Shared Sharing Practice

Foreign language assistants

Photo of a woman with suitcase

A guide to foreign language assistants

Foreign language assistants, or FLAs, are a valuable commodity for any school that is lucky enough to benefit from one, but they're an endangered species in a world of priorities and cost-cutting. This MFLE guide is intended to:

  • show how schools can best welcome their FLA
  • show FLAs how to integrate quickly into the world of the Scottish classroom
  • provide inspiration in how FLAs can be used
  • show Directors of Education and other decision-makers the important role of these colleagues in Scottish classrooms           

FLAs in Britain

Foreign languages assistants have been encouraged to come to Britain for 100 years by the British Council, opening up new worlds to themselves and their students in the classroom and beyond. As this article on the Guardian Education website points out, some of the most unlikely people have been FLAs: JK Rowling, Rory Bremner and Gerard Houllier, to name a few. 

After starting out as a venture between Britain, France and Prussia, the scheme welcomed its first Japanese and Urdu-speaking FLAs in 2005.

Thumbnail photo of Edgar, foreign language assistant

Video diaries

Four foreign language assistants - Céline, Katrin, Edgar and Francesco - have kept video diaries for the MFLE throughout the year. These assistants have worked in Scottish schools for a year and are due to go back home soon. In their last diaries, made in June, they talk about how they have enjoyed the year, what was good and what could have been better.

Welcoming your foreign language assistant - seven easy steps

Step 1

Before your FLA arrives, post a welcome pack to them that they can use during their stay and return at the end of the year. It might contain:

Thumbnail image of cartoon picture of scissors and paper
  • local area information
  • information about the FLA area of the British Council website or printouts of the practical and administrative information on its pages
  • a school prospectus
  • a guide to the Scottish education system such as this one on the BBC Action Network website
  • a list of all the resources at their disposal (down to scissors, glue and coloured paper), together with instructions on where to get hold of them or whom they should ask.           

Step 2

Before the FLA leaves for Scotland give an indication of the kind of real materials you would find useful. Assistants are amazed that you could ever want a bag of Carambars without wanting to actually eat them.

Thumbnail photo of travel bag with stickers on it

Step 3

Arrange a place to stay for the FLA for the first two weeks, or at least give a list of friendly places previous FLAs have recommended.

Step 4

Meet the FLA at the airport in person.

Step 5

In the beginning, use team-teaching to show teaching ideas but involve the FLA at the same time. Feeling part of the team and busy from day one is vital.

Thumbnail photo of young woman talking

Step 6

Plan your lessons with the FLA with the FLA. At least give an indication of what’s going to happen next, in advance of the lesson itself. Assistants want to plan and prepare their own worthwhile content.

Step 7

Point the FLA in the direction of the 'FLAs Online' section of the British Council website for lesson ideas and materials.