<div dir="ltr">
<header>
<div class="gmail-article__header-first">
<h1 class="gmail-article__title">
<span>150 hours to learn Mandarin – and teach it</span>
</h1>
<div class="gmail-content-desktop">
<p class="gmail-article__standfirst">Primary teachers will learn new languages from scratch and teach them to pupils under a scheme launched today</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail-article__header-second">
<div class="gmail-article__byline-wrapper">
<p class="gmail-article__byline">
By Henry Hepburn
</p>
<div class="gmail-article__date">07 June 2018</div>
</div>
<aside class="gmail-content-desktop">
<div>
<div class="gmail-tds-social-share">
<div class="gmail-tds-social-share__intro">
Share this
</div>
<ul class="gmail-tds-social-share__list">
<li class="gmail-tds-social-share__link gmail-tds-social-share__link--facebook">
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.tes.com/news/150-hours-learn-mandarin-and-teach-it&title=150 hours to learn Mandarin – and teach it">
<i class="gmail-icon gmail-icon-facebook gmail-icon-white">Facebook</i>
</a>
</li>
<li class="gmail-tds-social-share__link gmail-tds-social-share__link--twitter">
<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.tes.com/news/150-hours-learn-mandarin-and-teach-it&status=150 hours to learn Mandarin – and teach it+https://www.tes.com/news/150-hours-learn-mandarin-and-teach-it">
<i class="gmail-icon gmail-icon-twitter gmail-icon-white">Twitter</i>
</a>
</li>
<li class="gmail-tds-social-share__link gmail-tds-social-share__link--linkedin">
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.tes.com/news/150-hours-learn-mandarin-and-teach-it&title=150 hours to learn Mandarin – and teach it&source=https://www.tes.com/news/150-hours-learn-mandarin-and-teach-it">
<i class="gmail-icon gmail-icon-linkedin gmail-icon-white">Linkedin</i>
</a>
</li>
<li class="gmail-tds-social-share__link gmail-tds-social-share__link--envelope-o">
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:?subject=150 hours to learn Mandarin – and teach it&body=Check out this site https://www.tes.com/news/150-hours-learn-mandarin-and-teach-it">
<i class="gmail-icon gmail-icon-envelope-o gmail-icon-white">Email</i>
</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</aside>
</div>
</header>
<figure class="gmail-article__image">
<div> <span>
<img src="https://www.tes.com/tesv2/files/styles/news_article_ml_x2/public/media/image/2018-06/languages.jpg?h=029cfac6&itok=OjdT2eOZ" alt="Learn a language – and teach it at the same time" class="gmail-img-responsive">
</span>
</div>
</figure>
<div class="gmail-article__content-wrapper">
<div class="gmail-article__content gmail-js-article__content">
<div class="gmail-text-formatted"><p>Hundreds of primary school teachers will have the chance to learn and teach <a href="https://www.tes.com/news/hub/languages">new languages</a> within seven months, under a scheme being expanded after a successful trial.</p>
<p>The distance-learning programme – the first of its kind in the UK –
sees primary teachers study either French, Spanish, German or <a href="https://www.tes.com/news/state-secondary-school-where-only-language-taught-mandarin">Mandarin</a> and develop the skills to teach the language <a href="https://www.tes.com/news/what-keeps-me-awake-night-inadequate-provision-modern-foreign-languages-primary-schools">in the primary classroom</a> at the same time.</p>
<p>After a pilot involving 54 teachers from 49 Scottish schools across
nine local authorities in 2017-18, next year the scheme will be
available throughout Scotland. Welsh and Northern Irish schools are also
expected to sign up.</p>
<p>Teachers taking part will spend about five hours a week from October
to June – around 150 hours in total – but they will start teaching the
languages to pupils before completing the course.</p>
<p>The scheme, run by The Open University and Scotland’s National Centre
for Languages (Scilt), will be launched in Edinburgh today.</p>
<p>It is designed to support the Scottish government’s “1+2” language
policy, which aims to help pupils learn two languages other than their
native tongue from primary school onwards, but has prompted concerns
about the ability of smaller, rural schools to deliver it.</p>
<h2>Immersive training</h2>
<p>The programme will link up with cultural organisations of France,
Spain, Germany and China to run immersive summer training for teachers,
while primary schools will make connections with schools in other
countries.</p>
<p>Dr Sylvia Warnecke, lecturer in languages and programme lead at The
Open University, said: “The key thing about this programme is its
flexibility, meaning that teachers in every part of Scotland – whether
urban or rural – will be able to learn together and share their
experiences and ideas, helping each other to bring the language they’re
learning to life in the classroom.</p>
<p>“We’ve already had teachers from the pilot project tell us that their pupils love it and are really engaged.”</p>
<p>Scilt director Fhiona Mackay said: “The course is focused on
developing teachers’ confidence so they are able to create exciting and
motivating lessons for their pupils.”</p>
<p>She added: “The teachers’ commitment to developing their skills is
humbling. Their willingness to embrace their own learning in order to
benefit their pupils’ experience highlights the professionalism and
dedication that is the mark of the teaching profession.”</p>
<p>Gwen McCrossan, a principal teacher for 1+2 Languages in the large
and mainly rural area of Argyll and Bute, said: “This course is ideal
for the geographical situation of Argyll and Bute.</p>
<p>"We are delighted to be able to take part, as it provides a quality
learning experience for teachers who would otherwise find it difficult
to access language training. The course is also unique because it is
tailor-made for primary school.”</p></div>
</div>
</div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
</div>