Modern Languages Blog

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has launched a series of Gaelic educational materials celebrating some of Scotland’s most interesting species. The Mu Dheadhinn packs feature worksheets, games and full colour posters for free distribution to schools throughout Scotland. The packs provide teachers and students with a ready made set of educational projects and activities exploring natural history through the Gaelic language.

The complete Mu Dheidhinn series is also available for free download from Scottish Natural Heritage’s website www.snh.org.uk

From CILT:

UK winners of this year’s European Award for Languages have shown that language teachers are increasingly looking outside of the language department for ways to motivate young learners. Winning projects made innovative cross-curricular links with departments including Drama, geography, history and citizenship to show students the relevance of languages to all aspects of life. Read more…

Through the British Council’s eTwinning project, an East Lothian teacher has created his own version of the Eurovision song contest that has seen his school engage with 30 schools across Europe.

Inspired by both the Eurovision Song Contest and the European Year of Creativity and Innovation Yester Primary School teacher Michael Purves decided to set up Schoolovision 2009.
Each school was asked to enter a song that was representative of their country and recorded a video of it which they then uploaded to the project website.

You can watch the performances and find out who won from the Schoolovision 2009 website.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/http://www.britishcouncil.org/scotland-learning-etwinning-schoolovision

The British Council’s Chief Executive, Martin Davidson, has announced new international opportunities for Scottish schools to link with partners from the Middle East to Latin America, marking the continued growth of British Council programmes in Scotland.

Read more from the British Council and find out more about Connecting Classrooms.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-connecting-classrooms.htm

Euro-Ecole is a French teachers’ association based in Nantes. For the last 20 years, they have matched french classes with european ones (children from 8 to 12 years old). They are always looking for new schools to develop this partnership.

This project is to give an opportunity for primary school children in Europe to meet and to know and understand each other through school exchanges.

For more information, please vistite Euro-Ecole’s website: www.euro-ecole.org

Learning and Teaching Scotland’s Connected magazine is now available online.

This issue includes a feature article on the schools that have been involved in trialling the draft experiences and outcomes for Curriculum for Excellence.

Elsewhere in the magazine we focus on early years. In the wake of the Scottish Government’s Early Years Framework, we explore the key changes and introduce the LTS Early Years team.

Also in the magazine we reflect on how the experience of teaching differs now from that of 20 years ago.

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/connected/index.asp

Spring Day for Europe is an annual programme that is open to schools in Europe and elsewhere in the world.

Teachers are encouraged to book days in their calendar to involve students in activities that focus on European themes. Spring Day enables young citizens to express their views and make their voices heard in Europe.  

The programme supports many school subjects and offers opportunities for teachers and students to experience both cultural and practical aspects of creativity and innovation.

Spring Day for Europe runs this year from 25 March to 9 May 2009. Schools of all types are welcome to register, from pre-primary to sixth form and FE colleges. Spring Day is also open to classes from organisations responsible for extra-curricular activities whose goals are to develop and strengthen skills related to the school curriculum.

For further information in the UK, contact ukspringday@googlemail.com

Spring Day for Europe 2009

Voxbone has been chosen by language Learning specialist Learnosity to connect language students around the world with their teachers and each other. Through its global IP network, Voxbone enables Learnosity’s students to share their native fluencies and accents for the cost of local calls. 

Find out more about Voxbone and Learnosity

http://www.checkpoint-elearning.com/article/6480.html

After a festive break – the latest video podcast episode from MFLE will be published every Monday until Easter.

This week’s episode: Lifestyle - Elvira Vivanco chats about the disappearance of her Pico neighbourhood in Santa Monica.

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/mflblogsandpodcast/podcast/index.asp?