Scottish Catholic Observer

The Italian bi-lingual programme at St Aloysius’ College Junior School in Glasgow has now been recognised by the National Centre for Languages as one of the most inventive language-learning projects in the UK.

The project—launched in 2009—aims to equip children with the skills and confidence to communicate fluently in Italian.

The children receive an average of ten hours of Italian per week from a teacher chosen by the Italian Consulate and approved by St Aloysius’ College, the private school founded by the Jesuits in 1859.

In practice, the regular class teacher will occupy three fifths of the average school week, while the Italian teacher will use the remaining 40 per cent to cover various elements of the curriculum in Italian. Two hours of Italian each day will cover aspects of language, humanities, religious education, physical education, music and art.

The programme has now received the 2013 European Language Label, an award that recognises the quality of language teaching and rewards creative ways of motivating learners, which is given out by the National Centre for Languages.

Dr Aileen Brady, head of the junior school, says the pureness of the children’s Italian accent can have a profound effect upon listeners.

“When the children sang Buon Natale at a Christmas concert, it reduced one of the grandparents to tears,” she said. “Once her family came to Glasgow they all stopped speaking Italian as they wanted to be accepted here, and this was the first time she had heard this carol since she was a little girl in Italy. I have to say we were all crying too!”

Dr Brady also said she was ‘thrilled’ that the school has achieved this reward.

“Our bilingual project has only been achievable with the support of the Italian Consulate and so we are very grateful to them,” she said. “It is lovely to see the hard work and dedication of all of the staff, parents and pupils involved being recognised.”