To make this year extra special we have decided to support FLAs in conducting a school project. We want to encourage FLAs to get involved in an initiative that will add extra value to their school and to their pupils’ language learning experience. Every year FLAs do a lot of hard work; many have set up projects in the past and have found this a really worthwhile effort and this year we want to give them recognition for this!

So what might an FLA project look like?  

It should of course fit in with priorities identified by the languages department but here are some that have been suggested to far:

•Establish (or consolidate) an eTwinning link or ‘traditional’ partnership.  Projects might involve e.g. the creation of a multilingual e-magazine or the exchange of cartoons / anecdotes.

•Coordinate a Festival of Languages (this would involve collaboration with other FLAs either in the same school or even across several schools in one authority). This might involve pupils devising language learning games themselves or inviting members from the local community who use languages as part of their work.

•Improve the language learning transition experience between primary and secondary school.

•Produce a play in the target language with a view of helping pupils to improve both tone and pronunciation of the language in a fun way.

•Create an interdisciplinary project, e.g.

-with help from Home Economics staff start a cooking or baking club with a view of creating a recipe booklet in the target language;

-with help from Geography / Art staff design a FL tourism leaflet about the local area for young visitors from the target country;

-with help from Science staff create profiles of famous scientists / inventors at home and in the target country)

FLAs might also consider entering a suitable competition from other language promoters, such as the Institut Français (Rencôntres Théâtrales),the Goethe-Institut, UK-German Connection, the Consejería de Educacion, the Consolato Generale d'Italia, the Confucius Institute or the European Language Label (formerly European Language Award).

Project Timeline

			October:		Prepare and submit project proposal
			October - April:		FLAs run their project keeping a log of their work
			11th November 2011:		FLAs receive support and guidance at the FLA training day in Edinburgh
			April:		FLAs submit an evaluation of their project including materials produced
			May:		Project showcase event