For decades, language assistants have been a vibrant part of school life in Northern Ireland - bringing French, Spanish, German, Irish, Italian, and Mandarin to life in classrooms across the country.
Many arrive through the British Council’s Language Assistant programme, spending anywhere from six months to a full academic year supporting pupils with language learning, while also offering a unique window into their own cultures.
But their presence has steadily declined since the early 2000s - reaching a low point during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, though, there are promising signs of a revival: since 2021–22, the number of schools applying for language assistants through the British Council has risen by 78 per cent.
We spoke to several language assistants, teachers, and principals from across Northern Ireland to hear more about their experiences and the impact these roles continue to have.
This is the first year that St Kevin’s College in Lisnaskea has hosted a language assistant, welcoming Sofia from Spain. The school chose Spanish due to its popularity among GCSE languages and the immersive experience it offers. Sofia splits her time between the school and three local primary schools.
Speaking about the programme, Gary Kelly, principal of St Kevin's College said: “This is the first time we’ve had a language assistant, at least since I’ve been Principal, and we applied because we felt that having someone like Sofia would help bring the language to life. In school, languages can often feel artificial – not immersive. This was another way to embed languages more authentically into the school experience.
The school currently offer Irish, French and Spanish at GCSE as well as some Mandarin classes.
Gary said: “We really want to promote languages in the school. We do exchanges to Spain every two years, have done an exchange trip to China and go to the Gaeltacht - but the uptake of languages is still low. There isn’t always a clear career pathway for students beyond A Level.
“Sofia is helping the current language teachers at the school by doing more cultural work and making language learning that little more fun. We’ve actually just started sending Sofia out to three of our feeder primary schools for one hour a week and it’s a way to help with the transition from primary to post-primary languages. Some of the schools bring their pupils into us too, which is brilliant. She brings cultural items and toys to the primaries, and the kids love it. It’s all about building confidence from a younger age.
“The pupils also get on really well with Sofia – she’s more relatable, almost like one of them. It’s the same with our Mandarin tutors – the students see them as part of the school.”
“Northern Ireland can be quite insular, and having a language assistant helps open minds. It also brings energy and vibrancy to the school – someone young and enthusiastic, working in small groups, makes learning fun and engaging.”
Sofia Ramallal is from Galicia in Northern Spain and became a Language Assistant right after finishing university – where she studied primary education, specialising in English as a second language. She hopes to become a teacher following her time at St Kevin’s.
She said: “The pupils are really excited to have me here - they always want to talk and play games with me, even when they see me in the corridor. They’re curious and enthusiastic, and I’ve found the school to be a very welcoming and friendly place.
“The Northern Irish accent is a bit tricky, though, but it’s been a good challenge! It makes me think more and helps improve my listening skills. I’ve definitely picked up some local expressions - everyone here says 'wee' all the time. I think it’s cute how you can use it with everything - a wee jacket', 'a wee school', 'a wee bit'. Now I find myself saying it too!
“I really like it here. Northern Ireland reminds me of Galicia, especially the weather. Fermanagh has been really beautiful - quiet, but nice, and with enough shops that it doesn’t feel like a tiny village.
“Since I’ve arrived, I’ve noticed that the students are more engaged. Before, they would mostly just complete their exercises quietly, but now they come up to me during lessons or even outside class to try speaking in Spanish. They ask me how to say things, share words they’ve picked up from games or videos and I think they’re enjoying the language more, especially the small group activities I plan. I always ask for feedback, and they tell me they enjoy it. I can see it in their smiles.”
Languages are at the very root of Rathmore Grammar’s history. Founded by a French-speaking religious order, French has always been the compulsory language. They currently have four language assistants teaching French, Spanish, German and Irish.
Speaking about their experience with the British Council’s Language Assistant programme, Paul McGlone, Head of Languages said: “The assistants really do hit the ground running. It can be a tough station, but the assistants we’ve had this year have been great – young, enthusiastic, and well-briefed. We have a dedicated languages area in the school - it’s almost like a little quarter of a city. Each language has its own space, and the assistants operate out of their own rooms. Our policy is very clear: speak the target language only. We apply that across the board - from students to teachers to assistants.
“The language assistants don’t just work with sixth formers. We bring them into junior classes too - sometimes we ‘hot seat’ them, where the whole class can ask them questions in the target language. It’s great for building confidence, creating a bit of an illusion that the assistant doesn’t speak English, and making the whole experience more immersive. It’s also great for the assistants to meet a wider range of students and feel part of the school community.
“It’s hard to measure impact, because we’ve always had assistants - but the fact we still have four A Level language classes speaks volumes. Some years are leaner than others, and competition with other subjects - especially STEM - can be tough.
“As for the assistants themselves, they often fall in love with Belfast. Many of them stay on afterwards. The city’s easy to navigate, and Rathmore is a strong community, so they fit in really well.”
Caoimhe McShane, who is from the village of Derrymacash, Co Armagh, is an Irish Language Assistant. She recently graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast with a degree in Irish and French. She teaches at St. Ronan’s College Lurgan and Our Lady's Grammar School in Newry.
She said: “I applied to be an Irish Language Assistant because I’ve always loved the language. I speak it in my spare time and really wanted to help promote it among students. I’ve thought about going into education, so it just felt like a natural fit. My sister was a language assistant in France and told me all about it, which really inspired me to go for it.
“I’m working at Our Lady’s and St. Ronan’s, and honestly, I’m loving it. The students are so enthusiastic, and their progress since September has been amazing. It’s a real privilege to be even a small part of their language journey - encouraging them not just to learn Irish but to actually speak it, build confidence, and express themselves. That’s what makes it so worthwhile.
“Sometimes students don’t get much chance to use their Irish outside the classroom, especially if no one at home speaks it. So being that person they can practise with, seeing them grow more confident and even make new friends through the language—that’s really special.
“I definitely want to continue in this role. I love what I do, and it genuinely makes me so happy. I’ve learned so much from the teachers I work with and from the students themselves. It’s helped me grow in confidence and taught me more about Irish, teaching, and myself than I ever expected.”
Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards have had language assistants at the school for over 30 years and currently host Diellza, a German language assistant from Switzerland.
Pamela Wallace, Head of Year and German teacher said: “We still teach French, German, and Spanish, and we’ve continued to prioritise German even though numbers have declined in a lot of places. Our language assistants have been here the whole time I’ve been here, which is over 30 years.
“We really do feel that they enhance language learning in the school. But also, there’s the authenticity - you’ve got a real-life speaker in the classroom. In our case, it could be a German, an Austrian, or a Swiss person. And I think that’s a real strength of the programme from the German point of view - that it’s not just someone from Germany, but you’re getting different backgrounds and cultures, which is great for the pupils.
“I think the pupils like having an assistant. At the start, they’re a bit nervous about having to speak the language, but the fact that it’s a young person, not much older than themselves, makes it a bit less intimidating. They can practise questions one-on-one, instead of in front of the whole class, and they usually relate well to the assistants. The assistants themselves talk about their own culture - what happens at Christmas or Easter, little traditions and foods they bring in - and that cultural side of things really helps as well.”
Diellza Berisha is from Zurich, Switzerland and came to Northern Ireland as a language assistant as part of her studies towards a master's in education. She currently teaches in three schools – Regent House, Bangor Grammar and at the Methodist College, Belfast.
She said: “I've loved being able to teach the pupils about Swiss topics - traditions, holidays, how multilingualism works in Switzerland, even things specific to Zurich. The pupils loved it, and it has felt meaningful to teach them about where I come from.
“The students have also given me positive feedback and said they improved their German. Some even pick up phrases I give them, try out youth slang, and ask about idioms. It’s been cool to see them engage like that - asking me about my music tastes or realising we liked the same artists. Being closer to their age probably helped. I think the role of a language assistant makes us more approachable.
“Outside of school, my experience in Northern Ireland has also been really rich. I actually became closest to the Spanish assistants at my schools and have a great local friend from Fermanagh who lives in Belfast. She showed me local markets and spots I’d never have found on my own.
“I have loved living in Northern Ireland and learning about the history, the culture and the people. I also love lots of the Northern Irish sayings and my favorite has to be ‘Ats us nai’, which I’ve adopted in my everyday conversations.
“I think the food in Northern Ireland is underrated. I have loved trying all the international cuisines and restaurants that the city has to offer. I’ve also done lots of exploring - day trips to places like Newcastle, Enniskillen, Bundoran, and the North Coast. I even did the touristy bus tour, saw the Dark Hedges and Giant’s Causeway. I really tried to make the most of my time.
“Overall, I learned so much. I didn’t plan to be away for nine months - I had hoped for six - but it turned into something much bigger. I learned how to adapt, how to set boundaries with students, how to plan sensitively around Northern Ireland’s complex history - and how to be thoughtful in how I communicate and teach.
“That awareness is going to shape my future teaching. I now know what it means to be approachable but also professional, and how to prepare meaningful content across cultures. After nine months, Belfast has become a third home for me—after Switzerland and Kosovo (my family's home country). I know the places, the street names, and the feeling of being here and I’ll definitely come back.”
Also speaking about British Council’s language assistant programme was Jonathan Stewart, Director, British Council Northern Ireland.
He said: “The British Council’s Language Assistant programme plays a vital role in bringing languages to life in Northern Ireland’s schools. Our assistants inspire students, enhance language learning, and foster cultural exchange, helping young people become more globally aware and open-minded.
“We would encourage schools in Northern Ireland to be part of the programme, helping to reignite a passion for language learning in an authentic learning environment.”
For more information on the British Council’s Language Assistants programme please visit: https://www.britishcouncil.org/school-resources/employ-language-assistant
The Language Assistants programme continues the British Council’s work to foster connection, understanding, and trust between the UK and the world through education, arts, and English language teaching. To learn more about their work in Northern Ireland, visit https://nireland.britishcouncil.org/ or follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.