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www.britishcouncil.org 1

A Language Assistant can help you prepare for 2014 when languages become a compulsory subject for key stage 2

How this webinar will work

How will this webinar work?

Please ensure your microphone/phone is on mute

The webinar will be recorded

Please refrain from asking any questions during the webinar. There will be a Q&A section at the end

of the webinar

About the British Council?

The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries

and builds trust between them worldwide. We are on the ground in six continents and over 100

countries bringing international opportunity to life, every day.

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

Aims of this webinar

Develop an understanding of government expectations about language learning at key stage 2

Discover what a Language Assistant is and what kind of work they do in primary schools

Consider benefits of having a Language Assistant in the primary context

Understand the financial implications of employing a Language Assistant

Learn about the support available to schools who employ a Language Assistant

Help primary headteachers and their schools to plan for the next steps in working with a Language

Assistant

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

Government expectations

Compulsory languages at key stage 2

From September 2014

Focus on French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish, Latin or Ancient Greek

Development of reading, writing, listening and speaking skills underpinned by an understanding of

basic grammar

An overview of the consultation about Making Foreign Languages compulsory at key stage 2 can be

found here

The Department for Education summary of the Consultation Report on Foreign Languages at key stage

2 published in February 2013 can be read by clicking here

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

What is a Language Assistant? (1)

Native speakers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian or Mandarin

Usually between 20 and 30 years old

Generally have strong command of English

Many have some prior teaching experience or experience of working with primary-aged children

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

What is a Language Assistant? (2)

Model authentic pronunciation, intonation and usage of the language children are learning

Provide the school with a ‘living’ cultural and linguistic reference point

Role model for broadening the school’s cultural provision and perspective

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

What Language Assistants do in schools

Work alongside class teachers or with small groups of children

Model of authentic pronunciation, intonation and usage of the language children are learning

Give children the opportunity to use the language they are learning for real purposes

Provide a ‘living’ cultural reference point

Plan lessons and prepare resources

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

How a Language Assistant can

benefit a whole school

Enrichment across the curriculum

Contribute to school’s inspection readiness with particular reference to cultural aspects of the

curriculum

Strengthen the international perspective of children and teachers

Build capacity to teach languages across key stage 2

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

How a Language Assistant supports

children’s learning of language

Increase confidence and accuracy of children’s use of the target language

Improve pronunciation

Build language learning strategies and knowledge about language

Support development of literacy skills

Build intercultural understanding into language learning

Raise the profile of language and culture at all key stages in the school

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

How a Language Assistant supports

teaching of languages

Model native speaker pronunciation

Provide support for developing teachers’ language skills for the classroom

Develop teaching resources

Offer a cultural reference point for teachers

Help organise whole school language events

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

Cost of a Language Assistant

Contract period: 1 October – 31 May

From 12- 18 hours contact time per week

Can be shared between up to three schools

Salary set by Department for Education (slight variations for the London area)

Full details available by clicking here

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

Additional benefits of a Language Assistant

Contribute to school gaining British Council International School Award

Enrichment of social, moral, spiritual and cultural [SMSC] dimension of school life

Possible additional responsible adult for relevant extra-curricular activities

Help to establish partnership links with other countries

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

Support for Language Assistant programme

British Council SchoolsOnline website

Some countries run face-to-face induction and training before Language Assistants depart for the

UK

Training hosted by the British Council and / or cultural institutes (e.g. Institut Français, Goethe

Institut, Instituto Cervantes, etc.)

Language Assistants team at the British Council

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

Language Assistants:

planning the next steps

Find out what children think about having a Language Assistant (click here for sample questions)

Use self-evaluation to make the case for a language assistant

Ensure that a Language Assistant is part of your school’s strategic plan for compulsory languages

from September 2014

Use the annual appraisal cycle to identify teachers’ CPD needs in relation to language learning and

plan how to use the Language Assistant to address these

Work with your languages coordinator to write a detailed action plan for key stage 2 languages and

share it with your staff and governors

Present Language Assistant ‘good news’ to children, parents, teachers and school governors

Apply for a language assistant on the British Council website by 7 June 2013

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants

Question time

Contributions will form part of a FAQ for primary headteachers available on the British Council website

www.britishcouncil.org/schools/language-assistants