Foreign language assistants
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Last updated: 22 March 2005
The Foreign Language Assistants (FLA) programme is managed in the UK by the British Council (BC) and funded by the UK Education Departments.
The programme provides native speakers of French, German, Spanish, Italian Chinese and Japanese, from 20 countries worldwide, to support qualified teachers of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in the UK.
The FLA scheme offers an invaluable resource for the promotion and support of language teaching and learning and FLAs can contribute greatly to all aspects of a language department's work by providing authentic native language support. FLAs are mainly native speakers of French, Spanish, German and Italian. There is also a growing demand for other languages, such as Chinese. FLAs are usually current or recently graduated (mainly language) students. The scheme is broadly reciprocal and many English Language Assistants from the UK travel to partner countries on a similar programme.
Over 2000 FLAs per year help thousands of pupils to improve their skills in MFL; particularly oral skills. The aim is to promote awareness of the international dimension and global citizenship through providing different cultural perspectives. FLAs help pupils and teachers to meet national curriculum and national examination board requirements by working closely with individuals or groups in conjunction with the class teacher. They can prove effective at all levels of education, from early language learning initiatives through to Higher Education.
Working in the UK enables FLAs to learn the English language and culture and develop their teaching skills. It is a cost effective and stimulating method to prepare for a teaching career. For English Language Assistants from the UK, their stay abroad helps them towards the attainment of their PGCE.
The Education and Training Group (ETG) matches applicant profiles with school or college requirements and produces a range of printed advice on conditions of employment and support for classroom teaching. This service is provided free of charge to schools, colleges and LEAs.
FLA allowance (paid from the school budget) is calculated according to scale point 1 of the unqualified teachers' pay scale, and takes account of the DfES recommended pay award for 2004-05. Allowance for 2004-05 is £6,044 (plus London weighting where appropriate) for a timetable of 12 hours per week over a period of 8 months (October to May, although this can be extended). It is often possible to arrange for assistants to be shared between two or three different schools.
Applications by maintained schools and colleges should be made through LEAs. Independent schools and post-16 establishments should apply directly to the ETG.
Comenius assistants
Under the EU Education Programme, Socrates assistants are available
from the 29 EU, EEA and Associated Countries for periods of between three
to eight months. They bring a European dimension to a variety of subjects
across the curriculum. Applications should be made as part of a school's
Comenius plan to the ETG by 1 February 2005.
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