Felix and Franzi: helping everyone to love languages!

Astra primary trainees recently had the opportunity to develop their ability to teach languages through a day of specialist training provided by the Goethe Institut.

Primary trainees headed to London to learn a repetoire of teaching skills using basic German. With a focus on making languages engaging and accessible for all and a concern to ensure that children's first experiences of language learning are successful, trainees were introduced to principles for language teaching which can be applied to any language. Trainees met Felix the Frog and Franzi the Duck, along with learning about the role of songs and actions in the teaching of German.

The day was led by Emma Whittle, Project Co-ordinator for Educational Services at the Goethe Institut and herself a former secondary school languages teacher. Emma has extensive experience both of teaching in primary schools and in supporting primary colleagues in gaining confidence teaching languages in the classroom. 

Trainees were also introduced to the vast range of resources at the Goethe Instittut, followed by a visit to the Institut Francais du Royaume-Uni. Both organisations specialise in the teaching of their respective languages.

One of the great challenges of becoming a primary teacher is having the knowledge and skills to be able to teach every school subject, so strategies that the non-specialist can use are of particular importance. Moreover, while the evidence is not completely clear, the experience of many European countries would suggest that exposure to learning foreign languages at primary school is more likely to result in fluency emerging at a later stage, so primary teachers have a crucial role in developing children's language learning capacities.

Astra primary trainees currently benefit from an extensive programme of specialist subject training which is designed both to develop teacher's subject knowledge as well as their teaching skills. Training is provided both by expert colleagues working in local schools in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, as well as specialists such as the Goethe Institut.

Astra would particularly like to thank the Goethe Institut and the Institut Francais for their training ... and for a fun day in London!