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

A team at Millburn Academy in Inverness has won the UK level of the ‘Charlemagne Youth Prize’.

Read more on the LTS International education blog

 http://ltsblogs.org.uk/internationaleducation/2009/03/25/europe-and-the-charlemagne-youth-prize/

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

The TESS reports: Online may be the way ahead to assess pupils’ learning in Mandarin, says Christine Pollock, executive director of learning and leisure at North Lanarkshire Council.

Read the full article online at http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6009436?

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 Scottish Government announces that pupils in East Dunbartonshire are set to learn about China following the opening of a new Confucius Classroom Hub. The Hub is based at St Ninian’s High School, Bishopbriggs, recognised for its outward-looking approach as winner of the International School’s Award at the 2008 Scottish Education Awards. As Scotland steps up its engagement with China, this is the fifth of eight Confucius Classroom Hubs being opened across the country. The East Dunbartonshire Confucius Classroom Hub will provide the area with a central learning point for Chinese culture, language, heritage, history, art, food, music and sport. The Hub will offer young people a stimulating and engaging way to gain the skills needed to succeed in a global society.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/02/13133020

The main focus of the visit will be the institutions and programmes of the European Union, and associated initiatives.

This study visit is likely to be of relevance to education professionals in Scottish primary and secondary schools, and to educators in local authority posts, who wish to improve their coverage or engagement with European issues.

The closing date for applications from appropriate interested staff 24 February 2009.

More details and the application form from International Education.

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/internationaleducation/scipdvisits/groupvisits.asp?