The BBC reports that plans are being made to extend medical help to an octogenarian woman in Nepal who is the last known speaker of a minority language. None of the rest of Soma Devi Dura’s family speaks Dura, despite being from the same ethnic group.
Read more on the BBC website.

Japan is considering introducing language tests for foreigners who want to live and work there, reports the BBC.
Officials are investigating how a scheme adding a language requirement for long-term residency visas and work permits could be implemented.
Japan recently began photographing and finger-printing all foreign nationals when they enter the country.
Read more on the BBC website.

Alex Salmond last week formally opened Scotland’s first purpose-built Gaelic medium school, which he said would be a vital element in the campaign to save and promote the language. The £4m Bun-sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis, on the south side of Inverness, already has 101 primary and 50 nursery pupils.
Read more on the Herald website and Inverness […]

The winners of the prestigious BETT Awards 2008 were announced last night (Wednesday, 9 January, 2008) at the BETT Awards Dinner held at The Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. You can find details on the Becta website.
The annual BETT Awards represent a partnership between Becta, the Government’s lead agency for ICT in education, BESA, […]

Livelier pace, less paper and rapid feedback are what technology can offer language lessons but don’t forget tradition, champion blogger Joe Dale tells John Bald in the Education Guardian.
Good blogs have a habit of propelling their authors to stardom almost overnight - and language teacher Joe Dale from the Isle of Wight can count himself […]

The Guardian reports that headteachers yesterday blamed school league tables for a dramatic decline in the number of children taking languages. As the government published the latest tables for GCSE and A-levels in England, John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said they created perverse incentives for schools to skew […]

In response to requests from teachers of German, the Curriculum Studies Department in the Faculty of Education at Glasgow University offers an abridged German version of the Higher French Course Notes, which has proved popular since its first publication in 2004.
The German version has been developed with colleagues in Carluke High School, South Lanarkshire and is […]

Time is running out to nominate an outstanding language initiative to receive a European Award for Languages. The deadline for this year’s Awards is 1 February 2008. The most innovative language initiatives will receive one of the prestigious awards, which recognise creativity in improving the quality of language teaching, and the ability to motivate students […]

The Guardian reports that headteachers are blaming school league tables for a dramatic decline in the number of children taking languages.
As the government published the latest tables for GCSE and A-level in England, John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said they created perverse incentives for schools to skew the […]

Careers Scotland has published ‘Which Way Now? 2008′ which can be downloaded from its website.‘Which Way Now? 2008′ aims to help young people in S2 decide which subjects to study over the next two years. It includes information about Standard Grades and other National Qualifications, as well as an easy-to-use Subject File which offers basic information […]