that 10% fewer pupils took a language GCSE in England this year than in 2014.
The fall in language GCSEs has knock-on effects for take-up at A level, which declined 5% in 2019 compared to last year, and subsequently affects the provision of modern languages in higher education, where at least 10 language departments have closed in the last decade.
While French and Spanish GCSE saw increases in entry numbers, rates of entry for other language GCSEs continued to show a small decline, suggesting that more pupils could be encouraged to take exams in languages that are a vital part of the vibrant multilingual heritage of Britain such as Polish, Arabic and Urdu.
Read more...
15 August 2019 (TES)
Spanish has overtaken French as the most popular modern foreign language at A level for the first time, figures show.
A total of 8,625 candidates were entered for Spanish A level this year, compared with 8,355 entries in French. In Spanish, the number of entries increased by 4.5 per cent compared with last year, while in French, the number of entries fell by 4.1 per cent.
The change could partly be due to higher numbers of specialist Spanish teachers. Data from the Teaching Regulation Agency’s annual report and accounts published in August showed that 1,365 Spanish-born teachers received QTS in 2018-19 compared with 46 French teachers.
The news backs up provisional A-level entry data from Ofqual released in May, which showed that while Spanish rose from 7,705 to 7,995, French fell slightly, from 7,945 to 7,680.
It also echoes predictions in a report by the British Council in December 2018 that Spanish would overtake French as the UK’s most popular language at A level.
(Note - subscription required to access the full article).
Read more...
Related Links
ALL comments on A-level results 2019 (ALL, 15 August 2019)
A-level results 2019 (Alcantra, 15 August 2019)
11 August 2019 (The Guardian)
There’s nothing quite so guffaw-making to an Anglo-Saxon sensibility in need of its funny bone being tickled than a French worthy having a fit of the vapours.
Last week didn’t disappoint. And all over the delightful word “love”. Apparently, French online advertisers prefer it to “l’amour”, which has got the culture minister, Franck Riester, in a right royal Gallic tizzy. “In this linguistic globalisation, our duty is to refuse any tendency to move towards a single [world] language [and] any weakening of the diversity, as of cultures, in France and elsewhere.”
Read more...
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.
Read more...
8 August 2019 (Institut français)
The Institut français d'Ecosse is now enrolling for their autumn term classes. Unsure of your level? Take the free online placement test. Visit the website for more information.
Read more...
French courses in Glasgow
7 August 2019 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is now enrolling for autumn term courses. Follow the relevant link below for more information:
6 August 2019 (TESS)
Higher computing entries fall by 21%. Setting aside computing, the sciences fared better in terms of changes in uptake than the social subjects.
French experienced a 10% dip in entries, whilst Spanish saw a 9% increase from last year.
Read more...
OU/SCILT primary languages course
31 May 2019 (SCILT/OU)
We are happy to announce that registration is now open for the OU/SCILT primary languages course, which will be running again from October 2019. In light of positive feedback and popularity of the first year of the course, we are now also delighted to offer a second year, post-beginners’ course. The latter would be suitable for those who have successfully completed year 1 and wish to continue their studies, or for those who are looking to begin studying at a more advanced level.
- The courses will run from October 2019 to July 2020, and will develop language and pedagogy skills; language learning is provided by the Open University and pedagogy is provided by SCILT. The courses are aligned to the Scottish curriculum and support the 1+2 languages approach.
- Both courses are delivered online with two opportunities to attend face-to-face day schools.
- Learning is very flexible and participants can study at a time and place of their choosing.
- Each course carries a fee of £252, reflecting the input and student support for the language and pedagogy strands from both organisations.
Funding may be sponsored through your school or Local Authority who can register on your behalf. Initial registration information must be submitted to the OU by Monday 17 June 2019 and LAs should contact Scotland-Languages@open.ac.uk.
Students also have the option to fund the fee themselves. In this case, an interested teacher should contact the OU directly at Scotland-Languages@open.ac.uk.
Here is some further information:
Beginners level
- will be offered in a choice of four languages - French, German, Spanish and Mandarin plus study of primary pedagogy with direct application in the classroom.
- takes students to the end of the equivalent to level A1 of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages.
- allows students to gain 15 university credits for the language study.
- also gives students the option to gain GTCS recognition for the pedagogy study; all students will receive a certificate on successful completion from SCILT.
- study hours will be approximately five hours per week, including time spent on the direct application of the new skills in the classroom.
Post-beginners level
- teachers who have started studying one language in the beginners level of the course would need to continue studying the same language at post-beginners level.
- teachers who already have some basic knowledge in one of the four languages can directly enrol on the post-beginners level course to further develop their skills in that language and learn about primary languages pedagogy (without having to have studied beginners level).
- will follow the same format as the beginners level course and will be offered in the same four languages (French, German, Mandarin and Spanish).
- will teach primary languages pedagogy in more depth and cover:
- the skills of writing and reading,
- IDL with a special focus on outdoor learning as well as links with other key subject areas through CLIL,
- learning and teaching of languages in multilingual contexts/communities.
- will have the same:
- number of study hours,
- assessment structure,
- accreditation with 15 university credits,
- optional GTCS recognition for the pedagogy strand, as above ;
- in their language study, students will reach the equivalent of the end of level A2 of the Common European Reference Framework for Languages (end of post-beginner level).
- after completing both courses, students would then be in a good position to go on to study one of the standard language courses at the OU should they want to improve their knowledge of the language even further.
Course codes are as follows:
Beginners level
|
LXT192 French
|
LXT193 German
|
LXT197 Mandarin
|
LXT194 Spanish
|
Post-beginners level
|
LXT191 (language choice will come as a second step once students have registered)
|
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SCILT news
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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7 November 2018 (SCHOLAR)
SCHOLAR online tutor sessions for Modern Languages start again on Monday 12 November 2018. At 6pm it will be Higher, and the session will be on translation. It will be accompanied by worksheets sent out in advance to teachers for pupils to help prepare for the interactive parts of the session. Languages addressed are French, German and Spanish at both levels. Access is by: http://heriot-watt.adobeconnect.com/scholartutorsessions/, and you do not need a SCHOLAR password to attend, just log in as a guest.
The new ‘Directed Writing’ for Higher will form a session on 26 November, again at 6pm.
Advanced Higher translation and the overall purpose question will form a session on 3 December.
Read more...
5 November 2018 (International Business Times)
Queen Elizabeth II can speak at least one foreign language fluently after getting a private education by governess Marion Crawford.
Harriet Mallinson, a journalist for Express, revealed that Her Majesty can speak French fluently. French is regarded as the official language in 29 countries. But the Queen has used her knowledge in the language during her visits to France and Canada.
In 2014, the Queen went to Paris for a state visit and met with former President Francois Hollande. The two discussed the weather in French. During her fifth French State Visit at the Elysee Palace in Paris, the monarch also gave an address in both English and French. A year later, the Queen spoke with a schoolgirl from Dagenham in French.
But Mallinson noted that the most impressive instance was when the Queen went to Quebec in Canada and gave a speech in French for a straight 10 minutes. French language expert Camille Chevalier-Karfis commented on the Queen’s French-speaking videos.
“Her reading skills were excellent – both pronunciation and rhythm were very good, but you could feel she was quite tense,” she said.
In related news, the Queen isn’t the only royal that can speak French fluently. Prince Charles and the Queen’s three other children can all speak the language.
Read more...
La Jolie Ronde free trials
29 October 2018 (La Jolie Ronde)
FREE TRIALS available of La Jolie Ronde's two award winning French and Spanish resources and classes.
La Jolie Ronde Languages For Children is a leading early language learning organisation offering a proven method of teaching young children French and Spanish. La Jolie Ronde’s award winning programmes are unique, modern and of the highest quality. FREE TRIALS on their resources are available as follows:
P1-P3 - Little Languages Resource - FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE
Little Languages is a unique resource for introducing languages to P1-P3. It provides the perfect solution for introducing some of the different languages and cultures from around the world. To support the non-specialist and as a guide to aid the expert language teacher, Little Languages enables you to start teaching straightaway!
Activities demonstrated in French and Spanish:
- Additional vocabulary & songs in Italian, Chinese, Hindi and African Shona
- Includes fun, play-based activities including IWB material
- Real life DVD clips featuring children from around the world
Product contains detailed lesson plans in a sturdy ring binder & software featuring:
- Lesson plans
- Resources
- IWB activities and games
- Colourful classroom wall frieze (5 x 2m lengths)
- DVD clips
- Also includes French and Spanish traditional and original songs plus songs from other languages
P4-P7 - French and Spanish Resource - FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE
La Jolie Ronde’s award winning resource contains everything you need to help plan and implement your policy for teaching a language in one go. The resource is a flexible four-year programme providing support to teachers with no previous experience of teaching languages and a guide for the more experienced, who can modify to suit. One of the biggest benefits of the resource is that everything is already pre-prepared and planned, so you can literally start teaching straightaway!
- Perfect for the non-specialist or an aid for the more experienced languages teacher
- Split into two schemes – for years P4-P5 and P6-P7
- Plenty of material to fill two years and four years
- Pre-prepared lessons, divided into short sessions for flexibility
- Comprehensive and detailed lesson notes
FREE French or Spanish Class
Years of development, dedication and experience in the sector of early language learning, La Jolie Ronde has become the market leader, committed to offering the best possible start to young learners. Through their loyal network of over 560 tutors, who teach in over 1,660 centres, they currently teach in the region of 20,500 children. To find your nearest French or Spanish class and book your FREE TASTER CLASS, visit La Jolie Ronde website.
For your FREE RESOURCE OR CLASS TRIALS simply email your request to La Jolie Ronde quoting SCILT - email schools@lajolieronde.co.uk
25 October 2018 (SEET)
SEET is delighted to announce that registration is now open for Euroquiz 2018-19!
Euroquiz is an annual project open to all P6 pupils across Scotland, which sees teams of four working together to broaden their knowledge of Europe and the wider world. Subjects covered include languages, history, geography, culture and European affairs. Heats take place in every local authority from January to March, with the winning teams from all areas going forward to the National Euroquiz Final held in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament in May.
See the attached flyer to find out more about how your school can get involved and visit the website to watch the Euroquiz Highlights Film for a taste of the Euroquiz journey, including interviews with previous participants and teachers.
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Italian,
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Awards,
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25 October 2018 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is now enrolling for Term B courses running from 12 November 2018 to 26 January 2019. This includes a new class for complete beginners on Monday evenings.
Visit the website for more information and to enrol.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Get ready for Hallowe'en!
23 October 2018 (Various)
It's that time of year again and to help celebrate Hallowe'en in the languages classroom we've compiled a range of spooky resources! Click on the relevant link below for more information:
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10 October 2018 (BBC)
There has been a further drop in the number of students from Wales taking language courses at university, according to admissions service Ucas.
The numbers starting foreign language courses was down by a third on the same time last year, in latest figures.
Cardiff University has been working with schools to encourage more pupils to take up subjects such as French.
Helping them is former student Callum Davies, now a player liaison officer at Cardiff City FC. He learnt modern foreign languages at school and spent a year in the south of France as part of the Erasmus programme while doing his degree course at Cardiff University.
He works helping French-speaking players and their families settle in the city.
Read more...
10 October 2018 (Africa in Motion Film Festival)
Africa in Motion is Scotland’s major annual celebration of African cinema, and is delighted to return for the 13th year to bring audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow a wide variety of creative stories from across the African continent.
Screenings will take place from 26 October to 4 November. Several films in the programme will offer the opportunity to brush up your language skills in French, Arabic, Japanese and Swahili.
Find full programme details on the website.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
4 October 2018 (The Guardian)
Defenders of the French language are calling on their compatriots to stop using the English term “fake news”, recommending instead that they refer to “information fallacieuse”.
The Commission for the Enrichment of the French Language (CELF) also proffered a newly coined expression, “infox”, for those who find “information fallacieuse” a bit of a mouthful.
“The Anglo-Saxon expression ‘fake news’, which refers to a range of behaviours contributing to the misinformation of the public, has rapidly prospered in French,” the commission lamented. “This is an occasion to draw on the resources of the language to find French equivalents.”
The encroachment of English expressions is a regular topic of debate in France, where young people, in particular, often sprinkle their conversations with English turns of phrase.
Read more...
3 October 2018 (Glasgow Live)
A new language hub which will help empower older adults living with dementia in Glasgow has opened on the south side of the city.
Lingo Flamingo, based on Deanston Drive in the Shawlands area, will be offering a selection of immersive foreign language courses for all ages.
And all profits from the classes will be used to fund dementia-friendly classes in care homes across Glasgow and beyond.
Read more...
1 October 2018 (SQA)
The course reports for Advanced Higher Chinese, French, Gaelic (Learners), German, Italian and Spanish are now available on the SQA website.
Read more...
24 September 2018 (British Council Scotland)
British Council Scotland are 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.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
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19 September 2018 (SCHOLAR)
The schedule of online tutor sessions for Higher and Advanced Higher Modern Languages 2018-19 is now available online.
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Italian,
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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.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
12 September 2018 (Edinburgh Napier University)
Do you have young linguists with a passion for writing? Then here's a great opportunity for budding authors!
Worldwide Napier is a free magazine showcasing the work of language students at Edinburgh Napier University.
Senior pupils at secondary school are invited to submit contributions for the second edition of the magazine in French, German and Spanish by 31 October 2018.
You can read the first issue online and see the attached introductory letter and poster for more information.
Read more...
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.
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4 September 2018 (BBC)
The suggestion by a pair of Belgian teachers to drop a rule of grammar drilled into every French speaker at an early age has led to some amusement and consternation in France.
The teachers say rules for past participles that follow the verb avoir (to have) should be simplified.
The change would save some 80 hours of teaching time, they argue.
It has been endorsed by the linguistic authorities of Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia region and Brussels.
Currently, the rule is that the past participle of a verb does not agree with the direct object of a sentence if it comes after it, but it does when the object comes before the participle.
So for instance, in the sentence j'ai mangé des frites (I ate chips), mangé remains the same. But in the sentence les frites que j'ai mangées (the chips that I have eaten), the participle agrees with the word chips, which is feminine and plural.
The two teachers, Arnaud Hoedt et Jérôme Piron, argue the rule is overly complicated and inconsistent, and that the participle should remain unchanged regardless of the position of the object in the sentence if used with the verb to have.
Read more...
3 September 2018 (SCHOLAR)
SCHOLAR has updated the Higher French, German and Spanish pages to reflect the changes to Higher which are now in place. SCHOLAR on-line tutor, Douglas Angus, will be hosting a webinar on Monday 17 September at 6pm for an hour to look at the changes, and to talk about the implications for teaching and learning of the new format for Higher Modern Languages. To take part in this event please log in as guest. The webinar will be broadcast live and recorded so it can be downloaded if you miss it.
There will be sessions for pupils at Higher and Advanced Higher level this year again, starting in November. For Higher, amongst the sessions will be on on the Assignment-Writing and for Advanced Higher on on the Portfolio and Specialist Study. Meanwhile, last year’s sessions are still available on the SCHOLAR website, but are open to all and do not require a password.
Read more...
1 September 2018 (European Commission)
The European Commission has just launched Juvenes Translatores 2018, a translation contest for schools in the European Union.
Schools wishing to participate must respond by registering electronically on the website between 1 September and 20 October 2018.
Selected schools will be able to enter between two and five students, who must have been born in 2001. Each student can choose to translate from any official EU language into any other official EU language.
Further information, rules and criteria can be found on the Juvenes Translatores website.
Read more...
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29 August 2018 (Institut français)
Ready for la rentrée? The Institut français will be commencing classes for adults and children on 18 September 2018.
Open Days are available on 8 and 10 September where you can meet the teachers, have your level assessed and see the premises.
Visit the Institut français website for more information.
Read more...
20 August 2018 (University of Dundee)
New intake: The online Graduate Diplomas in French, German or Spanish are accredited by the General Teaching Council Scotland GTCS for teachers wishing to teach another language. The course runs 2 years part-time and starts in October 2018, University of Dundee.
The courses are taught online and via Skype and suitable for learners with an entry level comparable to a Higher or equivalent. On completion graduates are expected to be at C1 level (CEFR) .
For further information please see the distance learning page of the University of Dundee website.
Please contact us at humanities@dundee.ac.uk if you wish to discuss any aspect of the courses, or your application.
Read more...
17 August 2018 (The Courier)
A French language summer school has ensured that two Fife primary school teachers are fired up to teach their eager pupils le français.
As pupils across Courier Country head back to school this week, one Fife primary school will be saying “Bienvenue” to the new academic year. Teachers Dawn Allan and Meg Allan (no relation) spent a week in France on a highly sought-after immersion language course, with the aim of enhancing their French lessons at Leuchars Primary School.
Dawn takes up the story: “Meg and I completed a 10-week French evening course at Bell Baxter High School in Cupar two years ago and that was when we first heard about the possibility of attending immersion courses in France or Spain, organised by Le Français en Ecosse,” she says.
Read more...
New job profiles on the SCILT website
17 August 2018 (SCILT)
The job profiles on our website cover a range of professions where languages are being used.
We have two new profiles for the start of the new school session:
- Lorne Gillies is an award winning journalist whose language skills have enabled her to connect with people around the world, whilst helping her understanding of English.
- Ian Ross is a specialist in international trade and investment. Dealing with several Chinese companies, he tells us cultural awareness is as important as learning the language.
Teachers use our profiles in the classroom to enhance learning about the world of work and how languages can play a part.
16 August 2018 (Institut français)
From 3-27 August, the Institut français d'Ecosse will be hosting Fringe shows from exciting French, Scottish, and European artists based locally and on the continent.
Edinburgh-based Ludens Ensemble will perform Forbidden Stories, a devised multimedia performance, which questions cultural homogeneity, notions of otherness, and religious and nationalist tensions in the context of the partition of Greek and Turk communities on Cyprus.
(Mes)Dames, a contemporary dance piece choreographed by Constant Vigier, Scottish Ballet First Artist trained at the Opera national de Paris School of Dance, and set to the music of Christine and the Queens and Perfume Genius, offers a feminist gaze on the place of woman and femininity in modern society.
Berlin’s Duo Mimikry, composed of Nicolas Rocher and Elias Elastisch, bring Visual Short Stories, a series of non-verbal comedy vignettes, to the Institut français d’Ecosse. The French and German pair uses their expert miming skills and filmlike narrative techniques to deliver pitch black visual comedy.
Rounding out the programming in the Institut’s largest performance space, the Emilienne Moreau-Evrard room, is Out of Place, a show about a man who, despite his best efforts, never seems to find his place in life. Created and performed by Guérassim Dichliev, a gifted mime and physical comedian who trained at the Marcel Marceau International School of Miming, this one-clown show draws upon his experiences of displacement, both working in the theatre and living as a Bulgarian national in Paris for more than 25 years.
In SWAP/TROC, the Paisley-based Sita Pieraccini (much praised for Bird, performed as part of the 2016 Made in Scotland showcase) joins forces with the French clown Corentin Boisset to create a new work to be performed in the Institut’s dedicated children’s space, the Théâtre des Enfants. This poetic and subtle clown show will see Sita and Corentin desperately sashaying their way through the airport’s no man’s land in search of what one lost, and the other found.
Finally, for the youngest of audiences, the Crazy Comics Puppets will transform the Kieffer room into a puppet theatre, performing two different shows, The Carnival of the Animalsand A Cake for Cubitus. Rodrigue and Janvier, two French bande dessinée authors will bring to life some of the most iconic characters from French comics, alternating between English on odd days and French on even days. In addition to these shows aimed at children 5 and up, Rodrigue will also be delivering a series of free illustration masterclasses for participants of all ages and experience levels alongside Janvier and local Scottish writer Scott MacKay.
See the Institut français d'Ecosse website for more information.
Read more...
16 August 2018 (The Guardian)
The proportion of students in England gaining C grades or above in A-levels fell back this year, driven by a relatively weaker performance among girls, as schools and students continue to grapple with the introduction of new, more intensive exams.
[..] Modern languages continued their baleful downward trend, with nearly 8% fewer entries in French, German and Spanish. More A-level students took Chinese this year than German.
Read more...
Related Links
Some new perspectives on the 2018 A level results: STEM gap remains but decline in foreign languages exaggerated (HEPI, 18 August 2018)
A-levels: Humanities decline 'sign of EBacc failure' (TES, 17 August 2018)
A-level results: foreign languages suffer further slump (The Guardian, 16 August 2018)
British Council comments on A Level languages 2018 (British Council, 16 August 2018)
Decline in humanities A levels affecting university entries, warns British Academy (British Academy, 16 August 2018)
A-level language decline raises danger of monolingual society (Association of School and College Leaders, 16 August 2018)
A-level results day 2018: Chinese overtakes German for first time (The Telegraph, 16 August 2018)
Chinese overtakes German as third most popular foreign language (The Guardian, 16 August 2018)
A-level results: Language entries down as Chinese overtakes German (TES, 16 August 2018)
A-level results: Pupils 'not put off by language difficulty' (TES, 16 August 2018)
A and AS level trends in modern languages 2002-2018 (UCML, 16 August 2018)
The arts teach us how to express ourselves – and give us freedom to fail (The Guardian, 16 August 2018)
Teenagers turn backs on A-level French and German (The Times, 15 August 2018) Note - subscription required to read full article)
A-level French, German and music in danger of disappearing from classrooms, heads warn (iNews, 15 August 2018)
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.
Read more...
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16 August 2018 (Institut français)
Paris, c'est parti!
This is the Autumn theme for the new Institut français d'Ecosse After School Club!
The programme, aimed at children from P1 to P7, is the fruit of a collaboration between French Drama company Theatre Sans Accents, the puppet theatre company Le Petit Monde and the institute.
So needless to say, fun and creativity will be at the fore front of all the activities!
For more information, please visit the Institut français d'Ecosse website and click on the 'Autumn Classes 2018' PDF for details.
Read more...
15 August 2018 (The National)
[..] Gaelic medium education succeeds in producing new generations of fluent Gaelic speakers because, as its name suggests, it makes use of the Gaelic language to teach other subjects. Kids don’t sit in classes where they are taught Gaelic in the same way that French or other foreign languages are taught in schools.
The difference in the fluency level that is achieved is stark. I was taught Gaelic the old-fashioned way, and am the proud possessor of a Gaelic Learner’s O Grade and a Gaelic Learner’s Higher. I was taught Gaelic in much the same way kids in modern Scottish schools are taught French or German, in a dedicated class, a couple of hours a week. The result is that although I can puzzle out a written text in the language and have a reasonably sized Gaelic vocabulary, I struggle to follow a Gaelic conversation and can’t express myself orally.
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Languages in the press
13 August 2018 (Alliance Française)
Enrolments are now being taken at the Alliance Française for la Rentrée. Click on the appropriate link below to find out more.
Visit the Alliance Française main website for information about their other available activities.
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25 July 2018 (The Guardian)
French and Italian classes are improving self-confidence and wellbeing as well as cognition – even for those with dementia.
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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.
28 June 2018 (The Guardian)
English children are increasingly unwilling to learn the language of Molière and MC Solaar, according to the British Council, which reports that within a few years Spanish will overtake it as the most-studied foreign language. At A-level, takeup has already fallen to 8,300, from 21,300 in 1997, while Spanish has climbed to 7,600.
Laziness seems to have a lot to do with it. As Vicky Gough, a schools adviser at the British Council, put it, “There is a perception of Spanish being easier to pick up than other languages, which may account in part for its popularity.” Which, one might say, confirms another perception: that the kids of today want everything handed to them on a plate, from chauffeur service to and from school, to first-class university degrees.
Read more...
27 June 2018 (The Guardian)
Spanish is expected to overtake French as the main foreign language studied in classrooms in England in the next few years, and experts say German could face extinction from school timetables.
A report by the British Council says that although the study of languages continues to decline, Spanish is bucking the trend, with entries up in both GCSEs and A-levels.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
14 June 2018 (University of Stirling)
As you’ll have gathered from this blog, a good number of our students opt to apply for English Language Assistantships every year, whether between their 2nd and 3rd years or as graduates. For the past few years, some of our ELA students have also participated in SCILT’s ‘Language Linking, Global Thinking’ scheme during their year as assistants and we thought it’d be good to get a sense of what this actually involves – from the perspective of the students involved.
Read more...
7 June 2018 (UK-German Connection)
Are you interested in Europe, history and peace? Do you want to learn more about World War I and its consequences? Do you want to know how other societies experienced the war and how you can personally contribute to a peaceful future in and around Europe?
To commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War, the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO), along with partners, is organising an International Youth Meeting in Berlin. The event will bring together 500 young people from across Europe and beyond to discuss topics such as war, peace and history in an international setting. It will take place from Wednesday 14 November – Sunday 18 November, 2018.
As a partner organisation, UK-German Connection are recruiting a group of 18-22 year olds from the UK to attend this youth event.
Visit the UK-German Connection website for more information and apply by 17 June 2018.
Read more...
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News from language & education organisations
7 June 2018 (TES)
Hundreds of primary school teachers will have the chance to learn and teach new languages within seven months, under a scheme being expanded after a successful trial.
The distance-learning programme - the first of its kind in the UK – sees primary teachers study either French, Spanish, German or Mandarin and develop the skills to teach the language in the primary classroom at the same time.
After a pilot involving 54 teachers from 49 Scottish schools across nine local authorities in 2017-18, next year the scheme will be available throughout Scotland. Welsh and Northern Irish schools are also expected to sign up.
Teachers taking part will spend about five hours a week from October to June - around 150 hours in total - but they will start teaching the languages to pupils before completing the course.
The scheme, run by The Open University and SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages, will be launched in Edinburgh today.
Read more...
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Press Release: Teachers to learn to teach languages in the classroom
7 June 2018 (SCILT/OU)
An innovative scheme teaching primary teachers languages and how to teach those languages to pupils is being expanded across Scotland for the first time. The first of its kind in the UK, the distance learning programme will see primary teachers study French, Spanish, German or Mandarin and develop the skills to teach the language in the classroom at the same time.
Launching across Scotland today (Thursday 7 June) at an event in Edinburgh where guests will hear from pupils and teachers, the programme is now available to primary school teachers in all local authorities following a successful pilot which featured 54 teachers from 49 schools across nine local authorities in 2017/18. The programme is a partnership between The Open University and SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages based at the University of Strathclyde.
Designed to support the Scottish Government’s ‘1+2’ language policy, which aims to enable all pupils to learn two additional languages from primary level onwards, the programme will link up with the cultural organisations of France, Spain, Germany and China to facilitate immersive summer schools for participating teachers. At the same time, schools will also have the opportunity to make connections with schools in the countries whose language pupils are learning.
Dr Sylvia Warnecke, lecturer in languages and programme lead at The Open University, said:
“The key thing about this programme is its flexibility, meaning that teachers in every part of Scotland – whether urban or rural – will be able to learn together and share their experiences and ideas, helping each other to bring the language they’re learning to life in the classroom.
“We’ve already had teachers from the pilot project tell us that their pupils love it and are really engaged. They have been instrumental in starting after school language clubs and making links with schools in other countries. It’s exciting that all teachers, schools and pupils in every part of Scotland now have the chance to learn together through this programme.”
Fhiona Mackay, Director of SCILT, said:
“We see this as an important collaboration between our two universities, local authorities and teachers. The course is focused on developing teachers’ confidence so they are able to create exciting and motivating lessons for their pupils. In this way we can make sure that languages feature as an integral part of the Scottish curriculum and that youngsters are given their full entitlement to language learning.
“The teachers’ commitment to developing their skills is humbling. Their willingness to embrace their own learning in order to benefit their pupils’ experience highlights the professionalism and dedication that is the mark of the teaching profession.”
Gwen McCrossan, Principal Teacher for 1+2 Languages, Argyll & Bute, said:
“This course is ideal for the geographical situation of Argyll & Bute. We are delighted to be able to take part, as it provides a quality learning experience for teachers who would otherwise find it difficult to access language training. The course is also unique because it is tailor-made for primary school.”
The pilot project has been shortlisted in the partnership category in this year’s Herald Higher Education Awards. Such is the interest in the programme following its pilot phase and ahead of its wider rollout, it is expected that teachers from Wales and Northern Ireland will join the next presentation starting in October 2018.
A short video featuring teachers who participated in the pilot talking about their experience of the programme is available on YouTube.
Further information on how to sign-up for next year's course is available on SCILT's website
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SCILT news
Summer camps and intensive language classes
29 May 2018 (Institut français d’Écosse )
Institut français d’Écosse is offering summer camps and intensive language classes this July. Young people can choose from a fun drama and language camp, an intensive three day language course or a four-week long course this summer.
24 May 2018 (The Local)
The age-old French war over what to call France's famous chocolate-filled pastry treat - known to most as a "pain au chocolat" - has reached French parliament, where a group of MPs are fighting to have the the rival term "chocolatine" officially recognised.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
Scottish Parliament,
SCILT news,
CISS news
9 May 2018 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow are holding summer classes for both children and adults. Follow the relevant link below to find out more information:
Visit the Alliance Française main website for more information about the activities and opportunities they offer.
Read more...
4 May 2018 (SCILT)
For relevant, labour-market focused career advice on languages, direct from the workplace, read our latest Job Profile on Michael Dewar, whose love of languages has led to him working as a language tutor. Teachers, use this resource in your classroom to enhance learning about the world of work.
Read more...
26 April 2018 (The Times)
The number of pupils taking Higher French and German has fallen as interest in Italian and Chinese rises.
The number of pupils studying any Higher modern languages fell 6.2 per cent between 2016 and last year. Pupils studying Higher French fell by 14 per cent to 3,918 and German was down 13 per cent from 1,020 to 89. The number of students taking Higher Spanish hit 2,809, up 8 per cent on 2016; Italian rose 21 per cent to 264; Chinese languages grew in popularity by 16 per cent to 129; and Urdu rose by 13 per cent to 104. Those learning Gaelic at Higher level fell by 18 per cent, to 69.
(Subscription required to read full article).
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Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Learning,
National Qualifications,
Languages in the press,
Urdu
23 April 2018 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française Glasgow is pleased to announce it will be running special French workshops for children aged 5-10 in late June / early July.
This is an ideal opportunity for children of all levels to find out more about French language and culture through fun activities such as arts & crafts, songs, games, etc.
Visit the website for further information.
Read more...
Free trials available of La Jolie Ronde's two award winning resources and classes
20 April 2018 (La Jolie Ronde)
La Jolie Ronde Languages for Children has been at the forefront of Primary Languages since 1983. It offers language learning through weekly extra-curricular French and Spanish classes, the supply of early years and primary language teaching resources and educational visits to Northern France.
P1-P3 - Little Languages Resource - FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE
Little Languages is a brand new and unique resource for introducing languages to P1-P3. It provides the perfect solution for introducing some of the different languages and cultures from around the world. To support the non-specialist and as a guide to aid the expert language teacher, Little Languages enables you to start teaching straightaway!
Activities demonstrated in French and Spanish:
- Additional vocabulary & songs in Italian, Chinese, Indian & African
- Includes fun, play-based activities including IWB material
- Real life DVD clips featuring children from around the world
Product contains detailed lesson plans in a sturdy ring binder & software featuring:
- Lesson plans
- Resources
- IWB activities and games
- Colourful classroom wall frieze (5 x 2m lengths)
- DVD clips
- Also includes French and Spanish traditional and original songs plus songs from other languages
P4-P7 - French and Spanish Resource - FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE
La Jolie Ronde’s award winning resource contains everything you need to help plan and implement your policy for teaching a language in one go. The resource is a flexible four-year programme providing support to teachers with no previous experience of teaching languages and a guide for the more experienced, who can modify to suit. One of the biggest benefits of the resource is that everything is already pre-prepared and planned, so you can literally start teaching straightaway!
- Perfect for the non-specialist or an aid for the more experienced languages teacher
- Split into two schemes – for years P4-P5 and P6-P7
- Plenty of material to fill two years and four years
- Pre-prepared lessons, divided into short sessions for flexibility
- Comprehensive and detailed lesson notes
For your FREE TRIALS simply email your request to La Jolie Ronde quoting SCILT
FREE French or Spanish Class
Years of development, dedication and experience in the sector of early language learning, La Jolie Ronde has become the market leader, committed to offering the best possible start to young learners. Through their loyal network of over 560 tutors, who teach in over 1,660 centres across the UK and Ireland, they currently teach in the region of 20,500 children. To find your nearest French or Spanish class and book your FREE TASTER CLASS, visit La Jolie Ronde website.
16 April 2018 (Glasgow Live)
A city centre hotel is extending a warm welcome to guests from all over the world - and in 10 different languages too.
Apex City of Glasgow’s concierge and reception staff are learning key phrases from 10 of the most commonly spoken languages among the hotel’s guests.
The move is part of a #WarmerWelcome project rolled out across Apex hotels, the Bath Street branch included.
Staff will be learning a how to speak in German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Swedish, Norwegian, Japanese and Danish.
Read more...
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.
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
French,
1+2,
CPD,
Immersion,
Language Teaching,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
5 April 2018 (Edinburgh Napier University)
Edinburgh Napier University is delighted to announce the publication of the very first issue of Worldwide Napier, a free magazine in which our students in languages (French, German, Italian and Spanish) showcase some of their work. It is available now on digital and soon a few print copies will circulate within Edinburgh.
Secondary school pupils are being invited to contribute articles for the forthcoming issues. View the magazine online and see the attached introductory letter for more information.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
HE,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations
5 April 2018 (Dumbarton Reporter)
Budding linguists at St Mary’s Primary School in Alexandria celebrated their language skills with a French learning day.
Pupils were put into mixed groups of P1-3 and P4-7 and spent the day taking part in various activities including games, STEM tasks and letting their creative sides loose with some art.
The children also welcomed their parents into school for an afternoon to involve them in the fun and to show off their newly-acquired language skills.
Read more...
4 April 2018 (The Language Magician)
THE LANGUAGE MAGICIAN online game was launched at Language World UK on 23 March 2018, and the game with many of its resources are already available on the website – free for teachers to access thanks to Erasmus+ funding.
THE LANGUAGE MAGICIAN is an online game that draws in Primary children of all ages and challenges their language skills - in French, German, Italian, Spanish or English. It’s a game they like to play again so that they can do better, and it is also a tool for teachers to capture data about how their pupils do.
A final conference of the project is to be held in London on 19 May 2018, by which time all the accompanying project resources will be available.
To find out more about the game and conference see the attached flyer or visit the LANGUAGE MAGICIAN website.
Read more...
29 March 2018 (Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut in Glasgow invites you to join them for an evening of fun and friendly competition as they play modern board games from France and Germany!
This event takes place on 18 April 2018 and is primarily aimed at learners of French or German who would like to practice their speaking skills. However, anyone is welcome and choice of language will be adapted to the group.
The event is free to attend, but registration is essential.
Visit the website for more information and to register.
Read more...
French classes in Glasgow and Edinburgh
27 March 2018 (Alliance Française / Institut français)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow and the Institut français en Ecosse in Edinburgh are now enrolling for Term D French classes.
There are a range of courses available to suit all levels. Classes commence 16 April 2018.
Visit the appropriate website through the links below for more information and to book your place.
20 March 2018 (The Telegraph)
Emmanuel Macron launched an international drive to promote French as a “world language” on Tuesday, urging Francophone countries to resist the temptation to turn to English.
“France today should be proud of being one country among others that learns, speaks and writes in French,” he told the Académie Française, an august body of luminaries that has struggled for decades to turn back the relentless tide of English expressions flooding into French. “French should become the language that creates tomorrow’s world.”
However, French commentators were quick to point out that the 40-year-old president, a fluent English-speaker, is himself fond of using English expressions.
“France is back” and “start-up nation” have become catch-phrases associated with him.
Read more...
Related Links
Listen to Ludovica Serratrice from the University of Reading on BBC Radio Berkshire (from 1 hr 47 mins) talking about President Macron's bid to boost the French language. (Recording available until 20 April 2018).
16 March 2018 (SCILT)
The James Young High School (JYHS) is a six year, non-denominational, co-educational, comprehensive school with four associated primary schools in West Lothian. This case study focuses on the partnership approach between the secondary and associate primaries in the implementation of the 1+2 policy.
In the JYHS cluster all learners study French as L2 throughout the broad general education until the end of S3 and German is delivered as an L3 on the continuum model.
Read the case study on the 1+2 section of our website.
Read more...
16 March 2018 (SCHOLAR)
SCHOLAR’s last Modern Language webinar of the session is for Advanced Higher French, German and Spanish. Douglas Angus will give advice on tackling the reading paper, in particular the overall purpose question. Afterwards he will look at suggestions for revising for the final exam, and answer any questions on writing either the discursive writing or the folio.
The session is on Monday 19 March at 6pm. Like all the other sessions, it is recorded and available on the SCHOLAR website. Enter as a guest. No password necessary!
Read more...
OU/SCILT languages course for primary practitioners
15 March 2018 (Open University in Scotland/SCILT)
Due to the success of the initial pilot of the course developed by the OU and SCILT, LXT192/4 Learning to teach languages in primary school (French/Spanish), we are delighted to now be able to extend the offer to all Local Authorities. The course will be offered for the following languages:
French (LXT192), German (LXT193), Spanish (LXT194) and Mandarin (LXT197).
For the
next presentation of this course starting in October 2018,
registration will open on 1 April 2018. The course fee is £240.00 per student.
The course will be available to all primary practitioners but also secondary teachers who teach at primary level. We have produced an FAQ document with further detail about the course for your information.
In order to make the enrolment process as smooth as possible, we advise that in the first instance Development Officers contact Sylvia Warnecke at the Open University (s.warnecke@open.ac.uk ) with a list of the names and email addresses of teachers planning to study this in their Local Authority. We aim to complete enrolment by late June 2018 to allow time for planning staffing and timetabling.
And last but not least, we are planning to offer teachers, who enrol on the course, a summer school experience which will offer immersion in the language to boost confidence and provide ample opportunities to learn more about the cultures in which the language they are studying is spoken. The summer school is not part of the course, it is optional and can be booked separately. More information on this will be published in due course.
Policy makers, local councils, local authorities, MSPs and Consulates may also be interested in an event celebrating last years' pilot course, Primary school teachers learning to teach languages - A celebration, being held in Edinburgh on 7 June 2018.
Posted in:
Primary,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Partnership Working,
Teacher Education,
SCILT news,
News from language & education organisations
15 March 2018 (Heriot-Watt University)
The Multilingual Debate 2018 takes place on Wednesday 21 March at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus. As with previous years, the event is being streamed live over the internet. Schools should visit the website for information on how to participate in the online stream.
Read more...
12 March 2018 (British Council)
Language Assistants provide an interactive language resource for your classroom. We recruit our assistants directly from their home countries, meaning their language and resources are always up-to-date and, importantly, authentic.
Native speakers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese and Irish, they help pupils to build their confidence, develop conversational skills, boost motivation for learning, and better understand other cultures. Feedback from schools with a Language Assistant noted an improvement in pupils’ listening and speaking skills.
Not only that, many teachers have found that having a native speaker to talk to and share teaching ideas with can reinvigorate both their teaching practice and their own love for language learning.
So, with applications now open for the 2018/2019 academic year, there hasn’t been a better time to ensure your classroom has access to the best language learning resource around – a native speaker.
Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply for your language assistant by 31 March 2018. Please note that the deadline for Chinese Language Assistants is 1 June 2018.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Foreign Language Assistants,
Language Teaching,
Partnership Working,
News from language & education organisations
12 March 2018 (Le Petit Monde )
Le Petit Monde, bilingual puppet theatre company, will be on tour with The Wonderful World of Lapin throughout Scotland as part of the Puppet Animation Festival during the Easter holidays.
Artistic Director and now author Tania has also written Lapin is Hungry, a bilingual picture book based on her French puppet characters. The Book Launch Party will be on the 21st April at the Institut Francais d'Ecosse in Edinburgh.
The company is preparing Teaching Packs and is planning to tour schools with shows and book readings. Please get in touch with Tania for more details.
Read more...
22 February 2018 (Alliance Française Glasgow )
Read the latest newsletter from Alliance Française.
The newsletter provides information on exam preparation and revision courses for secondary pupils and university students, spring break workshops for children, CPD workshops for primary teachers and twilight training in French for primary schools, as well as an online courses to learn French.
Read more...
20 February 2018 (Institut français d’Écosse )
Vive la Francophonie Quiz is back! The Institut Français du Royaume-Uni, in collaboration with Francophonie UK, is pleased to offer a quiz during la Semaine de la Francophonie 2018 to celebrate the French language and the French-speaking countries.
This quiz is open to S1/S2/S3 learners.
It will be available online during la Semaine de la Francophonie week, from 17 to 25 March 2018, and will take a maximum of 45 minutes to complete.
How to take part: register your team (up to 10 participants maximum per team) online before 15 March through the link below.
You need to register each team separately.
Reminder emails and a link to the quiz page will be sent shortly before these dates.
Bonne chance à tous,
Read more...
19 February 2018 (Guardian)
Alain Mabanckou, the acclaimed Congolese writer, has rejected Emmanuel Macron’s project to boost French speaking worldwide, calling instead for a complete overhaul of the club of French-speaking countries known as la Francophonie, which he said had become an instrument of French imperialism propping up African dictators.
Read more...
Concours de la francophonie 2018 - winners announced
5 February 2018 (Institut français d’Écosse )
The winners of Le concours de la francophonie 2018 have been announced. Please see attached file for the full list.
This competition was launched in 2016 to support and encourage teachers and learners in primary and secondary schools and to showcase their progress as teaching of modern languages in primary schools becomes the new norm. The competition was designed to encourage wide participation: schools need to submit a short video of a class production in French. The selection takes place in two phases, a semi-final at the council level, with a special semi-final for independent schools, and a national final, which took place on 1st February.
The international day of la francophonie is celebrated all over the world on 20 March to celebrate the French language.
1 February 2018 (Institut Français Écosse)
The Institut français d’Ecosse has joined forces with Theatre Sans Accents to offer French holiday mini camps for primary and secondary school learners in February, April, and July 2018.
Read more...
1 February 2018 (Institut Français Écosse)
IFE offers Exam preparation classes for National 5, Higher and Advanded Higher French during holidays:
- from 12 to 16 February 2018, Mon TO Fri, 2-4pm
- from 9 to 13 April 2018, Mon TO Fri, 2-4pm
The team also offer regular classes for S4/S5/S6 on Tuesdays from 4.15 to 5.15pm.
Read more...
9 January 2018 (Alliance Française Glasgow )
Read the latest newsletter from Alliance Française and find out more about enrolling for the new term of French classes for adults and children..
The newsletter provides information on oral revision courses for Higher and Advanced Higher pupils, CPD workshops for primary teachers and twilight training in French for primary schools.
Read more...
AMOPA Advanced Higher French speaking competition
8 January 2018 (Alliance Française Glasgow )
The AMOPA Advanced Higher French speaking competition is been running for seven years and is going from strength to strength. We are delighted to open the competition again this year, with support from Total.
It must be the easiest competition ever to take part in!
To enter, all you need to do is submit a short recording of students as they prepare for their speaking test. The panel will assess it and give everyone some feedback. We also award prizes and certificates.
We hope that taking part in the competition is a way to support your pupils’ learning and exam preparation, and it's a great opportunity for them to receive feedback. Once again we will have prizes for the best entries and a gift for each school taking part.
2 December 2017 (Guardian)
Are we turning into a French-speaking planet? That was the surprising possibility raised by president Emmanuel Macron on a recent visit to Burkina Faso. “French will be the first language of Africa,” he said, plausibly, before adding, “perhaps the world.” Ah, oui? C’est vrai?
Read more...
Concours de la francophonie
1 December 2017 (Institut Français Écosse)
We launched in 2016 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.
Many schools across Scotland have taken part in 2016 and 2017 and we hope to receive
great entries this year again.
Who can take part? All Scottish primary and secondary schools offering French may
enter this competition by submitting a short video of a classroom activity in French.
4 Categories: P1/P4 - P5/P7 - S1/S3 - S4/S6
Eligible entries: A video in French of maximum 5 minutes. The learners should speak/sing
clearly in French. The level of French will be adapted to the learners, not too easy, not too
difficult. We will also value the participation of ALL learners in the class and the creativity
of the piece.
In primary, you may want to film a regular activity in French: a song you have prepared in
class, a game, or a small dialogue etc.
In secondary, students need to show their communication skills in French, so a song is not
receivable at that level. Students may want to conduct interviews in their school or create
a short drama or else.
How to take part?
State schools: your council will organise a semi-final to choose their local champions in
January 2018. Send your entry before Christmas holiday to your Modern Languages
Development Officer or your QIO.
Independent schools: a jury composed of representatives of the Alliance Française de
Glasgow and the Institut français d’Écosse will choose the Independent schools champions
in January 2018. Send your video to concours@ifecosse.org.uk before 19 December 2017.
Semi-final winning entries will enter a national competition in early February 2018.
Prizes:
-
first prize in each category: invitation to attend a special French immersion day on 23
March 2018 in Edinburgh to celebrate the international day of la francophonie. Transport
and lunch for the entire classroom will be offered. Winners will take part in French
workshops and will receive a selection of French books.
-
second prize in each category: a selection of French books
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, the
University of Edinburgh and TV5 Monde.
27 November 2017 (Alliance Française Glasgow )
Read the latest newsletter from Alliance Française and find out more about current CLPL opportunities for teachers. These include the twilight training in primary schools and a new programme of workshops for primary teachers.
The newsletter provides information on oral revision courses for Higher and Advanced Higher pupils and on the Concours de la francophonie 2018.
Read more...
'Sexist' inclusive writing row riles France
23 November 2017 (BBC News)
The French, as is well known, are obsessed by one thing - language. The latest topic to consume a nation of lexicologists is "inclusive writing".
This is the attempt to erase all trace of sexism in a language where gender is a central feature - French nouns are either masculine or feminine, dictating all adjectives and some verbal forms (a point that is sometimes made painfully clear to foreigners who happen to get those wrong).
CLPL for primary teachers in 2018
21 November 2017 (Alliance Française Glasgow )
Alliance Française is running a new programme of CLPL workshops in French for Primary School teachers in 2018.
- 10 topics covered over ten weeks, tailored to the needs of Primary School teachers.
- Suitable as a follow-up to one of our Beginners 1 classes or for French teachers in Primary schools.
- 4.15-5.45pm between 6th February and 23rd April included. Days of the week will vary; a detailed programme is available below.
- The cost to attend 10 workshops is £75/teacher.
- Option to enrol in less than 10 CPDs, please contact us for more information.
- Certificates of attendance will be given once the programme is completed.
- Places are limited so booking early is highly recommended.
If you wish to enrol, please contact or visit the Language Office at the Alliance Française as soon as possible:
Alliance Française Glasgow - 3 Park Circus, G3 6AX Glasgow
0141 331 4080
admin@afglasgow.org.uk
- Tuesday 6th February 2018: Phonetics / La phonétique
- Thursday 15th February: Daily life in a Primary School / La vie quotidienne dans une école primaire
- Thursday 22nd February: Songs from France and the Francophone world / Les chansons françaises/francophones
- Thursday 1st March: Conducting an activity in French (PE, maths, arts, etc.) / Le français comme langue d’enseignement
- Tuesday 6th March: Celebrations & calendar / Les fêtes et le calendrier
- Tuesday 13th March: Resources and activities for year-round festive events / Ressources et activités pour les fêtes
- Monday 19th March: Indoors and outdoors games / Les jeux d’intérieur et d’extérieur
- Monday 26th March: Films, Cartoons & TV5 Monde / Les films, dessins animés & TV5 Monde
- Monday 16th April: Storytelling in French / Raconter des histoires
- Monday 23rd April: French regions & their delicacies / Les régions de France & leurs spécialités
8 November 2017 (The Telegraph)
French grammar is sexist, according to hundreds of French teachers who insist they will no longer mark alternatives to male-dominated rules as wrong.
The call from 314 French teachers placed them on collision course with the Académie Française, the hallowed guardians of the French language, which has warned that moves to make French more gender-neutral is placing it in "mortal peril".
Read more...
6 November 2017 (Le Petit Monde)
Le Petit Monde, the puppet theatre company specialised in introducing Artistic Director Tania Czajka's native French language to young children since 2008, is currently working on a picture book based on its puppet characters.
Like all Tania's shows, the story is bilingual, features lots of healthy foods and, crucially, can be understood by all non French speakers.
Accompanied by an illustrated glossary, an audio version and a Teaching Pack, it will make a great resource for Early Years French lessons.
Tania and her team are currently crowdfunding to get Lapin is Hungry published.
Schools can pledge in exchange of signed copies, shows, workshops and other goodies!
For more information on how to support this unique project, please visit the link below or contact Tania directly.
Read more...
6 November 2017 (La Gazette du Sorcier)
This interview, in French, with Matthew Fitt, who has translated Harry Potter into Scots, will be of real interest to Harry Potter fans and a great opportunity for for learners to test their French.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
CLPL opportunities from Alliance Française
27 October 2017 (Alliance Française)
Read the latest newsletter from Alliance Française and find out more about current CLPL opportunities. These include the new term of language classes, new programme of training for primary teachers and information on DELF international diplomas.
23 October 2017 (LFEE)
LFEE were delighted – and very proud - to collect a GTCS Professional Recognition Accredited Programme Award last month for our three-week French/Spanish Immersion Programmes and the 12-month Modern Languages Immersion and Methodology Programme. This is following on from having achieved course accreditation three years ago.
Representatives from ten Local Authorities from across Scotland attended the PowerLanguage conference to witness the launch of the NEW PowerLanguage Schools (PLS) website. Feedback from those present was extremely positive and the new site is now available to other practitioners!
Our “off the shelf” L3 in Mandarin was also very popular and will be available in Spanish soon.
Last but not least, we’re very excited to say that Caroline Gordon has joined our team 2 days a week and will be helping us with communication and social media amongst other things!
Contact us for information regarding any of the above projects. We look forward to hearing from you!
Read more...
Posted in:
French,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Funding,
Immersion,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
FE,
HE,
French,
German,
Europe,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Cultural Diversity,
Partnership Working,
News from language & education organisations,
Polish
17 October 2017 (Open University/SCILT)
Primary school teachers are being given the confidence to teach languages to their pupils through a new project run by The Open University (OU) in Scotland and SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages.
Fifty one teachers from schools across nine local authorities are participating in ‘Learning to teach Languages in Primary School’ which will see them learn French or Spanish as well as how to teach the language in class.
The project aims to support the Scottish Government’s “1+2” Language Policy, which has the objective that every pupil will learn two modern foreign languages alongside their mother tongue from primary school onwards.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
French,
Spanish,
Scotland,
1+2,
CPD,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Partnership Working,
Teacher Education,
SCILT news,
News from language & education organisations
12 October 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française Glasgow is now offering special training designed for Primary School teachers to help them (re-)validate their professional development and accreditation.
Our team can travel to your school for a twilight to teach a 10-hour programme (2hrs per week over 5 weeks) suited for beginners/false beginners.
As well as working on your pronunciation and vocabulary skills, this course will provide you with "ready to teach" ideas and materials which can also be transferred to other languages in the 1+2 context.
Visit the Alliance Française website for further details.
Read more...
11 October 2017 (European Parliament)
There's still time to apply for the third European Youth Event (EYE) which will be taking place 1-2 June 2018 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
EYE provides a unique opportunity for young Europeans, aged between 16 and 30, to make their voices heard and to come up with innovative ideas for the future of Europe.
EYE2018 includes a wide range of activities in English, French and German run under the motto "The plan is to fan this spark into a flame." (Hamilton, My Shot). The activities centre around five main themes:
- Young and old: Keeping up with the digital revolution
- Rich and poor: Calling for a fair share
- Apart and together: Working out for a stronger Europe
- Safe and dangerous: Staying alive in turbulent times
- Local and global: Protecting our planet
Visit the EYE2018 website for more information. Groups of at least 10 young people who want to take part need to register on the website between October and December 2017.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
FE,
HE,
French,
German,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Cross-Sector Working,
Cultural Diversity,
Europe,
Language Skills,
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9 October 2017 (SEET)
Euroquiz, the annual project for P6 pupils in Scotland, is once again open for those wishing to participate in 2018.
The project, which sees team of four working together to broaden their knowledge of Europe and the wider world, includes coverage of foreign languages, history, geography, sport, culture and European affairs.
Heats take place in every local authority from January to March 2018, with the winning teams from all areas going forward to the National Euroquiz Final held in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament in May 2018.
Visit the Scottish European Education Trust (SEET) website for more information about Euroquiz and how to register your school to take part.
Read more...
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7 October 2017 (The Independent)
A new gender-neutral version of the French language has caused anger among purists.
A member of the prestigious Académie Française has hit back at the adaption, which looks to reduce the masculine domination of grammatical gender.
The French Academy is France’s 400-year-old voice of authority on language and its sole British member, Sir Michael Edwards, has deemed the gender neutral words “gibberish”.
As reported by The Times, the French government department responsible for equal rights said the masculine ending was a form of sexual tyranny.
Read more...
19 September 2017 (Alliance Française)
The autumn term has just begun at the Alliance Française in Glasgow. In their latest newsletter, find out more about the upcoming courses and events taking place, including:
- Beginner course for primary school teachers
- Grammar course and oral skills course for university students
- October break workshop for children
- DELF/DALF exams
- Distance learning with 'Frantastique' - access a free trial
For all this, and more, see the newsletter online.
Read more...
7 September 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française Glasgow is running a new 10-week Beginners 1 French course for Primary School teachers between October and December 2017.
This course is suitable for complete beginners.
- 20 hours of lessons over 10 weeks tailored to the needs of Primary School teachers: classroom and speaking activities, pronunciation, communication, increase your confidence and feel more comfortable speaking French.
- The course will take take place on Thursdays 3.45 - 5.45 pm between 5 October and 14 December 2017.
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information and to enrol.
Read more...
7 September 2017 (SALT)
Offered by Smalltalk Languages, this course is aimed at nursery/primary staff who are currently introducing French/Spanish as part of their curriculum for excellence/1+2 languages programme or intend to do so. Suitable for both complete beginners and people with prior knowledge of the language, the main focus of the course will be on language learning and practical methodology.
On the day participants will look at language from the children’s perspective. They will be shown how to build both their own and the children’s confidence in language skills while learning the importance of adapting and manipulating language for maximum effect.
Visit the SALT website for available dates and locations.
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1 September 2017 (The Language Hub)
The Language Hub in Glasgow provides regular bilingual story book sessions at Hillhead Library. The sessions are free to attend and, whilst aimed at pre-school children, everyone is welcome.
The next event takes place on 5 September with a Spanish/English reading of 'The Gruffalo'.
Further readings of different stories in a range of languages will take place during the Autumn. For details of all the available sessions from September to November visit the Language Hub's website.
Read more...
28 August 2017 (Michael Kerins)
This exciting new project will run from 20 to 31 October 2017. The idea is to create new writing using vocabulary that differs by the addition of only one letter - one single letter and the meaning changes. Not only in English - but in a wide variety of languages.
To find out more about the project and how you can participate, visit the website or contact michael.kerins@gmail.com.
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25 August 2017 (SQA)
Eight pieces of candidate evidence with commentaries for the new Assignment – writing component of the National 5 Modern Languages course for 2017-18 have been published on SQA’s Understanding Standards website. These contain examples in French, German and Spanish. Further examples in other languages will be published as soon as these are developed.
Read more...
24 August 2017 (European Parliament)
The third European Youth Event (EYE) will be taking place 1-2 June 2018 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. It provides a unique opportunity for young Europeans, aged between 16 and 30, to make their voices heard and to come up with innovative ideas for the future of Europe.
EYE2018 includes a wide range of activities in English, French and German run under the motto "The plan is to fan this spark into a flame." (Hamilton, My Shot). The activities centre around five main themes:
- Young and old: Keeping up with the digital revolution
- Rich and poor: Calling for a fair share
- Apart and together: Working out for a stronger Europe
- Safe and dangerous: Staying alive in turbulent times
- Local and global: Protecting our planet
Visit the EYE2018 website for more information. Groups of at least 10 young people who want to take part need to register on the website between October and December 2017.
Read more...
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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.
Read more...
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18 August 2017 (SCILT)
The job profiles on our website cover a range of professions where languages are being used.
Our latest addition comes from Emma Gallacher, whose language skills have taken her from Scotland to the Costa Blanca, where she now works as receptionist for an established Real Estate firm. She firmly believes learning the language has enabled her to settle and integrate into the Spanish way of life.
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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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.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
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.
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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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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.
Read more...
11 August 2017 (TES)
Move set to encourage take-up of subjects and create more language teachers.
The number of top grades awarded in modern foreign language A levels is likely to increase this summer, after a change brought in by Ofqual to help non-native speakers.
Exam boards have been asked to increase the proportion of students expected to achieve a grade A and above by one percentage point for French, German and Spanish A levels.
The exam regulator decided to intervene after carrying out research that showed native speakers were far more likely to achieve A* or A grades than non-native speakers.
If the ability of this year’s cohort is consistent with previous years, the uplift will be applied to the three A-level subjects.
However, relatively few candidates look set to benefit: a Tes analysis of last year’s A-level results suggests that an adjustment last summer would have resulted in around 200 extra A and A* grades being awarded.
The move from Ofqual has been widely welcomed across the sector, but headteacher organisations argue that it should not be the last word in solving what they see as a long-standing problem.
Read more...
9 August 2017 (The Herald)
THE number of pupils choosing key modern languages has fallen sharply.
Figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) show the number of entries for Higher French dropped from 4,581 in 2016 to 3,918 this year.
The figures for German have also fallen, with entries declining from 1,019 to 890 year-on-year.
However, the increasing popularity of Spanish has continued, with entries rising from 2,600 last year to 2,809.
Entries at the lower National 5 level for French and German have also fallen.
Read more...
7 August 2017 (Language Magazine)
While the 2016 UK European Union (EU) Membership Referendum launched the current public conversation on the status of English in the EU, it has been—just as much, if not more—a conversation on the future of French within the EU.
In order to understand the significance of this conversation about language, and languages, it is necessary to begin with the significance of multilingualism as a core value of the EU, which has implemented and supported plurilingualism, often referred to as “mother tongue plus two,” as a pragmatic educational objective.
In alignment with this core value of multilingualism, Europe accounts for more than half (53.9%) of the global language-services sector, which is valued at USD 38.2 billion per year, and the French Hewlett-Packard’s Application and Content Localization group (HPPACG) is the third-largest language-services provider in the world.
From the original four official languages of the European Community, the number has grown to 24, with English, French, and German (in alphabetical order) the informal de facto working/procedural languages, and the French government has long been an active advocate for the use of French.
But as the UK prepares to leave the EU, leaving no member nation with English registered as its official language, the role of English within the EU has been questioned, with suggestions made that French and German should be the sole working/procedural languages.
Read more...
2 August 2017 (MEITS blog)
Increasing motivation for language learning in UK schools and encouraging children to maintain their languages study past the point at which they have the chance to stop is an ongoing challenge. One important question here is: to what extent are success and motivation linked to the particular language pupils study?
The myth of the monolingual Brit, who refuses to speak foreign languages, has been supplemented in recent years by the narrative that we are not only unwilling, but also unable to speak foreign languages. For example, the 2012 European Survey on Language Competences, which sought to provide comparable data on standards of achievement in 15-year old learners across 16 participating countries, showed pupils in England languishing at the bottom of the table, where the learning of the first foreign language (French) was concerned.
The figures, however, tell a slightly different story when we consider the learning of the second foreign language. For example, Sweden, which had topped the charts for English proficiency, languished at the bottom when it came to the learning of the second foreign language (Spanish); learners in English secondary schools who were studying German as a second language did better.
Leaving aside the difficulty of providing robust data from such surveys, this study provides support for the idea that the language learned really does matter. Motivation for English learning is so strong in most parts of the world that for many learners it is now a life skill as much as a foreign language. Motivation for studying the second and third foreign languages, however, can be as difficult to achieve in other parts of the world as it is for the first in our own setting.
In Europe and the rest of the world English’s position as the foreign language of choice remains unassailable. For example, the 2017 Eurodice Report, which provides key data on teaching languages at school in Europe, reports that in 2014 virtually all EU students (97.3 %) studied English during the entire period of lower secondary education. After that came French (33.7 %), German (23.1 %) and Spanish (19.1 %), with other languages rarely studied.
The question of which language should we teach our learners in England remains a source of debate.
Read more...
SQA (23 June 2017)
The following documents will be available for all National 5 Modern Languages courses by the afternoon of Friday 23 June:
- Coursework assessment task - assignment (writing)
- Coursework assessment task - performance (talking)
- Course support notes
The course support notes will be added to the National 5 course specification as an appendix. The course specification will then be updated to version 2.0 and the date will change to June 2017, but there is no further change to the content of this document.
Read more...
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23 June 2017 (European Parliament)
The third European Youth Event (EYE) will be taking place 1-2 June 2018 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. It provides a unique opportunity for young Europeans, aged between 16 and 30, to make their voices heard and to come up with innovative ideas for the future of Europe.
EYE2018 includes a wide range of activities in English, French and German run under the motto "The plan is to fan this spark into a flame." (Hamilton, My Shot). The activities centre around five main themes:
- Young and old: Keeping up with the digital revolution
- Rich and poor: Calling for a fair share
- Apart and together: Working out for a stronger Europe
- Safe and dangerous: Staying alive in turbulent times
- Local and global: Protecting our planet
Visit the EYE2018 website for more information. Groups of at least 10 young people who want to take part need to register on the website between October and December 2017.
Read more...
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20 June 2017 (The Independent)
A new device that delivers foreign language translations directly to your ear almost instantly has just gone on sale.
The Translate One2One has been hailed as a real-world equivalent of the Babel fish, the famous fictional creature from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
It’s powered by IBM’s supercomputer, Watson, and takes between three and five seconds to complete a translation and play it to you.
It currently works across English, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German and Chinese.
However, both people in a conversation need to be wearing one.
Lingmo International, the company behind it, claims the Translate One2One is clever enough to avoid common translation stumbling blocks.
Read more...
19 June 2017 (Alliance Française)
There are still places available on the Summer Classes being run by the Alliance Française de Glasgow between June and September 2017. Classes are available for all levels.
Semi-Intensive Courses: enrol in a 4-week French programme suitable for complete beginners, or reinforce your language skills with revisions.
Intensive Courses: brush-up on your French with revisions over the course of 3 days.
Visit the website for more information and to enrol.
Read more...
15 June 2017 (SCILT / British Council)
Every year language assistants try to make languages really come alive for young people in Scotland's schools, e.g. by initiating a language exchange, participating in language competitions, or by organising immersion days.
In this blog you can browse through the work of last year's assistants. You can search the slides either by language or by school year group. Enjoy, and we hope you will be inspired to follow in their footsteps!
Read more...
30 May 2017 (The Guardian)
Five hundred years after revolutionary printing presses spread news of Martin Luther’s radical call for church reform across Europe, technology is again challenging religious tradition in the small German town of Wittenberg.
A robot priest that delivers blessings in five languages and beams light from its hands has been unveiled as part of an exhibition to mark the anniversary of the start of the Reformation, a Europe-wide religious, political and cultural upheaval sparked when Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door in the town.
Half a millennium later, the robot, called BlessU-2, is intended to trigger debate about the future of the church and the potential of artificial intelligence.
The item includes a short video demonstration in German.
Read more...
30 May 2017 (Institut français)
During August the Institut français in Edinburgh is running adults classes for all levels and aims. Whether you are looking to brush up your French over the summer or for some intensive classes, there's something for you.
This year a new intensive course is being launched which might be of particular interest for teachers. This 15 hour course will take place over three days from 8 to 10 August. GTCS registered teachers benefit from a concession fee.
All enrolments before July 11 can benefit from an 'early bird' rate.
See the
summer programme for details.
Further information about the Institut français and their full range of activities can be found on their website.
Read more...
30 May 2017 (Institut français)
The Institut français is offering a series of 4 workshops from September to December 2017 to help S5 and S6 students preparing for their exam.
Visit the Institut français website for further details and to apply by 23 June.
Read more...
24 May 2017 (The Guardian)
We Brits are pretty settled in our role as monoglots. Our default tactic of “speak English slowly and loudly so others can understand you” served us well enough – and then Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European commission, put the boot in by claiming recently that “English is losing importance.”
Is this really the case? Experts are divided.
Read more...
Volunteering opportunity for French-speaker
23 May 2017 (Xchange Scotland)
Xchange Scotland, a Glasgow-based youth-led charity, is offering a brand-new, unique volunteering opportunity.
Thanks to a strong partnership with French organisation Solidarites Jeunesses, six young French volunteers will be coming to Glasgow for a two-week long placement.
Xchange Scotland are looking for local French-speaking volunteers/students who would like to join the group of French volunteers and practise their language skills as well as help with project organisation. The level of French language of local volunteers should be preferably between A2-C2 level. This is an opportunity for local volunteers to practise French language with native speakers here in Glasgow as well as develop organisation and communication skills.
The participants will, for the duration of the project, be based in Auchindrain and join the museum’s outdoor workforce there. This is a small team consisting of young people (many with disabilities) undergoing training, which operates under the direction and supervision of a highly-experienced agricultural worker. This approach offers participants the chance to vary the work they do and gain experience in a variety of activities. The project aims to develop skills and intercultural understanding and also benefit the local community in Auchindrian.
Volunteers will be based in Auchindrain for two weeks from 31st July to 13th August 2017.
More information is available in the attached file or by email to Chiara Varesio.
23 May 2017 (Alliance Française de Glasgow)
Alliance Française de Glasgow are pleased to announce it will be running a special summer workshop for primary school children (P1-P7) in early July.
This is a great opportunity for the children to improve their language skills, experience life and culture in France as well as make new friends through fun activities!
Read more...
23 May 2017 (Alliance Française de Glasgow)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running Summer Classes suitable for all levels between June and September 2017.
Semi-Intensive Courses: enrol in a 4-week French programme suitable for complete beginners, or reinforce your language skills with revisions.
Intensive Courses: brush-up on your French with revisions over the course of 3 days.
Read more...
16 May 2017 (European Parliament)
Euroscola brings together about 600 students from all over the European Union for a day in Strasbourg discussing aspects of European integration, in multilingual working groups of 100 students. It is open to students aged 16-18 and the European Parliament offers a subsidy towards the costs of the journey to Strasbourg.
As working groups consist of students from several member states it is essential that participants have a sound knowledge of at least one other European Union language. For practical purposes knowledge of French is necessary as during the "committee" meetings in the afternoon, students are expected to think and speak in a language other than their mother tongue. The debates are held mainly in French and English.
Dates for the autumn term 2017 are now available.
To find out more and to apply, visit the Euroscola website.
Read more...
16 May 2017 (SEET)
Congratulations to the P6 team from Comely Park Primary School, who won the Scottish European Educational Trust’s National Euroquiz Final 2017, which took place in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament on 15th May 2017.
Team members Tamsin Gold, Edwin Walker, Robyn Dewar-Young and Jaymie Jones were crowned SEET’s Euroquiz Champions 2017 at the national final. The winners were closely followed by St Leonard’s Primary School team from South Lanarkshire, in a nail-biting final round. Sciennes Primary School from Edinburgh also did incredibly well, winning the prize for third place.
Euroquiz is run by the Scottish European Educational Trust, a non-political charity, which promotes education about language learning, Europe and the wider world amongst Scotland’s young people.
See the attached press release for full details about this year's competition and participating schools.
If your school might like to take part in future competitions, visit the SEET website for more information.
Read more...
Related Links
Third Place in Euroquiz 2017! (Sciennes Primary School, 15 May 2017) - post includes photos and links to the event on Parliament TV.
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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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12 May 2017 (ALL)
This year's Language Perfect World Championships take place from 15 - 25 May.
Students participate in the world's largest online languages event over 10 days with the chance to earn certificates and qualify for awards and prizes by translating between their target language and English. The competition is relevant for everyone, whatever their ability.
The first 500 schools to register will receive 50 free entries. (ALL members can register all students for free).
Find out more about the competition via the ALL webpage and the
competition website.
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11 May 2017 (Irish Examiner)
(Relates to Ireland) In a series of reports on student performance in language exams last June, chief examiners say students must learn how to adapt, instead of using learned-off answers.
The issues were most acute in the 2016 Leaving Certificate exams in Spanish, French, and Italian.
There are many positive aspects, particularly about the competencies of more able students of the six languages, which also included German, Japanese, and Russian.
But in oral exams, which are worth between 20% and 25% of marks in language subjects, a common concern is that students have prepared answers.
The Spanish Leaving Certificate examiner reported, for example, that a number of students had been taught in a “rote-learning” manner that prevented the natural flow of conversation.
“Many candidates had prepared a range of topics in the general conversation, but, when gently disengaged from rote-learned topics, found it difficult to communicate effectively in the target language,” the reports said.
The reports are published today by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), whose chief examiner in Leaving Certificate French said most students were well-prepared for the orals and had a high degree of proficiency and fluency.
However, at the other end of the scale, some of the 25,758 students examined in the subject had difficulty answering even simple questions.
Read more...
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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.
Read more...
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27 April 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is holding a number of classes/exams during summer 2017. Follow the appropriate link below to find out more information:
To find out more about the Alliance Française, visit their website.
Read more...
26 April 2017 (uTalk)
London-based language experts uTalk are helping passengers on Emirates Airline prepare for arrival with new inflight language videos. They’ve produced a series of films, which can be seen on all Emirates flights, giving travellers an introduction to five languages, with beginner lessons covering first words, food and drink and getting around.
Read more...
24 April 2017 (Alliance Française)
This year’s film collaboration between the Goethe Institut and the Alliance Française will stand under the heading of comedy.
Though the sense of humor varies according to national history and culture, it still manages to reach people regardless of age, gender, race and across country borders.
Visit the Alliance Française website to find out more about the 4 films being screened during May and June at the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Glasgow.
The events are free, but registration is essential.
Read more...
21 April 2017 (The Guardian)
For years the British stereotype of Germans has been that they get the best of everything, from sun-loungers to football trophies – and now it seems they have been achieving the best A-level grades.
Research published by the exam regulator Ofqual has found that German-speaking children in the UK have been sitting A-level exams in their native language – and winning a disproportionate amount of A and A* grades on offer.
The Ofqual research estimated that about 17% of the students taking German A-levels in Britain may be native speakers, and gained about half of the top A* grades on offer – making it harder for non-native speakers sitting the exam.
The new research is good news for pupils taking this summer’s A-levels, with Ofqual suggesting it could increase the number of top grades it hands out, to ensure a level playing field between grades awarded in modern foreign languages and other subjects.
“If the ability of the cohorts is similar to previous years we would anticipate small increases in the proportion of students getting top grades in each subject this August,” Ofqual said in a statement.
The researchers found similar results in French and Spanish, with native speakers gaining higher than average GCSE scores. In Spanish, native speakers are almost 10 times more likely to achieve a grade A or A* than non-native speakers. Native-speaking Germans are 28 times more likely to achieve a grade A, and 11 times more likely to get an A*.
The research comes after complaints from leading schools that modern foreign languages are graded less generously than other subjects. But until now there has been no effort to account for native speakers as exam candidates.
Read more...
21 April 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 David Rodger, Area Manager at Amazon Germany. He tells how people engage with you and realise you're on their side if you demonstrate the willingness to understand their language and culture.
Teachers use our profiles in the classroom to enhance learning about the world of work and how language skills can play a part.
Read more...
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Photo exhibition workshops for primary schools: “Objectif sport”
20 April 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is organising educational workshops around sport and the French language in May and June. Through games and activities in French, pupils will learn about sport, sporting events and the values attached to them.
The workshops are designed for primary school pupils and their teachers (P3/P6) who visit the photo exhibition and are free of charge.
See the attached flyer for more information and booking instructions.
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...
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Business,
Careers,
Language Learning,
Language Learning for Work,
Promoting Languages,
Resources,
SCILT news
30 March 2017 (ALL)
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Embassy in London, the Institut Français du Royaume-Uni and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are looking for the next generation of translators into English.
Higher Education Institutions across the UK are being invited to nominate their most promising undergraduate student(s) to take part in a one-day exclusive Masterclass in Translation to be held at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge, on Thursday, 27th April 2017 with the opportunity for two Masterclass students to visit the Frankfurt Book Fair this year.
This call is open to undergraduate students only. Students must have a proficiency in either German or French (Level B1 and higher, according to CEFR). A combination of the two languages is very welcome but not required.
The candidates and the nominators are asked to complete the application form and send it electronically to
application@lond.diplo.de by Tuesday 18 April 2017.
For full terms and conditions, visit the Association for Language Learning (ALL) website.
Read more...
27 March 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française has a number of upcoming opportunities for French language learners in Glasgow. Follow the relevant link below for more information:
- Spring Break Revision Classes April 2017 (3-7 April) - preparation courses for pupils sitting Nat 5, Higher and Advanced Higher French this year and University students due to sit exams later this year.
- Easter workshop for primary school pupils (3-7 April) - children will learn about French language and culture through fun Easter-themed activities.
- Term D adult courses now enrolling - classes available at all levels from Beginner to Advanced, along with specialised courses such as Conversation, Current Affairs, Grammar and Phonetics. New term commences 18 April 2017.
- New adult classes - Beginners, Lunchtime Conversation Class, Phonetics Class, Grammar Class commencing from 18 April 2017.
For further information about the Alliance Française and their full range of activities, visit their website.
Read more...
Les Resultats ! Le Quiz de la Francophonie
24 March 2017 (Institut français / Canadian High Commission)
The Canadian High Commission in London, who organised the Quiz de la francophonie this year, have just announced the names of the winning schools who are all from Scotland!
Congratulations to:
- Sir E. Scott School ( Les Gateaux Gris)
- Mid Yell JHS ( Les Petits Crofters)
- Westhill Academy ( les Grenouilles 2 E)
Thank you to all participants and well done to the winning schools who will receive their prizes in due course.
Scottish schools celebrate French language in Edinburgh on Friday 17 March 2017
17 March 2017 (Institut français d’Écosse )
Three winning schools of the “Concours de la francophonie” will receive their prizes at the special Award ceremony hosted at the University of Edinburgh on Friday 17 March by Emmanuel Cocher, Consul general of France in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
La francophonie is thriving in Scotland as a majority of children now learn French from P1. To celebrate this renewed engagement with languages, the Institut français d’Écosse launched in 2016 a national French competition, to celebrate the international day of la francophonie with all young learners across Scotland.
This student-led competition is designed to value creativity in French and allow a large participation of all primary and secondary schools. Learners are invited to film a short piece, dialogue, song, play, report or any other production in French. The competition is organised in two phases: Local Authorities choose their local champions and a national jury select the winners. For this second edition, various Local Authorities including Shetland Islands Council and Orkney Islands Council, and various independent schools.
87 learners from three of the four winning schools will attend the ceremony, on 17 March at the Outreach Center at the University of Edinburgh. The ceremony will be preceded by various activities in French conducted by 4th year students of French at the University of Edinburgh and teachers of the Institut français d’Écosse.
The winning schools are:
P1/P4
Glasgow City Council – Holy Cross Primary School – P4
P5/P7
Argyll and Bute Council – Dunoon Primary School – P5
Falkirk Council – Antonine Primary School – P5
S1/S3
Shetland Islands Council – Mid Yell Junior School – S3
The Institut français will visit Mid Yell Junior School in June to give their award and prizes to the winners and offer them French activities.
Emmanuel Cocher, Consul general of France and Director of the Institut français d’Écosse said: “La journée mondiale de la francophonie, the international day of la francophonie, is indeed a very special day which brings together French speakers, learners and teachers, to celebrate the French language and the dialogue between cultures.” He added: “Thanks to the 1+2 policy, all students now learn two additional languages in schools and a clear majority have chosen French as their first modern language. This ambitious and exciting policy will have a positive impact on language uptake in schools, and will open new horizons to all young Scots.”
The organisers:
The Institut français d’Écosse is the agency of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Scotland, promoting French language and culture. The Institut français d’Écosse supports French language teaching and learning in Scotland.
Additional information is available on www.ifecosse.org.uk
The partners:
SCILT, Scotland’s National Center for Languages
SALT, Scottish Association for Language Teaching
Alliance française de Glasgow
The Department of European Languages and Culture of the University of Edinburgh
TV5 MONDE
The sponsors:
Total E&P UK
The Franco-Scottish Society
The national jury for the 2017 edition:
Louise Glen, Senior Education Officer, Education Scotland
Hannah Doughty, Professional Development Officer, SCILT
Maryse Payen Roy, Committee Member, SALT
Valérie Laplanche Ferguson, Teacher, Institut français d’Écosse
The international day of la Francophonie is celebrated all around the world on 20 March. http://www.20mars.francophonie.org/
16 March 2017 (SCILT)
We have summarised the Course Reports for Higher and Advanced Higher Modern Languages and Gàidhlig. These reports highlight areas where candidates performed well in the 2016 exam and areas where they encountered difficulty.
They contain sound advice for both teachers and pupils in the run up to this year's exam diet.
The full report for each language can be accessed on the
SQA website under the Verification and Course Reports tab.
The summary reports are attached below and can also be found on the Senior Phase, Essentials for Planning page on the SCILT website under the SQA Qualifications tab.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Learning,
National Qualifications,
SCILT news,
SQA,
Urdu
3 March 2017 (Institut français)
The French Zone is happy to welcome you to Stand 208 at Language Show Live, 10-11 March 2017, and to offer you a variety of French resources from the Institut français and other key actors of French teaching and learning.
Visit the Institut français website for more information.
Read more...
2 March 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française has a number of upcoming opportunities for French language learners in Glasgow. Follow the relevant link below for more information:
- Spring Break Revision Classes April 2017 (3-7 April) - preparation courses for pupils sitting Nat 5, Higher and Advanced Higher French this year.
- Easter workshop for primary school pupils (3-7 April) - children will learn about French language and culture through fun Easter-themed activities.
- Screening of 2 documentary films with directors in attendance. The first one is on gender inequality and could be of interest to Advanced Higher pupils, the second gives a good insight into one of the most famous newspapers in France:
To find out more about the Alliance Française and all their activities, visit their website.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Immersion,
Language Learning,
Partnership Working,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations
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.
Read more...
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:
- Enrol your team
- 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.
Read more...
24 February 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 Emma Therer, a student of German and Linguistics, whose aim is to become a translator and interpreter. She believes languages are key in getting to know people and to learn about other cultures.
Read her profile and others on our website now.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
20 February 2017 (The Independent)
Edina and Patsy remain fabulous in every language.
Absolutely Fabulous is now coming up to its 25th anniversary, with the BBC Worldwide Showcase commemorating the occasion by releasing a clip which cuts together a scene in six different European languages: English, Italian, German, Spanish, Czech, and French.
It's all part of an effort to celebrate its expansive global success, which last year saw the release of the pair's own feature film debut in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie; launching stars Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders on their escape to the French Riviera after an incident at a fashion launch party sends Kate Moss tumbling into the Thames.
Read more...
17 February 2017 (Institut français d'Ecosse)
The Institut français offers classes and workshops for all ages (toddlers to adults), from complete beginners to fluent speakers.
Enrolment is open for Spring term classes beginning in April.
Students undertaking National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers can also register for a preparation course running 3-7 April.
Visit the website for full details and to enrol.
Read more...
17 February 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running a new translation course specifically designed for students who are currently studying French at University. This course will increase language skills and should greatly help prepare for exams where translation is involved.
This new 5-week course will take place on Wednesdays between 3.45-5.45pm starting Wednesday 1 March.
Visit the website for more information and to enrol by Saturday 25 February.
Read more...
17 February 2017 (SCILT)
For relevant, labour-market focused career advice on languages, direct from the workplace, read our latest Job Profile from Katie Targett-Adams, a professional singer and harpist currently based in Hong Kong. Teachers, use this resource in your classroom to enhance learning about the world of work.
Read more...
Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Business,
Careers,
Cultural Diversity,
Language Learning,
Language Learning for Work,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news
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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Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Foreign Language Assistants,
Funding,
Language Ambassadors,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations
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.
Read more...
7 February 2017 (BBC)
English rugby referees are taking French lessons in order to improve their communication skills during games, says top official Wayne Barnes.
There has been criticism by players of some Six Nations referees only being able to speak in English.
However, Barnes, 37, says RFU officials "want to be better communicators".
"We are not just training and reviewing, we are actually doing some French lessons as a group," he told the BBC Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
One of the world's leading referees, Barnes has been taking charge of international matches since 2006.
And while he argues that speaking a range of languages fluently is unfeasible for a referee, he feels steps can be taken to improve communication.
Read more...
7 February 2017 (Many Languages One World)
The United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), in collaboration with ELS Educational Services, Inc., (ELS) invites students, 18 years and older, who are enrolled in a full-time course of study at a college or university, to participate in the Many Languages, One World Essay Contest.
The essay should discuss global citizenship and cultural understanding, and the role that multilingual ability can play in fostering these and must be written in one of the six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish).
Visit the Many Languages, One World website for more information about the competition and how to enter. Submission deadline is 16 March 2017.
Read more...
Posted in:
FE,
HE,
Chinese,
French,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Citizenship,
Cultural Diversity,
Language Learning,
Multilingualism,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian,
Arabic
3 February 2017 (BBC)
When it comes to learning languages, it's often thought the Swedes are rather good at it, the Dutch brilliant, and the British, rather poor. Student, Melissa May, who is from southern England, is perhaps the exception that proves the rule. Not content with mastering many languages including German, French and Spanish, she decided to invent a completely new one, with its own unique script. It is called Skénavánns. She told James Menendez about it.
Read more...
Teacher Volunteers Wanted
1 February 2017 (NUS Scotland)
The Scottish Migrant Institute has been set up as a teaching hub to provide training and education to the asylum seeker, refugee and migrant community. These evening and weekend classes, hosted at the University of Strathclyde, offer a range of subjects to adults who want to learn in their spare time. They are currently recruiting volunteers to teach French and Spanish – this would be an ideal opportunity for ML teachers or students who have some spare time to commit.
For more information please contact
Lord Apetsi, NUS Scotland Asylum Seeker & Refugee Officer. An information event will be held at the University of Strathclyde in March/April (date to be confirmed).
31 January 2017 (Yakety Yak)
Yakety Yak has some new venues for French and Italian language cafés in Glasgow.
Visit their website for more information.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
French,
Spanish,
Business,
Careers,
Language Learning,
Language Learning for Work,
Language Teaching,
Motivation,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news
27 January 2017 (TESS)
Education directors have dismissed fears that pupils’ subject choices are narrowing under Curriculum for Excellence, insisting they have “far greater” choice than in the past.
MSPs have raised concerns that many pupils are only taking six subjects in S4 under new national qualifications, whereas eight would have been typical under the previous system.
Terry Lanagan, executive officer for education directors’ body ADES, said it was a mistake to look at S4 in isolation, since the “senior phase” was built around pupils accruing qualifications over a three-year period.
The former West Dunbartonshire education director also highlighted that schools could take more flexible approaches, such as joining forces to offer certain subjects or bringing in college lecturers to work with pupils. Greater priority was now given to so-called vocational qualifications, he added.
[..] Figures published in December show the numbers of secondary teachers by main subject taught from 2008-16. TESS examined subjects with more than 500 teachers in 2016 and found that French, computing and home economics are under extreme pressure.
The article can be read in full in TESS online, issue 27 January 2017 (subscription required).
Read more...
26 January 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow has a number of upcoming courses for the new term. Follow the appropriate link below for more information:
For more information about the Alliance Française visit their website.
Read more...
20 January 2017 (SCILT)
If you're looking for relevant career advice on languages direct from the workplace, read 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 John Barry, a former petroleum engineer and manager with Shell, who explains how his language skills helped him to develop his career with the company.
Read more...
Posted in:
French,
Spanish,
Business,
Careers,
Language Learning,
Language Learning - Benefits,
Language Learning for Work,
Language Teaching,
Promoting Languages,
Resources,
SCILT news,
Russian,
Japanese
19 January 2017 (Scottish Education Awards)
The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms.
There's still time to submit nominations for the Awards, so get your entries in for the Making Languages Come Alive (Primary) and Gaelic Education/Duais Foghlam Gàidhlig.awards before the closing date of 15 February 2017.
Visit the Scottish Education Award website to make your nomination.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
News from language & education organisations,
Urdu
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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Posted in:
Early Years,
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations
16 January 2017 (SQA)
The SQA has produced updated guidance documents on the use of past paper questions for Advanced Higher Modern Languages (Chinese, Italian, French, Spanish, German and Gaelic learners).
These can be found on the SQA Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage under the 'Specimen Question Papers and Marking Instructions' section.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Curriculum for Excellence,
Language Teaching,
National Qualifications,
News from language & education organisations,
SQA
12 January 2017 (SQA)
SQA currently has Marker vacancies in the following areas:
- AH French Paper 1 and Paper 2 (Reading and Translation and Listening and Discursive Writing) - this is a MFI Central Marking event which takes place from Thursday 1 June - Sunday 4 June 2017 inclusive
- AH French Portfolio - this is traditionally marked and the Marker meeting take place on Wednesday 10 May 2017.
If you would like to be considered for AH French marking please complete the online application form stating which components you would like to mark confirming your availability to attend either the marking meeting and or the central marking event.
Details can be found in the marker advert on the SQA website.
Current markers who wish to be considered for a change of level should also complete an application form confirming current delivery of AH French for at least 2 years.
Read more...
9 January 2017 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow has a number of upcoming courses for the new term. Follow the appropriate link below for more information:
For more information about the Alliance Française visit their website.
Read more...
Mathématiques sans frontières
6 January 2017 (North Lanarkshire Council)
North Lanarkshire Council and Heriot Watt University are once again jointly organising the world-wide Maths and Language competition “Mathématiques sans Frontières” in Scotland.
Schools are invited to participate in this stimulating and light-hearted competition for S4 and S5 which combines Maths and Modern Languages and aims to motivate pupils.
The competition itself will be held on Tuesday 7 March 2017 and schools wishing to participate should complete the proforma attached and return by 27 January 2017. There is also a training test available for download.
See the attachments for more information and to register your school.
6 January 2017 (LFEE)
LFEE Europe has been an international course provider since 2002. Our team of experienced and fully qualified native teachers are committed to promoting French and Spanish language and culture throughout Europe. Funding for all our courses is available through the European Union Erasmus+ Programme.
For more information see the attached flyer or visit the LFEE website.
Read more...
Posted in:
French,
Spanish,
CPD,
Europe,
Funding,
Immersion,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
5 January 2017 (BT)
Mandarin Chinese is the most useful non-European language for children to learn, UK parents believe.
It will boost their child's career prospects, according to 51%of parents, while 56% felt it would open their children's minds to an "exciting and dynamic" culture.
Arabic and Japanese, which both picked by 14% of parents, were the other key non-European languages.
The figures were gained after 1,138 UK adults with children aged under 18 were questioned in a Populus survey commissioned by the Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP).
French, Spanish and German were the top choices overall for young people in the UK to learn after being picked by 57%, 54% and 40% of parents respectively.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
12 December 2016 (Heriot-Watt University)
Heriot-Watt University's Multilingual Debate is an annual event showcasing the interpreting skills of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The 2017 Debates will take place on Wednesday 22 March with two multilingual teams arguing for and against a motion of topical interest in a range of languages. There are two Debates; one in the morning, one in the afternoon.
The Multilingual Debates are open to schools, colleges and universities and aim to stimulate interest and dialogue among young people in the international politics and social issues of the modern world whilst also setting language acquisition in a realistic context.
The topics for the 2017 Debates have just been announced and can be viewed on the YouTube video.
Visit the Heriot-Watt website for further information.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Interpreting,
Multilingualism,
Promoting Languages,
Translation,
News from language & education organisations,
Arabic,
BSL
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.
Read more...
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...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations
23 November 2016 (TOTAL E&P UK)
TOTAL E&P UK Ltd are proud to be once again supporting the French Film Festival at the Belmont Cinema, in Aberdeen. Now in its 24th year, the Festival will run from Thursday 24 November to Sunday 4 December.
An important and popular part of this cultural showcase are the school screenings. Designed to encourage younger audiences to explore the study of modern languages, Total host private screenings for primary and secondary school children to encourage them to learn French. Over 500 pupils from Aberdeen City and Shire attended two separate screenings of The New Kid (Le nouveau) and Long Way North (Tout en haut du monde) at the City’s arts cinema. These TEP UK sponsored cinema trips provide pupils with the exclusive opportunity to continue their French learning outside of the classroom as well as offering an insight into French culture.
Virginie Jégat, Communications Coordinator at Total said “Here at Total E&P UK we see on daily basis the benefit of languages in the workplace. The ability to speak a language adds huge value to the business experience, whilst increasing cultural understanding. The French Film Festival is a unique event in Aberdeen and it is ideal that we can use the context of film culture to inspire the younger generation”.
Richard Mowe, Director of the French Film Festival UK said: “The Festival is the most comprehensive and diverse showcases for French-speaking cinema in the UK and this year has expanded to more than 30 different locations. Aberdeen has always been a vibrant hub of the Festival thanks to Total E&P UK’s support, particularly in programmes for young people. Vive le cinéma!”
Total is a global company with over 30 nationalities working in their UK head office in Aberdeen. As a multicultural and diverse organisation, we are committed to encouraging the younger generation to consider the energy industry as an attractive career option. The French Film Festival is an ideal opportunity to showcase language as an equally important aspect of study alongside the role Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects have in today’s curriculum.
Read more...
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:
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.
Read more...
23 November 2016 (Alliance Française)
Studying French at university? Brush up on your grammar and oral skills at the AF !
We will be running two new courses for grammar and oral practice specifically designed for students who are currently studying French at university.
The courses will run for 5 weeks during January/February 2017.
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information and to enrol.
Read more...
23 November 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running a programme of CPD workshops in French for Primary school teachers between February and April 2017.
Ten topics will be covered, tailored to the needs of Primary school teachers.
For more information and to enrol, visit the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
23 November 2016 (Alliance Française)
As in previous years, the Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running Higher and Advanced Higher Oral Preparation courses for pupils who will be sitting their French oral examinations in 2017.
The sessions will take place during February 2017.
Visit the Alliance Française website for further information and to enrol.
Read more...
18 November 2016 (What's on Glasgow)
Language classes for adults, kids and teens in the heart of Glasgow. Choose from English, Italian, Spanish, French and Gaelic.
Visit the website for more information.
Read more...
11 November 2016 (TESS)
Most schools still do not have access to a modern language assistant, new figures show, amid fears that the scheme will wither away if a key source of funding is stopped.
Native speakers of foreign languages have long come to Scotland to work in schools and help teachers to bring those subjects to life. But as local authorities cut budgets, their numbers fell as low as 72 by 2013-14.
Figures obtained by TESS show that the provisional number of modern language assistants (MLAs) has risen to 146 this year, including 23 in independent schools.
The data from British Council Scotland – which arranges for MLAs to work in the country – show increased numbers in all five languages that are part of the scheme: French, German, Italian, Mandarin and Spanish.
But there is still some way to go to match the 278 MLAs that were working in schools in 2005-06 – the highest number since existing records began in 2003.
The picture also varies markedly around the country: 18 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities have no MLAs, while Edinburgh has the most with 25, and even a small council like Angus has as many as 19.
Lucy Young, head of education at British Council Scotland, said that councils often used funding from the Scottish government’s 1+2 languages programme to recruit MLAs at an annual cost of about £10,000 per assistant.
Under the programme – being rolled out in all primary schools – pupils are expected to have knowledge of two languages other than their own by the time they reach secondary.
But this key funding is due to be stopped in 2020 – putting schools’ access to MLAs at risk.
Read the full article on TESS online, 11 November 2016 (subscription required).
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Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Foreign Language Assistants,
Funding,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Languages in the press
11 November 2016 (SCILT)
Our Job Profiles are designed to be used in the classroom to enhance learning about the world of work. They provide really relevant careers advice on languages, direct from the workplace, and cover a range of sectors. See our latest addition:
- Claire Murphy, Translator - a translator at the European Commission, Claire speaks Spanish, German and Italian and is currently learning French. She explains how cultural knowledge is as important as language skills in her role.
See this and other job profiles on our website now.
Read more...
Posted in:
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Business,
Careers,
Language Learning,
Language Learning for Work,
Language Skills,
Promoting Languages,
Study Abroad,
SCILT news
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!
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
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French,
Spanish,
CPD,
Funding,
Immersion,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Study Abroad,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
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.
Read more...
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S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news,
CISS news
24 October 2016 (SEET)
SEET is very pleased to announce that Euroquiz 2016-17 has now officially launched! We run an annual Euroquiz for P6 pupils, promoting education about Europe and encouraging the development of foreign language skills and intercultural competencies amongst young people in Scotland.
If you are interested in finding out more about Euroquiz, visit the SEET website where you can watch our promo video, or contact jane@seet.org.uk. Primary schools will receive information via their local authority including a registration form.
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Posted in:
Primary,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Language Learning,
Language Skills,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations
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...
Posted in:
Primary,
S1-S3,
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French,
Scotland,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Cross-Curricular Working,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Promoting Languages,
Technology,
News from language & education organisations
21 October 2016 (Reuters)
The European Union's lead Brexit negotiator would like British and EU officials to work in French rather than English during the divorce talks, an EU official familiar with Brussels' Brexit task force told Reuters on Friday.
After the report caused waves during British Prime Minister Theresa May's first EU summit in Brussels, Michel Barnier took to Twitter to deny - in English - having expressed such a view. However, he noted that language rules would be agreed by negotiators only once May launches the formal Brexit process next year.
The source told Reuters that people working with the former French foreign minister understood he would prefer his native tongue. "Barnier wants French to be the working language in Brexit negotiations with Britain," the EU official said.
Read more...
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...
11 October 2016 (SCHOLAR / Heriot-Watt)
SCHOLAR would like to bring to your attention their support for learners at Advanced Higher French, German and Spanish tackling the Specialist Study and Portfolio. Within the ‘Culture’ area, there is an extensive set of activities taking learners through every aspect of these areas. There is also a record, downloadable as a word document in both French and German, to help learners keep a record in the target language. This has the aim of helping them both prepare for the visit of the external examiner, and collect information to allow them to present their evidence for the Specialist Study Unit in the target language.
Search for Scholar HW, or use the login link.
Log in with your ID and password, which your school has!
Read more...
10 October 2016 (Alliance Française)
The next session for the DELF/DALF will take place in December 2016.
The DELF (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française) and the DALF (Diplôme Approfondi en Langue Française) are official diplomas awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify foreign candidates’ proficiency in French. They are available at varying levels, including the DELF Junior for children learning the language.
The exams can be taken at:
Follow the relevant link above for more information and to enrol for the exam by Friday 28 October 2016.
Read more...
4 October 2016 (Institut français)
Drama games, improvisation, play readings... Edinburgh-based company Théâtre Sans Accents encourages you to go beyond language boundaries and explore a theatrical language made from a plurality of accents. Keep yours, and discover French in another way!
The workshops are suitable for intermediate/advanced level. The first takes place on Wednesday 12 October with further workshops scheduled in November and December.
Visit the Institut français website for more information.
Read more...
2 October 2016 (The Guardian)
Author Lauren Collins explains how she and her French husband translated their feelings without resorting to Franglais.
Read more...
30 September 2016 (European Parliament)
Euroscola brings together about 600 students from all over the European Union for a day in Strasbourg discussing aspects of European integration, in multilingual working groups of 100 students. It is open to students aged 16-18 and the European Parliament offers a subsidy towards the costs of the journey to Strasbourg.
As working groups consist of students from several member states it is essential that participants have a sound knowledge of at least one other European Union language. For practical purposes knowledge of French is necessary as during the "committee" meetings in the afternoon, students are expected to think and speak in a language other than their mother tongue. The debates are held mainly in French and English.
Applications are now open for dates between January and May 2017.
To find out more and to apply, visit the Euroscola website.
Read more...
29 September 2016 (BBC)
To celebrate International Translation Day, we asked translators from across the globe to tell us their favourite expressions. Here are 11 of the most surprising.
Read more...
26 September 2016 (The Independent)
Learning a second language can be extremely lucrative for your career opportunities.
And after jobs search engine Adzuna analysed over 1 million live job postings on its website, it found out that some languages are more likely to get you a higher paid job than others in Britain, when employers advertised for jobs looking for someone who was at least bi-lingual.
Considering the UK voted to leave the European Union — dubbed a Brexit — and the nation does not know what that would entail for the jobs market, Adzuna's cofounder pointed out that having a second language could become even more sought-after, especially if businesses look to relocate overseas.
Read more...
Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Business,
Careers,
Language Learning for Work,
Languages in the press,
Russian,
Japanese,
Arabic
22 September 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow will be running a new grammar course specifically designed for students who are currently studying French at University. This course will increase students' language skills and should greatly help prepare for exams.
The 5-week course takes place on Wednesdays commencing 19 October.
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information and to enrol.
Read more...
21 September 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow is running a new 10-week Beginners 1 French course specifically designed for primary school teachers between October and December 2016.
The course is suitable for complete beginners and will take place on Wednesdays 3.45-5.45pm between 5 October and 14 December 2016.
For more information and to enrol, visit the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
20 September 2016 (UWS)
The Languages for All team at University of the West of Scotland (UWS) are offering language immersion classes in French, German, Mandarin or Spanish to support Higher and Advanced Higher students.
The half-day classes are designed to suit the academic needs of students who wish to enhance essential skills in language such as reading, writing, speaking and listening. These classes will prepare students for their SQA final exams.
The classes can either be held in one of the UWS campuses - Ayr, Dumfries, Hamilton or Paisley. Alternatively UWS lecturers can travel to your local authority facilities.
To find out more and how to arrange a session, visit the UWS website.
Read more...
16 September 2016 (SCILT)
New additions to our job profile section this term come from students currently undertaking courses which also allow them to develop their language skills.
Our two latest profiles come from students in the Tourism sector:
- Amy-Jo Fairbairn, who is studying for a HND in Travel and Tourism at the City of Glasgow college.
- Gail Leslie who, after completing her HND course in Travel and Tourism, is now embarking on a degree in Business Studies at UWS..
Whilst choosing different languages to learn, both can see the value of language skills for their future careers and personal lives.
Read their profiles and others on our website.
Read more...
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!
Read more...
Posted in:
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Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian,
Japanese,
Arabic,
Portuguese,
Polish,
Urdu
25 August 2016 (The Guardian)
How good is your French vocab? Super? Or affreux? Test your skills with these questions from real GCSE exam papers.
Read more...
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...
French classes 2016-17
19 August 2016 (Alliance Française / Institut Français)
New session adult and children's classes commence in September at both the Alliance Française in Glasgow and the Institut Français in Edinburgh. Follow the appropriate link below for more details and to enrol:
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...
9 August 2016 (NY Times)
Rio de Janeiro - Michaëlle Jean, secretary general of the International Organization of la Francophonie, spent a recent morning at the sultry Lagoa Olympic venue, where the world’s most exciting rowing was taking place. She was not so interested in what was happening on the water.
“You will notice that the commentators are not speaking French,” she said, indignantly. “In the venue, none of the signs are in French.”
Monitoring the use of French at the Olympics is a frustrating and quixotic job, particularly when the Games are being held in a non-French-speaking country preoccupied with non-French-related matters like street crime, economic chaos and how to cram thousands of excitable spectators into the beach volleyball venue. But Rule 23 of the Olympic charter states that the Games have two official languages, and Ms. Jean’s organization, which represents 80 Francophone countries, is determined to make sure nobody forgets that one of them is French (the other is English).
Read more...
Related Links
Is English the Lingua Franca of International Sports? (Transparent Language blog, 10 August 2016)
4 August 2016 (Creative Scotland)
Le Petit Monde is a puppet theatre company based in Edinburgh, creating shows that introduce young children and their families to the French language and culture through authentic French-speaking puppets.
We spoke to Artistic Director Tania Czajka about developing her practice and her latest creation - The Wonderful World of Lapin - which appears as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next week.
Read more...
24 June 2016 (Heriot-Watt University)
The SCHOLympics is a multi-disciplinary, scholarly competition that is open to all students who have access to SCHOLAR via their individual username and password. It features an extensive range of questions from the subjects that are currently available in the SCHOLAR programme, including a Mandarin listening comprehension which requires speakers or headphones, and questions from our brand new, soon to be published, English courses. The questions are set at Higher level or below.
The competition will be open between Monday 25 July until Wednesday 28 August 2016.
Visit the SCHOLAR website to find out more.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
News from language & education organisations
French summer courses in Glasgow
22 June 2016 (Alliance Française)
There are still a few places left on some of the Alliance Française summer courses taking place between June and September.
There are also a few places available on their children's summer workshop starting Monday.27 June.
For more information and to enrol, visit the relevant webpage on the Alliance Française website below:
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian,
Japanese,
Arabic,
Portuguese,
Polish,
Urdu
17 June 2016 (SCILT)
Highlight the value of languages in the world of work to your pupils. We have a range of job profiles on the SCILT website in which people from a range of sectors - including sport, marketing, technology and many more - explain how language learning has influenced their professional lives. See our latest addition:
- Rosemary Graham, Tour Guide - Rosemary's knowledge of the German language enabled her to live and work in Germany teaching and making jewellery. Now she uses her language skills to guide tourists around Scotland.
See this and other job profiles on our website now.
Read more...
16 June 2016 (BBC News)
Children at a Glasgow primary school have been using comics to help them learn French.
Artist Rossie Stone, who is dyslexic, decided to try a different approach to picking up another language and designed the comic strips to be educational and fun.
The move has been popular with teachers and pupils with the project now being rolled out in five schools across Scotland.
BBC Scotland's Catriona Renton has gone back to school to report from Glasgow.
See the video report on the BBC website.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news,
CISS news
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.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Posted in:
Early Years,
Primary,
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
CPD,
Immersion,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Promoting Languages,
Teacher Education,
News from language & education organisations
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.
Read more...
6 June 2016 (BBC News)
The BBC has revealed its theme song for Euro 2016, which begins on Friday in France.
It is a cover of an Edith Piaf classic La Foule - which means The Crowd, and 21 year old jazz and soul singer Izzy Bizu was chosen to sing it.
See the video report on the BBC website.
Read more...
2 June 2016 (Institut français)
The Institut français offers one-week summer intensive courses in July and August with a concession fee for teachers. This 15 hour-course will focus on speaking skills through theatre or radio workshops.
Four levels are available : beginners (A1), elementary (A2), intermediate (B1) and advanced (B2)
For more information, see the
Summer 2016 brochure or visit the Institut français website for details of all the courses, events and resources they offer.
Read more...
31 May 2016 (East Lothian Council)
30 minute French story sessions for children aged 4 to 7 years old are being held in different locations across East Lothian during the summer holidays.
Visit East Lothian Council's website for more information.
Read more...
27 May 2016 (University of Strathclyde)
The University of Strathclyde's 2016 summer programme includes options to learn French, German, Italian and Spanish as well as a taster session 'Break into Hebrew.'
Visit the website to access the programme giving full details of the courses available over the summer.
Read more...
24 May 2016 (They Work for You)
Question put by Baroness Coussins in the House of Lords to ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the announcement by OCR that they are to discontinue GCSE and A-level examinations in French, German and Spanish.
See the transcript of the debate on the website.
Read more...
16 May 2016 (TES)
Applies to England
The OCR exam board is to stop offering GCSEs and A levels in French, German and Spanish, TES can reveal. The awarding body, one of the three biggest in England, will withdraw from modern foreign languages (MFL) from September when reformed school exams in the subjects start to be taught.
OCR had put together proposed new GCSE and A levels in the langauge subjects but they have not been accredited by exams watchdog Ofqual for schools to start using from next term. Today the board said it had taken its decision to pull out of modern foreign languages "reluctantly" and to give teachers time "to make a considered choice about new qualifications for this September".
Read more...
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.
Read more...
6 May 2016 (TESS)
Some 1,000 children gathered in Perth for a musical event celebrating an imaginative approach to the national 1+2 primary school languages policy.
"The Art of Music Ooh La La La" brought P5-7s to the city's concert hall to sing French songs inspired by famous paintings.
Read the full item in TESS online 6 May 2016 edition, page 8, 'A week in primary' section (subscription required).
Read more...
Related Links
Singing days get a French twist in 2016 (Perth & Kinross Council, April 2016)
2 May 2016 (The Guardian)
A French minister has described the choice of a song in English as the official anthem for French supporters at Euro 2016 as “incomprehensible”.
[..] “Euro 2016 will be a great festival of sport which is taking place in France and will therefore project the image of our country abroad – and our language too. It is therefore incomprehensible that the anthem of the French national team should be in English,” Vallini said.
[..] Vallini also bemoaned the fact that France’s entry in this year’s Eurovision song contest, J’ai Cherché by Amir, features a chorus largely in English.
A video and lyrics for the French Eurovision entry is contained within the news article.
Read more...
28 April 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow has a number of courses and exam sessions coming up in the summer. Follow the appropriate links below for more information:
For more information about the Alliance Française and what they can offer, visit their website.
Read more...
25 April 2016 (LSE careers blog)
Did you know that the LSE Language Centre offers summer courses? Each year, ‘Summer Languages’ has grown to include more languages, levels and courses of different levels of intensity. You may want to consolidate the language skills you have learned during the academic year, or you may want to try learning a language as a beginner. You could even restart learning a language you were taught at school.
More information about all the courses and languages available can be found on the LSE Summer Languages website.
Read more...
19 April 2016 (SCILT)
We have summarised the SQA National 5 Course Reports for all languages. These reports contain important information on how candidates performed in last year's exams. Teachers may find it useful to share some of the key messages of these reports with candidates in advance of this year's exams.
The summary document can be found on the Essentials for Planning in the Senior Phase section of our website.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
National Qualifications,
SCILT news,
SQA,
Urdu
19 April 2016 (SCILT)
We have developed a pack of resources on Silence de la Mer which are suitable for Advanced Higher French pupils who have limited teaching input.
The pack includes information on the Specialist Study Unit; suggested timescales; character analysis; themes; suggested portfolio titles and a glossary of vocabulary.
The resource can be accessed on the Senior Phase French AH resources section of our website.
Read more...
New French and Polish resources
19 April 2016 (Education Scotland)
Education Scotland is pleased to launch new resources for French and Polish. Both resources include teacher’s notes, activity packs, film clips and sound files.
The French resource is designed as an L2 learning journey, aimed at second level learners and involves Astérix on a journey to Scotland, based on the story ‘Astérix chez les Pictes’
The Polish resource supports an L3 beginners’ language experience and can be used in either primary or secondary as an L3 insert. The language journey here is based on an animated film, based around the scientist Copernicus.
Links to both resources can also be found in the Primary and S1-S3 classroom resource sections of the SCILT website.
9 April 2016 (The Independent)
French speakers have reacted to BBC broadcaster Jeremy Paxman’s attack of their language as “useless” and his claims that learning French is “positively bad for you”.
In a column for the Financial Times, the University Challenge host dismissed the global relevance of France and the French language as “long past”.
According to Mr Paxman, learning French instead of English, especially in Francophone countries such as Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, sets people back in the modern world.
“English is the language of science, technology, travel, entertainment and sport. To be a citizen of the world it is the one language that you must have,” he wrote.
And the 65-year-old former Newsnight host ridiculed the “middle-class English” who believe people should learn French simply because it is “good for you”.
His words have riled those who still see reason to learn French, which is spoken by more than 200 million people around the world and is an official language of the United Nations.
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31 March 2016 (SQA)
Latest updates on the new National Qualifications are available on the SQA website.
If you're a teaching professional looking for a new challenge, included in this update are additional marker opportunities in 2016 for French and Spanish Higher exams.
Read more...
29 March 2016 (Southern Reporter)
The Abbotsford Trust and Burgh Primary School,
Galashiels have been working on a project exploring Sir Walter Scott’s famous home.
Primary 6 pupils have recently visited Abbotsford to try out three different sessions from the Abbotsford Schools Programme.
Pupils explored the historic house and wrote poems based on the treasures that Sir Walter Scott collected, and met Mrs Oakley, a visitor from Scott’s day with lots of weird and wonderful traditional tales to share.
They also discovered Sir Walter’s life and work in the visitor centre exhibition and created drawings of the house and its grotesque clay gargoyles.
Pupils then used what they discovered and learned back in the classroom to create a timeline of Scott’s life, where they also investigated differences between life then and now using a range of primary sources.
Pupils also created interactive games, thought about planning and budgeting for a visit too Abbotsford, identified French vocabulary to describe some of the artefacts in the house and wrote their own evaluation reports reflecting on their visits.
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24 March 2016 (Alliance Française)
We are now enrolling students for Term D which will take place between Tuesday 19 April and Saturday 13 June. There will be a new Beginners 1 class taking place every Tuesday between 6-9pm.
In addition to our general French classes ranging from Beginner to Advanced levels, we will be running three new add-on classes for Term D to help you improve your French - Conversation, Grammar or Phonetics classes.
To find out more, follow the relevant link below:
For further information about the Alliance Française and what they can offer, visit their website.
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24 March 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running semi-intensive revision courses between Monday 11 and Friday 15 April for Secondary School pupils and University students who are due to sit their French examinations later this year.
These revision courses will concentrate on the following skills: reading, listening and writing.
Full details are available on the Alliance Française website.
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24 March 2016 (Alliance Française / Goethe-Institut)
The Goethe-Institut and the Alliance Française in Glasgow together with the Scottish Football Museum present a free month-long celebration of football and community across Glasgow this April.
From 1-30 April pop in to your local library or arts centre to experience a series of free film installations about how communities around the world react to the beautiful game.
Cinemas across the city will play host to some fantastic free football-themed movies.
On 27 and 28 April, join us at Hampden Park for a free and informative two-day symposium on Football and Social Inclusion.
For full details visit the Goal! Tor! But! website.
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23 March 2016 (Welsh Government)
Players from the Wales National Football team have been doing their bit to help pupils concentrate on their modern foreign languages lessons by launching a new learning resource pack linked to this year’s Euros.
The educational resources have been produced as part of the Welsh Government’s Global Futures plan which aims to improve and promote modern foreign languages in Wales.
The Euros-based resources have been published on Hwb, the digital learning platform for schools, so teachers can capitalise on their pupil’s excitement in the run up to June’s tournament, and use the packs to promote the importance and relevance of modern foreign languages.
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21 March 2016 (CLA)
The Centre de Linguistique Appliquée (CLA) in France offers summer pedagogical training courses during July and August for French teachers and teacher trainers.
There are six different courses available, each designed to encourage exchange of ideas and networking.
The courses qualify for Erasmus+ funding.
More information about the programmes on offer can be found on the attached pdf files or by visiting the CLA website.
Read more...
Volunteering opportunity for French speaking students
21 March 2016 (Xchange Scotland)
Xchange Scotland, a Glasgow-based youth-led charity, has a brand-new unique volunteering opportunity for French-speaking students.
Due to our strong partnership with French organisation, Solidarites Jeunesses, we will be running a 4-week long Glasgow-based volunteering project for 6 young French volunteers which aims to develop their skills and intercultural understanding and also benefit local communities of Glasgow.
We are looking for
local French-speaking volunteers/students who would like to join the group of French volunteers and practise their language skills/help us with project organisation. The level of French language of local volunteers should be preferably between A2-C2 level. We will also be looking for a translator for the project.
We believe this is a great opportunity to practise French language with native speakers here in Glasgow and also to develop organisation and communication skills of young people.
Please see the attached PDF for more details about the project and to register interest by 11 April.
Host a primary-trained French Language Assistant - New for 2016-17
11 March 2016 (British Council)
The British Council would like to make as many primary colleagues as possible aware of a brand new opportunity for securing a primary-trained French Language Assistant in 2016-17.
The British Council and the French government have agreed to make it easier for primary schools to benefit from having a French Language Assistant.
- Assistants will be primary-trained (either recently qualified primary teachers in France, or trainee teachers) and there will be sustained support and training for the trainees and for schools from the British Council
- Up to 6 schools can now share a single assistant (up from 3 schools), greatly reducing costs
- The British Council are waiving the £2000 'finders fee' for organising the placement
The attached flyer gives more details. We're really excited about this initiative and we hope colleagues will consider getting involved.
Local authorities/schools would need to apply by early April, so any colleagues who might potentially be interested are invited to get in touch with us (ideally before the Easter break) to explore the various options.
Please contact Claudia Donati at the British Council: claudia.donati@britishcouncil.org or Philip Harding-Esch on philip.harding.esch@gmail.com.
10 March 2016 (LFEE)
Our super trainee, Chiara Mazzeo, has been working hard to produce a simple and creative blog which will keep you updated with all our activities (Immersion Courses, training sessions, events, achievements, deadlines, news), as well as our tweets, pictures and videos.
You can use the blog to move easily between the Powerlanguage (PLL online French course) and the LFEE websites, our You Tube Channel, and the other social networks. It’s easy: just go to
www.lfeeblog.net and explore! Don’t forget to leave a comment to let us know what you think and… share to your heart's content! We look forward to hearing from you on the blog! You can also read feedback from teachers who signed up for our PLL online French course in the 'news' section of the blog and can contact
info@pll-online.net should you require any further information about the course.
Read more...
10 March 2016 (Theatre sans accents)
At Theatre Sans Accents, we believe that languages should engage with your mouth and your ear before engaging with your hand and pen… The theatrical form provides a safe and relaxed environment out of the classroom to explore foreign languages in concrete situations.
We are currently offering workshops in French and English as an additional language.
All levels are welcome with workshops for adults and children.
Term starts week commencing Monday 11 April until Saturday 2 July 2016 (no break over the 12 weeks). Our summer school programme will enable you to improve and learn new linguistic skills through practical theatre techniques , you get the best out of both worlds: languages and Arts!
Visit the website for further information and how to register. Please note there is a charge to attend the workshops.
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10 March 2016 (Alliance Française)
There are still a few places left on the new 10-week Beginners 1 French course for Primary School teachers being run by Alliance Française de Glasgow between March and May 2016:
- This course is suitable for complete beginners
- 20 hours of lessons over 10 weeks tailored to the needs of Primary School teachers: classroom and speaking activities, pronunciation, communication, increase your confidence and feel more comfortable speaking French
- The course will take place on Wednesdays 3.45-5.45pm commencing 16 March 2016. (Please note this is a week later than originally advertised)
Visit the Alliance Française website for full details and to enrol.
Read more...
8 March 2016 (Institut français)
The Institut français d'Ecosse supports the learning and teaching of French in Scotland and encourages cross-cultural exchange. The latest opportunities to highlight include:
- La francophonie - from 12 to 20 March 2016 French language and Francophonie is celebrated around the world. The dis moi dix mots website has a variety of activities to take part in online or in class with your pupils.
- 1+2 workshops for primary schools - new French workshops for your primary class: French children books, science experiments or geography... Learn both the language and the pedagogy to conduct these activities in your class. Have a look at the training catalogue online.
- Summer intensive courses - new one-week intensive classes in July and in August. If you are not traveling to France this summer, enjoy our French immersion class in Edinburgh! See the Summer 2016 online brochure for details.
For more information about the Institut français and what they can offer, visit their website.
Read more...
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.
26 February 2016 (French Embassy)
The Entente Cordiale Scholarship Scheme is a prestigious bi-lateral awards scheme that funds British postgraduate students who want to study in France and French students who want to study in the UK. Funded for the most part by the private sector in both countries the scheme provides funding for around 20 French and British students each year.
Applications are now open. The deadline to apply is 13 March 2016.
For full details about the scholarships and how to apply, visit the French Embassy's website.
Read more...
26 February 2016 (Alliance Française)
Improve your translating skills at the Alliance Française!
They will be running a new translation course specifically designed for students who are currently studying French at University. This course will increase your language skills and should greatly help prepare for exams where translation is involved (version & thème).
This new course will take place on Wednesdays between 3.45-5.45pm and will start on Wednesday 2nd March for 5 weeks.
The cost to enrol is £60 per student.
Please visit or contact AF Language Office if you wish to enrol.
Read more...
26 February 2016 (TESS)
A school for deaf children has become the first in the country to offer pupils the chance to learn to sign in another language. The step was taken in order to fulfil the government's ambition that every child should learn two languages in primary.
The idea that there is only one international sign language is a widely-held misconception, says Enrique Canton, who is teaching French sign language to pupils at the Hamilton School for the Deaf in South Lanarkshire. Just as there are many spoken languages, each country has its own sign language, he explains, adding, 'Thereafter, there are regional variations, just in the same way that hearing people have regional or local accents.'
Mr Canton, who is deaf, was raised in France and, following a short spell living in Spain, moved to Scotland 15 years ago after meeting a 'Scottish lass.' He knows sign language in French, Spanish and British as well as international sign language.
(Read the full article on pages 8-9 of TESS digital online - subscription required).
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26 February 2016 (British Council)
Employing a British Council language assistant is a unique way to broaden your students understanding of the world, improve their language skills and increase their cultural awareness.
Language assistants are dynamic, enthusiastic native speakers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Russian, and are usually undergraduates or recent graduates. As we recruit language assistants directly from their home countries, their language is up-to-date, the classroom resources they provide are relevant and authentic, and they will be well placed to connect with students on their own level . Simply put, employing a language assistant provides the kind of learning experience that cannot be found elsewhere.
The deadline for applications has been extended to 31 May 2016. Visit the British Council website to find out more and to apply. Follow the relevant section on the webpage to find out specifically about employing a Chinese language assistant.
Read more...
25 February 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running a new 10-week Beginners 1 French course for Primary School teachers between March and May 2016:
- This course is suitable for complete beginners
- 20 hours of lessons over 10 weeks tailored to the needs of Primary School teachers: classroom and speaking activities, pronunciation, communication, increase your confidence and feel more comfortable speaking French
- The course will take place on Wednesdays 3.45-5.45pm between 9 March and 25 May 2016.
Visit the Alliance Française website for full details and to enrol by Wednesday 2 March.
Read more...
8 February 2016 (PRI / The World in Words)
Eddie Izzard has often joked about language from the silliness of Latin to why English speakers are so stubbornly monolingual. However, in late ‘90’s, Eddie decided that it wasn’t enough to joke about language; he wanted to joke in other languages. So in 1997 he took the stage and did his first set in France in French. It wasn't funny, he admits, but it was the start of a career goal to do stand-up in as many languages as possible. Eventually he did feel funny (and fluent) in French. Now, nearly two decades after that first French show, he has toured in not only French but German and Spanish. He intends to learn Russian and Arabic next.
The World in Words sat down with Izzard to find out why he’s decided to take his humor around the globe and how he’s managed to learn all these languages. (Warning: Parts of this podcast are definitely NSFW.).
Read more...
5 February 2016 (Guardian)
French linguistic purists have voiced online anger at the loss of one of their favourite accents – the pointy little circumflex hat (ˆ) that sits on top of certain vowels.
A change in the spelling of some 2,000 French words will come into effect in new primary school textbooks being released for the start of the school year in September, the education ministry and publishers have announced.
The circumflex accent will become optional for many words, as will other spelling changes that have purists rubbing their eyes – such as onion, which can now be spelled “ognon” as well as the traditional “oignon”.
The changes, which have caused uproar on French Twitter, were first approved by the prestigious guardians of the French language, the Académie Française, in 1990.
Read more...
2 February 216 (Institut français d’Ecosse)
The Institut français d’Ecosse, in partnership with SCILT, presents a new national competition to encourage all young French learners and their teachers around Scotland and to celebrate the international day of la francophonie, which is celebrated around the globe on 20 March.
Read more...
28 January 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow are offering the following courses during the next term (Term C - February to April). Follow the appropriate link for more information on the courses and enrolment:
For further information about the organisation and other services they offer, visit the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
26 January 2016 (Glasgow Film Festival)
This year's Film Festival takes place from 17-28 February, with the Youth Film Festival screenings being held from 12-15 February. Both events include a number of foreign language film options.
Brochures detailing the screenings available can be accessed from the following Festival websites:
For more information about the Festival and to purchase tickets, visit the main Glasgow Film Festival 2016 website.
Read more...
AMOPA Parlons Français competition - deadline approaching
26 January 2016 (AMOPA)
The 'Parlons français' competition, run by AMOPA in collaboration with Total, is now five years old and is going from strength to strength.
To enter all that's required is a short recording of students as they prepare for their speaking test. This is then assessed and feedback given. Prizes and certificates will also be awarded.
The competition is so easy to enter now as the technology is readily available and it supports your own preparation with students, it's not an "extra" task.
To find out more about the competition and how to enter see the attached flyer.
Entries must be submitted by 15 February 2016.
25 January 2016 (British Council)
This Shakespeare Lives schools’ pack has been created by the British Council in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016.
Specially designed to encourage learning across the curriculum, the resource is split into five key themes; Leadership and Power, Family and Relationships, Identity and Equality, Fate and Destiny, Justice and Rules. Within each themed section you will find a wide range of activities for pupils aged 7-14. These can be used as starting points in individual lessons or as elements of a cross-curricular project, which could be carried out with a partner school overseas.
Visit the British Council website for more information and to download the pack. On the site is a link to a number of videos created as part of the celebration. In addition to the English version, the 'Shakespeare Lives in 2016' animation is also available on YouTube in French, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Mandarin.
Read more...
22 January 2016 (The Guardian)
Is it important that more people speak English? Only this week, David Cameron launched a new scheme encouraging more Muslim women to learn the language, one argument being that the inability of many to do so weakens their voice , and in doing so strengthens radicalisation.
[...] I'm much more worried about the number of people learning the other historic language of England; the language used at the first parliament, spoken at Runnymede in 1215, a language that still features in much of our legal system and which, until 1858, was the only one on British passports: French.
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20 January 2016 (Oxford University)
Would you like to spend a week with us this summer, living in an Oxford college, learning about a modern foreign language and its culture, and getting a taste of what it’s like to study here as a student? All entirely FREE of charge, food and accommodation included? (We’ll even pay for your train ticket to get here.)
If you’re currently in Year 12 (S5) of a state school, and have some free time in July this year, please do think about signing up for the course, or for one of the dozens of others on offer, including German, Spanish, or ‘beginner languages’ to give you a little experience of Russian, Portuguese and Italian languages and cultures.
The French summer school runs from 2-8 July this year, the German summer school and the Beginner Languages school both run from 16-22 July, and Spanish is 23-29 July.
Visit the website for more information and to apply by 3 February 2016.
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19 January 2016 (Heriot-Watt University)
Heriot-Watt University's Multilingual Debate is an annual event that showcases the interpreting skills of undergraduate students on our Languages (Interpreting and Translating) degree programme, as well as the developing professional skills of postgraduate students on our MSc Interpreting and Translating programmes. The event takes the form of a formal debate with two multilingual teams arguing for and against a motion of topical interest in a range of languages. The teams deliver their views in their various native languages (French, German, Spanish, English, Arabic, Chinese, British Sign Language (BSL)).
The audience is mainly made up of pupils coming from Scottish and English secondary schools, but also university undergraduate students considering entering the interpreting profession, as well as government and local authority representatives. The audiences participated in the debate by listening to the arguments, putting questions to the speakers in the languages represented and voting on the motion.
The Multilingual Debate 2016 takes place on Wednesday 23 March at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus.
To find out more about the debate topics and how to sign up to attend a session, see the video presentations in Arabic, BSL, Chinese, English, French and Spanish on the Heriot-Watt website.
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Posted in:
Senior Phase,
HE,
Chinese,
French,
German,
Spanish,
Scotland,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Multilingualism,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations,
Arabic,
BSL
14 January 2016 (SCILT)
We have a range of job profiles on the SCILT website to let your pupils see that languages are valuable in the world of work. People from a range of sectors - including sport, marketing, technology and many more - explain how language learning has influenced their professional lives.
Our latest profile features Andrew Muir, who lived and studied in Scotland but now works in London as a Character Animator on a children's TV series. He tells us why language learning is important and the opportunities this can offer him to expand his career overseas.
See this and other job profiles on our website now.
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11 January 2016 (ELS Educational Services)
Full-time university students are invited to write an original essay (2,000 words or less) discussing global citizenship and cultural understanding and the role that multilingual ability can play in fostering these. The essay should reflect your personal, academic, cultural and national context.
Essays must be written in an official language of the United Nations that is not your first language or primary language of instruction during your primary or secondary education.
Essays should be submitted by Thursday 31 March 2016.
Visit the competition website for more information..
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Posted in:
HE,
Chinese,
French,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian,
Arabic
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.
Read more...
9 January 2016 (Online French Film Festival)
From 18 January through 18 February 2016 film lovers around the world will be able to access films from the 6th edition of the Online French Film Festival.
There's also a competition section of the site where viewers are invited to rate the 10 French feature films and 10 French shorts in the competition and post their comments.
Visit the Online French Film Festival website for more information.
Read more...
7 January 2016 (SCILT / SQA)
We have summarised the Higher Modern Languages Course Reports and highlighted the key messages across all the languages.
These reports contain information on how candidates performed in the 2015 exam diet and give important advice on how to prepare candidates for forthcoming examinations, as well as for the Performance of Talking
The full reports can be accessed on the SQA website.
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Posted in:
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French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
National Qualifications,
SCILT news,
News from language & education organisations,
SQA,
Urdu
6 January 2016 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow are offering the following courses during the next term (Term C - February to April). Follow the appropriate link for more information on the courses and enrolment:
For further information about the organisation and other services they offer, visit the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
5 January 2016 (LFEE)
LFEE Europe has been an international course provider since 2002, delivering expert professional development training for primary teachers. Our Immersion Courses in France and Spain match all criteria set by the EU for “professional development courses for school teachers and staff”.
Our training programmes provide a balanced combination of language, methodology and cultural activities, delivered in the target and have been created specifically for primary and secondary teachers. You can
download our brochure.
Funding for all our courses is available through the European Union Erasmus+ Programme. More than one teacher can apply from a school and successful schools will receive a grant from their Erasmus+ National Agency of up to 2,165€ per teacher*. The total cost of our one-week course (course registration and tuition fees, accommodation and subsistence fees) is 1,700€, which leaves up to 465€ for travel expenses.
Places are still available and applications have to be submitted before 2 February 2016 to the UK Erasmus+ National Agency. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis so interested participants must contact us as soon as possible to check availability/reserve a place.
For further information, you can download our brochure and watch a short video describing our courses on our website
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31 December 2015 (Metro / Daily Mail)
Arsenal star Petr Cech has revealed the secret behind his successful marshaling of the Gunners back line.
The 33-year-old speaks to his defenders in three different languages to make sure that he can get his message across during matches.
Having only conceded 18 goals this season, the north London side have the fourth most miserly defence in the Premier League. This may part of the reason why.
‘I speak to the full-backs (Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal) in Spanish, to (Laurent) Koscielny in French and to Per (Mertesacker) in English because for him it is the same as me,’ said Cech according to the Daily Mail.
Read more...
16 December 2015 (The Conversation)
Unless you are C3-PO, fluent in more than six million forms of communication, you may not understand every Star Wars language. I’m not talking about the languages spoken in the saga such as Shyriiwook, Huttese, Bocce or even Binary (beep beep doop!), but the languages into which the Star Wars films have been translated.
Take the title of the saga, for example. Whereas in most languages the translation has kept the words “war” and “stars” (La guerre des étoiles in French, Krieg der Sterne in German, and Guerre stellari in Italian, for example) the Spanish translation refers to the war of the galaxies (La guerra de las galaxias).
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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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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:
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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14 December 2015 (SQA)
The SQA has updated a number of files on their Advanced Higher Modern Languages webpage.
A list of updates is attached and the files can be accessed on the SQA website.
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9 December 2015 (Alliance française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running 10 CPD workshops for primary school teachers between February and April 2016.
Visit the website for full programme details and to enrol by 29 January 2016.
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7 December 2015 (Alliance française)
As in previous years, the Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running Higher and Advanced Higher Oral Preparation courses for pupils who will be sitting their French oral examinations in 2016.
The sessions will take place on Fridays during February between 4-6pm.
Visit the website for full details and to enrol by 29 January 2016.
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7 December 2015 (The Language of Football)
Marc Joss is a London-based football translator and interpreter. He speaks Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and English.
Marc has been involved in a host of high-profile translation projects including Guillem Balagué’s Messi, Barça: The Official Illustrated History of FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo: The Biography, as well as translating for the English version of Marca.com. He also works with Premier League clubs as an interpreter.
In the first of a two part interview, we talk to Marc about his translation work.
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3 December 2015 (SCILT)
Are you looking for ways to bring the festive season to your languages classroom?
SCILT have compiled resources from around the world for use with your pupils, from songs and games to interactive advent calendars. Find out how Christmas is celebrated in France, Germany, Spain and around the world!
Read more...
26 November 2015 (British Council)
1 July 2016 will mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. Representatives of governments from around the world, veterans, military and community representatives will gather as a memorial to one of the bloodiest battles in history as a sign of hope and commitment to not suffer such loss again.
As a symbol for the future, 600 young people from schools in France and in the UK will participate in the ceremony. As living memory of the battle dies, engagement with young people is essential to sustain awareness of the significance of World War I, and the importance of UK-France relations in continuing peace and stability in Europe.
This is an opportunity for your school to take part in this historic moment. Your school must teach French as part of the curriculum and be committed to building a sustainable partnership with a French school.
Full details can be found on the British Council website. The closing date for expressions of interest: 11 December 2015.
Read more...
26 November 2015 (One Third Stories)
One Third Stories are keen to get children everywhere excited about speaking foreign languages and are inviting primary pupils to help make a storybook that makes learning a new language simple and fun in their new competition.
Visit the One Third Stories website for more information and to enter your school. Entries can be in French, German or Spanish and must be submitted by 18 December 2015.
Read more...
26 November 2015 (SCILT/CISS)
Registrations for Word Wizard 2016 close on Monday 30th November, don't miss out on the chance to enter this motivating and challenging competition!
Open to S1-S3 pupils to compete in French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin or Spanish, Word Wizard provides learners with the opportunity to improve their vocabulary, pronunciation and memory skills in a competition format.
In partnership with UCMLS this year we have semi-finals in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. Sign up now to receive the first set of word lists and start practising!
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Motivation,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news,
CISS news
25 November 2015 (Institut français)
The Institut français d'Ecosse in Edinburgh offers a variety of events and resources for French language learning and teaching. Follow the appropriate link below to find out more.
- Primary French Ecosse - free French resources for your P1 class. Lessons cover topics such as colours, days of the week, feelings, and greetings and include a PowerPoint presentation with recorded voices, games and songs
- French Book Day - join the team on 28 November 2015 for storytelling and activities based around the very best of children's literature in French
- Immersion Days for S1 to S6 students - workshops can be organised at the Institut français or in your school
- New concours de la francophonie - a student led competition for all pupils from P1 to S6
- Dis-moi dix mots 2015-16 - resources to help explore the 10 words competition in class
For more information about the Institut français d'Ecosse and their activities, visit their website.
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25 November 2015 (SEET)
The deadline for the Our Europe film-making project is fast approaching, but don't worry, there's still time to sign up! Entries must be in by 10 December 2015, so if you want to sign up and haven't yet done so make sure you do it soon! If you have teams of S3-6 pupils who are interested in taking part please complete the registration form.
We are also adding new features to our Script Centre tool, designed to help students with scripting the language component of the project.
We have been extremely busy over the past few weeks making visits to schools all across Scotland and it has been great to see such enthusiasm for the project from students. For more information about the Our Europe project, please visit our website. Remember, it's not too late to sign up!
Read more...
24 November 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow is offering the following opportunities for French language learners: Click on the appropriate link for more information.
For more information about the Alliance Française in Glasgow visit their website.
Read more...
20 November 2015 (LFEE)
LFEE Europe has been an international course provider since 2002 offering structured Courses for Primary and Secondary teachers of French and Spanish.
Visit the LFEE website to watch a short video to learn more about LFEE Immersion courses in France, Spain and Scotland.
Read more...
18 November 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running 10 CPD workshops for Primary School teachers between February-April 2016.
- 10 topics covered over 10 weeks, tailored to the needs of Primary School teachers
- Suitable as a follow-up to our Beginners 1 class or for French teachers in Primary schools
- Thursday, 4.15-5.45pm between 11 February and 28 April included
- The cost to attend these 10 CPDs is £73/teacher. Please note this is a special fee offered by the Alliance Française de Glasgow to promote modern languages
- Option to enrol in less than 10 CPDs, please contact us for more information
- Certificates of attendance will be handed out once the programme is completed
- Places are limited so booking early is highly recommended
If you wish to enrol, please contact or visit the Language Office at the Alliance Française by Friday 29 January 2016. Visit the website for full programme and enrolment details.
Read more...
16 November 2015 (BBC News)
England fans will be encouraged to join in the singing of La Marseillaise as a moment of solidarity during the match against France at Wembley on Tuesday. Could it be a powerful symbol of defiance, asks Finlo Rohrer.
On Tuesday, the FA will encourage the tens of thousands of England fans to join in the singing of La Marseillaise, displaying the words on the big screens (scroll to the end of the article to see the first verse and chorus). In a change of protocol, La Marseillaise will be played after God Save The Queen.
Read more...
16 November 2015 (TES)
The emotional high of a Twitter response is the educational equivalent of the holiday romance, writes one languages teacher. Learning a language, on the other hand, is a commitment for life
Solidarity has come back into fashion, as both word and concept. But this time it's global, and it's happening right now, mostly on your Twitter timeline. There is no doubting the power and glory of #jesuischarlie, #ridewithme and #porteouverte, or the inspirational idealism of the Eiffel Tower peace symbol. But the euphoria they induce is sadly ephemeral.
Hashtags and icons come and go, wave after wave of them, like the atrocities to which they respond. At least #ridewithme and #porteouverte were grounded in practical action. But what we need is a more lasting engagement.
Now is surely the time to renew our commitment to the teaching and learning of French in our schools. France is our nearest neighbour but we have yet to meet the French halfway in terms of the effort we invest in mutual understanding. Just think for a moment of the countless compelling interviews we have listened to over the last few days, from French people of all ages and faiths, communicating in often impeccable, always expressive English. And we're not talking about buying a baguette or booking a hotel room, but the impressive ability to articulate a world view, virtually under siege, live on television and radio.
Read more...
9 November 2015 (SEET)
The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) runs an annual Euroquiz for P6 pupils, which sees teams of four working together to broaden their knowledge of Europe. Subjects covered include history, geography, sport, culture, languages and the European Union.
Heats take place in local authorities from January to March, with the winning teams from all areas going forward to the national final in May.
Plans for Euroquiz 2016 are now underway and schools are invited to register their interest with their local authority Euroquiz co-ordinator.
Further information about the competition and preparation materials are available on the SEET website.
Read more...
9 November 2015 (ULIP)
The University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) are again offering students studying French at AS/A Level or equivalent the chance to win a trip to the City of Light!
This year ULIP's "Win a Trip to Paris" competition theme is Europe. Politicians are discussing whether or not the UK should stay, or leave the European Union, otherwise known as 'Brexit'. All you have to do to enter is watch the video about "Quel serait l'impact du ''Brexit'' sur l'activité économique ?" and answer a few related questions before 31 January 2016.
Full details can be found on the ULIP website.
Read more...
6 November 2015 (French Film Festival)
Each year the French Film Festival UK showcases the best of Francophone and French-speaking cinema in leading independent cinemas around the country.
This year's Festival takes place from 5 November - 13 December with a host of new venues around the UK in addition to the Edinburgh Filmhouse and Glasgow Film Theatre where the event began more than two decades ago. French film fans in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee, Kirkcaldy and Hawick also will be able to appreciate and enjoy highlights from this year’s selections.
Visit the Festival website for full programme details.
Read more...
5 November 2015 (SCILT/CISS)
Registrations for Word Wizard 2016 are now open for your French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish pupils to develop their vocabulary, spelling and memory skills.
This year we have 3 semi-finals in venues across the country - in the Universities of Strathclyde, Dundee and Aberdeen. Schools can now choose to attend the semi-final which is most convenient for them.
The Stage 1 word lists were sent to registered schools this week, so sign up now to take part in this exciting and motivating competition!
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news,
CISS news
3 November 2015 (SALT)
Languagenut is a professional teaching tool that offers teaching resources across 19 world languages, including French, Spanish, German, Italian, Gaelic and Mandarin. Languagenut also supports EAL students by offering 80 native languages as support to learn English.
It is the perfect tool to support the 1+2 approach to language learning, as all audio files are recorded by native speakers. With a range of games, songs and stories, Languagenut supports the four key skills of language learning: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
In addition, Languagenut offers special integrated tools which allow teachers both create their own classes and content, and also set and track homework, generate certificates and evaluate students’ progress in real time. These timesaving tools help teachers to deliver more personalised teaching and customise lessons to fit each individual.
Accessible at school and at home and through GLOW, Languagenut helps to bridge the gap between classroom and home learning and is free for all Scottish schools.
Read more...
30 October 2015 (SCILT/CISS)
Scotland's National Centre for Languages and Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools, in partnership with The University of St Andrews, are proud to announce the return of Word Wizard for its third year!
Motivate your French, Gaelic, German, Mandarin and Spanish pupils by taking part in this spellbinding multilingual spelling competition!
Building on the success of last year's competition, this year we are holding 3 semi-finals across the country - hosted by the universities of Strathclyde, Dundee and Aberdeen.
Visit our Word Wizard 2016 webpage for more information and to download the Teacher's Pack and Registration form.
Read more...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news,
CISS news
30 October 2015 (Alliance Française)
The next session of adult classes (Term B) at the Alliance Française in Glasgow will run between Monday 16 November 2015 and Saturday 30 January 2016.
A new class is being opened for complete beginners (Beginners 1), which will take place on Tuesday between 6-9pm.
For full details and enrolment information visit the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
26 October 2015 (British Council)
Charles de Gaulle Trust funding is specifically for students aged 17 to 19 to attend a French partner school or college and work on research or projects that contribute to their learning and future development.. The visits give students the chance to prove to future educators and employers that they are globally-minded, committed and dedicated young people.
Students aged 16 and below can benefit from an award from the Lefèvre Trust, which offers grants to UK schools to facilitate reciprocal visits to their partner schools in France. A French study visit is the ideal way to instil a love of the French language in your students, give them exposure to authentic language usage and enable them to experience French culture first-hand. It will also boost confidence levels before key GCSE, A level, National Qualification and Higher level French oral exams.
The deadline for applications for both funding programmes is 30 November 2015. Full details and application forms are available on the British Council website.
Read more...
23 October 2015 (LFEE)
LFEE Europe has been an international course provider since 2002 offering structured Courses for Primary and Secondary teachers of French and Spanish. We run courses in Lyon, Salignac and Malaga for language teachers from all over the UK and the rest of Europe.
Funding for all our courses is available through the European Union Erasmus+ Programme (KA1) and covers course fees, accommodation, subsistence as well as travel expenses. All our courses are GTCS accredited.
Should you be interested in taking part in one of our courses in 2016-2017, please see the course brochure and visit the LFEE website in the first instance.
Read more...
Parlons français - French speaking competition for AH students
20 October 2015 (AMOPA)
The 'Parlons français' competition, run by AMOPA in collaboration with Total, is now five years old and is going from strength to strength.
To enter all that's required is a short recording of students as they prepare for their speaking test. This is then assessed and feedback given. Prizes and certificates will also be awarded.
The competition is so easy to enter now as the technology is readily available and it supports your own preparation with students, it's not an "extra" task.
To find out more about the competition and how to enter see the attached flyer.
16 October 2015 (Daily Mirror)
More people want to learn sign language than French and German, a study shows today.
And a survey by the National Deaf Children’s Society shows two out of three adults think sign language is more impressive than speaking a foreign language.
One in four people in Britain say they want to learn sign language, which would total 12.7m adults.
The top three languages people would like to learn are Spanish (28%), British Sign Language (24%) and French (23%).
Read more...
13 October 2015 (Edinburgh Evening News)
It's the pioneering programme aimed at making language learning as easy as un, deux, trois.
Every pupil in the Capital will receive lessons in at least two foreign languages by the time they leave primary school under radical plans aimed at helping them keep pace with peers across Europe.
City bosses have confirmed they want to introduce the new scheme, called 1+2, by the start of 2017 – three years ahead of a national deadline set for 2020.
Youngsters will be offered classes in core languages including French, Spanish and Mandarin, as well as Gaelic, Scots and “heritage” tongues such as Polish and Farsi.
The Edinburgh roll-out is part of a Scottish Government-led initiative which will see all children learn a second language from P1 and have experience of a third from P5 at the latest.
Parent leaders in the city have hailed the development and said it would help prepare youngsters for the modern world.
Read more...
Posted in:
Primary,
1+2,
All Languages,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
1+2,
Community Languages,
Language Learning,
Language Policy,
Scottish Government,
Languages in the press,
Polish
8 October 2015 (Heriot-Watt University)
The SCHOLAR programme offered by Heriot-Watt University offers a number of support sessions in a variety of subjects for students undertaking National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher examinations.
Attached is the programme of online events taking place from October 2015 to March 2016 to support Modern Languages.
For more information about the SCHOLAR programme visit the Heriot-Watt SCHOLAR website.
Read more...
5 October 2015 (Wales Online)
Language teachers at a South Wales girls’ school have been asked to pass on their hints and tips as part of a new drive to raise take-up in French, German and Spanish.
Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, has been named “centre of excellence for modern foreign languages (MFL)” in the Central South Wales region.
It will see Bryn Hafren hosting teachers from schools in Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and the Vale – with an aim to raise standards and interest in subjects which have struggled to attract pupils in recent years.
Read more...
26 September 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française run a number of courses for adult learners, children and professional learning opportunities for teachers. Follow the links below for more information on these programmes for the autumn term and how to enrol, or see their website for full course listings:
Read more...
17 September 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running a programme of CPDs in French for Primary School teachers in 2015/16.
- Ten topics covered over ten weeks, tailored to the needs of Primary School teachers
- Suitable as a follow-up to our Beginners 1 class or for French teachers in Primary schools
- Thursdays, 4.15-5.45pm between 29 October 2015 and 24 March 2015
Full programme details are available on the Alliance Française website. If you wish to enrol, please contact or visit the Language Office at the Alliance Française by Friday 23 October.
Read more...
10 September 2015 (Open University)
The Open University's Young Applicants in Schools Scheme (YASS) gives S6 students in Scotland the opportunity to study at higher education level without leaving friends and family behind. Study fits around school work and social lives, encourages independent learning and builds confidence.
YASS is designed to bridge the gap between school and full-time university and help able and motivated students stand out from the crowd. Over 500 young people from more than 100 schools took Open University modules last year.
YASS is a unique opportunity for S6 students in Scottish schools to bridge the gap between school and full-time university through independent learning. Run by The Open University in Scotland, YASS offers motivated and able students a chance to study a range of university level modules in school alongside their other studies. Language options are available in French, German, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.
Read more...
SQA vacancies - Visiting Assessors for AH Modern Languages
28 August 2015 (SQA)
SQA is currently seeking to recruit additional Visiting Assessors (VA) to conduct Talking assessments at Advanced Higher level in Modern Languages.
Applications can be found following the relevant links below. You will also find information here relating to contract specification, selection criteria and key performance measures.
Closing date for all applications: 1 November 2015.
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
National Qualifications,
News from language & education organisations,
SQA
27 August 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running a new 10-week Beginners 1 French course for Primary School teachers between October and December 2015.
Visit the Alliance Française website for full details and register using the attached enrolment form.
Read more...
25 August 2015 (The Telegraph)
The day the A-level results came out, I was on a boat with several teenagers on Turkey’s ravishing Turquoise Coast. Some of the kids had done exceptionally well, while others were shellshocked, poor things. Managing those mixed emotions was a diplomatic minefield. Very hard to congratulate Child A – “Brilliant, Barney!” – while Child B is skulking miserably under a large beach towel. One of the boys on board was both embarrassed and baffled that he had got an E in AS French.
This wasn’t a case of a member of the Whatevvah generation moaning when he simply hadn’t done enough work. No, Jack’s rock-bottom French mark was startling because Jack’s mother is French and her son is fluent in the language. Jack (who got a A in maths, so he’s no slouch) speaks far better French than any of the adults on board the boat who got A in that subject at A-level, and is considerably better at French than his mate, Harry, who had managed a B.
“My mum doesn’t believe I got an E,” Jack said, indicating a stream of agitated texts from Maman back in the UK.
He admitted that he had not learned by rote the phrases and the topics you now need to pass AS French. Foolishly, he had assumed that being French meant he could pass French. Espèce d’idiot!
Off-hand, I find it hard to think of a better example of what’s wrong with our examination system.
Read more...
20 August 2015 (British Council)
Develop your pupils' French language skills. Grants of £5000 are available from the Lefèvre trust for UK secondary schools to plan reciprocal visits with their partner schools in France.
Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply by 30 November 2015.
Read more...
20 August 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow are running 24-week exam support classes between September and March/April for secondary schools pupils who will be sitting their National 5 (formerly known asStandard Grade/Intermediate 2), Higher or Advanced Higher French exams at the end of the academic year and who need extra support with their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
For more information, please check their website or call the AF Glasgow's Language Office on 0141 331 4080.
Read more...
20 August 2015 (Institut français)
The new term is about to commence and the Institut français in Edinburgh offers a range of classes for adult learners as well as children, including exam preparation for secondary school pupils.
Visit their website for more information and to enrol.
Read more...
20 August 2015 (BBC)
The daydream of many affluent Londoners is to trade the treadmill of city life for an idyllic existence in rural France.
It's a scenario that's brought to life in Gemma Bovery, a re-imagining of Gustave Flaubert's 19th Century classic Madame Bovary.
Gemma Arterton, who was born in Kent and who, until this production, did not speak a word of French, takes the title role of naive young Londoner Gemma who, with her older husband Charles, moves to Normandy, just a few miles from where Flaubert's book is set.
Read more...
20 August 2015 (The Guardian)
Test your vocabulary and grammar with the Guardian's quiz partially drawn from past GCSE papers.
Read more...
18 August 2015 (The Limping Chicken blog)
I’ve just returned from a two week holiday by the sea in France. My family enjoyed all the things about France you might expect – the sun, pretty villages, beaches, and food.
This was also our first holiday in a non-English speaking country since the children were born, and what struck me was how, when you try and communicate with a French person who knows no English, being able to sign makes a surprising difference.
On the last night of our holiday, we stayed in a French farmhouse where we were served a home-cooked French meal by a waiter who was a bit of a ringer for Gerard Depardieu and spoke only French. Despite the language barrier, using gesture and sign, we were able to have a full conversation.
Read more...
14 August 2015 (TES)
The number of students getting into university this year may have reached a record high with the lifting of the cap on numbers, but the A-level results paint a picture of stability.
This comes as no surprise: the grading is determined in part by Ofqual's comparable outcomes approach. This means that if a cohort is broadly similar in terms of GCSE results to those who took A-levels last year (which they often will be), the A-level grade distribution should look similar unless an exam board can produce very convincing evidence that the standard has risen or fallen.
[...] The ongoing decline in the numbers taking French and German also comes as no surprise. Despite the increase in Spanish, overall the uptake of modern languages is dire. Shortage of funding for sixth-form colleges is driving them to cut small subjects and modern languages are gradually falling by the wayside at A-level. Nothing less than a national campaign can reverse the situation.
Read more...
14 August 2015 (Vocab Express)
Create a languages buzz around your school to kick-start the new academic year! The championship will run from Wednesday 30 September until Tuesday 6 October 2015. It's a fantastic way to engage students in vocabulary building by challenging them to compete against other schools across the UK and from around the world.
The challenge will feature French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Urdu, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin competitions.
The challenge is free to all schools subscribing to Vocab Express. In addition, there are currently still 50 free school places available to non-subscribers, each for up to 150 students.
Read more...
Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Celebrating Languages,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian,
Japanese,
Arabic,
Portuguese,
Polish,
Urdu
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...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news,
CISS news
10 August 2015 (The Herald)
A long-term decline in the number of pupils studying languages at Higher appears to have been reversed.
New figures show most modern languages have seen an increase in entries in 2015 after years where numbers have fallen.
Statistics from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) show French has seen a 10 per cent increase with entries rising to 4,572.
Spanish continues a remarkable rise over the past decade with entries rising 28 per cent to 2413.
Read more...
Posted in:
Senior Phase,
1+2,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
1+2,
Language Learning,
National Qualifications,
Policy,
Qualifications,
Languages in the press,
Russian,
Urdu
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...
Posted in:
S1-S3,
Senior Phase,
1+2,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
1+2,
Curriculum for Excellence,
Language Learning,
Language Policy,
Language Teaching,
National Qualifications,
Qualifications,
Scottish Government,
Languages in the press,
Russian,
Urdu
27 July 2015 (Education Scotland)
Updates to first and second level learning maps are now available on the Education Scotland website.
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Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Scotland,
1+2,
Language Learning,
Language Teaching,
Resources,
News from language & education organisations
15 July 2015 (Alliance Française)
Semi-intensive and 3-day intensive summer courses are taking place at the Alliance Française Glasgow in August/September 2015.
For more information and to enrol, follow the appropriate link below:
A new blended e-learning course is also available for beginners, combining flexible independent learning done online with several Skype chats as well as tutor-led face-to-face group classes (maximum 5 students). See the Alliance Française website for full details and enrol by 19 September.
Read more...
13 July 2015 (The Guardian)
Students planning their years abroad might worry about teaching English. It seems counterintuitive – you go to another country to learn the language and end up speaking your mother tongue.
But in my experience, it can be a rewarding job and is perhaps even the best way to immerse yourself in another culture and learn the language.
Read more...
12 July 2015 (The Independent)
The 10-year-old was looking at the card in front of him which showed an image of a fish. “Samak,” he said decisively.
He and his classmates at Horton Park primary school, in Bradford, have been learning Arabic for three years now, courtesy of a drive by the British Council to boost the take-up of the language in state schools.
Read more...
Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Language Learning,
Language Skills,
Promoting Languages,
Languages in the press,
Russian,
Japanese,
Arabic,
Portuguese
18 June 2015 (SCILT/CISS)
On Friday 29th May 42 talented linguists competed in the National Finals of Word Wizard 2015.
Visit our 2015 Final webpage to read all about this year's event and our impressive competitors. Photos from the event will be published soon.
Read more...
Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news,
CISS news
17 June 2015 (The Guardian)
Everyone told me how much fun I was going to have, but there are many things it would have been more useful for me to have known. Jack Harry, a French and Spanish student at Bristol University, shares his experience of his year studying abroad.
Read more...
11 June 2015 (THE)
Scottish institution strengthens its identity as a centre for singing and languages with pioneering new course.
Read more...
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.
8 June 2015 (Institut français)
The Insitut français will be running a number of semi-intensive and intensive French classes during the summer. See their website and brochure for full details and booking information.
Read more...
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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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!
Read more...
22 May 2015 (Alliance Française)
Alliance Française will be running a special summer workshop for children aged 5-10 between 29th June and 3rd July!
This is an ideal opportunity for children of all levels to find out more about French language and culture through fun activities such as arts & crafts, songs, games, etc... Let us take you on a fabulous 'journey' to France!
We look forward to seeing as many children as possible at what is sure to be a fun-filled week of French activities!
Read more...
21 May 2015 (Alliance Française)
Alliance Française will be running summer classes suitable for all levels between June and September.
Enrol before Saturday 30th May to benefit from our early bird discount.
Semi-Intensive Courses (2 x 3hrs / 4 weeks)
Enrol in a 4-week French programme for complete beginners, or reinforce your language skills with revisions.
Intensive Courses (3 x 5hrs / 3 days)
Brush-up on your French with revisions.
If you wish to enrol, please contact the Language Office on 0141 331 4080.
Read more...
20 May 2015 (Guardian)
Despite many attempts, I had never quite got to grips with French. But by the end of a week-long immersion I learned more than in 15 years of false starts.
Read more...
14 May 2015 (Scotland Food & Drink)
Zum Wohl (German), Saúde (Portugese), Santé (French), gān bēi (Chinese), Sláinte (Gaelic) or cheers (English) – there are many ways to toast a dram around the world.
To mark World Whisky Day on Saturday (May 16) four new foreign language translations of the ‘Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire’ guide are being launched this week by Aberdeenshire Provost, Jill Webster, at Glenglassaugh Distillery near Portsoy.
Working in partnership with local whisky producers, Aberdeenshire Council established the ‘Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire’ last year to highlight the less well-known range of small distilleries all within an hour’s drive of Aberdeen, each with its own distinctive history, style and taste.
The guide has been well received by the tourism industry and the printing of the German language version was sponsored by a German tour company specialising in Scotch whisky tours.
The Portuguese, French and Chinese versions of the guide have been produced in response to demand from key international tourism markets.
Read more...
8 May 2015 (TES)
The furore around the announcement by some exam boards that they will no longer provide GCSEs and/or A-levels in ‘lesser-taught’ languages such as Turkish, Polish, Urdu and Gujarati begs some big questions. Given that the boards are a mixture of not-for-profits and commercial organisations, it is clear this is not simply a matter of money. The challenges are systemic and the root causes are a mixture of cultural attitudes, failed infrastructures and policy failures over many years.
Formal education has seen an overall decline in the study of traditionally taught foreign languages – French, German, etc – while the study of lesser-taught and community languages has failed to grow.
Any rational analysis of trends in school language education reveals that all languages, apart from English, are in danger of becoming ‘lesser taught’. The number of A-levels awarded in all available languages in 2011 was 40,685 and by the summer of 2014 it was 32,680. Many languages departments in universities are facing a real threat of extinction. Unless something is done soon to correct this we will wake up one morning to learn that GCSE French and German are also for the chop.
Read more...
30 April 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française in Glasgow will be running the following courses. Follow the appropriate link for more information and to enrol:
Visit or contact the Language Office to enrol on any of the courses or to arrange an assessment to gauge the appropriate level for you.
Read more...
29 April 2015 (The Independent)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes the political friendship between the two countries will never be complete unless more youngsters from both nations speak both languages - and will raise the subject with French President François Hollande.
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23 April 2015 (British Council)
Develop the speaking confidence of your pupils in advance of oral examinations with a trip to France. The Lefèvre Trust is offering grants of up to £5000 to UK schools to facilitate reciprocal visits to their partner schools in France. Application deadline is 19 May 2015.
Visit the British Council website for more information about the funding programme and how to apply.
Read more...
15 April 2015 (Into Film)
Into Film is offering an exclusive opportunity for schools to attend a regional preview of the new film Girlhood. This film is especially recommended for teachers of French, Citizenship/PSHE and Film/Media and is suitable for 15+ year olds.
Screenings take place in Dundee on 6 May, Inverness on 6 May and Glasgow on 7 May.
Read more...
31 March 2015 (Chartered Institute of Linguists)
IoLET, the awarding body of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, exhibited at the Association for Language Learning’s annual gathering of teachers, Language World, now in its 25th year.
At the event held in Newcastle on 20-21 March, IoLET presented its newest qualification, the Certificate in Languages for Business (CLB), attracting keen interest from MFL teachers from around the UK. This practical, work-oriented qualification is initially offered in French, German and Spanish, and is already running across a number of secondary schools and universities.
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27 March 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française will be running 4 new classes during Term D (April - June) to help you improve your French.
- Phonetics class - Improve your fluidity when speaking French and focus on pronunciation, accentuation and transcription.
- Grammar class - This course will explain specific grammar points to help you to overcome difficulties you may have encounter.
- Lunchtime conversation class - Revise and improve your listening and communication skills through discussion on various themes.
- French cinema - Watch and study François Ozon's acclaimed French-Belgian comedy Potiche starring Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu.
Visit the Alliance Française website for more information and to enrol. Please note places are limited.
Read more...
27 March 2015 (Alliance Française)
We are now enrolling students for Term D which will take place between Monday 20 April and Saturday 13 June.
There will be a new Beginners 1 class taking place every Wednesday from 6pm to 9pm.
If you are new to the Alliance française and not a complete beginner, you will need to make an appointment for a short and informal assessment with one of our teachers so we can recommend a suitable class at your level.
You can also take our free online placement test at this address: www.frenchcourses.org.uk.
Visit the Alliance Française website for full details and to enrol.
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24 March 2015 (National Parent Forum of Scotland)
The National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS) has published a series of New Higher Revision guides. These resources provide a clear, straightforward explanation of what learners need to know in order to prepare for the new Higher exams. For each subject, there are links taking you directly to specimen papers, exemplar question papers and sites where you can access other useful information. Please note that these resources are for the new Curriculum for Excellence Highers. Guides for French, German and Spanish are available.
These NPFS National 5 Revision in a Nutshell subject guides supplement learning and revision in class. They are organised alphabetically, by subject, covering 20 subjects which have exams and for which the SQA has provided relevant past paper questions. Guides for French, German and Spanish are included.
All the guides can be accessed under the 'For Learners' section of the NPFS website.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
23 March 2015 (SCILT)
S3 learners at Brechin High School benefitted from a visit from the Royal Navy and language workshops which culminated in an interdisciplinary project in which learners had to use their language skills in humanitarian crisis scenarios. This project helped to highlight the importance of both language skills and knowledge in a real life scenario. It also allowed the learners to use transferable skills like team work, organisation, working to a deadline and applying language knowledge to a practical situation.
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.
Read more...
16 March 2015 (RFI)
See the results of the ‘Speakons français’ game where readers were invited to put forward new French anglicisms.
Read more...
16 March 2015 (British Council)
Want to start your international career with us? Applications are now open for our 2015 future leaders scheme. You must be fluent in English and be capable and willing to learn one of the following languages: Arabic, Russian, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Portuguese or Japanese.
To find out more about the scheme and full eligibility criteria visit the British Council website.
Application deadline is 30 April 2015.
Read more...
13 March 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running semi-intensive revision courses between Monday 13 and Friday 17 April for Secondary School pupils and University students who are due to sit their French examinations later this year. Enrol by 2 April 2015.
Full details can be found on the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
12 March 2015 (Open University)
YASS is designed to bridge the gap between school and full-time university, giving S6 students in Scotland the opportunity to fit study around school work and social lives. The scheme is intended to encourage independent learning and build confidence.
On this programme students may study from a wide range of subject areas across the university; from the Department of Languages, we offer beginners and intermediate modules (French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Welsh), an introductory languages and cultures module and also modules in English (academic purposes and professional communication skills for business).
Funding for the scheme is through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), which fully supports students from local authority schools studying one of the modules on the scheme.
For further information please visit the Open University website and if you have any queries please contact Scotland-languages@open.ac.uk.
Read more...
12 March 2015 (Alliance Française)
New online courses from the Alliance Française give you the flexibility to study where and when you like. Learn French at your own pace with individualized support from our tutors, at a time and place which suit you.
Our 100% online courses are available from levels A1 (Beginners) to level B2 (Advanced). Each course module contains 5-6 units and provides a total of approximately 50-60 learning hours, distributed over 14 weeks.
You will have the opportunity to get a weekly 45-minute Skype chat with your tutor so you can practice your writing and speaking skills. During this conversation, he/she will review your homework, correct your pronunciation, answer your questions, and of course provide you with any additional learning support you need to complete the course.
Our 100% online courses are run flexibly throughout the year – we can start a class with you whenever suits you!
For more information, please check the Alliance Française website or contact Shona Miller email: assistant@afglasgow.org.uk / 0141 331 4080.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
12 March 2015 (The Guardian)
Culture secretary Fleur Pellerin issues volte-face over laws protecting native tongue from foreign invaders and upheld by Académie Française.
Read more...
11 March 2015 (The Guardian)
Franglais - a mixture of French and English - often uses words that wouldn’t make sense to a native speaker. Hannah Partos gives some tips on navigating some of the more curious French borrowings from English.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
26 February 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running new 10-week French courses for Primary School teachers between March-May 2015.
- The Beginners 1 course is suitable for complete beginners and will take place on Thursdays from 3.45 to 5.45pm.
- The Beginners 2 course is suitable for teachers who have studied French before (’false beginners’) and/or for those who completed one of our previous Beginners 1 classes. This course takes place on Tuesdays from 3.45 to 5.45pm.
Enrol by Friday 6 March.
Further information and enrolment forms are available on the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
25 February 2015 (The Scotsman)
Schoolchildren should be taught languages that will help them get ahead in business because “nobody in the world speaks French,” according to a leading Conservative MSP.
Murdo Fraser, convener of Holyrood’s Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, said he is frustrated that his children are only taught French in primary school when it is “a very minor language”.
“Nobody in the world speaks French,” he said at the committee today. “Well, apart from the French, obviously, but in terms of international trade French is a very minor language.
I mean, surely we should be teaching Spanish or Arabic or Mandarin or even German - a far wider international reach than French does.”
Garry Clark, head of policy and research at the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, pointed out that the language is also useful in a number of French islands around the world.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
13 February 2015 (Le français en Écosse )
Attend this monthly workshop for primary teachers at the Institut français!
This new regular programme offers primary teachers a free training session on the first Thursday of the month with tools and resources for their class. The first workshop will show you how to use French children books, songs and games in your primary class (P1-P3). Teachers who attend 4 of these sessions in a school year will receive a 6 hours training certificate from the Institut français.
This is a free event “en français”.
Please sign in before Friday 27 February: education.pm@ifecosse.org.uk
Read more...
12 February 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running a new French course for primary school teachers, suitable for complete beginners and teachers who completed our Beginners 1 course or have a false beginners level
- 20 hours of lessons over 10 weeks tailored to the needs of primary school teachers: classroom and speaking activities, pronunciation, communication, increase your confidence and feel more comfortable speaking French
- Thursdays, 3.45-5.45pm
- 12 March to 28 May 2015 inclusive. (Please note there will be no classes on Thursday 9 and 16 April)
- The cost to attend this course is £80/teacher. Please note this is a special fee offered by the AF Glasgow to promote modern languages
- A certificate of attendance will be handed out by the end of the course
- Places are limited so early booking is recommended
If you wish to enrol in this course, please contact or visit the Language Office at the Alliance Française by Friday 6 March.
- Alliance Française de Glasgow - 3 Park Circus, Glasgow, G3 6AX
- Tel. +44 (0)141 331 4080
- email: admin@afglasgow.org.uk
Or visit the website to download the enrolment form.
Read more...
AMOPA 'Parlons français' - A competition for students of AH French
30 January 2015 (Alliance Française)
The competition is now in its fourth year and with continuing sponsorship from Total it's hoped it will continue to grow.
“It must be the easiest competition ever to take part in!” That’s a quote from one school last year.
And it’s true. All that's needed is a short recording of students as they prepare for their speaking test. This will then be assessed, everyone given some feedback and prizes and certificates awarded.
See the attached flyer for full details about the competition and how to enter. The deadline for entries is 21 February 2015.
30 January 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française are now enrolling for the next semester of adult and children's French classes, commencing 6 February 2015.
If you are unsure of your level, there are Open Days available where you can meet the team and have an assessment. Alternatively a free online placement test is available at this address: www.frenchcourses.org.uk
Further details and enrolment information are available on the Alliance Française website.
There are also Higher & Advanced Higher Oral Preparation courses for pupils who are sitting their French oral examinations in 2015. These will take place on Fridays during February.
Read more...
29 January 2015 (The Guardian)
It seems 2014 was the year of ‘photobombing’ and ‘oversharing’ in English, but what about in Spanish, German and French?
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Related Links
See the
BFI website for a list of screenings, including those in Glasgow and Aberdeen.
23 January 2015 (Institut français d'Écosse)
Did you know for example that when pigs fly, les poules auront des dents? The Institut français d'Écosse launch a new series on French idiomatic expressions. Follow us on Twitter (@ifecosse) and Facebook (InstitutfrancaisdEcosse) with #FridayFrançais and discover every Friday a new expression and its English equivalent.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
23 January 2015 (Institut français d'Écosse )
Institut français d'Écosse are ready for the 2015 edition of Les Rencontres Théâtrales in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen in March to celebrate la Francophonie. Have your class create or adapt a short piece in French and help them to put it on stage. Check out the dates for your city and fill in the enrolment form online.
Read more...
23 January 2015 (BP Art Exchange/Institut Français)
BP Art Exchange and the
Institut Français would like to invite French and art teachers to participate in an exciting initiative exploring art and Language with a class of their choice.
‘Dis-moi dix mots... que tu accueilles’ is a project initiated by the French Ministry of Education and the aim of this annual initiative is for classes to create a collective artistic piece of work responding to a selection of 10 chosen French words. The words selected this year are: amalgame, bravo, cibler, grigri, inuit, kermesse, kitsch, sérendipité, wiki, zénitude. If you would like to participate in this project,
register at bpartexchange.tate.org.uk and join the Dix Mots group. Upload the works that your students have created to share them with others before
01 March 2015. A panel of judges representing the BP Art Exchange community, comprising an artist, a teacher and a representative from Institut Français and BP Art Exchange will meet in March 2015 to select the three most interesting submissions to be featured on Tate website.
Click here for more information about the project ‘Dis-moi dix mots... que tu accueilles’. For inspiration, you can visit your local gallery,
browse the Tate online digitised collection as a reference point for creating works in response to one or more of the 10 words.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
22 January 2015 (Alliance Française)
As in previous years, the Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running Higher & Advanced Higher Oral Preparation courses for pupils who will be sitting their French oral examinations in 2015.
Sessions will take place between 4-6pm at the Alliance Française de Glasgow as follows:
- Friday 6 February
- Friday 13 February
- Friday 20 February
- Friday 27 February
For more information and to enrol by Friday 30 January, visit the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
19 January 2015 (Glasgow Film Theatre)
Glasgow Youth Film Festival runs during the first week of February and will feature films in French, German and Chinese, and all screenings are FREE for Glasgow schools. For more information, visit the secondary school listings on the Glasgow Youth Film Festival website.
Read more...
17 January 2015 (Midlothian Advertiser)
A pilot scheme involving 13 Midlothian primary schools has rolled French language lessons to children as young as four.
It is part of the “1+2 Languages Initiative” which, based on the mother tongue plus two additional languages, is aiming to revolutionise language learning in Scotland.
Read more...
15 January 2015 (Yakety Yak Language Café)
Want to improve your conversational skills in another language? Yakety Yak Language Café offers opportunities to speak French, Spanish, German, Italian, Gaelic, Portuguese, Chinese or Russian in Edinburgh.
Sessions are held in cafés, bistros and bars and are suitable for those with a basic knowledge of the language and the ability to hold a simple conversation. A number of options are available both daytime and evening.
Check out the Yakety Yak Language Café website for more information.
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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.
Read more...
13 January 2015 (British Council)
Language assistants help bring culture alive in schools across the country and are an ideal way to improve language learning for students and to increase their global awareness, as well as support the implementation of a 1+2 approach to language learning.
Applications to the latest round of the language assistant programme open on January 26 and bids from schools are encouraged to be submitted by the end of March. To help spread the cost, each language assistant can be shared between three schools.
Visit the British Council website for more information and to apply.
Read more...
9 January 2015 (TES)
The young Maggie, who went on to host Tomorrow's World, struggled with languages - until a new teacher reinforced the connection between hard work and achievement.
Read more...
8 January 2015 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française de Glasgow is running a programme of CPDs in French for Primary School teachers. There are still some spaces left for the five remaining topics and dates during February and March 2015.
Details of the programme and how to enrol are available on the Alliance Française website.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
18 December 2014 (SCILT)
We have extracted and summarised the key messages from the SQA external examiner's reports for Higher Modern Languages 2014, which can be found on our website.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
16 December 2014 (Institut français)
There are many advantages for establishing links between a Scottish and a French local authority. These links are a natural element of your local 1+2 strategy, with school twinning, expertise sharing and training opportunities.
Check out the blog of the Académie de Lyon primary teachers about their visit to partner schools in Renfrewshire.
If you need help to identify a partner, or if you want to make more out of your current link, email Thomas Chaurin at the Institut français - education@ifecosse.org.uk.
Read more...
5 December 2014 (Institut français)
The next session of adult classes runs from 12 January to 28 March 2015, with a variety of courses on offer at different levels.
See the website for further information or call in to the Open Day on Saturday 13 December, between 10am – 3pm, for a free assessment and to enrol.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
Motivate and inspire - new French and German resources on the SCILT website
27 November 2014 (SCILT)
Looking for interesting resources to inspire and motivate your learners? The Professional Development Officers at SCILT and Kirsten Herbst-Gray from Langholm Academy in Dumfries and Galloway have developed these materials for use with German and French learners.
Access these new resources through the following pages of our website:
German
- S1-S3
- Tourism: my home town
- Projekt Deutschland
- Trading with Germany
- New Higher
French
25 November 2014 (Oxford University Press)
Help us to celebrate the launch of new KS3 French Tricolore 5e édition for 2014 with our J’adore Tricolore competition.
We're offering 10 winners the chance to win a languages goody bag, packed with MFL prizes galore. For a chance to win, take a 'Tricolore selfie' and enter by 31 December 2014.
More information is available on the Oxford University Press website.
Read more...
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.
Read more...
24 November 2014 (Education Scotland)
Education Scotland has developed a new website on the Giant Pandas. The website provides access to relevant, contextualised resources to support learning and teaching about giant pandas through Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes.
The resource features information about the arrival of Scotland’s giant pandas, current information about their life at Edinburgh Zoo, an image gallery, videos and learning journeys for languages, sciences and health and wellbeing.
Language teachers will particularly appreciate the second level learning resources which develop understanding and knowledge of the giant pandas through the medium of the modern language.
A learning journey takes learners through a number of foreign language tasks that will build on their knowledge of pandas and allow them to make comparisons between life in Scotland and life in China.
There are also two activity booklets - one in French and one in German - which contain a variety of challenges linked to cross-curricular themes.
Read more...
14 November 2014 (TES)
Commuting through forests, over rivers and across borders is a daily undertaking for this British teacher at a German school, who delights in languages and gets his ideas from a ‘tree of inspiration’
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14 November 2014 (Huffington Post)
Being sociable and speaking French are two attributes that could help a graduate land their first job, according to a survey. It also claims that writing a blog and volunteering can help those looking for work. The poll, by recruitment firm reed.co.uk, asked around 2,300 graduates what they thought helped them get their first position.
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13 November 2014 (ULIP)
To commemorate the centenary of WW1 the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) is running this year's 'Win a trip to Paris' competition with a WW1 theme. To enter, students of Higher/Advanced Higher French have to watch the video on their website about "Les Taxis de la Marne", a famous WW1 event that took place right outside ULIP's front door, and answer a few related questions before 31 January 2015.
The French teacher of the winning student also receives a hamper of luxury Parisien goodies!
Visit the ULIP website for full terms and conditions and to take part in the competition.
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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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10 November 2014 (Dundee Evening Telegraph)
Bonjour, parlez-vous Francais? Non? Well, no worries — head along to Dundee’s Hillside Primary School and you’ll get French lessons from the children there.
For the past two years, children throughout the school have been learning and speaking French on a daily basis. Now they’ve decided the time is right to show off their language skills to the Tele.
And mighty impressive they were, too, as they discussed names, ages and what they were having for lunch in fairly fluent French.
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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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3 November 2014 (The Poetry Society)
The autumn 2014 set of Poems on the Underground commemorates the centenary of the First World War. War Poems on the Underground are on display in London Underground cars from 6 October 2014 through November, with additional posters on London Overground and selected station sites in a major expansion of our programme, supported by TfL. Poems by English, French, Italian and Austrian poets, written during the heat of war service, stress themes of brotherhood and reconciliation, and the ways in which “we said goodbye to a whole epoch” (Apollinaire).
Visit the Poetry Society website to see extracts from some of the poems and follow the link to the Guardian's article below with tips on writing war poetry.
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Related Links
How to teach ... war memorials and war poetry (The Guardian, 3 November 2014) - as Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday approaches, help your students appreciate war memorials and war poetry with our handy lesson ideas.
31 October 2014 (Language Perfect)
The search is on for the top language student and languages department in the northern hemisphere... The Northern Championships, taking place from 3-13 November 2014 , pitches students and schools in the northern hemisphere against one another, ONLINE and LIVE, from computers and iPod/Android apps. Teachers can watch the scoreboards for up-to-the-minute updates on how their school and students are going. Maybe your school will become the champions in 2014?
Visit the Language Perfect website for more information.
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Posted in:
Chinese,
French,
German,
Italian,
Spanish,
Awards,
Celebrating Languages,
News from language & education organisations,
Russian,
Japanese,
Arabic
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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Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Language Skills,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news
29 October 2014 (Alliance Française)
The next session for the DELF/DALF examinations will take place in December 2014.
For full details and to enrol by 8 November 2014 to site the exams in Glasgow visit the Alliance Française website.
The examinations can also be sat in Edinburgh at the Institut français - for details follow the link to their website below.
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29 October 2014 (Alliance Française)
The next session of adult classes (Term B) at the Alliance Française Glasgow will run between Monday 17 November 2014 and Saturday 31 January 2015.
We will be running a class for complete beginners on Monday between 6-9pm, as well as a new lunchtime conversation class every Tuesday between 1.30-2.30pm.
More information and an enrolment form is available on the Alliance Française website.
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26 October 2014 (Alliance Française)
The Alliance Française and the Goethe-Institut are delighted to present a new series of German and French films at the CCA. From Nov 2014 to February 2015 the Franco-German film series will explore the themes of modern fairy tales.
For more information, visit the Alliance Française website.
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25 October 2014 (Alliance Française)
The 22nd edition of French Film Festival will begin on the 7th November and run until the 4th December 2014. Amongst an exciting programme, you can find and discover some wonderful French films at the Alliance Française de Glasgow.
Visit the website for more information.
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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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Posted in:
S1-S3,
Chinese,
French,
Gaelic,
German,
Spanish,
Celebrating Languages,
Language Learning,
Language Skills,
Promoting Languages,
SCILT news
21 October 2014 (SCILT)
Show your pupils that languages are valuable in the world of work by visiting the 'Job Profiles' section of the SCILT website. People from a range of sectors - including sport, marketing, technology and many more - explain how language learning has influenced their professional lives.
NEW to the job profiles section:
- Susan Young shows us her unusual office, and tells us how she turned her passion in life into her job.
- Amy Baxter shares her story with us in a new video interview just added to her job profile.
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14 October 2014 (Guardian)
Meet Vidipt, a student from France, the home of around 2.8% of all international students at UK universities.
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14 October 2014 (Guardian)
From speaking Malay as a young marine, to offending his Chinese teacher with unfortunate translations, Paddy shares the twists and turns of his language adventures.
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A series of blogs from the British Council on important languages for the UK’s future
10 October 2014 (British Council)
The final post in the British Council's weekly series on the ten most important languages for the UK’s future, as identified by the British Council’s Languages for the Future report, is about Mandarin Chinese. Here, the British Council’s Asmaa Ibrahim explains the characters, tonal differences, and sound similarities that make the language so fascinating.
Related Links
Read the other blogs in the series:
- Arabic is in great demand and there’s a shortage of well-qualified speakers
- Russian: beautiful, complex, and a window onto the unknown
- Turkish: a fascinating structure and huge influence
- The French language: romantic, precise, close to English
- German and hipsters: the perfect match?
- Single Japanese words can contain whole worlds of experience
- How good is Italian for business?
- Spanish: learning to speak the language of 400 million people
- Which languages the UK needs and why
10 October 2014 (Guardian)
From being overfamiliar to mixing up your homophones, language tutors share their advice on avoiding common faux pas.
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10 October 2014 (TES)
Restoring the status of the French language is a labour of love for this Canadian teacher. Despite a long commute and a relentless timetable, she is heartened by calls of ‘Bonjour!’ in the hallways.
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7 October 2014 (The Little Black Book Edinburgh)
Introduction to European Cinema is now in its tenth year and returns with another fantastic selection of classic films curated by specialists in European cinema at the University of Edinburgh. Each film screening is preceded by a brief introduction by Dr Leanne Dawson (Lecturer in German and Film Studies at the University of Edinburgh and IEC Course Organiser) or another University of Edinburgh academic.
The event runs from 1 October to 26 November and offers some screenings in French, German and Russian.
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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.
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30 September 2014 (Alliance française )
The Alliance Française de Glasgow will be running a 5-week grammar course specifically designed for students who are currently studying French at University.
Between Wednesday 22nd October and Wednesday 19th November incl.
3.45-5.45pm.
Fees: £60 per student.
Please visit or contact the Language Office before Friday 17th October if you wish to enrol. Places are limited.
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30 September 2014 (Alliance Française)
The next session for the DELF/DALF will take place in December 2014.
Deadline to enrol: Saturday 8th November.
Whether you are currently enrolled in one of our classes or are an external candidate, you can obtain a formal proof of your level by sitting a DELF/DALF examination at the AF Glasgow.
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26 September 2014 (Guardian)
Over half of people in the EU can speak at least two languages with 38% able to speak English.
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19 September 2014 (GrowStoryGrow)
Every year, to help celebrate the European Day of Languages, GrowStoryGrow opens up its site allowing children all over the world to experience over a hundred enchanting stories, in several different languages, for free.
This year the GrowStoryGrow is free to use from 22 - 29 September 2014 and to link with this year's centenary of World War 1 there is a very poignant story about Remembrance Day.
Visit the website for further information and to access the materials.
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19 September 2014 (British Council)
Secondary schools, sixth form or further education colleges that already have a partnership with a school in France, can apply to receive funding for reciprocal student visits. The two grants available can be used for individual and/or group visits.
The Charles de Gaulle Trust joint project offer, gives students aged 17-19 the opportunity to develop vocational skills in a multilingual environment. The £5,000 grant per school is for reciprocal student visits to facilitate the project work.
The Lefèvre Trust offers a grant of £5,000 per school for students aged between 11-19
If pupils in your school and your partner school fit the age ranges specified then you can apply for both grants simultaneously. So, you and your partner school could access £10,000 each in total.
Visit the British Council website for more information about the trusts and how to apply. Application deadline is Tuesday 11 November 2014.
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