What you're doing

‘What you’re doing’ gives everyone involved in primary languages a chance to share good practice and to get a taste of the exciting things going on in schools around the country. Here you’ll find pieces by primary practitioners for primary practitioners on all sorts of inspiring and stimulating topics: using ICT, making international links and working as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant for languages, to name but a few!

May we invite you to contribute? If there is a new and exciting development or activity in primary languages in your area, please let us know.

Teaching French in New York (Tyneside)
The delivery of primary languages can come from many sources, but increasingly schools are finding that among their staff they have knowledge and expertise to deliver the language themselves. Here a report on the work of a teaching assistant from the North East.

Language Leader Award
A report on collaboration across phases, with older children teaching and mentoring younger pupils.
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Creating a languages "buzz" around the whole school
A Primary Languages Coordinator from Telford shares with us how he encouraged the whole school community to embrace learning a new language, in this case Spanish.

"On the morning of the trip, I was mega excited and extremely hyper"
The children of Parkroyal Primary School in Macclesfield offer their perspectives on a recent visit to France that combined language with culture and outdoor experiences!

Chinese New Year
A Year 5 teacher from Wigan reports on her work teaching Chinese language through the topic of the Chinese New Year.

INSET in Paris
A headteacher describes a novel way of embedding languages into the primary curriculum and motivating staff by an exciting form of teacher INSET.

Healthy eating in Japan and Hampton Hill Junior School
Why would children give up their own time to monitor lunchtime rubbish? This is exactly what has been happening at Hampton Hill Junior School and it's all part of their ongoing language and culture work with their partner school in Nagano, Japan.

The Iris Project: Latin in inner city schools
Dr Lorna Robinson outlines her work in primary schools teaching Latin to young learners. 

From air guitar to line dancing!
An AST from the North East shares with us how her love of music, language and dance provides enjoyment for her children learning French.

On the Trail of the Pied Piper – A Joint Primary Video Project
An account of how a traditional tale can be used to further language work and bring two schools together in an exciting joint project with modern technology.

Digital Blues
Catherine Brown from Warrington reports on an affordable, versatile addition to support the teaching and learning of primary languages.

French Week at St. Weonard’s, Herefordshire
Increasingly many primary schools are including language as part of activity weeks to promote language enjoyment and share cultural insights. Here, Elaine Crothers reports on her school’s enjoyable and motivating French week.

My work teaching Spanish as a Primary HLTA
There are many key partners who contribute significantly to the teaching of languages in the primary phase. Not all of them are teachers! Here, Josefina Alcolea Clover, a Higher Level Teaching Assistant from Henry Fawcett Primary in London describes her work in the school teaching Spanish.

French, food and fun!
Food and language learning often go very well together!
Here, Melanie Olver from the Earls High School shares with us an exciting cross phase project from Birmingham involving a range of exciting cultural and language activities.

Travel with the Bear
The British German connection offers primary schools a unique resource for German – schools can request a visit by Alex the Bear!

X Factor competition
The acid tongue of Simon Cowell held no fear for the contestants in Oldham’s X Factor. They knew how good they were and that this was their first step to European wide fame and fortune!

European Day of Languages

European Day of Languages (26th September) offers primary schools a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diversity of languages spoken, to encounter the different cultures frequently represented in schools, to promote language learning and increasingly, primary schools are using the occasion to launch their learning of a new language.

Kirsten Stroud describes celebrations at Westbrook Old Hall Primary School, Warrington. More

Heather Bailey reports on European Day of Languages at Wargrave C of E Primary School in St Helens. More

Judith Robinson from Tickford Park Primary in Milton Keynes describes her school's celebrations. More