PPLI · Languages Connect · Department of Education & Youth
Primary Upskilling
Courses 2026/2027
Fully funded language upskilling courses for primary school teachers across Ireland, administered by PPLI Languages Connect and funded by the Department of Education and Youth.
Who is this for?
Eligibility
These courses are open to primary school teachers (including substitutes) registered with the Teaching Council of Ireland. If you are registered and wish to develop your language skills for the classroom, you can access these courses completely free of charge.
Refundable Deposit
A deposit of €30 per course is required at the time of booking. This is fully refundable upon attending 80% of your classes — that is, 10 of the 12 sessions.
If you cannot attend a class, please email with a reason and we'll mark you in.
Understanding Your Level
The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is the international standard for describing language competency, from A0 (no prior knowledge) through to C2 (full mastery). The Primary Upskilling project starts for teachers who already have reached level A2.1, the Leaving Cert, more or less; no matter how long ago, it does come back!
When starting to learn a language, you would be at A0. You would then learn towards the A1. To acquire the level A1, you would have studied for around 80 hours in a formal classroom.
To reach level A2, you would have followed another 80 to 100 hours of lessons. The A2 level is described as beginner, and is split into A2.1, A2.2 and A2.3 — the three levels offered in these upskilling courses. DEY funding starts at A2.1.
After A2, learners progress to B1 and B2 (intermediate), and finally C1 and C2 (advanced). Most grammar would be covered by the time you acquire the B2 level.
2026/2027 Term Dates
Three terms across the academic year. Each term runs for 12 sessions of 2 hours each.
Term 1
September – December 2026
- 14 Sept – 7 Dec 2026
- 12 sessions
Term 2
January – March 2027
- 11 Jan – 29 Mar 2027
- 12 sessions
Term 3
April – June 2027
- 5 Apr – 21 Jun 2027
- 12 sessions
Classes continue through bank holidays and school breaks. The only scheduled break is Halloween week. The Welcome Pack that we will email you once a course is set to start will explain everything!
Built for Teachers, by Teachers
We understand how busy you are. Our courses are designed with your schedule and workload in mind (no homework!).
Native, Qualified TeachersAll our teachers are native speakers who are fully qualified and experienced. Crucially, they have excellent English, so they can explain grammar and vocabulary clearly to learners. |
Free Teaching MaterialsYour courses include free teaching materials such as worksheets, posters, games and more, that are ready to use in the classroom. Everything is provided, you just need to attend and participate. |
Fully Online via ZoomAll upskilling classes run live over Zoom, so there is no commute. Join from home or school at a time that fits your afternoon — with a 3:15pm or 6:15pm start. |
Places Are Limited
Ready to Register?
Click below to register your place or feel free to get in touch with any questions you may have!
This course is facilitated by PPLI/Languages Connect and fully funded by the Department of Education and Youth under the Foreign Language Upskilling Scheme for Primary Teachers.
Administered by
Languages Connect is the national strategy for foreign languages in primary education in Ireland, administered by PPLI and funded by the Department of Education and Youth.
languagesconnect.ie ↗