Parents

Case studies and further support for teachers who want to engage parents and families in pupils' language learning

For practitioners

"Parental and family engagement is a key factor in helping all children achieve the highest standards whilst reducing inequity and closing the attainment gap."

National Improvement Framework for Scottish Education: Achieving excellence and equity (Scottish Government, 2016)

Case Studies

Springside Primary


A seven-week project saw the whole school community learn French. Resources available to download.


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Fife Council Family Learning


Fife Council and PowerLanguage collaborated on an online course, piloted by families in nine schools.

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St Winning's Primary


St Winning's Primary successfully achieved a high level of parental engagement in language learning

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Leaflets

Languages in a nutshell

Explains how the 1+2 Approach will be put into practice and why learning languages is so important. Suggests ways parents can support their child’s language learning.

Produced by SCILT in partnership with The National Parent Forum of Scotland.

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Further leaflets from SCILT

Our leaflets support teachers and schools in engaging with parents to reinforce the benefits of learning a language.

Links to further reading Show allHide details

SCILT have selected a series of research and policy to support you in engaging with parents. Click a heading to expand.

author , Education Scotland (update April 2019)

Family Learning encourages family members to learn together as and within a family, with a focus on intergenerational learning.

Family learning activities can also be specifically designed to enable parents to learn how to support their children’s learning.

"Family learning is a powerful method of engagement and learning which can foster positive attitudes towards life-long learning, promote socio-economic resilience and challenge educational disadvantage" (Family Learning Network, 2016)

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author , Scottish Government (2016)

Parental and family engagement is a key factor in helping all children achieve the highest standards whilst reducing inequity and closing the attainment gap. (p14)

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author Harris and Goodall, DCFS (2007)

  • Parental engagement is a powerful lever for raising achievement in schools. Where parents and teachers work together to improve learning, the gains in achievement are significant.
  • Parents have the greatest influence on the achievement of young people through supporting their learning in the home rather than supporting activities in the school. It is their support of learning within the home environment that makes the maximum difference to achievement.

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author Sylva et al, SureStart/DfES (2004)

For all children, the quality of the home learning environment is more important for intellectual and social development than parental occupation, education or income. What parents do is more important than who parents are.

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Further support to engage with parents

Languages for all

EAL and bilingualism

University of Strathclyde Education Scotland British Council Scotland The Scottish Government
SCILT - Scotlands National centre for Languages