Foreign Language Upskilling Programme for Primary School Teachers

This A2.1 course supports primary school teachers in developing their Spanish language skills through interactive games, collaborative tasks, and practical classroom activities. Participants will build confidence in communication while gaining valuable insights into Spanish-speaking cultures.

This module is designed for students with a basic knowledge of Spanish (A2 CEFR), such as the ability to introduce themselves or others, and to talk about likes, dislikes, and travel preferences. Over the course, participants will engage in individual and collaborative projects to strengthen their language skills through relevant topics such as shopping, daily habits, food, among other real-life situations & school related situations, aiming to make language learning engaging, meaningful, and relevant to teachers' professional contexts. Through these activities, they will develop intercultural awareness and gain transferable skills for lifelong learning.

What You’ll Learn

• Practical communication: Strengthen your ability to speak and interact in Spanish and enhance your ability to talk about present, future and some past experiences.
• Cultural insight: Explore authentic materials and learn about everyday life, traditions, and education in Spanish-speaking countries.
• Plurilingual strategies: Use your existing language knowledge to support your understanding and communication in Spanish.
• Grammar through use: Learn grammar naturally through engaging tasks that focus on sentence building, verb conjugation, and word order.
• Classroom Spanish: Practice giving instructions, setting routines, and managing interaction in Spanish during classroom activities.
• Teaching reflection: Reflect on your own language learning experience and explore how these strategies can enhance your teaching practice.

Throughout the course, you’ll receive personalised feedback on your speaking, writing, and interaction tasks. Each unit includes a reflection activity to help you monitor your progress, consolidate your learning, and plan how to bring your new language skills into your own classroom.

This A2.1 course supports primary school teachers in developing their French language skills through interactive games, collaborative tasks, and practical classroom activities. Participants will build confidence in communication while gaining valuable insights into French-speaking cultures.

Using a communicative and task-based approach, the course focuses on real-life, school-related situations to make language learning meaningful and relevant to teachers’ professional contexts. Throughout the module, you will revise the basics of the French language while building on them to reach greater fluency and confidence.

What You’ll Learn

• Practical communication: Strengthen your ability to speak and interact in French during lessons, meetings, and daily situations.
• Cultural insight: Explore authentic materials and learn about everyday life and education in French-speaking countries.
• Plurilingual strategies: Use your existing language knowledge to support your understanding and communication in French.
• Grammar through use: Learn grammar naturally through engaging tasks that focus on sentence structure, verb forms, and word order.
• Classroom French: Practice giving instructions, setting routines, and managing interaction in French during classroom activities.
• Teaching reflection: Reflect on your learning journey and explore how to integrate these strategies into your own teaching practice.

Throughout the course, you’ll receive personalised feedback on speaking, writing, and interaction tasks. Each unit includes a reflection activity to help you monitor your progress and plan how to apply your new skills in your classroom. 

This course helps primary school teachers develop their German language skills through interactive games and activities. Participants will build confidence in their communication skills, while gaining insights into German-speaking culture.Using a communicative and task-based approach, participants learn German through real-life, classroom-related situations. Activities focus on practical language use in everyday school life and professional contexts.

What You’ll Learn

• Practical communication: Build confidence speaking and interacting in German during lessons and in daily situations.
• Cultural insight: Explore authentic materials and gain an understanding of life and education in German-speaking countries.
• Plurilingual strategies: Use your existing language knowledge to support learning and communication in German.
• Grammar through use: Learn grammar naturally through meaningful tasks that focus on sentence building, verb use, and word order.
• Classroom German: Practice giving instructions, setting routines, and managing interaction in multilingual classrooms.
• Teaching reflection: Reflect on your own learning journey and discover how these strategies can enrich your teaching practice.

Throughout the course, you’ll receive personalised feedback on speaking, writing, and interaction tasks. Each unit includes a reflection activity to help you track your progress and plan how to bring your new skills into your classroom.

How can I register in the programme?

You can register for the programme by emailing salis.office@dcu.ie.

In the subject line, include the programme name, Foreign Language Upskilling Programme for Primary School Teachers, along with the language of your choice (French, German & Spanish).

Once the registration period closes, you will receive a confirmation email verifying your successful enrollment in the course.

I am interested in taking a language but I am unsure if I have the right  level to register for.

You can use the information provided in the self-assessment section to test your knowledge of the language of your choice: the CEFR self-assessment grid & the online tests provided.

Do I have to pay for these language classes?

No, you don’t have to pay! These classes are fully funded by the Department of Education and are completely free of charge. 

Will I receive a certificate of attendance?

Yes, if you attend a minimum of 80% of the course

Do I need to buy any materials?

Yes, the details are on the website and the cost  will be refunded by the PPLI.

Do the upskilling language courses qualify for EPV days?

No, these courses do not qualify for EPV days