Languages in Primary Schools - A short course for teaching assistants and higher level teaching assistants

The National Languages Strategy envisages teaching assistants, including native speakers from local communities, playing an important role in the delivery of language learning in primary schools. This short course offers a 20 hour introduction to language teaching in primary schools, equipping participants with some basic principles underpinning good practice, a range of practical activities for use in the classroom, and pinpoints sources of further support.

The course was piloted in 2004/05 with HLTA training providers and local authorities, involving a range of Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs). It is now being made nationally available for providers who wish to offer courses in 2006.

We would very much welcome any feedback from Providers to feed into the development of these materials for Autumn 2006. If you would like to share comments and suggestions on the content of the course, or have any case study material on how you have used your TAs/HLTAs to deliver language learning at Key Stage 2, we would be most grateful to receive it. Please send your comments to primarycpd@cilt.org.uk

The course materials for sessions 1-7 are available to download below:

Session 1: Professional Values & Practice

• Introductory notes for trainers
• Valuing the linguistic & cultural heritage of our pupils
• Bringing languages alive through a taster lesson
• Reflecting on personal experiences of language learning
• Key national initiatives
• Why teach a foreign language in primary school?
• Models of delivery

Session 2: Professional Values & Practice: lesson observation

• Observation of at least one language lesson with opportunity for discussion and reflection

Session 3: Planning & Expectations

• What do good teachers do?
• The role of the TA and HLTA: scenarios
• Short, medium and long-term planning
• Planning a 20-minute lesson

Session 4: Teaching & Learning 1: developing a repertoire of teaching activities

• Practical ideas for games, songs, rhymes and activities

Session 5: Teaching & Learning 2: classroom organisation & approaches

• Use of target language
• Promoting positive behaviour
• Linking into the curriculum
• Developing pair, group and individual activities

Session 6: Teaching & Learning 3: use of resources and ICT

• Leading a group activity
• Ideas for using resources already available in school
• Review of commercially produced resources
• Ideas for exploiting ICT

Session 7: Evaluating, celebrating and recording pupils’ progress & achievements

• Assessment for learning
• Celebrating and recording pupils’ progress and achievements
• Progress to key stage 3
• How to access further support

Session 7: Extra pdf file

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