Edexcel French - GCE from 2008. Why is UK language teaching in crisis? Britain's foreign languages skills are in crisis. During the past month alone, ministers, university representatives, exam chiefs and industry bodies have each voiced their concern as entries to degree and A-level modern foreign language courses plummeted. So few young people are learning languages that in 10 years' time as many as 40% of university language departments are likely to close.
Where did it all go wrong for UK language teaching? The watershed moment came in 2004, when the government decided to make languages optional at GCSE, according to Shirley Lawes, subject leader for PGCE languages at the Institute of Education in London. "At the time, the argument put forward was that if languages were taught in primary schools then people would automatically want to carry on with them post-14. " But this assumption was misguided and naive, she says. One of those the problems is the shortage of language teachers which is affecting both primaries and secondaries. Language teaching crisis as 40% of university departments face closure. As many as 40% of university language departments are likely to close within a decade, the former government adviser charged with bolstering foreign language uptake in higher education has warned, delivering a huge blow to the UK's diplomatic and economic hopes.
Amid a deepening crisis in language learning – which is causing alarm at the highest levels of government – the number of universities offering degrees in modern languages has already plunged from 105 in 2000 to 62 at the start of this academic year. The rate of attrition is expected to continue into the next decade. A further 20 departments will be vulnerable to closure in the next 10 years, but there is growing concern that the pace of decline is set to quicken, according to Professor Mike Kelly, a former adviser on the Department for Education's steering group on languages and now head of the government-funded Routes into Languages programme co-ordinating attempts to increase the uptake of language degrees in England.
Languages in primary schools – getting ready for 2014 | Teacher Network | Guardian Professional. When children at the Dog Kennel Hill School in London enter Fátima Duerden's classroom, they joke that they are walking into Spain. It's not just the lilt of the Spanish language spoken inside that sets it apart from the rest of their south London School. The walls are decorated in Spanish posters and books, their teacher is known by her first name, Fátima, as in a Spanish classroom – and with help from technology, pupils learn alongside Spanish peers. "I make sure we set up at least two Skype sessions a term with our partner schools in Spain," says Duerden, who trained as a teacher in Portugal, her home country, and now works as a Spanish teacher, modern foreign language and international coordinator at Dog Kennel Hill.
"It gives children a chance to discuss a topic they are learning with a native speaker. It's a type of primary school lesson which may become more common across England, as changes to the curriculum make foreign languages compulsory across key stage two. Splash Page - JCQ. GCE Results Booklet ~ 15 August 2013. National curriculum in England: languages progammes of study - Publications. National curriculum in England: languages progammes of study. Purpose of study Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures.
A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language.
Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries. Aims The national curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils: Attainment targets By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. Subject content Key stage 2: Foreign language. Brits Abroad Can't Speak A Single Word Of Local Language. It’s not just Del Boy who has trouble with speaking French it seems, as two in three Brits have admitted they can't speak a single world of a foreign language, according to a survey. One fifth didn’t even know what ‘bonjour’ meant, in a statistical quirk, while young people aged 16-24 were some of the worst at phrase-making in an unfamiliar language, despite a foreign language being compulsory in schools up to the age of 14.
Boozy Britain knew its priorities when it comes to making merry however, as one half of holidaymakers did know the request "un cerveza por favor" (in Spanish: a beer please) The poll of 2,000 adults by travel website Hotels.com found that over-55s were the age group most likely to have a stab at speaking the local lingo, accounting for all those embarrassing British dads abroad.
Better embarrassed than not bothered however, as reasons for not speaking a foreign language included fear of making a mistake or expecting hosts to be able to speak English. Mon dieu! London School of English - Founded in 1912. Learning English - Home. Learning English Blog.