Modern Languages Blog

The latest news and events from Alliance Française is  now available online. Highlights include the latest podcast episode and details of their upcoming courses.

Alliance Française are hosting an illustrated talk discussing Jules Verne’s ‘forgotten’ Scottish novel – The Green Ray.

As well as a debate around Towns as characters in works of modern fiction – a panel of authors from twinned cities Glasgow, Nüremberg and Marseille will discuss the identity of their town and the influence it has had on their literature.

http://www.afglasgow.org.uk/

Web-Translations blog has posted an article which lists 15 different online places offering free language lessons online, covering a variety of languages.

http://blog.web-translations.com/web-translations/where-to-find-free-foreign-language-lessons-online/1403

Tuesday 15 September 2009
Crawfurd Comples, University of Strathclyde.

Are you a teacher of primary languages? Whether it’s French, German, Gaelic or Spanish please come along to Scottish CILT’s annual conference – MLPS: Building for the Curriculum. This one-day conference will offer the opportunity to share examples of work in primary schools during the trialling period, and also to observe innovative practice which has been identified in schools throughout Scotland. There will also be workshops to discuss assessment, evaluation and planning.

http://www.strath.ac.uk/scilt/events/headline_193959_en.html
Word file: Building the curriculum application

PDF file: MLPS Building the Curriculum programme

PDF file: Seminar Groups for the conference

Online Course: Grammatik, Schreib- und Lesetraining
01.09.2009 – 25.09.2009

This course is ideal if you wish to revise and improve German grammar, writing and reading in your own time and your own pace. The course offers a wide variety of interacitve exercises and communication tasks for your group.  Enrolment by 24 August. Goethe-Institut Page: Special Courses

Refresher Course – Intensive Language Practice
14.09.2009 – 17.09.2009

This course provides intensive language training and is ideal for students who wish to do some revision and like to practice all the language skills. It is offered at various levels (A1 to B1) Goethe-Institut Page: Special Courses

http://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/gla/lrn/deu/enindex.htm

Alliance Française de Glasgow offers courses for beginners and advanced students. Find out more from their website:

http://www.afglasgow.org.uk/spip.php?article331

Alliance Française also release a podcast in French for learners of French available online
http://www.afglasgow.org.uk/spip.php?article332

This spring, the Alliance has launched a podcast in French for learners of French.  The podcast comes with accompanying documents to help you make the best of it. You can also interact with teachers and co learners/listeners.

Listen to the podcast: http://www.afglasgow.org.uk/spip.php?article306 

See Podcast Alliance Française de Glasgow on Facebook for accompanying scripts and learner materials.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78617930258

Languages programmes on the Learning Zone are now on a break until 22nd June but the following Schools programmes will be broadcast in April:
Tues 31st March, 04:00 – GCSE Bitesize revision – French 1
Wed 1st April, 04:00 – GCSE Bitesize revision – French 2
Thurs 2nd April, 04:00 – GCSE Bitesize revision – German
Fri 3rd April, 04:00 – GCSE Bitesize revision – Spanish

The Scottish Government has announced that a group of Scottish pupils will undergo a Chinese immersion course this summer on a two and half week visit to China. A total of 51 pupils and nine teachers will have the chance to learn Chinese and gain first-hand experience of Chinese culture.

The study visit is being organised by Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) and the British Council, alongside the Hanban in China – the Office of Chinese Language Council International.

Read more from the Scottish Government news.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/02/20104349

The SQA have created a web page with the most up-to-date information, available for download, on the Scottish Baccalaureates.

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/33765.html 

Are you interested in learning new skills relevant to the developing media industry?

Do you have you an interest in the Gaelic language?

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Cultural Co-ordinator Service has a special interest in Gaelic drama and media. With funding from Enterprise in Education, it will offer an ‘Acting for Camera’ short residential course to secondary school pupils with an active interest in Gaelic drama.

This exciting learning opportunity will use contemporary professionals and modern facilities and will be made available to secondary pupils living in the Western Isles. The course will take place in Stornoway at the beginning of the Easter Holidays 2009 (end of March 2009).

More details from Erica Morrison, Cultural Co-ordinator, Education Development Centre, Kenneth Street, Stornoway, HS1. You can contact Erica through her email: e.morrison@cne-siar.gov.uk or by phone – 01851 708655.