Shared Sharing Practice

Possible roles for foreign language assistants

Foreign language festivals

Often the various cultural institutes in Scotland run competitions or activities for pupils. Sometimes these can seem to fall at the wrong time – another class’s correction is taking up all your energy or there is just too much going on to get round to organising this. FLAs are normally delighted to be approached by their department with the suggestion that they help put these exciting projects into action. 

Normally, the institute can provide advice to FLAs wishing to undertake this with their department. Here are some for starters:

Thumbnail photo of men playing football

Deutsch

For the World Cup, the Goethe-Institut hosted a wide range of materials for use, including extensive online resources. FLAs could help prepare S4/S5 students for a visit to the June exhibition 'Jung.De', at the Scotland Street School museum. More information on the exhibition can be found on the Goethe-Institut website.

Thumbnail photo of Casa Batlló, building in Barcelona designed by Antoni Gaudí

Español

This year the Consejería de Educación has set up a workshop in which FLAs prepare a PowerPoint presentation about cultural aspects in Spain and in America. The PowerPoints will be on on the Consejería website in June (and linked to from the MFLE) and teachers will be able to download them and use them in their classes. Later in the year they will also set up a course where the assistants prepare teaching activities which will be printed in the magazine Acti/España, available from the Consejería.

Thumbnail photo of girl writing with pen

Français

The Institut Français d’Ecosse is promoting the event Lire En Fête, where pupils of all ages are encouraged to write a short book.

There's also the Fête du Cinema d’Animation at the end of October, featuring animated films for anyone aged 8 years and over. Les Rencontres Théâtrales, in February/March, is a nationwide theatre competition catering for all stages. More information on these is available from the Institut Français d’Ecosse website.

Is there something you do as an FLA that isn’t here? Is there something your FLA does that you want to tell us about? Discuss this on the MFLE discussion forums.