Rhu Primary School celebrated the diversity of European countries and Languages for European Day of Languages. Take a look at the fantastic P6 video which showcases this diversity.

The European Day of Languages (EDL) is celebrated on 26 September each year.

If you’re looking for inspiration SCILT has compiled lots of ideas for primary, secondary and parents & families on the SCILT EDL page

Please send any photographs celebrating this event to gwen.mccrossan2@argyll-bute.gov.uk and I will share on this blog.

Early Level French Virtual classroom 

to try out with your learners. The link can be shared with parents for home learning. First and Second level classrooms to follow.

Early Level French Numbers         

Early Level French Colours

Links to share with parents:

https://bit.ly/EarlyLevelFrenchClassAB

https://bit.ly/EarlyLevelFrenchNumbers

https://bit.ly/EarlyYearsColours

Professional learning sessions to help practitioners use digital tools to enhance language learning. The webinars cover a wide range of digital tools and are for primary and secondary practitioners.

Secondary – using digital tools in Glow to enhance and capture learning                          Monday 15th June, 11:00 – 12:00

Primary and BGE languages – using mobile devices to enhance and capture language learning.                                                                                                                                                              Monday 15th of June, 14:00 – 15:00

Primary and BGE languages – using G Suite to enhance and capture learning                 Wednesday 17^th June, 11:00 – 12:00

To find out more and register for these events  follow the link below: https://glowscotland.sharepoint.com/sites/AberdeenshireCouncil/northernalliance/SitePages/Northern-Alliance-CLPL-Offer.aspx

Innellan Primary School has been providing opportunities for family learning through an after-school French club.  Gina Nitschke, a teacher at the school, runs this  club with the assistance of her daughter, Lucy, who is studying French.  This popular club is attended by pupils, siblings, parents and grand-parents.  In fact, the club has proved so popular that it has sparked national interest and you can read more in an article published in the latest edition of the SCILT Newsletter

This is a lovely memory of a successful Gaelic Intergenerational learning event which was held at the beginning of March, at Tighnabruaich Primary School, in partnership with the Cowal Befrienders.  The event brought together primary pupils, senior DGS pupils and older people who live in the Tighnabruaich area.  Everyone enjoyed a meal together and learned the numbers to 10 in Gaelic. The afternoon culminated in a fun game of bingo in Gaelic! Thanks to everyone involved for making the event a big success and let’s hope that we can bring all the generations together again soon.

 Pupils at St. Andrew’s Primary School using BSL

BSL at Apple Tree Nursery

The links above show children at St. Andrew’s Primary School and Apple Tree Nursery developing their language skills through BSL. Liam Dunnachie, a local resident, has kindly volunteered to help develop BSL skills on the island.

Dunoon Grammar School celebrated Languages Week Scotland by creating a video of pupils and staff sharing their favourite words every day of the week. Click on the links below to see each day.

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

During Languages Week Scotland parents came in to Hermitage Primary School to teach the children about their language and culture (Dutch, French, Russian, Lithuanian and German).

As part of  Languages Week Scotland, the Pupils of P5-7 at Dalmally Primary School created a word cloud of their favourite words in different languages including French, Gaelic, Spanish, Croatian and Japanese.

During Languages Week Scotland use the hashtag #ScotlandLovesLanguages to share your favourite word in any language.

My favourite French word is pamplemousse In Gaelic it is damhan-allaidh

I just love the sound of those words!  What’s yours?  Also find out your pupils’ favourite words and share with the nation.

During Languages week you could find out how many languages are spoken in your school community and celebrate this.  For example, make a poster representing all the languages spoken by pupils and their families.

Why not use technology in languages- For example, try out Duolingo for schools in your class.

Learn a song in another language

Most importantly enjoy language learning during this special week and use the hashtag #ScotlandLovesLanguages to share what is happening in your school.  Alternatively, send anything you would like to be shared to gwen.mccrossan2@argyll-bute.gov.uk

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!

To find out more about this exciting competition for primary and secondary schools click HERE

Here are some new Christmas resources available on PowerLanguage Schools

French Christmas Resources

Spanish Christmas Resources

The current Argyll & Bute primary school menu is available in French and Gaelic and has been sent to all schools. This is a useful  resource to help embed your L2 into classroom routines. Click below for a copy of the menu.

2020-21 Autumn-Winter Gaelic Menu

2020-21 Autumn-Winter French Menu

Jackie Mullen, one of the tutors for the national Gaelic Language in the Primary School (GLPS) course, will provide two taster sessions for beginners on Tuesday the 29th October and Tuesday the 5th November, from 4.05-5.30pm. These sessions will provide a fun introduction to simple Gaelic phrases that you can use with your learners in class. You can access the sessions from your classroom using Google Meet. If you are interested in attending please contact gwen.mccrossan2@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Click Here to find out about all the available  French follow-on courses taking place, next term. These courses are suitable for those who consider themselves to be post beginners or have already completed the French beginners course.

 GLPS is coming to you

Jan Kersel, one of the tutors for the national GLPS course will provide GLPS training in Inveraray.

2 days beginners’ training-  18th Sept 2019 & 2nd Oct 2019

2 days follow-on training- 15th and 29th January 2020

This is a fantastic opportunity to access GLPS without traveling to Stirling for 18 days training. This training provides an accessible alternative. This condensed version will provide an introduction to Gaelic in the primary. Contact Gwen McCrossan- gwen.mccrossan2@argyll-bute.gov.uk  to enrol on this course.

Oban High School- Wednesday 28^th August, 1600-1730

Lochgilphead Joint Campus- Thursday 29^th August, 1600-1730

Education Scotland will deliver sessions which focus on progression from first to second level in languages with reference to the recently published guidance on the National Improvement Hub:       https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/modern-languages-progression-framework This resource brings together all the national documentation practitioners need to plan and deliver language learning. Please contact Gwen McCrossan gwen.mccrossan2@argyll-bute.gov.uk to register for these events.

6 week block of beginners’ and follow-on French training being delivered by a language specialist in your area. Courses starting in August 2019. Click HERE for more details.

Well done to Melody Elizabeth Clark-Want from Port Charlotte Primary School. Melody’s poem was highly recommended in the ‘Other Tongue’ category of this national multi-lingual poetry competition.

For this poem I used Gaelic and English. I used English because it is the first language I ever learned and is what I use to write in all the time and feel most easy writing in. The reason I wrote in Gaelic is because it is one of the the languages people use on the place I live in and love.  I also wrote in Gaelic because it was the first language of my grandfather who used to teach me Gaelic, I wrote in Gaelic to thank him for teaching me. Click here to read Melody’s poem. Click here to read the full Anthology.