Languages – Curriculum, Learning, Teaching and Assessment

Welcome to the languages blog! Here you will find information on the work undertaken by the languages curriculum support team and the types of support we can offer departments, schools, clusters, local authorities etc, all of which can be tailored to support your CLPL requirements and can last from a one hour input to a full day workshop . Key documentation, such as the 1+2 policy, links to the Scottish Languages Leadership Programme and to ES languages resources are listed below for ease of access. There are also links to information on Scots language and on classical languages.

To discuss your requirements please contact louise.glen@educationscotland.gov.scot

Curriculum Support and Professional Learning

Listed below are examples of types of inputs/workshops the languages team can offer; if you would prefer a different type of support, just get in touch and we can organise and deliver bespoke sessions for your school/department/ LA. Contact louise.glen@educationscotland.gov.scot for more information.

On Demand

Area of Focus	Possible Content
Curriculum Design: Languages in the BGE Primary & Secondary	Exploring and refreshing your current languages curriculum. This could involve working together to review your current curriculum and considering how it might potentially be developed.
Curriculum Design: Making progression in languages in the BGE: Primary & Secondary	Exploring progression in your current languages curriculum. This could involve working together to review your current curriculum alongside colleagues in your cluster to develop effective progression.
Data Analysis: 1+2 (BGE) and SQA data	Considering and analysing data about progression in schools with the implementation of the 1+2 policy – and how to support full implementation in primary and secondary BGE. Similarly, analysis of SQA results per department/across a school neighbourhood/across the LA.
Closing the poverty-related attainment gap: The place of language learning in improving literacy outcomes	This session could explore strategies which can be used to raise attainment in literacy through the acquisition of additional languages.
Learning & Teaching: Pedagogical approaches	Exploring and sharing the many effective pedagogies in language learning.
Learning and Teaching: Agreeing the Standard	Exploring how agreement might be reached on achievement of a level in languages. This could involve working with colleagues from other languages departments or cluster working across sectors.
Learning & Teaching: Assessment and Moderation	Exploring how you currently assess in languages and how this might be developed. This could involve co-creating assessment items or discussing existing assessments. This could be a departmental, inter-departmental and/or cluster moderation exercise.
Leadership of Learning in Languages: Secondary	Exploring leadership in languages in the secondary sector and how this might be developed. This could involve specific CLPL in a department according to agreed areas of focus.
Leadership of Learning in Languages: Primary	Exploring leadership in languages in the primary sector and how this might be developed. This could involve support for languages co-ordinators in developing their understanding of progression in language learning.
Leadership of Learning in Languages: Local Authority	Working with LA representatives to scope out, supplement and support the implementation of 1+2, including skills auditing and developing ongoing, sustainable models for teacher training and upskilling in the Primary sector.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCILT (Scotland’s’ National Centre for Languages) : Policy, planning and practice in the BGE	A practical look at how to put policies into practice in BGE. This is an extended 90-minute session which would include opportunities for professional discussion on areas such as progression, moderation and pedagogy; all of which contribute to a positive BGE experience for teachers and learners alike.

Accredited Professional Learning Programmes

Scotland’s National Languages Leadership Programme is organised and delivered by Education Scotland in partnership with SCILT, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages. The programme offers a professional learning opportunity in line with the requirements of Professional Recognition; is founded on responsive approaches to meeting the support needs of individual participants and is aligned with masters level study. The programme was re-endorsed by the GTCS in January 2023. Further information about this year’s programme can be found here (please note that the deadline for applications has now passed- the 2024/5 session will be open for applicants from February 2024.) https://scilt.org.uk/Professionallearning/tabid/8328/Default.aspx

Networks:

LANGS (Languages Network Group Scotland) https://scilt.org.uk/Partnerships/LANGS_exCOALA/tabid/2098/Default.aspx

SALT (Scottish Association of Languages Teachers) https://twitter.com/SALTLANGS

SCILT – Scotland’s National Centre for Languages https://scilt.org.uk/