Modern Languages Blog

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?

LIVE LESSON FOR LANGUAGES
GFT
Thursday 12 February 10.00am - 11.00am
Recommended for French Primary (P6 and P7)
France, 2007, 1h, French with subtitles

This event combines three contemporary animated short films with a French
language lesson. The short films are Hugh, Irinka and Sandrinka and Le Queue de la souris. Great for French language learners as an interactive cultural cinema experience and as an introduction to moving image education. A tutor presents and leads activities relating to the themes of the films live in the cinema. Free resources written by a teacher specialising in Primary MFL learning to help plan follow up work are available at: www.discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk
Visit http://www.discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk/resources.html.
Thanks to Discovery Film Festival.

THE CLASS (ENTRE LES MURS) (15)
GFT
Thursday 19 February 10.15am - 12.25pm
Friday 20 February 10.15am - 12.25pm
Recommended for Secondary 15+
France, 2008, 2h 8m, French with subtitles.

This remarkable film, based around improvised scenes in a real-life Paris classroom, offers a fresh and gripping account of the dynamics in multi-ethnic France. Teacher Francois attempts to instil respect and discipline into his resistant pupils until one day his patience is tried too far. No one is left unquestioned in this absorbing and uncompromising take on Parisian school life.

Cannes Palme d’Or winner 2008.
Thanks to Artificial Eye and the Alliance Francaise.

AM ENDE KOMMEN TOURISTEN
GFT
Tuesday 10 February 10.30am
Recommended for Secondary 2-6
Germany, 2007, 1hr 25min

Auschwitz was not what young German Sven had in mind when he volunteered to complete his civil service abroad. Sven befriends Stanislaw, a former prisoner who never left Auschwitz and now spends his days giving contemporary witness lectures and conserving suitcases belonging to the dead. As the weeks go by, Sven begins to discover both Auschwitz and O?wi?cim, the place of horror and the Polish town, the memorial to inhumanity and the tourist industry that has sprung up around it.

1. The BBC have given the popular beginners’ course ‘Spanish Steps’ a new look.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/lj/

2. There are a couple of Christmas themed classroom activities

A Christmas Customs quiz available in French ¦ Spanish ¦ German ¦ Italian and also special Christmas holiday crosswords in French and Spanish.

3.  China Stories - in English and Gaelic

A series of short films with flexible learning potential, based on different aspects of Chinese life. There is also a production log showing how the films were made and teaching notes.,You can also access a full Gaelic version.

Browse through BBC Languages for more great resources.

Made for you to share with your language teaching chums, five foolproof demonstrations in English, each translated by native speakers into French, German and Spanish.
Each illustrated demonstration will also give you some ideas about the country’s culture.

Good for language days, as an eccentric end of term treat, or even a flashily French, jazzily German or sparklingly Spanish assembly.

Visit the Planet Language website