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News
Welcome to the latest news area, where you can find out about languages in the news as well as the latest developments at CILT, the National Centre for Languages.
Free training days for community languages teachers
The Our Languages project, in partnership with the CILT Comenius network, is offering eight free full-day regional training days in September and October to provide upskilling in pedagogy for community languages teachers from both the complementary and mainstream school sectors.
Topics will be chosen from a list including creativity, developing schemes of work, assessment for learning, and teaching with PowerPoint. Every event will also host a workshop on obtaining QTS and a presentation on Asset Languages.
Dates and locations:
3 Sept - Cambridge
8 Sept - Leeds
10 Sept - Southampton
17 Sept - Bristol
20 Sept - Leicester
27 Sept - Spennymoor
30 Sept - Manchester
4 Oct - Birmingham
To register for any of these free events, visit the Our Languages website.
(25/07/08)
Transition remains a focus for Key Stage 3 languages
Transition between primary and secondary schools tops the list of subjects most commonly described as a key focus for language teachers involved in the Key Stage 3 MFL Dissemination and Development Programme. At the end of the first phase, over three quarters of the 355 learning networks established by the programme agree that they are on track with the aims that they set themselves regarding transition, both from primary and into Key Stage 4, and other key issues when the project began back in January 2007.
The Key Stage 3 MFL Dissemination and Development Programme brings together teachers from between four and fifteen different schools in nine regions of England, with the aim of improving language teaching and learning at Key Stage 3 by sharing strategies, resources and good practice. (25/07/08)
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New toolkit supports business language champions
Regional Language Network (RLN) London has launched a toolkit to share motivating activities and ideas with businesses and schools interested in working in partnership to encourage language learning.
The toolkit includes samples of activities carried out by recognised Business Language Champions, together with supporting materials and advice which can help in building long-term partnerships between schools and businesses.
The toolkit is the latest addition to the Business Languages Champions programme, which highlights the value of language skills in the workplace for young people. The programme recently earned praise from Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who invited a group of pupils and teachers from Hornsey School for Girls in North London to meet with him to share their experience of working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
Business Language Champions organiser, Pinky Sidhu, said ‘With our toolkit and future activities we expect to inspire and motivate more and more partners to get involved and make a difference.’ (21/07/08)
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UK embraces technology to win European languages awards
UK winners of the prestigious European Award for Languages have shown that learners of all ages are inspired to develop language skills through creative use of new technologies.
Podcasts, interactive DVDs and video conferencing all feature in projects run by the winners of the Award, which will be presented tomorrow by CILT’s patron, Sir Trevor McDonald. Four out of the twelve winning projects come from outside of the educational sphere, with organisations ranging from local community groups to a Premiership football club earning the prestigious award, which recognises innovative approaches to language learning. (15/07/08)
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Primary Language Teacher of the Year finalists announced
Four finalists have been selected for the first Scholastic and La Jolie Ronde Primary Language Teacher of the Year Award.
Geoff Swinn, CILT’s acting chief executive and director of education & skills, was on the judging panel, which consisted of primary languages experts including Michelle Guy, editor of Junior Education PLUS and Colette Hallam, founder of La Jolie Ronde.
Jean Bews (St Leonards CE Primary School, Shropshire), Nicola Davies (Garforth Green Lane Primary School, Leeds), Nathalie Hockey (Brook Primary School, Kent) and Paul Phillips (St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School, Milton Keynes) were chosen for their outstanding primary languages teaching.
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on 9 October at the Houses of Parliament. (03/07/08)
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New videos and case studies on 14 to 19 microsite
Fifteen new case studies and 57 new video clips have been added to CILT’s 14 to 19 Reshaping Languages microsite since its launch on 1 April.
Eight of the fifteen new case studies show examples of good practice in ICT, and are accompanied by detailed information on many different aspects of using ICT in the languages classroom, including podcasts, social networking and the interactive whiteboard.
Since its launch two months ago, CILT has received excellent feedback from modern language teachers and managers who have used the site for both teaching and training. One teacher praised its comprehensiveness, saying ‘I love the fact that everything is on the same site.’ Many teachers highlighted the video clips as their favourite aspect; one teacher described the videos as ‘excellent and a great resource for training.’
Reshaping Languages has also received critical acclaim from the education media. Irene Krechowiecka, writing in the Guardian Unlimited in May, described the microsite as providing ‘comprehensive, practical support for those teaching languages in the 14 to 19 phase.’ (01/07/08)14-19 microsite
New research shows primary languages on the rise
New research published by the NFER has demonstrated a great increase in the number of primary schools teaching foreign languages to children. The report, published on Thursday, showed that 84% of English primaries now teach a foreign language, up from 70% on the previous year and nearly double the 44% in 2002.
This year’s Survey of Language Learning Provision at Key Stage 2 shows that traditional languages still dominate, with French being most popular (89% of schools which teach languages) followed by Spanish (23%) and German (9%). A small number of schools (under 3%) offer community languages, including Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Urdu.
The report suggests that language teaching is on track to become available to all primary pupils by 2010, as recommended by Lord Dearing in his 2007 Languages Review.
Teresa Tinsley, Director of Communications at CILT said:
‘This is really good news. We were picking up that more schools were coming on board. There is a lot of demand for our support for training. It's an amazing, rapid development.’
(01/07/08)
Online debate on languages in the new curriculum
Modern Languages teachers can get involved in an online discussion of the new secondary curriculum this week on a new website coordinated by the CfBT Education Trust.
The support materials website provides information on the new curriculum and access to video clips, case studies, supporting materials and links for ten subject areas including modern foreign languages. MFL teachers can also access a forum for questions and comments, where they can take part in the current debate about languages in the new curriculum.
To access the pages, log in to the support materials website and select modern languages from the area marked Resource Library: www.newsecondarycurriculum.org
(24/06/08)
EC competition challenges young translators
The European Commission have announced that the Juvenes Translatores competition will be taking place in 2008 for the second year running. The competition, run by the EC’s translation department, challenges 17-year-olds from across Europe to translate from original texts written in any of the EU’s 23 official languages.
The 2008 Juvenes Translatores competition will be held on 27 November at secondary schools in each of the EU’s 27 Member States, and will be open to all pupils born in 1991. One winner from each Member State will be invited to attend the award ceremony in Brussels in early 2009, where they will have the chance to meet some of the Commission’s staff translators.
To enter the competition, schools are invited to register on the Juvenes Translatores website between 1 September – 20 October. (23/06/08)
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Vote for your favourite LAFTAs video
CILT recently asked young people aged 13 to 21 to send in two-minute videos showing why languages are important as part of the Languages and Film Talent Awards (LAFTAs). CILT received over 160 entries from all across the UK, showing why we need languages: from being lost in a foreign country, to meeting the love of your life, to being attacked by sharks, cannibals or dragons…
The LAFTAs celebrity judging panel – which includes broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald and comedian Eddie Izzard – have now cast their votes and we will be announcing the winners at an awards ceremony in September.
If you haven’t taken part yet this year, there is still a chance to get involved. Multilingual Vacancies are hosting a People’s Vote, giving you and your pupils the chance to vote for your favourite shortlisted clips. The winner of the People’s Vote will receive a special prize sponsored by Multilingual Vacancies at the LAFTAs awards ceremony.
To rate your favourite clips, visit www.multilingualvacancies.com/videos.php.
(17/06/08)
New website supports partnerships in community languages
The launch of the website for Our Languages, a groundbreaking initiative funded by the DCSF, takes place today at the third CILT Community Languages National Conference in Sheffield.
The new website, hosted by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, provides vital information and support for community languages teachers and managers in the UK. Content includes video clips showing best practice, case studies, useful links and training and event information. Key features include a database of schools teaching community languages in England and information on how to gain accreditation in community languages. (11/06/08)
Our Languages website
Read press release
Schools urged to bring serious message to language day celebrations
Teachers and careers advisors are being urged to use the European Day of Languages on 26 September to highlight to teenagers the benefits of languages and the range of careers where language skills are an advantage. CILT’s Celebrate, Educate, Appreciate campaign seeks to give them the information and resources needed to convey positive messages about languages: www.cilt.org.uk/edl/cea.htm
CILT, the National Centre for Languages wants this year’s activities for teenagers to draw on the three strands of the campaign:
· Celebrate - a time to celebrate achievement and have fun with languages
· Educate - raise awareness of the benefits of languages in the workplace
· Appreciate - value of all languages at all levels
(09/06/08)
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