International Languages - Primary

Cymraeg

Literature Fires the Imagination: Creative Translation PL

During the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years , the Stephen Spender Trust Funded by the Curriculum for Wales grant support programme, and delivered in partnership with the Queen’s College Translation Exchange, ‘Literature Fires the Imagination’ will train primary and secondary teachers across Wales in our tried-and-tested Creative Translation techniques over a series of professional learning (PL) courses led by our expert facilitators. All of the courses are free to attend. Register your interest here: Creative Translation Professional Learning for IL Teachers in Wales: Expression of Interest

Estyn thematic report: International Languages

This report makes recommendations for schools, local authorities and school improvement services, and the Welsh Government. These recommendations focus primarily on improving teaching and learning, developing stronger curriculum arrangements at transition points to ensure progress and continuity in pupils’ learning, and supporting schools to maintain and improve provision for GCSE and A level international languages courses.

Primary and secondary schools from South East Wales are featured, celebrating the ethos of developing multilingual and plurilingual learners from primary school front and centre, which is of course promoted through the Curriculum for Wales. It is therefore essential that primary schools are providing access to as many international languages and cultures (using staff strengths and experiences within their school setting and the wider community) as possible, before progressing at least one language from progression step 3 through rich and purposeful experiences and opportunities.

Resources and Exemplification

Routes into Languages Cymru primary toolkit

Routes into Languages Cymru have developed a toolkit to support the delivery of International Languages in the Curriculum for Wales. The toolkit is available in French, Spanish and German and includes contexts of learning that will instil in primary learners the joy, creativity and fun of language learning. For access to the free downloadable primary toolkit please complete the form via this link: https://routesintolanguagescymru.co.uk/primary-2/

Cerdd Iaith: Languages Through the Expressive Arts

Cerdd Iaith is a powerful new resource which uses music and drama to help primary school children to learn Welsh, English, Spanish, and now German and French. It is packed full of unique and exciting activities, including many original songs created especially for Cerdd Iaith. This creative learning resource has been developed by linguists, musicians and drama practitioners, working closely with primary school teachers in Wales. This resource has been designed for use with primary school pupils age 7-11. It will be especially useful for Year 6 pupils who are preparing for the transition to secondary school https://listeningtolanguage.com/

ERW Multilingual literacy network

This network provides access to readymade lessons written by the collaborating team and trialled in Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr. Each lesson includes a PowerPoint of the lesson, a lesson plan and a pupil worksheet. Lessons are designed to encourage pupils to be actively engaged with their learning, exploring and building on connections between languages. The rationale of each step is explained, together with its place in the overall package. Joining is required: https://hwb.gov.wales/networks/f98a4bf9-5b90-4f3c-8207-e60ca33aabbb/overview

We are Multilingual

WAM CAM: We are Multilingual primary resources - Cambridge University. To receive the materials, please go to the Sign Up tab at the top of the page and select the Primary materials. You should receive the materials instantly. Adapt to reflect your setting and context as required.

https://www.wamcam.org/primary-school-materials

WoLLoW World of Languages

The WoLLoW resources and lesson content have been created to encourage children to be curious about languages, to understand the links and see the patterns between languages, and to help them to think about how a language works. We want pupils on the WoLLoW programme to love words and love how their own language works. The goal is for WoLLoW pupils to be filled with the wonder of how languages intermingle, how they have built on each other and how they enhance our lives. To request the free resources, please follow this link: https://theworldoflanguages.co.uk/request-resources/

PowerLanguage platform

The Powerlanguage platform https://powerlanguage.school/ is a resource specifically designed to support non-specialist as well as specialist primary practitioners to deliver languages (French, Spanish and German). Many primary school in the EAS as well as across Wales are using the PowerLanguage platform with very positive feedback from practitioners The easy to follow planners and soundfiles are helpful and supportive, while the thematic dossiers allow teachers to develop languages along thematic lines. £100 for two languages

Contact: info@powerlanguage.net

The Institut Français resources for primary French

The team at Institut Français have created a primary course for French in the primary phase which you can dip in to for relevant ideas and resources.

Simply register and you are able to download all the resources free of charge from the website: http://www.culturetheque.com/EXPLOITATION/GBR/primary-french.aspx

Last year, the IF provided free training on this resource with Ariane Laumonier. This is available to watch here:

Goethe Institut: German with Felix und Franzi

Two engaging hand puppets, a frog called Felix Frosch and a duck called Franzi Ente, take centre stage. They live in a special German letterbox. Having recently moved to the UK from Germany, the two characters experience many adventures which form the theme for each chapter.
Each chapter introduces new vocabulary and grammar lessons and is accompanied by a wide range of activities and extra material such as songs, videos and whiteboard applications. The lesson plans as well as all other features can be downloaded free of charge.

https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/spr/unt/kum/dfk/dff.html

For any clusters wishing to develop German through the Felix und Franzi resources can obtain free training from the Goethe Institut. Please contact sioned.harold@sewaleseas.org.uk

Rachel Hawkes

Rachel Hawkes primary resources (French and Spanish)

Dr Rachel Hawkes is a renowned teacher of MFL. She has produced and shared free of charge her quality lesson plans and pupil booklets specifically designed for the primary sector. These resources could be used to support and supplement your lessons: http://www.rachelhawkes.com/

Lightbulb Languages

https://www.lightbulblanguages.co.uk/index.htm

Light Bulb Languages is a site packed with over 8000 language resources written by language teachers for language teachers for French, Spanish, German, Italian and Latin. There are many helpful templates and models to support language lesson delivery.