Updated: 2006-01-21

  Shropshire teachers on study visit to Sofia
  PRESS RELEASE 9-Feb-2005

  Six teachers and the county’s Modern Languages Adviser will be visiting schools in Sofia, Bulgaria, next week as part of the Teachers’ International Professional Development programme.

  The group will examine how the teaching of foreign languages is organised in primary schools; observe how continuity of learning is ensured as pupils move to secondary school; and study a variety of learning and teaching styles, including the use of Information & Communication Technology.

  Bulgaria is particularly proud of its work in teaching modern foreign languages in primary schools. In the UK, from September 2009 all pupils will be entitled to learn a modern foreign language while they are in Key Stage 2 – Year 3 to Year 6 - in primary school.

  Modern Languages Adviser Mike McAleavy, who will lead the trip, said, “The primary teachers in our group are all involved in teaching a modern language in their schools, and the secondary teachers are modern languages teachers responsible for primary-secondary liaison. Our hosts have organised a very full programme for us, and we’re clearly going to have a very focussed trip. My advance homework involves getting to grips with the wonders of the cyrillic alphabet.”

  Shropshire County Council’s Corporate Director - Education Services, Liz Nicholson, said: “Visits like this can be a wonderful stimulus to teachers’ professional development, and we have a proven track record of Shropshire teachers returning from study trips with lots of new ideas to influence their teaching. This one will feed into the work we are doing in Shropshire to develop opportunities for younger children to learn a modern foreign language.”

  The trip will take place in the teachers’ own time, during half-term. It is arranged and funded by the British Council.

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