Support the implementation of the Scottish Government's 1 + 2 languages policy by hosting a language assistant in your school.
The British Council Scotland team is on hand at every step and our dedicated online support offers everything you need to get your pupils’ learning experience off to a great start. Our free service includes careful selection of the best candidate to suit your school, guidance on administration and training courses for language assistants.
Language assistants work in primary and secondary schools, including sixth form and further education colleges. They support the teaching and learning of languages and cultures in the classroom and across the school community. Their role is to bring language and culture alive and to motivate students to learn and develop their understanding of the world around them. They are native-level speakers of French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Russian or Irish.
Their responsibilities can be tailored to suit your school’s requirements. Assistants can support the teaching of a first (L2) or a second (L3) modern language by:
- supporting teachers’ language acquisition and improving their cultural knowledge
- developing lesson plans and delivering classes on topics to complement different subject areas
- running extra-curricular activities for additional support (e.g. lunch time clubs)
- working across different areas of the Curriculum for Excellence to develop projects based on cultural themes
- setting up an international partnership with a school overseas.
Please see below some examples of lesson plans delivered by language assistants in local authorities across Scotland.