Languagenut Urdu: Primary, Secondary and EAL Support
Languagenut Urdu provides comprehensive support for teaching and learning Urdu across Primary and Secondary, and is also available as a support language within our EAL provision. Designed to support progression from early language exposure through to exam preparation, the platform combines high‑quality content, engaging activities and powerful teacher tools.
Across all stages, students practise reading, listening, writing and speaking, with opportunities to work independently or through teacher‑set tasks.
Primary Urdu: Building Language Through Stories, Culture and Exploration
At Primary level, Languagenut Urdu introduces pupils to the language through meaningful contexts, helping pupils build understanding rather than just memorisation.
Pupils explore vocabulary and phrases linked to:
- Stories and storytelling
- The natural world and environment
- Celebrations, festivals and cultural events
- Everyday themes relevant to young learners
Activities are highly visual and interactive, supporting early engagement and confidence while developing all four language skills. This ensures pupils experience Urdu as a rich, meaningful language connected to culture, creativity and the wider world.
Secondary Urdu: Specialist‑Written and Exam‑Ready
Our Secondary Urdu course has been written by a specialist Urdu teacher and native speaker, ensuring linguistic accuracy, cultural authenticity and strong curriculum alignment.
Content is fully aligned to GCSE and National 5 specifications, supporting students with clear progression and exam‑focused practice.
Key features include:
- A complete vocabulary set aligned to GCSE and National 5 topics
- Engaging games to practise reading, listening, writing and speaking
- Sentence‑building activities to support accuracy and fluency across topics
- The flexibility for teachers to add their own content, tailored to local context or learner needs
Exam‑Style Tasks for KS3 and KS4 Progression
Languagenut Urdu includes a wide range of exam‑style activities, designed to support both early exam‑skills development and formal assessment preparation.
Tasks are based on GCSE topic areas and activities are available at different levels of difficulty, ensuring appropriate challenge for all learners.
Question types include:
- Multiple‑choice and true/false questions for reading and listening
- Open‑ended writing questions
- Conversation tasks and photo‑based speaking activities
Students can complete activities independently, while teachers can set targeted work for individuals or groups.
Engaging Games, Rewards and Motivation
Languagenut Urdu uses the same high‑quality, engaging games found across the Languagenut platform to keep students motivated and practising regularly.
- Fun interactive games to reinforce vocabulary and structures
- Rewards, streaks and unlockable achievements to encourage regular study
- Regular global competitions, plus the ability for teachers to create school or class challenges
This game‑based approach helps students see progression and stay engaged over time.
Urdu as a Support Language in EAL
Languagenut Urdu is also available as a support language within our EAL provision, helping Urdu‑speaking pupils access English learning more confidently.
Students can:
- Access instructions and support in Urdu
- Work independently at their own pace
- Engage with English content while reducing language barriers
This supports inclusion, confidence and access to the wider curriculum.
Designed to Save Teachers Time
Languagenut Urdu is built with teacher workload in mind.
- Almost all Languagenut tasks are auto-marked, reducing teacher workload
- Clear progress tracking for students, classes and groups
- Printable resources available to support blended learning
- Easy task assignment for differentiation
- Simple reporting to support inspections, parents’ evenings and progress reviews
- Scheme of Work builder so teachers can plan learning for the whole term, or even the year
Teachers can also create custom content, including vocabulary lists, sentences, and speaking or writing tasks, keeping everything organised in one place.
Sheraz Ali, Author
Sheraz Ali is a passionate and leading expert in the teaching of Urdu in UK schools. Currently serving as Director of learning MFL at Eden Girls Leadership Academy Manchester and Curriculum Excellence Fellow for Modern Foreign Languages at Star Academies, his role involves leading initiatives to raise standards and enable high-impact, culturally rich language curricula across the Trust’s schools.
With extensive experience in curriculum design, delivery, and improving students’ attainment in MFL, Sheraz brings a depth of knowledge that is recognised nationally.
Sheraz is a passionate teacher, mentoring new and early career Urdu practitioners and delivering training sessions across the UK. His vast classroom experience, including thirteen years of teaching Urdu at the University of Manchester, underpins his ability to design curricula that enable all pupils to make strong progress in their language studies.
He is a prolific author and a passionate promoter of linguistic and cultural awareness. His books, Urdu Likhnā, Paṛhnā and Pakistan ke Rang, Sheraz ke Sang, celebrate the rich heritage of the Urdu language and aid its teaching and learning. His new publication, Urdu Sentence Builders, is due later this year. Sheraz also created the first Urdu iBook vocabulary resource on iTunes and has collaborated with Languagenut to produce high-calibre digital resources for schools across the UK.
Sheraz’s work has been recognised by the education community as he received the Pearson’s Award for Outstanding Use of Technology in Education (2017), was shortlisted for the TES Digital Innovation Award (2018), and received an award from the High Commission of Pakistan in London for his services to Urdu teaching and learning in the UK. His expertise is frequently sought after at national conferences, both in the UK and abroad, where he shares strategies for developing strong, culturally rich, and innovative curricula.
He is a passionate and collaborative leader who strives to make a measurable, positive difference to the outcomes for all pupils. His aim is to enable schools and educators to foster linguistic excellence alongside deep cultural understanding preparing the younger generation for a more connected world.
Sheraz was a guest speaker at International Conference on Urdu Studies in Paris in September 2025.
“Urdu language teaching in England has evolved considerably, shaped by innovative pedagogical approaches aimed at strengthening students’ cultural appreciation and linguistic proficiency. This abstract explores the implementation of the “Teach Like a STAR” framework at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy in Manchester, as a case study. This framework incorporates interactive methods such as choral rehearsal, cultural celebrations, poetry, music, and film to actively engage students in language learning. Central to this approach is the teaching of Urdu as a foreign language, incorporating diverse methodologies, curriculum development strategies, and the integration of technology to support student outcomes. Digital platforms such as Languagenut provide personalized learning experiences, while culturally rich content promotes multilingualism and intercultural competence. Lessons learned from this model contribute to broader discussions on language teaching strategies, highlighting the importance of cultural immersion, innovative teaching methodologies, and technology in enhancing language acquisition and cultural awareness among learners in diverse educational settings.”
Exam‑Style Tasks for KS3 and KS4 Progression
Languagenut Urdu includes a wide range of exam‑style activities, designed to support both early exam‑skills development and formal assessment preparation.
Tasks are based on GCSE topic areas and activities are available at different levels of difficulty, ensuring appropriate challenge for all learners.
Question types include:
- Multiple‑choice and true/false questions for reading and listening
- Open‑ended writing questions
- Conversation tasks and photo‑based speaking activities
Students can complete activities independently, while teachers can set targeted work for individuals or groups.
Engaging Games, Rewards and Motivation
Languagenut Urdu uses the same high‑quality, engaging games found across the Languagenut platform to keep students motivated and practising regularly.
- Fun interactive games to reinforce vocabulary and structures
- Rewards, streaks and unlockable achievements to encourage regular study
- Regular global competitions, plus the ability for teachers to create school or class challenges
This game‑based approach helps students see progression and stay engaged over time.
Urdu as a Support Language in EAL
Languagenut Urdu is also available as a support language within our EAL provision, helping Urdu‑speaking pupils access English learning more confidently.
Students can:
- Access instructions and support in Urdu
- Work independently at their own pace
- Engage with English content while reducing language barriers
This supports inclusion, confidence and access to the wider curriculum.
Designed to Save Teachers Time
Languagenut Urdu is built with teacher workload in mind.
- Almost all Languagenut tasks are auto-marked, reducing teacher workload
- Clear progress tracking for students, classes and groups
- Printable resources available to support blended learning
- Easy task assignment for differentiation
- Simple reporting to support inspections, parents’ evenings and progress reviews
- Scheme of Work builder so teachers can plan learning for the whole term, or even the year
Teachers can also create custom content, including vocabulary lists, sentences, and speaking or writing tasks, keeping everything organised in one place.
Sheraz Ali, Author
Sheraz Ali is a passionate and leading expert in the teaching of Urdu in UK schools. Currently serving as Director of learning MFL at Eden Girls Leadership Academy Manchester and Curriculum Excellence Fellow for Modern Foreign Languages at Star Academies, his role involves leading initiatives to raise standards and enable high-impact, culturally rich language curricula across the Trust’s schools.
With extensive experience in curriculum design, delivery, and improving students’ attainment in MFL, Sheraz brings a depth of knowledge that is recognised nationally.
Sheraz is a passionate teacher, mentoring new and early career Urdu practitioners and delivering training sessions across the UK. His vast classroom experience, including thirteen years of teaching Urdu at the University of Manchester, underpins his ability to design curricula that enable all pupils to make strong progress in their language studies.
He is a prolific author and a passionate promoter of linguistic and cultural awareness. His books, Urdu Likhnā, Paṛhnā and Pakistan ke Rang, Sheraz ke Sang, celebrate the rich heritage of the Urdu language and aid its teaching and learning. His new publication, Urdu Sentence Builders, is due later this year. Sheraz also created the first Urdu iBook vocabulary resource on iTunes and has collaborated with Languagenut to produce high-calibre digital resources for schools across the UK.
Sheraz’s work has been recognised by the education community as he received the Pearson’s Award for Outstanding Use of Technology in Education (2017), was shortlisted for the TES Digital Innovation Award (2018), and received an award from the High Commission of Pakistan in London for his services to Urdu teaching and learning in the UK. His expertise is frequently sought after at national conferences, both in the UK and abroad, where he shares strategies for developing strong, culturally rich, and innovative curricula.
He is a passionate and collaborative leader who strives to make a measurable, positive difference to the outcomes for all pupils. His aim is to enable schools and educators to foster linguistic excellence alongside deep cultural understanding preparing the younger generation for a more connected world.