Click on the links below to register for these sessions.

⭐Power Language Schools – Getting the Most from the Resource⭐

16^th September 3.45-5.00pm

We will explore the vast array of support provided by this resource and advise on the best way to use it in your setting. We will also revisit the Family Learning course which all Northern Alliance teachers currently have free access to.

Four-week Introduction to Gaelic Course

• Session 1: Introductions and Feelings- Tuesday 7^th Sept
• Session 2: Numbers and Days of the Week- Tuesday 5^th October
• Session 3: Weather and Colours- Tuesday 9^th November
• Session 4: Family and Pets- Tuesday 7^th December

(Four week follow on course planned for January 2021)

Teaching 1+2 at All Levels

9th September – Early Level,  23rd September – First Level,  7th October Second/Third Level                                                           

These professional learning sessions aim to share resources, classroom teaching ideas, core language and support at each level. The sessions are relevant for all languages, with examples in French and Gaelic.

On Saturday 5^th June, pupils from Gigha Primary School Eco Schools Committee took part in the Three Peaks Challenge, a 2.8km sponsored circular walk or scoot, which including walking the three highest cairns at the north of the island. Pupils from the nursery through to P7 raised the amazing current total of £630 through sponsorship from their family and friends; this will be used to purchase a variety of fresh fruit plants to be grown in the schools polycrub polytunnel as part of the pupil’s Eco School’s project. The end goal is to create a community growing garden to provide an increasing range of fruit and vegetables to pupils and the families who live on the Isle of Gigha.

Gigha Primary School’s Eco school’s Committee Chairperson, Max, reported “The sponsored walk was really fun and has raised lots of money for plants for the school growing area. We would like to say thank you to all the people who took part and who sponsored us.”

Headteacher, Julie Wilson, said “It is fantastic that despite the restrictions of Covid 19, our families have continued to join in with family friendly outdoor events. The children at Gigha Primary School are fully committed to taking action on issues of sustainability that are really important to them. This has provided an opportunity for them once again to have a voice around these aspects of everyday life, especially to lead community action on climate change. As an island community this allows our pupils to meet the challenges highlighted by the UN Sustainable Development goals in order to make the world a better place. “

Click on the images to discover these new teaching resources on the theme of All About Me for French and Gaelic. These resources are ideal for helping learners achieve second level experiences & outcomes.

Last Wednesday (19^th May), some of the children from Dunoon Primary ELC set out on an ad venture. They were going on a bear hunt at the Bishops Glen! Before they fully embarked on their journey they wanted to hide the first of their painted “shanarri calamari” stones. These evolved from the Cowal P1 transition programme promoted by the Early Years Team and after carefully painting images on stones found on the beach, the children wanted to hide them throughout the Dunoon community for people to find. They were keen for folk to let them know if the stones had been found by letter, email or posting a picture on our school Facebook page and have already had their first response. This year’s P1 transition topic, based around the 8 SHANARRI wellbeing indicators of SAFE, HEALTHY, ACHIEVING, NURTURED, ACTIVE, RESPECTED, RESPONSIBLE and INCLUDED is going really well at Dunoon ELC. Thanks to the Early Years Team for gifting each setting with a toy octopus – we named ours “Rocky” and he has played a huge part in the fun and learning opportunities supporting each of our children as they make the journey from Nursery to Primary One.  With the first stone suitably placed, the children continued on their adventure. They trampled through “long wavy grass,” waded through “a deep cold river,” squelched through “thick oozy mud” and searched through “a big dark forest” until, after much excitement, they eventually found A BEAR! We would like to extend a massive thanks to Andy at Chainsaw Craft for donating our fabulous bear – our little ones were so excited to find him. To top it all the children enjoyed a bear hunt themed Bookbug session in the woods at the Bishops Glen celebrating Bookbug week (17^th – 23^rd May 2021) and Bookbug’s Big Splash. . . . . . . . . The sun was shining and it truly was a beautiful day!

New Gaelic learning resource for Early and First level for families and practitioners. Click on the objects to discover all the songs and stories. Here is the link to share: https://bit.ly/GaelicFailte

Lovely to see all the happy faces from around the authority!

Home Languages Category:

1st Prize– Olivia Baryla, P5, Dunoon Primary School

2nd Prize– Noor Rashid, P7, Rhu Primary School

3rd Prize– Kyle Welsh, P2, Hermitage Primary School

Learning Languages Category:

1st Prize– Darcy Cameron, P6, Sandbank Primary School

2nd Prize– The Maclean family, Bunessan Primary School

3rd Prize–  Seren Johnston, P4, Bunessan Primary School

Special Merit Awards for Alfie Murray, Melchior Barbottin, Evelyn Taylor and Olivia Le Good in P2 at Hermitage primary School and Calum and Sophie Paterson and Acacia and Emmanuelle Maclean from Bunessan Primary School.

Well done everyone!

Click on the image to discover an engaging  French  resource  for  Early  and  First  Level with a Spring & Growing theme. (Greetings, Life cycles, farm animals, fruit & Vegetables)        Here  is  the  link  to  share  for family  learning-  https://bit.ly/FrenchSpringGrowing

Follow the links to find out more about all the upcoming professional learning opportunities

6 week Gaelic Course (Commencing Thursday, 29^th April, 3.45-4.45pm) Eventbrite Link

4 week follow on Spanish Course (Commencing Wednesday 28th April, 4-5.30pm) Eventbrite link 

Differentiation Strategies and Multi-Composite Class Approaches (Monday 10^th May, 3.45-4.45pm) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/148193152709

Ensuring Progression in Language Learning (Monday, 17^th May, 3.45-4.45pm) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/148194390411

Celebrating Achievements in Languages (Monday, 24^th May, 3.45-4.45pm) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/148195523801

Click on the image to discover the talented winners of the storytelling competition.

Discover the new resource for the French Early Level Learning Room

The resource can be used for family learning or in class: French Play Ideas For Families

Every day during Languages Week Scotland a Daily Challenge is set by the Deputy First Minister.

    1-5 February #scotlandloveslanguages 

https://bit.ly/LanguagesStorytellingCompetition

Share the link above for an exciting storytelling competition which allows families to celebrate and share languages.

This virtual learning room can be shared with families to learn together at home. If you wish to share the classroom as a link please use the following link- https://bit.ly/SecondLevelFrenchClassroom

Click HERE to discover some fantastic Christmas resources for French, Gaelic , Spanish, German and more.

Click directly on the image to enter the French virtual Christmas  scene.

December Languages Calendar

Explore the new Family Learning resource HERE. This can be shared with your families for home learning.

Join us for the launch event of this new and exciting, online resource on                      Tuesday 1^st December, 4-5pm on Microsoft Teams in Glow.

You can register for the Launch Event HERE

Share with parents and learners designed for family learning and homework.

Click HERE to learn more

4 week Spanish beginners’ course starting Thursday 12th November, 3.45-5pm, email gwen.mccrossan2@argyll-bute.gov.uk to register.

Stand alone Webinars                                                                                                                             

 Using Gaelic to Support Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing –                              Thurs 5th Nov, 4-5pm, Register HERE

Learning German with songs- Thursday 5th November, 4-5.30pm, Register HERE

 Discovery Film Festival 2020                                                     

The film festival for young audiences is virtual this year and schools from across Scotland can access the short film selection for free.  The films will be available from the 17^th October-1^st November. To access the films online register your interest by emailing mike.tait@dca.org.uk.

Click HERE to see a video of all the fun activities which took place at Hermitage Primary School during European Day of Languages. Everyone had an amazing day!