Leadership of Languages: Primary

Leadership of languages in the primary school context is key in developing a positive and proactive approach to language learning, engaging the whole-school community, and ensuring that entitlements to language learning are fulfilled.   

This section explores Leadership of languages in primary schools and in relation to the following three How are we doing? self-evaluation questions: 

  •  As primary school leaders, we set the tone and expectation for an inclusive, diverse, and aspirational ethos of language learning for all across our school community.  
  • Our leadership is distributed across our school community, and we work together, with learners and with partners to take forward improvements and deliver high-quality learning experiences for our children.  
  • Our self-improvement supports and empowers our practitioners to take forward language learning and teaching by engaging with appropriate professional learning. 

Click on the links below to read more about key themes of Leadership of Languages: Primary and then use the How are we doing? statements to reflect on your current practice and explore your next steps.  Further reading and resources are also provided at the bottom of this page.  

Finally, watch the video below to learn how practitioners have engaged with this TILE.

School leaders

Effective leadership in languages starts with school leaders working in partnership with a range of stakeholders and is driven forward through a distributed model of leadership at all levels, including learners.  

The role of senior leaders is key in ensuring entitlements for language learning are fulfilled, and in promoting the importance of language learning for all learners. 

In the primary context, considerations for senior leaders include:  

  • Valuing languages as a key skill for all learners 
  • Being a positive role model for language learning  
  • Embracing and engaging with languages spoken by children and families 
  • Celebrating the linguistic diversity of our whole school community  
  • Setting clear expectations that language learning will be delivered and developed by all practitioners and that entitlements are fulfilled and embedded, at all stages  
  • Leading the development of languages through planning processes e.g. school improvement planning, planning of curriculum and learning and teaching, professional development review processes and quality assurance processes
  • Empowering and supporting practitioners to take learning forward e.g. encouraging engagement with professional learning as part of annual review processes, engaging with whole school professional learning to support in planning and delivery of languages  
  • Promoting and encouraging planning for languages across the curriculum, making links across key priorities, and supporting practitioners to develop and share practice  
  • Celebrating success and achievement in language learning  
  • Enabling effective primary-secondary links through measures such as ensuring school representation on local and cluster networks, supporting ongoing development, liaising with local officers to provide professional learning where required  

Lead teachers / Lead learners

1+2 Lead Teachers/Learners have played a leading role in the implementation of 1+2 Languages across schools. This has included developing L2 and L3 language models, organising, leading, and supporting professional development and liaising with local authority officers to identify needs and next steps. These lead practitioners are key in supporting the ongoing development of language learning in schools and in working in partnership with their cluster and local networks. Lead practitioners can be supported and encouraged in their professional development through local, regional, and national opportunities, including the Languages Leadership Programme (co-delivered by SCILT and Education Scotland).  Effective local networks and partnerships can support lead practitioners in sharing practice, sharing resources, and identifying improvement priorities.  

In the primary context, activities taken forward by lead teachers may include:  

  • Liaising with cluster partners and school colleagues to support the ongoing development of languages at the primary school stage 
  • Liaising with the associated secondary school in relation to primary-secondary transition for language learning  
  • Sharing key updates in planning and development of languages with school colleagues  
  • Promoting ongoing engagement with languages across the whole-school community  
  • Working with local authority, regional and national partners to support with delivery and development of languages
  • Developing links with other schools overseas to share projects and ideas  

Some schools have worked in partnership in relation to leadership of languages e.g. one lead teacher working across two schools.   

Practitioners

Primary practitioners are responsible for leading and developing language learning with their own classes.  Primary practitioners are often a child’s first experience of language learning within the school context  and so taking this forward proactively and with enthusiasm can make a significant difference in ensuring a positive learning experience for children.  Modelling a growth mindset of learning, engaging with culture and developing learning strategies are, in many ways, as important as the language learning itself and are also useful approaches where practitioners are building their own language skills and confidence.  

Through their own professional development and by working as part of a stage or whole-school team, practitioners can develop leadership in languages in a range of ways. Some examples are provided below:  

 

Initiative Examples in practice
Shared learning initiatives with learners
  • Working with learners to develop language skills on a particular theme (e.g. daily routines) and sharing with wider school community/peers/partner schools  
  • Setting a challenge for learners to teach the teacher. Ask learners to develop a lesson on new language which they can teach to other practitioners / class teacher  
  • Intergenerational/community projects such as learners leading language learning with community groups or vice versa  
  • Developing learner leadership of learning with groups taking responsibility for learning and teaching of new themes  
Working with stage partners to collaboratively plan for language learning
  • Sharing models for developing embedded language with stage partners e.g. shared phrase of the week 
  • Planning with stage partners to ensure coverage of a particular topic in line with whole school plans e.g. exchanging lessons
Contributing to effective planning and development of L2 and L3 curriculum models

 

  • Peer support across groups of practitioners e.g. teachers with existing skills in a language working with less confident colleagues to support and share expertise   
  • Exploring approaches to embedding L2 and sharing with wider school team/network e.g. at whole school meetings  
  • Working with learners to explore and implement strategies for improving language learning (e.g. word wall, word of the week, learners leading on certain classroom instructions, use of stories) and then reviewing and sharing with wider school team (e.g. through sharing practice sessions)  
Leading on projects and initiatives related to own practice or related to their wider school/department/cluster/local authority

 

  • Identifying own language learning needs (in line with whole school priorities and personal development objectives)
  • Accessing professional learning or  developing learning through practice, and sharing with colleagues/wider team

Schools and practitioners have a responsibility to take forward professional learning where required and access support offered through local authorities and national agencies.  

Learner leadership

Learner language leaders and ambassador initiatives provide learners with an opportunity to inform and lead learning and improvement, and to develop creative solutions which support schools. There are examples of these initiatives both in primary and secondary including:  

  • 1+2 Learner curriculum groups in primary: Learner groups identify approaches to developing language learning e.g. phrase of the week shared via newsletters, assembly 
  • Senior school language assistant initiatives where senior learners (e.g. Advanced Higher S6) visit associate primary schools and support with learning and teaching  
  • Language ambassador initiatives with learners developing initiatives to promote language learning (e.g. family language sharing event, school ‘performances’ including drama, poems and stories)

Learners can play a unique role in developing innovative approaches and solutions. Their engagement and leadership can help to reinforce an ethos of shared and collaborative development across a school community in which learners are central to planning and their views are valued and respected.  

Family partnerships

Partnership approaches with families can support improving engagement in language learning across the school community.  Examples in practice could include:  

  • Developing family learning opportunities e.g. language learning or sharing events for parents  
  • Engaging parents in key messages around languages learning 
  • Drawing on parent skillset to support language learning and development e.g. parents sharing language skills through leading learning, story/poetry reading, sharing experiences of language learning or of languages in the workplace
  • Liaising with parent councils to support engagement in language learning  

SCILT provides information for parents on language learning (Languages in a Nutshell) and exemplification of approaches to developing family partnerships (e.g. Wee Famille) on their website. Bilingualism Matters also provide useful information for parents, particularly parents of multilingual learners.  Links to these key resources are available in the Resources section at the bottom of this page.   

How are we doing?

  • As primary school leaders, we set the tone and expectation for an inclusive, diverse, and aspirational ethos of language learning for all across our school community.
  • Our leadership is distributed across our school community and we work together, with learners and with partners to take forward improvements and deliver high-quality learning experiences for our children.
  • Our self-improving system supports and empowers our practitioners to take forward language learning and teaching by engaging with professional learning.

Record your practice

Now you have researched the methodology and best practice in Leadership of Languages: Primary it's time to record how you are doing. Download the interactive/printable PDF file which you can fill in digitally (or manually if you prefer) for your records and CPD.

Education Scotland (2015) How Good is Our School Fourth Edition

Available at: https://education.gov.scot/improvement/self-evaluation/hgios4

Education Scotland (2018) How Good is OUR School Part 1

Available at: https://education.gov.scot/improvement/self-evaluation/frwk20-how-good-is-our-school/

Education Scotland (2018) How Good is OUR School Part 2

Available at: https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/HGIOURS-Part2.pdf

Unicef (1990) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Available at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/

Resources

This document contains information about the background to the 1+2 approach and the approach itself.

Language Learning in Scotland A 1+2 Approach

This document explores the progress the 1+2 approach has made and sets out the strategic plan for implementation of the approach from 2017 – 2021.

anguage Learning in Schools – Strategic Plan for Implementation 2017-2021

This paper offers a series of reflective questions to assist schools in their implementation of their 1+2 strategy.

Languages: A 1+2 Approach Building your strategy

This report discusses the benefits of language learning and suggests some practical approaches to implementing the 1+2 approach in schools.

SCILT Modern Languages Excellence Report

This document contains updated guidance about L3 and the different ways that schools can implement the L3.

Language Learning in Scotland a 1+2 Approach - Guidance on L3 within the 1+2 policy Updated May 2019

This site contains a set of FAQ about the 1+2 approach.

SCILT A 1+2 Approach FAQ

Examples of the 1+2 approach

The resource is designed to support practitioners to implement the 1+2 approach. It provides guidance and examples videos and documents to demonstrate how languages and cultural awareness can be taught.

A 1+2 approach to modern languages

This resource will support practitioners at the primary stages with planning and delivering Gaelic Learner Education (GLE) as part of a 1+2 approach to languages. These materials were used at a conference organised by the Scottish Government and the Consortium for GLE.

Conference: Gaelic (Learners) in a 1+2 Approach to Languages

A leaflet produced by the National Parent Forum for Scotland which explains the 1+2 Approach, discusses the purpose of the approach and shares how parents can support their child/ren with language learning.

Languages in a Nutshell Leaflet

Support resources, exemplification on integrating languages and links to external support sites.

Primary Languages resources

This paper offers a series of reflective questions to assist schools in their implementation of their 1+2 strategy.

Languages: A 1+2 Approach Building your strategy

Professional Learning Opportunities

GTCS approved qualification which can lead to Professional Recognition. The distance learning programme provides an opportunity for teachers to study a language at the same time as pedagogy for language teaching.

OU/SCILT Teachers Learning to Teach Languages (TELT)

The Languages Leadership Programme developed by Education Scotland and SCILT, supports local authorities by building capacity to achieve a sustainable model for leading language learning and teaching for all. Open to those who are interested in developing approaches to language learning and in implementing change in their own contexts, this might include: classroom teachers, principal teachers, heads of department, heads of faculty or languages lead practitioners.

Languages Leadership Programme

SCILT aims to provide high quality professional learning opportunities to support the teaching and learning of languages across all sectors and all parts of the country. They offer a range of formal courses, workshops, bitesize drop in sessions and additional sessions throughout the school year.

SCILT Professional Learning Opportunities

The OU offers a range of language courses for a variety of levels. There are introductory – advanced level courses.

Open University Language Courses

Edinburgh University offers a range of language courses for a variety of levels. There are introductory – advanced level courses.

University of Edinburgh Short Courses in Languages

University of Glasgow offers a range of language courses for a variety of levels.

University of Glasgow Short Courses in languages

The Centre for Lifelong Learning offers a variety of language courses.

University of Strathclyde Short Courses in languages

Dundee University offers a range of language courses for a variety of levels. There are introductory – advanced level courses.

University of Dundee Languages for All Courses

The University of Aberdeen Language Centre offers a wide range of foreign language evening classes from beginners to advanced

University of Aberdeen Short Courses in languages

Learn about central aspects of multilingualism in today's globalised societies, such as cognition, policies and education.

MOOC – Multilingual Practices: Tackling Challenges and Creating Opportunities

An introduction to some key concepts in the effective teaching and learning of languages. MOOC hosted by the University of Southampton and the British Council. Includes an introduction to developing CLIL approaches.

MOOC - Understanding Language: Learning and Teaching

MOOC hosted by University of Essex and University of Southampton which explores progression, approaches and practical ideas for primary language learning and teaching.

MOOC - Teaching Languages in Primary Schools: Putting Research into Practice

MOOC hosted by Lancaster University, exploring how best to support dyslexic learners in the languages classroom.

MOOC - Dyslexia and Foreign Language Teaching

MOOC hosted by the British Council which aims to improve participant’s understanding of language assessment.

MOOC - Language Assessment in the classroom

This MOOC hosted by University of Glasgow, explores multilingual education and how it can impact and improve education and even wider society.

MOOC - Multilingual Learning for a Globalised World

King’s College London, short course introducing the basics of French language

Foundations of French for Global Communication

Open University short course introducing the basics of Spanish language.

Spanish for Beginners 1: Meeting and Greeting

The RiPL network is a group of researchers, practising teachers, teacher educators and policy makers interested in Research in Primary Languages. The website has links to professional learning and activities to support the teaching of languages in the primary classroom.

Research in Primary Languages