The National Languages Strategy

England

Lisbon, November 2006

A different context, a different focus

English: the language of international communication

Therefore different issues concerning the national language

Problems of monoglots in a multilingual world

A strategy for foreign languages needed

National Strategies in England

• Began with Literacy and Numeracy in primary schools (mid-1990s)

• Now in secondary schools too

• Other areas of the curriculum now covered

• Each strategy has a Framework of objectives

• Developed through pilots with independent evaluation

• Disseminated through networks

National Strategy for Languages

• Operates on similar principles to other strategies

• Has its own Frameworks

• Covers all ages and stages of education and training: schools, further, adult and university education (including teacher training)

Foreign languages in England: some problems (schools)

• Motivation: English as a lingua franca = ‘English is enough!’

• Standards often too low (particularly in speaking skills)

• Time allocation often insufficient: partly accounts for low standards

• Boys achieve less than girls; less likely to opt for MFL

• Take-up of the second MFL usually low

• Many opt out of MFL at the age of 16

Emergence of the Strategy for England• 1990s Concern in the field (language associations, business etc)

• 2000 Nuffield Enquiry (independent) report

• 2001-2002 Languages National Steering Group:

• Teachers (primary, secondary, further education) and Teacher Trainers• Inspectors and Advisers• Local authorities• Universities• Professional Associations • Business and Employers• Ministries (DfES, Foreign Office, Trade and Industry)• Public bodies (CILT, British Council, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority; Teacher Training

Agency)

• 2002 Public Consultation on proposals

• 18 December 2002 Publication of the Strategy for England ‘Languages for all; Languages for Life’

Languages for All: Languages for Life:A Strategy for England

The government’s view

‘For too long we have failed to value language skills or recognise the contribution they make to society, to the economy and to raising standards in schools. This has led to a cycle of national underperformance in languages, a shortage of teachers, low take-up of languages beyond schooling and a workforce unable to meet the demands of a globalised economy’.

Foreword to NLS

‘Changing the country's attitude to teaching and learning languages will demand a huge cultural change. It will rely on action from government, schools, local education authorities, colleges, universities, employers, parents and learners. Partnership is the key to making this strategy a reality.’

Languages for All: Languages for Life

Three overarching objectives:

1. To improve teaching and learning of languages

2. To introduce a recognition system

3. To increase the numbers of people studying languages in further and higher education and work-based learning

Improve teaching and learning of languages

1. Primary focus

Curricular innovation (KS2 Framework)Developing workforce and infrastructure

2. Raising standards in secondary

Curricular innovation (KS3 Framework)CPD and networks

3. Support and coherence

The Languages Ladder

4. Promotion and encouragement to all learners

Primary Entitlement

‘Every child should have the opportunity throughout Key Stage 2 to study a foreign language and develop their interest in the culture of other nations. (…) By age 11 they should have the opportunity to reach a recognised level of competence on the Common European Framework and for that achievement to be recognised through a national scheme.’

Our aims for primary languagesSupporting the workforce

• 6000 new primary teachers with a language• 18 000 existing teachers offered CPD• 9000 teaching assistants trained in languages• More Foreign Language Assistants

Networks and liaison• Language Colleges (LCs)• Local authorities, higher education, LCs and Comenius Centres

working together

Coherence• Languages Ladder • Key Stage 2 Framework ----Key Stage 3

Key Stage 2 MFL FrameworkFive strands

• Oracy• Literacy• Intercultural understanding

• Knowledge about language• Language learning strategies

See www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/languages/

Secondary: Language colleges (LC)

• Not élitist specialist institutions

• Mainstream secondary schools

• Operate the full National Curriculum

• Apply for government funding for enhanced MFL programmes

Some Language College initiatives

• Diversification e.g. Italian, Russian; Arabic, Chinese, Japanese; Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu

• ‘Fast tracking’ of able pupils• Investment in ICT• Visits abroad including work experience• Choice of vocational courses with languages• Links with business • Access to native speakers• Promoting a FL for all pupils until the age of 18

Secondary – Progress to dateLanguage colleges 225+ operational

KS3 Framework Key Stage 3 MFL Framework – positive impact on attitudes and achievement .

‘Languages Work’ materials launched in 2004

Teacher support CILT CPD and regional networks

ICT support programmes for secondary teachers

New approaches - e.g. CLIL, Vocational

School and Teacher links

Partnerships and exchanges with various countries – including France, Spain, Germany, Russia, China and Japan – in association with the British Council

A new paradigm

KS2 Framework

KS3 Framework

Specialist Vocational Personal 14+

11-14

7-11

Introduce a recognition system

• A ‘Languages Ladder’ with six stages

• Recognises short-term achievement but provides progression

• Assessment in any or all of the four skills

• Linked to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels

• For use with learners of any age

The Languages Ladder (Asset Languages)

Languages Ladder Stages CEFR approx.

Breakthrough: grade 1-3 A1 (A2)

Preliminary: grades 4-6 A2 ( B1)

Intermediate: grades 7-9 B1

Advanced: grades 10-12 B2

Proficiency: grades 13-15 C1

Mastery: grades 16 - 17 C2

Multilingualism: the wider curricular case

• [our strategy] ‘is about the broader curriculum – about understanding language and identity, about developing an international outlook, and about learning. It is about inclusiveness and opportunities for all of our children. It is about the kind of people they will become and the kind of world in which they will live.’

(Andrew Adonis, 2005)

Multilingualism in England

‘ Languages contribute to the cultural and linguistic richness of our society, to personal fulfilment, mutual understanding, commercial success and international trade and global citizenship.’ (NLS foreword, 2002)

N.B. Any language can be a National Curriculum Language

Multilingualism and the Languages Ladder

Autumn 2005

First 3 stages in 8 languages :

Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Panjabi, Spanish, Urdu

Autumn 2006

15 additional languages:

Arabic, Bengali, Gaeilge/Irish, Gujarati, Hindi, Modern Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish, Welsh, Yoruba

Monitoring and Evaluation of the Strategy

• National Director for Languages

• Published targets

• Annual Reports from public bodies (e.g. Qualifications and Assessment Authority)

• Annual reporting by inspectors (HMI)

• Piloting of the Languages Ladder

• Baseline research of MFL in Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11)

• Commissioned evaluations of specific projects (e.g. CLIL)

• Financial accountability (Investment 2005-2008 = £115M GBP)

Conclusion

• An English Strategy for an English problem

• A different context but a shared commitment to multilingualism

Some references

• www.dfes.gov.uk/languages

• www.assetlanguages.org.uk

• www.cilt.org.uk

Glossary

• MFL - modern foreign languages

• Key Stage 2 (KS2) – the age range 7-11

• Key Stage 3 (KS3) – the age range 11-14

• DfES – Department for Education and Skills

• CILT – Centre for Information on Language Teaching

• CPD – Continuing Professional Development