TRAFFORD PRIMARY MODERN LANGUAGE ASSISTANT PROJECT September 2023 – May 2024
Originally established over 20 years ago, the Trafford Modern Language Assistant Project continues to thrive and evolve today in Trafford’s Primary Schools. Currently, 4 French-speaking and 3 Spanish-speaking Modern Language Assistants (MLAs), are placed in a total of 22 Trafford Schools. Trafford Primary Schools’ MLAs are sourced via the British Council. The Project is led and co-ordinated by Dawn Wilde of DW Primary Languages. Dawn liaises with the British Council, Trafford Local Authority, individual schools and the MLAs themselves to ensure the smooth running of the Project.
In Trafford Primary Schools, MLAs are employed for a minimum 4 hours contact time in each school and are shared between a cluster of 3 or 4 schools. Schools can request a MLA for 4, 6 or 8 hours of contact time. Timetabled weekly lessons of 30 – 40 minutes per class are recommended. MLAs can work throughout primary schools, from EYFS to Year Six, although your school will decide how best to deploy their time and expertise. Breaktimes and preparation time are not included as contact time so in practice, a Language Assistant contracted for 4 hours may be in school for the duration of the normal school-day.
To comply with new Visa arrangements post-Brexit, MLAs arrive in schools in the first week of October and leave during the last week of May.
The success of the Trafford Modern Language Assistant Project is founded on co-operation within clusters of schools. Each year, one school in the cluster agrees to be the ‘nominated school’. The ‘nominated school’ will be responsible for setting up the MLA on the payroll and applying for the Enhanced DBS Check on behalf of other schools in its cluster. Nominated schools are fully supported by Dawn (DW Primary Languages) throughout this process.
What is unique about Trafford’s Modern Language Assistant Project?
Participating Trafford Primary Schools and the Modern Language Assistants placed in Trafford are exceptionally well supported by DW Primary Languages. The practical support provided to MLAs ensures that they make a smooth transition into their placement in the UK, enabling them to quickly become effective within their schools. Acting as the ‘Lead Host Institution’ for the purposes of the British Council, DW Primary Languages takes care of the majority of the administration associated with hosting a MLA. Throughout the 8-month placement, the MLA receives high quality training, mentoring, one-to-one coaching and feedback, maximising their impact in the classroom. This model of sharing a MLA between 3 or 4 schools enables cost-effective provision of high quality language and intercultural education for your pupils and ongoing CPD for your staff.
