Wednesday 16 December 2009

Central Training Opportunities

Please note: central training opportunities for Kent teachers of Primary Languages for terms 3 & 4.

Asset Languages Overview 09:30 - 12:30 Supply Cover Paid
PD2FL16/01 Ramada Hotel, Maidstone - 25th January 2010
PD2FL16/02 Hadlow Manor, Tonbridge - 26th January 2010
PD2FL16/03 Howfield Manor, Canterbury - 27th January 2010


Asset Language Clinic (Breakthrough Level) 09:30 - 16:30 Supply Cover Paid
PD2FL18/01 Hadlow Manor, Tonbridge - 8th March 2010
PD2FL18/02 Kent County Cricket Club - 9th March 2010
PD2FL18/03 Ramada Hotel, Maidstone - 10th March 2010

Primary Languages: Subject Leadership 09:30 - 16:30 Supply Cover Paid
PD2FL15/01 Ramada Hotel, Maidstone - 2nd February 2010

Progression and Assessment of Language Skills 09:30 - 16:30 Supply Cover Paid
PD2FL17/01 Ramada Hotel, Maidstone - 25th February 2010
PD2FL17/02 Hadlow Manor, Tonbridge - 2nd March 2010
PD2FL17/03 Kent County Cricket Club, Canterbury - 16th March 2010


Please e-mail Mia Stockwell for a booking form.

Une Dizaine de Chansons

10 original French songs for the interactive whiteboard

Ten catchy original songs to support the teaching of French to young children. Written by Richard Winston, who worked for 4 years as the Primary Foreign Languages Consultant for Lewisham and Greenwich. The songs are simple and short; the language content is derived from the early stages of learning French and the song lyrics help to teach basic, everyday routine language.
Songs are delivered via the interactive whiteboard and are available in both Smartboard (Notebook) and Promethean (ActivPrimary) formats.
In either format, simply click on the green button to play the song whose lyrics are shown on screen. This will play the whole song. Clicking on each line of the lyrics will allow pupils to hear that line in isolation from the music, making it easier to learn. Once the lyrics are familiar, children can sing along to the music by the teacher clicking on the treble clef icon.
Site Licence £42.00 + p & p

Following each complete song is a chord sheet for those teachers (or pupils) who want to play an instrument alongside or instead of the music- an excellent opportunity for cross-curricular work with MFL!
In ActivPrimary, teachers can access an English translation of the song via the Teacher’s Notes icon. For Notebook users, this is provided as an additional screen after the chord sheet page.
For more details and to hear clips from each song, please visit our website at:
www.unedizainedechansons.co.uk.

To order, or if you require any further information, please email:
richard@unedizainedechansons.co.uk

NB: Smartboard interactive whiteboards will require Smartboard 9.5 software or later. Promethean boards need ActivPrimary 2 or later.

Thursday 26 November 2009

Intensive Beginners' Upskilling Course in France

A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND PRACTICE REAL FRENCH AT THE KENT COUNTY COUNCIL RESIDENTIAL CENTRE IN FRANCE!
Maureen Smith has arranged an exciting, week long beginners' French language/culture course at the Hardelot Centre in northern France from 15th - 19th March 2010 in collaboration with Sara Meaker, who will run the course.
The aim of the course is to provide an ideal opportunity for beginners in the language to learn the basics of French “on the ground”, with classroom training, natural conversations and the opportunity to practise the learnt language in real-life situations.
The course is aimed at primary teachers/TA's who are beginner language learners but wish to teach/support French in the classroom. Supply cover at £175 per day is payable to schools to enable them to release teachers from the classroom and return travel to France will be funded/reimbursed by the Local Authority.
Applications should be made as soon as possible, but by no later than 1st February 2010. There are 12 places and they will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.


NB: Delegates should be complete beginners and should not have previously attended any of the other upskilling courses funded by the Local Authority. The course is open to Kent KS1 and KS2 teachers and TA's.

Please e-mail Maureen Smith to book a place as soon as possible. Delegates will need a current passport and a EHIC (European Health Insurance card) at the time of travel (available from the post office). In addition, KCC travel insurance will be organised by the local authority but successful applicants may wish to organise additional insurance as they feel appropriate.

Objectives, outcomes and benefits:
The course aims to motivate and train those primary teachers who are required to teach French in the classroom and whose level of French is “beginner”.

The outcomes of the course will be an improved level of comfort in the language for the participants. They will have gained a stock of basic language elements which they will be able to use with their pupils, and they will themselves have taken part in activities, both in the classroom and in the local area, which will serve as a source of materials for their own lessons.

The benefits of this training include: intensive language work, contact with French people, experience of intercultural understanding and an increased knowledge of “real” France.

Course Content:
20 hours of intensive classroom tuition, including a 30 minute 1:1 session with the trainer to study individual needs
Training in beginner-level French, including greetings, everyday language such as numbers, days etc, pronunciation techniques, basic language structures, questions, vocabulary banks, games to use in the classroom, role-play

Training in intercultural understanding, using maps, visits to the local area, study of differences and similarities, tourist information, study of daily life and customs, money, food, French schools
30 hours of activities on- and off-site, accompanied by French speakers
Initial assessment, final evaluation and recommendations for further study
Evening activities including games and/or TV in French
Opportunities for conversation with Centre staff and local people

The trainer is Sara Meaker, Manager of the Hardelot Centre. She is English, but has lived in France for over 20 years and speaks the language fluently. She is a qualified and experienced secondary French teacher and adult trainer.

Location and accommodation
· The Hardelot Centre (
www.hardelotcentre.co.uk) is a KCC residential educational centre just south of Boulogne sur Mer, about 50 minutes from Calais
· Accommodation is in comfortable, single occupancy bunk bedded rooms (shared shower and toilet facilities), each with washbasin, hanging space and table/chair
· Delicious French meals, including the renowned Hardelot 4-course evening dinner, as well as
continental breakfast and a light lunch, are prepared on site by the Centre’s own French staff
· Training takes place in the classrooms and conference room
· Facilities include a cosy lounge area with log fire and TV/DVD, extensive wooded grounds, games room, reading room (with French and English resources) and bicycles

Travel arrangements
Return ferry from Dover to Calais
French minibus from Calais to the Centre and return to Calais
French minibus for off-site visits
Further details of the journey (times, meeting points) will be sent out to all participants with confirmation of the place on this course

Cost
The cost of the above (accommodation, training and travel) will be met by the Advisory Service
The return journey from school/home to Dover will be reimbursed – further details will be given on confirmation of place on course
Personal expenses, telephone calls and the cost of refreshments other than those provided are not included

For further information, please contact:
Maureen Smith, Primary Teacher Adviser for MFL, tel: 01622 203800
maureen.smith2@kent.gov.uk

OR Sara Meaker, Manager Hardelot Centre, tel: 00 33 321 321 671
sara.meaker@kent.gov.uk

Tuesday 10 November 2009

TDA Upskilling Course - Feedback

The TDA Upskilling course ended today with the ICT in MFL training. What better therefore than to share our attendees thoughts on the course as a whole than an ICT gadget that we experimented with - www.wallwisher.com:

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Open University Beginners' Course in French

Do you need to learn French or improve your knowledge of
French for the classroom?


This course is designed to provide basic knowledge of French for the primary context and supports you as a teacher by developing speaking and listening skills and teaching basic grammar enjoyably! You will be able to try out diffferent classroom ideas during the course and develop a set of resources you can draw on for interesting and diverse lessons.

For further information, please see the dedicated OU site for this.

The course costs £275 and will be fully funded by the Kent Local Authority provided you complete it. Please contact Maureen Smith if you are interested in doing this 30 hour course. It can be completed at times convenient to you (provided it is completed within 12 weeks) in the comfort of your own home.

NB: This course is a complete beginners' course, so if you already hold a GCSE or equivalent, the upskilling courses run by your local Specialist Language Colleges will currently be more suitable to your needs.

Tuesday 22 September 2009

INSET. Delivering the Intercultural Strand of the Framework

You are invited to attend a morning session run by Maureen Smith, teacher Adviser for KCC, on ideas for delivering the intercultural strand. This course will take place from 9.30 -12.00 on November 11th at the Weald of Kent Grammar School in Tonbridge.

If you would like to take part, please contact Maureen Utting (maureen.utting@wealdofkent.kent.sch.uk)

If there are any other courses you would like us to run, please let me know and we will do what we can.

Are you ready for January 2010? Support for primary schools

The West Kent Support Group for Primary Languages consists of staff funded by the Specialist Language Colleges in 4 partnerships - Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks South and Cranbrook and Paddock Wood - together with lead teachers funded by KCC. They have been working together to help prepare you for the primary languages entitlement in January 2010.

The aim of the group is to help you in any way you would like eg planning, modelling lessons, helping with resources, FLA time, writing a policy, writing schemes of work, assessment etc

All primary schools have been allocated a support teacher who should now have got in contact with you. Please make use of this support as funding beyond this year cannot be guaranteed. The support group can also help you prepare for the new Ofsted subject inspections. In addition the FLA at Weald is being funded to help in the teaching of French in primary schools. Please note also the INSET courses running in the SLCs.

TDA Upskilling Course

The Specialist Language Colleges, in collaboration with ASK, offer two courses in language upskilling to take place in October 2009 and February 2010.

Target audience
All teachers/HLTAs/TAs teaching French in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks South. Priority will be given to those teaching languages in Years 5 and 6.

Course Aims
To develop teacher confidence in language skills, building on prior learning.
To ensure progression of skills for pupils.

Please note this is not a course for beginners. The course is free of charge. £175 per day is payable for supply cover for participating teachers.

Dates and times of the first course to be held at the Weald of Kent Grammar School, Tonbridge.

Tuesday 6th October 9.15-3.30
Tuesday 13th October 9.15-3.30
Tuesday 20th October 9.15-3.30
Tuesday 3rd November 9.15-3.30
Tuesday 10th November 9.15-3.30

Dates and times of the second repeat course to be held at Bennett Memorial School, Tunbridge Wells.

Tuesday 2nd February 9.15-3.30
Wednesday 10th February 9.15-3.30
Tuesday 23rd February 9.15-3.30
Wednesday 3rd March 9.15-3.30
Tuesday 9th March 9.15-3.30

To book your place please contact Maureen Utting (maureen.utting@wealdofkent.kent.sch.uk)
or apply directly to Training and Development as advertised in the next e-bulletin from KCC.

Wednesday 15 July 2009

CILT E-Zine

CILT, the National Centre for Languages, publishes regular updates on primary language teaching and resourses. In issue 6 you will find information on linking language and literacy (a new DCSF publication), cross-curricular links and CLIL. If you would like to subscribe to the CILT e-zine, please register on the Primary Languages website.

Tuesday 14 July 2009

KS2 Progression

New 'Making and Marking Progress' guidance, for teachers who want to map the progress of young language learners in the Autumn terms of Years 3 and 4, is available now. To download the new materials, please follow the link to the Asset Languages KS2 progression page. http://www.assetlanguages.org.uk/primaryprogress.aspx

Thursday 18 June 2009

Cross-Phase Languages Conference 30 June 2009

Dear All

If you haven't already had the information, please find below details of the Cross-Phase Languages Conference on 30th June 2009.

For all language teachers and teaching assistants in Primary or Secondary schools.

Workshops include:
Intercultural Understanding
New Secondary Curriculum for MFL
Using Puppets Effectively
Cross Curricular Languages
Drama and MFL
TALK...and many more!

Ramada Hotel and Resort
Hollingbourne
Maidstone
Kent ME17 1RE

To book your place tel: 01634 338545 or email caroll.williams@medway.gov.uk.
Please quote "Languages Conference 2009" - Fees for Kent and Medway schools: £85

Wednesday 13 May 2009

Spain National Primary Schools Competition

Please find below details of a competition launched by the Spanish Embassy, Economic and Comercial Office:

The Foods from Spain National Primary Schools Competition is open to all school children in years 3 to 6, inclusive, in England and the equivalent school years in the rest of the UK.

Entering the competition is extremely simple: as a class you need to design a collage, to represent the following: ‘Healthy eating with fresh fruit and vegetables from Spain’

1st Prize: The winning class will be presented with a cheque for £3,000 towards facilities for the school

2nd Prize: A cheque for £1,000 towards facilities for the school

3rd Prize: £500 towards facilities for the school

6 x Group Winners (Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 as well as a ‘Mixed Year Group’ winner and a ‘Special Needs’ group winner) will be awarded an educational Spanish multimedia pack.

Closing date for entries is Friday 22nd May 2009

Follow the link for more details http://www.foodsfromspain.co.uk/

Monday 11 May 2009

The Weald of Kent Specialist Language College, in collaboration with Advisory Service Kent, offer a course in language upskilling:

Target Audience:
All teachers/HLTAs/TAs teaching languages (French) in Year 6

Course Aims:
To develop teacher confidence in language skills in order to build on pupils’ prior learning
To ensure progression of skills

The course is free of charge to all participants

Asset Language assessment will be offered to all participants by the Local Authority to accredit learning free of charge

Please note: Funding for supply cover available

Dates, Time & Venue
Mon.18th May 1.30-4pm Weald of Kent
Mon. 1st June 9.30-4pm Weald of Kent
Wed.10th June 9.30–4pm Weald of Kent
Mon 15th June 9.30-4pm Weald of Kent
Wed 24th June 9.30-4pm Weald of Kent
Mon 29th June 9.30-4pm Weald of Kent

To book your place please contact ……Maureen Utting…(maureen.utting@wealdofkent.kent.sch.uk )

Weald of Kent Grammar School, Tudeley Lane, Tonbridge TN9 2JP

Friday 8 May 2009


Uploaded on authorSTREAM by wok20mfl

Dear Colleague

Please find attached an invitation to join our world mini-book making project. Please share the information with any partner schools you have, including schools abroad. It's a great end-of-year activity and students really enjoy reading each other's books. We began this last year as a collaborative project between local schools in Essex to improve motivation for language learning and to engage students more with reading. This year at the beginning of our phase 2 launch we already have 8 different countries involved across 4 continents of the world, but this number will grow before September. Many thanks for your help - enjoy the books!

Jane Breen
Director of Language College Outreach / AST
King Edward VI Grammar School
Broomfield Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 3SX

Thursday 30 April 2009

Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum

Sir Jim Rose's Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum has been published which contains information about transition Key stages 1-3 and ICT within primary education (http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/Primary_curriculum-report.pdf).

See also Teachers TV (http://www.teachers.tv/video/31175) for a video where Sir Jim is questioned on his thoughts over the organisation of the primary curriculum, foreign language teaching and incorporating ICT into lessons.

Monday 30 March 2009

Language World, 3rd and 4th April 2009

Welcome to Language World!

This year's conference is at Leicester University on 3rd and 4th April. As in previous years, the conference features

· a fantastic publishers' exhibition
· free wine tasting
· friendly and fun conference dinner
· good value overnight accommodation
· the BEST languages practitioners in the country talking about their favourite themes
· strands on CLIL and the new secondary curriculum
· something for all sectors: primary, secondary, FE, AE and HE

You can attend for one day or for both days. The conference has a relaxed atmosphere and is a great place for networking.

And then there’s the exhibition! Over 40 stands with the latest in languages resources and support and FREE to all visitors. So even if you can’t make the conference, you can still join us all day Friday and Saturday until 2pm and be part of the Language World experience. There will also be a stand where you can talk to the ALL Regional Subject Advisers and get one-to-one advice about the new secondary curriculum.

A full conference brochure and booking form can be downloaded here http://www.all-nsc.org.uk/files/LWflyer.pdf (pdf, 15.7 MB)

Friday 20 March 2009

Primary Language Teacher Award for 2009

La Jolie Ronde and Scholastic are delighted to announce the launch of the Primary Language Teacher Award for 2009 which was won last year by Nicola Davies of Green Lane Primary School, Garforth, Leeds.

Now into its second year, the Award is a celebration and recognition of the very best in language teaching taking place in UK schools.

Again there are some fantastic prizes to win:
  • An all expenses-paid school trip to France for up to 30 children
  • Over £4,000 of educational resources
  • Magazine subscriptions

So if you know an amazing languages teacher who you feel is in need of recognition, why not nominate them today?

Nominating is quick and easy - simply visit www.primarylanguageaward.com and fill out the online Nomination Form. Anyone can make a nomination, the only stipulation being that the person must have qualified teacher status.

Deadline for Nominations is 31 May 2009.

Remember .... Good teachers deserve recognition.... Nominate today!

French and Spanish classes, courses & resources and Educational Tours to France.

La Jolie Ronde is expanding and is currently looking for both French and Spanish speakers to become licensees. See our website at www.lajolieronde.co.uk for more details.
Company Registration Number 2291948, Registered Office: The Green, Bradgate Road, Anstey, Leicester, LE7 7FU

Monday 16 March 2009

Dear All

We have been accepted into the International Edubloggers Directory!

Thank you Patricia.

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Journée Internationale de la Francophonie 2009

La Journée Internationale de la Francophonie will take place at the French Institute in London on March 20th 2009. Please contact the French Institute directly (see below) or your primary languages outreach support for further details and enrolement form.

Ben Bryant Government Initiatives in ITT Training and Development Agency for Schools 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SZ 020 7023 8116
ben.bryant@tda.gov.uk <mailto:ben.bryant@tda.gov.uk>

Friday 13 February 2009

Japanese course - Monday 23 February 2009

The Japanese Foundation Language Centre is holding a free one day course on introducing Japanese at your school, plus a Japanese language taster. Monday, 23rd February 2009, 10:00 – 16:00. The course is for senior managers, heads of MFL departments, primary language coordinators, who are based at a UK school that currently offers Japanese or is interested in introducing Japanese into the curriculum in the future and LA language advisors who are interested in introducing Japanese to schools in their area. The course is free (lunch will be provided). To apply please download an application form from http://www.jpf.org.uk/language/

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Spring day for Europe - 25 March - 9 May 2009

IDEAS MOVE EUROPE

Spring Day for Europe is an annual campaign that is open to all schools in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Teachers are encouraged to involve their students in activities that focus on debate, interaction and reflection on European themes. Spring Day enables young citizens to express their views and make their voices heard in Europe.

2009 is the European Year of Creativity and Innovation (EYCI). The Spring Day for Europe campaign aims to raise awareness about this in all types of schools. It runs from 25th March to 9th May, with a special focus on 9th May, which is Europe Day.

The Spring Day for Europe website includes a large and flexible programme of events, activities and games for pre-primary, primary, lower and upper secondary, vocational and special needs schools in Europe, as well as the rest of the world. To register your school, please look at the Spring Day website: http://www.springday2009.net/

If you would like one of your Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to visit your school, Ian Levinson, the National Teacher Adviser would be pleased to help. He is also able to advise and answer questions about Spring Day for Europe (levinsoni@colchsfc.ac.uk).

To find out more information about your MEPs: http://www.europarl.org.uk/
To find out about the European elections in June 2009:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2009/default.htm?language=en

Pamela Powers
Directorate General for Communication
European Parliament
UK Office
Phone: 020 7227 4300Fax : 020 7227 4301
http://www.europarl.org.uk/

French Partner Schools and Videoconference projects

A message from the British Council:

Dear colleagues

We have the latest list of primary schools signed up on eTwinning. No primary school need be short of a French link school.

There is also a scheme to link 1000 schools via 'visioconference' proposed by Xavier Darcos. I now have two contacts (non commercial - one is at JANET COLLABORATE, and one at Westminster LEA) who can assist schools (who are already linked with a French partner school) to set up their VC equipment to link to their partner school depending on the various technical requirements of their particular LEA, grid, and so forth. Please ask me to pass you on if you are in this situation or know anyone who is.

Liz Hitchcock (Liz.Hitchcock@britishcouncil.org)

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are a registered charity; 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland). We build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide.

Thursday 29 January 2009

Ofsted Report June 2008

Please see the below link for the Ofsted report "The Changing Landscape of Languages" (go to page 30 for primary languages): http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/The-changing-landscape-of-languages

Monday 26 January 2009

Primary Languages Blog

Please find our new link section to Primary Languages blogs on the right. Our first entry is also included here below. The author is Lisa Stevens, a Primary Languages Teacher from Sutton Coldfield. She describes herself as follows:

PLL and eTwinning coordinator @ Whitehouse Common Primary School, Sutton Coldfield. Apple Distinguished Educator. eTwinning Ambassador. Trainee techie who loves her MacBook :o) Primary language teacher. PLL coach for Birmingham LA.

http://lisibo.blogspot.com/

Have a browse for some new ideas and links!

Friday 23 January 2009

Spanish Workshops for primary teachers in London, Friday March 27

The Consejería de Educación, in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes Londres, has arranged a full day of activities for teachers of Spanish in primary schools.

The programme includes workshops on storytelling, food, CLIL, showcases and a performance of a play written and produced for children who are learning Spanish in KS1 and KS2.

Visit their website www.mepsyd.es/exterior/uk to download full programme, application form, speakers' profiles and abstract of sessions. The whole event will be friendly to teachers with a limited competence in Spanish.

Wednesday 14 January 2009

The ALL Spring Meeting & AGM, March 21st 2009

The ALL (Association for Language
Learning) Spring Meeting and AGM is being held at the Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford from 9am till 1pm on Saturday 21st March. The agenda includes looking at transition KS2 - KS3, and the new KS3 curriculum. If you are not members already of ALL, have you thought about joining? Becoming a member of the ALL provides opportunities to keep up to date with Language Learning issues; evidence of professional standards; opportunities for professional development and networking, and a chance to have your say in policy making (see their website for further details - http://www.all-languages.org.uk/)

Please contact Glynis Rumley (glynis.rumley@btinternet.com) for an AGM and meeting register form (£10 for members, £15 for non members), or for information on how to join.