Foreign Language Upskilling Opportunities
Foreign Language Upskilling Opportunities
Post-Primary Languages Ireland/Languages Connect, in collaboration with a range of providers, offers a range of foreign language upskilling opportunities to support primary teachers as they prepare for the introduction of modern foreign languages in the redeveloped Primary School Curriculum.
The courses are designed to help teachers build language confidence, develop plurilingual and intercultural awareness, and strengthen the skills needed to support language learning in primary classrooms.
Teachers can choose from three complementary upskilling options:
- Flexible Courses
- Intensive Courses
- Courses Abroad
Each option offers different formats and levels of commitment, allowing teachers to select the pathway that best suits their experience, availability and professional learning needs. Courses are for non-beginners and aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), with proficiency entry levels ranging from A2.1 to B1.2. These opportunities are for primary teachers registered to teach in Ireland.
Read more about these options below.
Flexible Courses support teachers to build language proficiency during the school year.
- Term-time courses in French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
- Online, blended and in-person options, depending on the provider.
- Available at the full range of target proficiency levels, from A2.1 to B1.2.
- Short classes delivered over a number of weeks for steady, manageable progression.
- Offered through Irish universities, cultural institutes and experienced language schools.
- Fully funded, including textbook costs and subsistence where applicable.
Intensive Courses provide focused upskilling via full day, in-person workshops.
- Delivered over four consecutive Fridays.
- For teachers with approximately B1 entry-level competence in French, German, Italian or Spanish.
- Delivered in partnership with cultural institutes and hosted through the national Education Support Centres network.
- Include classroom resource design and teacher collaboration.
- Fully funded, with substitution hours and travel costs to support participation.
Courses Abroad offer immersive language learning in the target-language country.
- Available during school terms or holidays, depending on the programme.
- Support language confidence, intercultural understanding and practical classroom insights.
- May include visits to local primary schools.
- Include language tuition, accommodation, half or full board and cultural activities.
- Part-funded, participants usually arrange own travel, transfers, insurance and personal expenses.
Find out more and register
Interested teachers can consult all currently available options from this regularly updated file, containing all information and registration links.
Teachers interested in finding out more and keep up to date are also advised to:
- Check this page regularly for updates.
- Subscribe to our newsletter for notifications.
- Follow our social media channels for the latest information.
For further information, please contact primaryupskilling@ppli.ie
Spanish Language Upskilling Course and Stay Abroad
PPLI / Languages Connect, in partnership with Academia TEBA Languages, is offering a fully funded Spanish language immersion course in Granada, Spain.
The programme is open to qualified primary teachers registered with the Teaching Council of Ireland, who have a proficiency level of B1.1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
It is designed to help teachers develop their Spanish language skills, strengthen their confidence in the classroom and explore new approaches to language teaching.
This one-week pilot intensive course will take place during the Halloween midterm break, from Sunday 25 October to Friday 30 October 2026.
Applications are now open. For more information and applications click here.
French Language Upskilling Course and Stay Abroad
PPLI/Languages Connect, in partnership with the French Embassy, is once again offering language-upskilling grants for a one-week course in France, with a choice of four locations, providing participants with a rich cultural and linguistic experience to enhance their confidence and fluency.
The grant covers a one-week intensive course with accommodation during the Halloween midterm break, from Sunday 25 October to Saturday 31 October 2026.
Applications are open until September 15 2026.
For more information and a link to apply click here.
Erasmus+ one-week job shadowing in a French Primary School
Thanks to recently acquired Erasmus+ accreditation, PPLI/Languages Connect will offer primary teachers and principals registered with the Teaching Council of Ireland a fantastic opportunity to conduct a funded, one-week observation of teaching practice in a primary school in the South of France.
This week of international mobility will take place in autumn 2026. Further information can be found here. Applications are now closed.
While applications for this round have now closed, the programme will run again in October 2026, with full details and application information to be released in August 2026.
Teachers interested in taking part are advised to:
- Check this page regularly for updates.
- Subscribe to our newsletter for notifications.
- Follow our social media channels for the latest information.
For further information, please contact primaryupskilling@ppli.ie