If anyone wants to connect with me on Wakelet then my handle is @MrsNEglinton

Learn Languages with Music Videos, Lyrics and Karaoke!

Roxxem for Teachers

Ada Lovelace CoE High School

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlWcmouenBX_6mt9FVcznMVWH2jxacNZk&si=Qt93Pl0Z5YVAkFvO

After the listening, min 2:38 on the video, play it all to the students. Marc Anthony speaks at the front very easy grammar and easy to understand.

(Gumley House School)

Students present a catwalk of clothes and describe what their peers are wearing.

Judges make up comments on the clothes

Students perform as a class on stage as pat of the annual language festival

Manon Tournier Gumley House

Andrea Schanda

PGCE Languages

Read and Act for Earth project

An eco-friendly trip to London

2h of curriculum time per week.

Objectives: present a video describing your house using the vocabulary and structured learnt in class.

Assessment criteria: spontaneous speaking activity (no reading) - resuse the vocabulary and sentences learnt. Look for new vocabulary to create your own sentence. Check for clear pronunciation.

College de Ronchin (France)

2h per week of curriculum time.

Example video below (collège de Ronchin France)

We have being doing these more off the back of having Magalie le Huche (French author and illustrator) in as part of the Institut Français' Francophonie on the Road Roadshow. She talked to us about taking written descriptions and turning them into drawings (she got us drawing some weird and wonderful characters in our Dictée Illustrée challenge!). We have been playing around more with dictations where students represent these as pictures on their whiteboard, we use their sentence builder language but go further. We have been throwing in certain more quirky elements such as "a giraffe in the swimming pool" to encourage more creativity with the language and engagement too.

Embedding language from a Pearson Edexcel Higher sample assessment reading question into resources that take German pupils on a trip to the theatre in Vienna. Demonstrating how we can embed higher level language from a specification in cultural contexts which are relevant to pupils and scaffold vocabulary to make it accessible for all pupils.

Lots of opportunity for interaction and dialogue with pupils, as well as retrieval. Building towards both a creative outcome and a more typical 'exam-style' question.

1. The Express Yourself North East Festival of Languages is now live!

The Express Yourself North East Festival of Languages (EYFOLNE) started in 2021, the result of a conversation with Steven Fawkes and International Newcastle Director, Declan Baharini.

Designed to spark curiosity & creativity but to open doors to future opportunities, inspiring the next generations of future linguists and global citizens across the North East of England. 

It is the biggest event of its type in the UK, the Festival encourages children and young people (3-18) in schools, community schools and groups to celebrate diverse languages and cultures and our connections to the world.

The Express Yourself programme is packed with FREE events, activities, competitions and resources runs from 6 January, so now to 31st March and is open for registrations. You have to register to take part by email info@expressyourselfne.com

The aim of the Festival is to entertain, enthuse and educate, to foster inclusion and understanding, as well as raise aspirations and awareness of the opportunities that open up through speaking languages and understanding diverse cultures.

It is a wonderful festival with hundreds of events for early years through to adults and everything in between do scan the QR code because there are local events but this year, a national section too so wherever you are in the UK,  you can take part. 

If you are outside of the UK, take a look and register for the newsletter – you might be able to take part in some of the events, just not live. Or you might be inspired to replicate some events in your school setting.

2. Mother Tongue, Other Tongue

Mother Tongue Other Tongue is a celebration of young people’s poetic writing that reflects the different languages they speak as a first language or at home, in the community or that they are learning in an educational establishment. Participant teachers say its really valuable in enabling learners and speakers to express themselves and their feelings, their culture and heritage, their sense of belonging and enhanced.

Mother Tongue (MT) is for those who have a language other than English at home or that is their first language, so they write in their Mother Tongue either an original poem, or their memory of a poetic text (a song, nursery rhyme, lullaby, poem) from their early life. They also write up to 100 words or half a page in English to explain why they have written/chosen the text and its personal importance.

Other Tongue (OT) is for everyone who is learning a language at school or in their community. also write up to 100 words or half a page in English to explain why they have written/chosen the text and its personal importance.

Teachers and TAs register by emailing info@expressyourselfne.com to take part.

There is a Teachers toolkit to help you contribute to this with a presentation to follow with ideas and resources.  There are guidelines and an entry form per school / educational establishment.

School entries, individual entries. Maximum of 10 entries per school so you might need to create a gallery and judge them in house before sending.  Some schools involved a whole year group or a whole primary school ergo every learner!  Exciting!

Originally created by Manchester Metropolitan University and Routes into Languages it is a magnificent project and there might be one near you, wherever you are in the world. It is a wonderful project!

Fabulous!

3. Celebrate Speaking!

Starts February 1^st-28^th 2026
Global Competition

Celebrate Speaking takes place every February so you have time to plan and get all of your learners involved!

The idea is to Practise and celebrate a language your students are learning or use in their community, and take part in a virtual festival of speaking which runs from 1 - 28 February! 

It’s so very  easy to take part, simply: 

Ask learners to prepare a short poem, presentation, sketch or dialogue in their favourite language. It can be a solo or joint performance / piece but should be no longer than 90 seconds in total.  

Record them delivering the performance.

Under-16s use PowerPoint slides, Bitmoji, images or video, rather than showing their faces.  

Upload the performance to your own or your school’s X, Facebook or Youtube account with the hashtags

 #CelebrateSpeaking  and the language chosen (e.g. #Polish #Mongolian #French). 

Remember to use the hashtag or it might not be found.

Get inspiration from some entries from 2025 by searching X with #CelebrateSpeaking you might find some other years pieces too. 

4. Multilingual Verses

Open now until 2027

This is a collaborative project the Association for Language Learning and Sheffield, City of Languages thanks to Dr Sabine Little at the University of Sheffield are inviting teachers with bi-/multilingual learners in their classes to collect similar verses / texts in languages representing all of our communities. They can be Counting rhymes, nursery rhymes, cautionary tales, rhymes to support play - all are welcome!

Rules or guidelines are:

·    A title and indication of language

·    A short written version in the original language

·    A version in English to help others understand

·    An audio or video recording (lasting no more than 60-90 seconds) of a recitation of the text, ideally featuring children’s voices

For each text they welcome all, or any, of the above.

The collected resources will be posted on this website, as an anthology for other children, classes and teachers to enjoy and learn from.

Contact Dr Sabine Little via her email address: s.little@sheffield.ac.uk with any questions you might have.

On the website – section for teaching about how and why to use Multilingual verses and nursery rhymes in class with Teaching strategies & activities, using different scripts, bringing rhymes to life and language analysis work to deepen connections & learning.

https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/multilingual-verses/home

5. Language Calligrams Celebration

Just over a hundred years ago, at the end of the First World War, the French poet Guillaume Appollinaire published a set of poems called Calligrammes in which he used ink and fonts to draw recognisable shapes with connected words.

They are now inviting Primary children to make their own calligrams, using words and/or phrases they have learnt in any language other than English.

The words might draw the outline of the image, or fill in the silhouette of the image. The key things are that they should be related to the image, they should be easy to read (neat and not over-elaborate), and they should be spelled correctly. They can be created by hand or with a computer. We value children’s ideas, and so do not encourage AI creations (unless the use of AI gives access which would not be possible otherwise.).

2 categories – 7-9 years old and 9-11 years old and invite teachers to select a theme that fits in with their schemes.

Pupils are introduced to them in Y3 Literacy in England and so it’s a concept with which they may are already be familiar. 

Please contact eyfolnecalligrams@gmail.com with any questions.

You could absolutely replicate this in your schools!

6. JaLaChamp

Open now until 3^rd March 2026 (speech)
Open now until 10^th March 2026 (video)

Wanted!  Fantastic speeches and videos from primary and secondary schools in Japanese please call from the Japan Foundation, London.

There are two categories - the Speech Category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice,

And the Video Category where students are asked to create an original video based on a set theme either by individual or part of a group.

This is to encourage learners to share with us their thoughts and viewpoints, as well as show colleagues at The Japan Foundation their creativity in full and have fun challenging themselves by entering this contest and using their Japanese!

The speech category is aimed at secondary schools learners who learn Japanese as a foreign language.

The video category is aimed at primary & secondary students including those who speak Japanese at home as well as those who learn it in school.

All guidance, promotional posters and submission details including consent form for the video category are available on the QR code so please scan it and have fun

7. 19^th World Children’s Haiku Contest

Open now until 28^th February 2026

First held in 1990 and bi-annually (every two years since) this beautiful project is supported by Japan Airlines and The Japan Society.

Guidelines as well as application forms (required for each entry) are behind the QR code so please scan it.

One entry per child (either typed or handwritten) on the theme of "Sound".

Applicants must be the age of 15 and under as of 28 February 2026.

The haiku must be accompanied by hand-drawn or hand-crafted artwork on the same page, using A4-sized paper (21cm x 29.7cm) or letter sized paper (8.5in. x 11in.).

Glue the application form on the back of the work.

Please note that The Japan Society can only receive entries from applicants based in the UK. - but you could contact your local Japan Society to see if they can support you in this if you run it outside of the UK.

Composition:

Any form of artwork (except photographs or digital images) can be submitted.

Every entry must be the original and unpublished work of the child themself. Assistance by others (parents, other adults, siblings, or other children) is prohibited.

The haiku must be presented in three short lines.

All rights (for compositions and artwork) will be reserved by JAL Foundation.

8. Multilingual Me!

Available now until March 31 nationally

Created by WOLLOW world of languages, languages of the world.

Multilingual Me is a lesson aimed at pupils aged 7 to 11. It is designed to be delivered in primary school classrooms, with pre-prepared resources. This is both an exploration of multilingualism and migration and a celebration of languages showing how language learning is interesting, enjoyable and relevant to children’s lives.

The prepared lesson lasts 45-60 minutes with suggested extension activities if you would like to extend the learning.

Resources include a PowerPoint with teacher guidance notes for each slide.

Delivery guidance will be provided for teachers.

9. Poésíæ
Ages 7-18 years old
Autumn
Global Competition

Poésíæ started as an annual French poem recitation competition in a little school to develop oracy and self-confidence.

Now available in 7 languages, with over

250 schools from all over the world involved and the wonderful addition of the very popular Art competition! French, German, Spanish, Italian, English, Welsh and Japanese. Poems are selected, are are available online which you can access.

This has developed into Poésíært and for 2025: Poésíæ motion. 

An amazing oracy based project to get involved with or to engage with to support your curriculum!

10. French Pop Video Competition

The French Pop Video Competition is a national competition organised by Francophonie UK at the Institut français for all KS1 to KS5 learners of French in the UK.

Since 2019, the competition has revealed many talented young singers and encouraged students to engage with French in a creative way. From the writing of a song to its singing (or rapping!) They are amazing and so much fun! Adding creativity into the curriculum as taking part in the French pop video your learners get the chance to retrieve, recycle and reuse the French they are learning with you in class in a very different and fun way.

This project allows creativity within the language and of course improves writing skills creates opportunities to enrich vocabulary and grammar through the creation their own lyrics, but learners also practise their speaking (and singing / rapping) skills while recording / choreographing the video creating positive lifelong memories into their French class / club or homework!

To take part you have to register by March 15th 2026.

https://theworldoflanguages.co.uk/

WoLLoW is a fully developed languages curriculum for pupils in pupils aged between 7 and 15. Created by experienced language teachers, and available free to all schools, the project aims to bind together all elements of a pupils’ experience in school and beyond and to prepare pupils not only for future study, but future life.

Pupils will learn simple and fun ways to write a poem in French and English!

Register for Bilingual Webinar (online-Recorded): https://expressyourselfne.com/bilingual-poetry/

Register for the resources – Football/Rap (KS2-3) https://expressyourselfne.com/world-cup-french/

Join Michaël Vidon and his team of Spoken Word Artists to experience a day of multilingual poetry.

Designed for learners at KS3-5 (11-18 years old), pupils will create and perform group poems in multiple languages.

Pupils will learn how to collaborate with peers to write performance poems to be shared in a live Poetry Slam!

Register for 27th March 2026 – Newcastle  https://expressyourselfne.com/multilingual-poetry-slam/

This worksheet accompanies Season 2 Episode 1 of Leo & Marie series - a bilingual song introducing Leo and his blended family in Paris.

What makes it different: Students encounter familiar vocabulary (family members, -er verbs, possessive adjectives) through Leo's story, with only 4 new terms (beau-père, belle-mère, demi-frère, demi-sœur) embedded in context. The bilingual format reduces cognitive overload while maintaining engagement.

Progression: Watch/listen → gap-fill → comprehension → grammar noticing → creative writing, following a Recognition → Noticing → Naming → Production sequence.

Ideal for Year 8 consolidation or confident Year 7s. The song is on YouTube (link in worksheet). Students love the Ping-Pong Challenge verb game!

Feedback welcome - particularly on the balance between revision and new content, or how the narrative context affects retention compared to traditional family vocab lessons.