Erasmus+

This year marks the launch of the new EU-funded programme, ‘Erasmus +’, combining the former Comenius, Erasmus, Grundtvig and Leonardo programmes – a lot of the time that has elapsed since our last blog post has been taken up with figuring out how Confluence Scotland will fit into this – however, other things have been happening too, so here is an overdue update!

Despite the initial widespread confusion regarding the new Erasmus + system, we finally seem to have it sussed and we are currently processing the mountain of applications we have for our 2014-2015 immersion courses for European teachers of English. Our immersion courses, jointly run with LFEE Europe, are taking place in July and October of this year, and March and April of next year. Preparation for the workshops is starting to take shape and we are very much looking forward to welcoming participants from countries all over Europe, from Iceland to Malta.

In addition to the above immersion courses, we also have 3 groups of teachers from Germany coming across in June, September and October. The first of these groups, arriving in June, are trainee primary school teachers from Laupheim Teacher Training Institute in Baden Württemberg, and we have placements organised for them in schools across East Lothian. In September we have a return visit from nursery teachers from Munich who will be on placements in nurseries across the Lothians; and then in October a group of 20 vocational teachers from northern Bavaria arrives and they will be job shadowing in companies throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians. These visits are between 2 and 3 weeks in duration, and in addition to the placements the particpants will also be taking part in our language workshops and cultural exchange activities. 

Aside from all that, every day work continues! This includes language teaching for our individual and business clients, setting up a new German Club for kids in Portobello, and preparation for the busy period ahead. We can also announce that we are delighted to have welcomed Rachel Seago on to our team.  Rachel is a languages graduate who has also completed a TEFL qualification – it’s great to have her on board!

A fresh start ...

... for a fresh new look, as Tine & Alison head off to Bishopbriggs Academy in Glasgow tomorrow to meet students and future linguists at the Goethe Institut's 'Think German' Career Fair.  This coincides with the European Day of Languages on 26th September, too, so it seems a good week to be starting afresh.
     It's been a busy summer at Confluence, which we have all enjoyed - Alison has been working 1:1 with a great variety of interesting clients over the summer season, some professional linguists - translators and conference interpreters - and some motivated individuals from the business world.  And we have all benefited hugely - as always - from meeting several lovely groups of visitors on EU-funded programmes - firstly, English teachers from all across Europe, who have attended the courses we run jointly in July with our partners LFEE Europe. This year there were over 70 teachers with us, from Iceland to Malta - and many lands in between!  Here are some of them immersed in a role play exercise -

      And last weekend we said goodbye to 10 delightful early educationalists from the City of Munich, who spent two weeks with us on a study visit, exploring how 'inclusion' is implemented in our nursery schools here in Scotland, in Edinburgh and the Lothians.  Tine's first hand knowledge of their mutual Bavarian homeland was vital, as was the hospitality of the five nurseries involved - and our colleague Kirsten Harrold from Edinburgh College was able to share her expertise in the workshops - a fun bilingual experience and a true exchange of ideas!  We are already looking forward to a return visit next year.