Early years in a local authority
Guide to teaching a foreign language
East Ayrshire local authority has developed a comprehensive guide to teaching a foreign language in early years settings, which you can download in full. This has been used as the basis for teaching French, German, Spanish, Gaelic, Italian and Norwegian as part of the authority’s implementation plan for Citizens of a Multilingual World.
To help you get started with finding audio material for early years, you can now download all the audio files and teacher guides for French, Gaelic and Spanish. Thanks to Kay McMeekin of East Ayrshire Council for providing them.
French Early Stages Language - audio files and teacher guide
Gaelic Early Stages Language - audio files and teacher guide
Spanish Early Stages Language - audio files and teacher guide
Early Foreign Language Learning and Culture - advice from East Ayrshire Council (66 KB)
Early Foreign Language Learning and Culture - advice from East Ayrshire Council (86 KB)
This approach has developed over a period of some years and owes much to innovative work by a group of enthusiastic and imaginative headteachers, teachers and nursery nurses at, among others, Onthank and Auchinleck nurseries.
Languages pilot in East Renfrewshire
The provision of training for nursery and primary staff in languages is an issue that has been successfully resolved in East Renfrewshire. What started as a languages pilot in nurseries in East Renfrewshire has continued to grow. Since 2002, children in all of the authority’s pre-school establishments have been learning French. In early years settings, French is taught through songs, rhymes and games.
A cross-curricular approach
In addition, every opportunity is made to use French in nursery topics and classroom management, and also, where possible, in cross-curricular areas such as numeracy and expressive arts. The first cohort of children from the scheme entered Primary 3 in August 2005, when reading and writing skills were introduced for the first time.
Some authorities are moving to replace nursery teachers with nursery nurses, who may not have languages training. East Renfrewshire’s training package shows the work involved to implement adequate training. Read about Elaine Pasternak's methods of training.
Contributions for this section: Kay McMeekin, East Ayrshire Council; Elaine Pasternak, East Renfrewshire Council