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National Digital Learning Week is back! This year the event will take place Monday 13 until Friday 17 May.
For this year’s even all Early Learning and Childcare Centres and Schools across Scotland are invited to take part in 5 Curriculum focused challenges in: STEM, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Numeracy and Literacy.
Here’ a 2 minute video that tells you everything you need to know about the event.
Visit the Glow Blog today and get started. https://bit.ly/2PfR0Go
More companies are trading with international markets and this has led to growth in global supply chains. Because of this, there is greater demand for workers who have modern language skills, experience of the international business environment and are prepared to work globally.
Increasingly, companies are interested in employing people who can engage and communicate with their customers and suppliers around the world. Workers with experience of the international business environment are more likely to recognise the cultural differences around the world and understand potential trade challenges and find solutions – companies look favourably upon this skillset.
A survey of UK companies found that a quarter of those surveyed said they had lost international business to their competitors, as they did not have adequate modern language skills in their organisation. It is imperative that we move away from the attitude that modern language skills is a ‘nice to have’ attribute.
Learning a modern language will help improve employment prospects. According to a 2015 QS world university rankings report, six out of ten employers said they would give extra credit for international student experience.
Company examples
Paul Sheerin, Chief Executive, Scottish Engineering: “Companies need to open their minds and see exporting as a possibility. People learning languages in school is massively important in that respect. It is not important which language they learn—it is important that they learn a language.”
Do you want to engage with schools?
As a first port of call Scotland National Centre for Languages website outlines their support to engage with schools: https://www.scilt.org.uk/Business/tabid/1297/Default.aspx
Why not get involved with Developing the Young Workforce? The Scottish Government’s Youth Employment Strategy aims to engage employers with education to better prepare young people for the world of work. https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/Developing the Young Workforce (DYW)
Do you need language support to enter a particular market?
Talk to a Scottish Development International (SDI) export adviser about your requirements. SDI may be able to support with translation and language requirements. https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/services/do-business-outside-scotland/talk-to-an-export-adviser/overview/enquiry-form
Do you want to get involved with Developing the Young Workforce and support young people in school?
There are now twenty-one DYW regional groups covering the whole of Scotland. The groups are led by industry and are the main conduit between employers and schools. They can provide practical support to develop programmes, which allow you to engage with young people.
Get in touch with your regional group using the details below:
| Regional Group | Contact | |
| Ayrshire | Claire Baird | cbaird@ayrshire-chamber.org |
| Argyll and Bute | Maureen McKenna | Maureen.McKenna@uhi.ac.uk |
| Borders | Sara Ward | sward@dywborders.co.uk |
| Dundee and Angus | Angela Vettraino | angela@dywda.co.uk |
| Dumfries and Galloway | Tricia Hunter | tricia.hunter@dgchamber.co.uk |
| Edinburgh and Lothians | Michelle Fenwick | michelle.fenwick@edinburghchamber.co.uk |
| Fife | Ray Fernie | ray.fernie@fife.gov.uk |
| Forth Valley | Jen Henderson | jen.henderson@dyw.forthvalley.ac.uk |
| Glasgow | Leona Seaton | Leona.seaton@glasgowchamberofcommerce.com |
| Inverness and Central
Highland |
Andy Maxtone | andy@dywich.co.uk |
| Lanarkshire | Alison Nimmo | Animmo@dywled.org |
| North Highland | Trudy Morris | trudy@caithnesschamber.com |
| Perth and Kinross | Fiona Reith | FReith@pkc.gov.uk |
| West Highland | Dougie Ormiston | douglas.ormiston@dywwesthighland.org |
| Moray | Sarah Baxter | sbaxter@dywmoray.co.uk |
| Orkney | Rachel Scarth | rachel.scarth@uhi.ac.uk |
| Shetland | Shona Thompson | shona.thompson@shetland.gov.uk |
| North East | James Bream | james.bream@agcc.co.uk |
| Outer Hebrides | Bernard Chisholm | b.chisholm@cne-siar.gov.uk |
| West | Bob Davidson | Bob.Davidson@dywwest.co.uk |
| West Lothian | Lauren Brown | lauren.brown@dyw-wl.com |
Are you a large national employer looking to develop a programme to rollout across multiple regions in Scotland? Get in touch with Steven Turnbull who can support you to develop a programme – steven.turnbull@gov.scot
e-Sgoil is an interactive, real-time teaching facility which uses Glow, Office 365 and Vscene to make Gaelic part of the curriculum in any school in Scotland. e-Sgoil is offering National 5 and Higher Gaelic (Learners) from August 2018. This may be to provide progression with the 1+2 Approach to Languages in the broad general education or within the senior phase, or to enable learners to access Gaelic as a new subject.
e-Sgoil can also offer weekly inputs for Gaelic (Learners) in the broad general education.
For more information, please contact e-sgoil@gnes.net or phone 01851 822850.
A review of e-Sgoil’s first year of operation is available here:
http://e-sgoil.com/media/1133/e-sgoil-report-year-1-june-2018.pdf
2 – 5 July 2018, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
This national leadership programme is now open for registration. It is hosted by SCILT and Education Scotland. The programme is aimed at those who have, or aspire to have, a responsibility for leading languages and developing colleagues’ capacity to deliver the 1+2 approach to languages in their context. The programme is free of charge for educators in the public sector and begins with a summer school.
The programme themes include:
Local Authority colleagues with responsibility for languages, together with colleagues from the Universities Council on Modern Languages Scotland, Bilingualism Matters, SQA and Scottish Government met at Atlantic Quay in Glasgow 29th January 2018, to hear about updates on languages, with a particular focus on 1+2 implementation, as well as looking at languages policy beyond Scotland. The group heard from Professor Judy Kroll, from the University of California Riverside, on language learning policies in the USA and closer to home, the findings of the recent Eurydice report on language learning in Europe; the report contains more than a fair share of mentions around language policy in Scotland, which is always pleasing to see. Professor Antonella Sorace of Edinburgh University gave a presentation on bilingualism and how language learning positively affects cognitive functions – ‘bilingualism’ in this sense meaning knowing more than one language, not just those born into bilingual families. Great news for all linguists out there!
SQA gave updates on National 5 assignment and local authority colleagues shared with us some of the ways in which they are helping to ensure 1+2 is becoming the norm in their communities.
The group was joined by JohnPaul Cassidy, HMI, who started at ES in November 2017. Many of you will know JohnPaul already, as he was a former DO in languages at ES, before moving to a QIO post in Angus Council. JohnPaul’s background is in secondary modern languages and he spoke briefly to the group about evaluating modern languages in the secondary context. Jane Renton, Assistant Director at ES gave an overview of the arrangements around the Regional Improvement Collaboratives and responses to the Education (Scotland) Bill. Jane’s powerpoint presentation also contains updates on changes in the leadership team at ES.
The presentations from the day can be accessed here.
To celebrate the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, Education Scotland organised a Scots language creative writing competition inviting pupils to write a poem or short story in Scots.
We received a great selection of entries from across Scotland and we’re delighted to announce the winners:
The winning entries were all chosen for their excellent use of Scots vocabulary as well as demonstrating the skills and commitment required to write in Scots. They also showed creativity through the range of subject matters, from space fiction to the Loch Ness Monster and the adventures of Pickles the cat.
Having received such a high standard of entries, four runners-up have also been selected for their creativity and dedication to writing in Scots. The runners-up are:
The winner and runners-up will receive a great selection of Scots language books for their schools.
A special commendation for creativity and imagination has also been awarded to Eva Kerr from Airdrie Academy. Eva not only wrote a poem about the Kelpies but she also created a great animation
Thank you to everyone who took part in the competition. For more information about Scots language visit the Scots Blether on Glow.
When: 2 – 7 July 2017 and 23 – 27 July 2017
Where: South Uist
Fee: £250
Language level: Beginner to Fluent
Brief: This Gaelic Enrichment Course is a career-long professional learning opportunity for teachers of GLE and GME. The course aims to support teachers use and develop their Gaelic language skills within a community setting. The course will be tailored to the specific needs of the teachers. It includes: conversational skills, grammar, resources for the classroom, workshops and field trips.
For more information, please contact: Ceòlas Uibhist, Taigh Gleus, Dalabrog, Uibhist a Deas HS8 5SS Tel: 01878 700154 E-mail: info@ceolas.co.uk
www.ceolas .co.uk
Venue: SECC, Glasgow
10-11 March 2017
For more information, please visit: http://www.languageshowlive.co.uk/scotland/
The Language Show Live invites you to Scotland’s largest dedicated event for languages. The Show gives teachers and professionals an opportunity to attend professional learning seminars, enjoy taster sessions in a range of languages and peruse learning and teaching resources.
Please visit the website for more information and to book your free ticket:
Go! Gaelic
The Go!Gaelic resource is a distinct programme which provides training, support and resources to equip teachers with the necessary Gaelic language skills and teaching methodology to deliver Gaelic as L2 or L3 from early to second level at the primary stages.
The Go! Gaelic course provides teachers with 18 days of language learning and pedagogy practice. It is supported by the website (http://go-gaelic.scot) which hosts materials to support trainers, teachers and learners. The website is also supported by a Go! Gaelic app that enables teachers to access the vocabulary and audio through tablets and smartphones. For more information, please contact: Jonathan.ferrier@gov.scot
from Lynne @ Pedagoo.org