LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

Free online calendar - July 2012 available now!

LLAS has produced its well-known 'Why study languages...?' calendar in a monthly, downloadable format

Dearing Review into Languages

In September 2006, the Secretary of State asked Lord Dearing to advise him on how a recovery from the falling take-up of Languages at Key Stage 4 might be achieved. The interim consultation and final report have now been published.

Routes into Languages: £4.5 million programme for languages

The Routes into Languages Programme is a HEFCE funded initiative to increase and widen participation in language study in higher education. It also aims to support the national role of HE languages as a motor of economic and civic regeneration. The Programme has been developed by the University Council of Modern Languages (UCML), the HE Academy Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies (LLAS) and CILT, the National Centre for Languages.

Icelanders speak up for languages
An article on the BBC news website reports that an academic behind one of the UK's more unique courses has condemned the policy of foreign languages being optional in schools after the age of 14 (31st August, 2005).

Schools 'teaching 30 languages'
The BBC new website, 21st June, 2005, reports that the number of pupils taking GCSEs in languages such as Chinese, Arabic and Turkish has doubled in the past decade.

Language learning gains popularity
An article on the Guardian newspaper website, 21st June, 2005, reports that more pupils are opting to take GCSEs in Arabic, Chinese and Spanish as the traditional allure of French wears off.

House of Lords debate Modern Languages in schools
Extracts from the House of Lords debate what action they will take to reverse the decline in the number of secondary school pupils studying a foreign language (24 January 2005).

Minister to offer cash for languages
The Times Educational Supplement, 26th November 2004, reports that secondary schools could be given more money to persuade them to become specialist language colleges as new evidence emerges of the subjects' decline.

Fall in compulsory language lessons
An article on the BBC news website, 4th November 2004, reports that only one in three schools in England make all pupils study a foreign language at GCSE level.

'Fewer pupils' studying languages
An article on the BBC news website, 24th September 2004, reports that the education watchdog Ofsted has found the number of teenagers studying foreign languages at schools in England has fallen.

Government backs summer schools to use Olympic themed activities
An article on the Wired-GOV website, 12th August 2004, announces that Schools Minister Stephen Twigg is backing a series of Olympic themed activities which summer schools can use to raise young peoples interest in foreign languages and other cultures.

Promoting the study of languages in the South East through school-university partnerships: the Aimhigher Kent and Medway Languages Project

The Aimhigher Kent and Medway Languages Project was initiated in 2005 as a response to the growing concern about falling numbers of students choosing languages at GCSE and continuing with post-compulsory language study in an area (the Thames Gateway and the Channel area) where demographic changes and the proximity to the rest of Europe makes international opportunities relevant to its economic regeneration. The aim was to raise awareness of the potential of language learning and the importance of intercultural awareness among KS3 students in Aimhigher schools by increasing motivation and self-confidence through a programme of activities including interactive workshops and online social learning platforms. It also aims to raise aspirations and understanding of progression and careers in MFL among students and their families. The project is currently led by the Open University in the South East under the Aimhigher consortium, in collaboration with the University of Kent and eleven schools in Kent and Medway.

This paper describes a number of initiatives developed by the project, the results achieved so far, and the findings of the research into language perceptions that has been carried out in partner schools. The Languages Project aims to create a model which can be replicated elsewhere.

Keeping up the good work: the motivational profiles of students in secondary and higher education

With the transition from school to Higher Education students are expected to adapt to a new learning environment and to new demands and expectations. As a consequence, during their first year in a Modern Languages Department some learners may have problems learning the language efficiently. They may either be unaware of the new demands, or have difficulties learning in the new situation. Based on the changes in the learning situation caused by the transition from school to university, I shall use a single case study in order to describe some possible negative effects of a mismatch between institutional and students' expectations on the motivational disposition of the students.

Keep Talking
"Keep Talking" is a project aimed at motivating KS3 pupils to retain an interest in language learning and to support their teachers. This paper will describe the rationale for the project, how it is organised and funded and will report on evaluation of the impact of the project in local schools in Manchester.

Researching 'Languages Work': Why don't teenagers pick languages?
With the removal of languages from the compulsory curriculum for 14-16 year olds, the post 16 decline in language learning is starting to affect numbers taking GCSE as well. Public debate centres on the importance of pupil choice, and the alleged unpopularity of the subject among teenagers. The 'Languages Work' project has produced materials designed to improve careers guidance in languages, and so increase take up. This paper outlines findings from our development work which sheds light on teenagers' attitudes towards languages and how to address their misconceptions.

Widening horizons: Charting progress the Aston way
This paper discusses Aston University's Widening Participation project, providing pathways into the University via Foundation Degrees, with a view to creating a new service and knowledge-based workforce in the Birmingham region. Languages form an important part of the knowledge economy and the Languages For Life project, launched in 2001, is described. Current Aston undergraduates are recruited as ambassadors for local schools and a supporting conference was held. Ways in which the project can be developed further are discussed.

Bridging the Gap: University of Manchester
The University of Manchester's Bridging the Gap project to help students transition between GCSE, As and A2 level is described. Various forums and committees were set up to identify gaps in their respective syllabuses and events days were run at a Language College to help fill these gaps. Feedback on the events was good and it is hoped that this type of event will encourage more students to take languages at university level.

Arousing an interest in school students for the take up of "new" languages at university: the ATLAS project
This presentation will report on the experience of designing and piloting a website which offers an introduction to the culture and language of five less taught languages to 14-19 year olds in nine partner schools in London and the South East. It is part of the work of the ATLAS project (A Taste of Languages in School), jointly funded by the Nuffield Foundation, CfBT and UCL, addressing the decline in numbers of students taking languages at university. The project aims to arouse an interest in language study and to spur consideration of study opportunities at university, especially ab initio courses in languages not studied at school. A survey of students' attitudes towards learning languages explored the reasons for discontinuing the study of languages after the compulsory stage and also investigated students' tastes in websites. It revealed there is much interest in learning 'new' languages.

Undergraduate Language programmes: A personal perspective
Undergraduate language programmes that lead to qualified teacher status may be an interesting, alternative route into teaching, especially for students who do not match the typical profile. Such students, who tend to be older and to have interesting work and life experiences, are a valuable addition to our languages classrooms

LATCOF: Lessons from a secondary/sixth-form - HE consultative forum for language teachers
The University of Manchester has hosted a forum for dialogue between tertiary and secondary language teachers to share pedagogic and curricular experiences and realities with the aim of facilitating student progression and bridging the secondary-tertiary 'gaps'. Participants have been surveyed to assess the impact of the dialogue process on them and their practice and to start to identify issues of broader relevance to the sector as a whole. This paper reports the experience of participants and responses to the survey.

Supporting our international future: cross-sector partnerships to promote languages in Scotland
Event date: 1 December, 2008
Location: University of Edinburgh, Playfair Library

Reaching out in Languages (1 Mar 06)
Event date: 1 March, 2006
Location: Leeds Metropolitan University, Headingley Campus, Cavendish Hall, Room G09

Routes into Languages