Silvia Bastow FCCT

February 2026 Social (Special) open to all trainee and ECT Language teachers (and Secondary teachers for Part 2) This form is for Languages ECTs and trainee teachers (and others interested) to register for this free event hosted by ALL on Friday 27th February 2026 from 6.30 pm on Zoom. See Outline below. Access...

@all4languages.bsky.social Social Zoom for ECTs and trainees
Wednesday 25 February 2026 from 18h30 on Zoom
Sharing around the theme of Variety, and then Silvia Bastow and Jennifer Wozniak-Rush talking about Succeeding as an MFL Teacher.
Booking: tinyurl.com/Social-Feb26

📚✨ It’s finally happening! ✨📚

On 12 February, our new book Succeeding as an MFL Teacher will be released,co-authored with @MissWozniak and published by @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social
🎉Bonus: there’s currently a 35% pre-release discount available! #mflsky #edusky

If you don't have Spotify it's available here too:

podcastaddict.com/podcast/the-...

📚✨ It’s finally happening! ✨📚

On 12 February, our new book Succeeding as an MFL Teacher will be released,co-authored with @MissWozniak and published by @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social
🎉Bonus: there’s currently a 35% pre-release discount available! #mflsky #edusky

At the moment working on my IDP (Impact & Development Plan) for Term 2. Are you coming to Language World?

No worries, we are allowed to have different point of view.🙂

Absolutely, but the system doesn't seem to see it like this...

I totally agree, to able to communicate, mistakes are naturally made & often will not hinder communication esp. in spoken language. Unfortunately our exams are not set like that, which then means lower marks when grade boundaries are high and our subject in decline because of it. Difficult situation

I see your point. In German due to the complexity of the word order there are often instances where marks are lost due to inaccuracies and the grammatical concepts not embedded enough. I see often examples of isolated complex language/idioms thrown in without ss really understanding them

Why students underperform in GCSE writing – and how over-scaffolding and misunderstandings about “complex language” make it worse From a GCSE examiner’s point of view, I believe most students do not underperform in writing because they lack ideas, motivation or effort. Much more often, they underperform because they have been ta...

Why do pupils underperform in GCSE writing?
It’s rarely about effort or vocabulary. It’s about control.
Over-scaffolding, ambition without accuracy, and myths about “complex language” all get in the way. GCSE writing success is built at KS3, not fixed in Y11
👇
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/why-stu...

When your publisher sends you an author's copy 😊 #mflsky #edusky #languages

✨ My new co-authored book Teacher Hacks: Languages is out!
Packed with simple, practical ideas to make language teaching smoother + lighter.
Got your copy?
📸 Please share a photo - I’d love to see it!
bit.ly/TeacherHacks...
#TeacherHacks #MFL #LanguageTeaching #EduTwitter #LanguagesMatter

✨ My new co-authored book Teacher Hacks: Languages is out!
Packed with simple, practical ideas to make language teaching smoother + lighter.
Got your copy?
📸 Please share a photo - I’d love to see it!
bit.ly/TeacherHacks...
#TeacherHacks #MFL #LanguageTeaching #EduTwitter #LanguagesMatter

30+ Fun and Effective MFL Games for the Languages Classroom One of the most powerful ways to build confidence, fluency and motivation in the MFL classroom is through purposful games. I believe that well-chosen, low-prep activities can transform the energy of a...

🎮 Want to boost confidence, fluency & joy in MFL? Try purposeful games. Low-prep, high-impact activities can transform a lesson, building retrieval strength, phonics skills, grammar accuracy & spontaneous target-language use. 30+ tried-and-tested MFL games.
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/30-fun-...

Yes, we do. What about you?

Getting Students Talking: Making the most of role plays in the new GCSE speaking exam There’s a lot of talk everywhere about the new 2026 GCSE MFL exams and for good reason! The updates are designed to make language learning more meaningful, focusing on real communication rather than m...

🎭 The new 2026 GCSE MFL role-plays focus on real communication, not memorised scripts. In my latest blog, I share what’s changing, common challenges + 10 practical ways to build confidence through everyday speaking tasks.
👉 Read more:
#MFL #GCSE2026 #Languages
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/getting...

9 hours until our special show focussed on CPD for language teachers, sponsored by the NCLE.

Set yourselves a reminder to tune in live at 6pm UK time: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Yr...

@fraubastowmfl.bsky.social
@joedale.bsky.social
@ttradioofficial.bsky.social

Absolutely. Can they speak? That's the evidence! Thank you.

What does a Book Look look like in MFL and what should it reflect? In the world of MFL, book looks can sometimes feel like a tick-box exercise or a stressful scrutiny. Too often - and this can be the case for other subjects, they risk becoming about neat presentation...

✨New Post: What can and can’t a Book Look tell us ? ✨A neat, colour-coded exercise book doesn’t always mean real learning or progress. In MFL, so much of what matters : speaking, listening, interaction, confidence can’t be captured on a page...
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/what-do...

Oracy in the Languages Classroom: Why Speaking Is So Much More Than Talking When we talk about language learning, “speaking” often feels like the ultimate goal. It’s what learners and parents usually see as success: Can you have a conversation? Can you speak the language? But...

📢NEW Post📢 Oracy in MFL. Oracy is our whole academy focus, here are some subject specific ideas we use in our department to support our students. #mflsky #edusky
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/oracy-i...

Thank you for sharing.

Oracy in the Languages Classroom: Why Speaking Is So Much More Than Talking When we talk about language learning, “speaking” often feels like the ultimate goal. It’s what learners and parents usually see as success: Can you have a conversation? Can you speak the language? But...

📢NEW Post📢 Oracy in MFL. Oracy is our whole academy focus, here are some subject specific ideas we use in our department to support our students. #mflsky #edusky
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/oracy-i...

Making Input Count: The Power of Comprehensible Input in Language Teaching This academic year has been an incredibly full and rewarding one for me, filled with opportunities to speak at conferences locally, nationally and internationally; to work with and deliver CPD across ...

For my final blog post of the year, I’m focusing on a theme that’s come up again & again in my conversations with colleagues:comprehensible input in MFL teaching.
I’ve shared my thoughts & what this approach might mean for our learners moving forward. #mflsky
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/making-...

Making Input Count: The Power of Comprehensible Input in Language Teaching This academic year has been an incredibly full and rewarding one for me, filled with opportunities to speak at conferences locally, nationally and internationally; to work with and deliver CPD across ...

For my final blog post of the year, I’m focusing on a theme that’s come up again & again in my conversations with colleagues:comprehensible input in MFL teaching.
I’ve shared my thoughts & what this approach might mean for our learners moving forward. #mflsky
www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/making-...

🤩PROM NIGHT🤩 Where did the time go? No more child but a young man! 🥰

It was a pleasure to attend the Sommerfest der deutschen Sprache today, hosted by the German Ambassador at his Residence in London. Lovely to catch up with my GEM colleagues. #mflsky

Tuesday 7pm = @linguascope.com webinar time so tomorrow @fraubastowmfl.bsky.social is sharing her expertise on how to develop learners’ speaking skills.

Further details, Silvia’s bio plus how to register for this #freewebinar on the link here: bit.ly/3ScACHO
#mfltwitterati #mflchat #langchat

Solid advice from @fraubastowmfl.bsky.social #mflbluesky

Embracing the Target Language: Striking the Balance Using the target language (TL) in Modern Language lessons is both a commendable and complex endeavour. However, for it to be successful, I believe, we need to find the delicate balance between immersi...

🖋New Post🖋 on use of target language in my classroom. www.fraubastowmfl.co.uk/post/embraci...

May @linguascope.com webinars include incredible power houses of the languages world @fraubastowmfl.bsky.social Lucy Dreznin & Nadine Chadier
so excited for the May's @linguascope.com webinars #mfltwitterati #mflchat #langchat

Silvia bit.ly/3ScACHO
Lucy bit.ly/4lOg5al
Nadine bit.ly/3RFqmru