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Addressing the Language Learning Crisis in Schools and Higher Education

This presentation by Dick Hudson explores the dual crises affecting language learning in schools and higher education (HE) due to diminishing interest and research support. It diagnoses the issue of declining language enrollments in GCSEs and A-levels since 1993 and argues that quality teaching is essential for engagement. The session highlights the need for improved teacher recruitment, curriculum reforms, and research-driven methodologies in language education. Furthermore, it discusses initiatives that have reversed trends, inspiring a new generation of language learners while emphasizing the role of Higher Education in supporting language teaching.

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Addressing the Language Learning Crisis in Schools and Higher Education

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Language learning An academic view Dick Hudson

  2. The two crises • 1. Schools: language learning is unpopular • 2. HE: language research is unpopular • These crises are linked via teacher recruitment. • Moral: teaching suffers when not supported by research • Cf English-language teaching

  3. Schools: GCSE languages

  4. GCSE French and German

  5. A diagnosis: schools • Year 10 drop languages • because they’re • difficult • boring • not because they’re useless. (Dearing) • “… the quality of teaching … in [MFL at KS3] needs to be raised in comparison with other subjects.” (DfES)

  6. and A-levels A good measure of popularity in Year 11

  7. A-level French and German

  8. Languages were popular – till 1993

  9. What went wrong in 1993? • This cohort started language study in 1985. • They were the third cohort to take GCSE. • Language GCSEs had exclusively ‘communicative’ aims. • Aim: communication, not grammar. • Method: teach fixed phrases and nouns.

  10. BUT: UCAS applications

  11. From A-level to BA in FL(corrected since presentation)

  12. What went right in 2003? Why did a FL degree start to be more attractive after A-level FL? • Curriculum 2000 (AS + A2)? • Outreach by HE departments and LLAS? • ?

  13. A happy ending?

  14. What went right in 2006? • This cohort started language study in 1998. • Late 1990s: exclusively communicative teaching declined. • National Curriculum revised 1999. • “Pupils learn about the basic structures of language.” • FL builds on work in literacy and English.

  15. Interlude:Why bother with languages? • How to persuade a 14-year old? • The instrumental case: • Because languages will be useful in adulthood. • Because they may be useful on holiday now. • The academic case: • Because you’ll enjoy the lessons.

  16. The academic case for languages • Challenge: mastering a complex system. • Interest: comparing two languages. • Insight: investigating language and culture. • Excitement: exploring a new world of sounds, structures and meanings. • Satisfaction: building new skills. • Fun: trying new roles.

  17. Schools are already doing better. • Making languages themselves more interesting. • Not relying on future usefulness. • Focusing on learning about: • How language works. • How to learn a language. • Language comparison. • Starting earlier.

  18. But where are the trainee teachers?

  19. Why are FL teachers scarce? • Schools teach language, but little or no literature. • But in most HE courses, • the dominant topics are cultural and literary. • language teaching is not inspiredby research. • Because language research is in crisis.

  20. Language research in FL depts (1) • The RAE 2001 panel for French noted: • a ‘significant drop’ in the number of entries for French linguistics since 1996. • a ‘lack of renewal’: no new names. • PhD grants by AHRB Panel 5, 2000-2: Culture: 181 Language: 11

  21. Language research in FL depts (2) • AHRC research grants 2006: French Culture: 46 Language: 8 • Academy post-docs 1996-2006: in a department of French or German Culture: 10 Language: 0

  22. Staff research interests Google’s top three French departments: • Cambridge (RAE 2001: 5*) Culture: 28 Language: 5 • Nottingham (5) Culture: 20 Language: 1 • Sheffield (5) Culture: 16 Language: 0

  23. It’s official • In 2002 the AHRB recognised the crisis. • It ring-fenced six PhD studentships per year for the linguistics of the major foreign languages. • But in 2005 there were too few good applicants to fill them. • So maybe HE is part of the problem.

  24. Back to KS3 • “… the quality of teaching … in [MFL at KS3] needs to be raised in comparison with other subjects.” (DfES) • Good teaching requires: • A good syllabus • Good teachers • Secondary FL teachers can only come from FL in HE. OK Too few

  25. Conclusion • Maybe schools are already moving in the right direction. • But staffing remains a problem because HE FL departments produce too few teachers. • Maybe this is because HE language teaching isn’t based on research. • So it’s not ‘academic’. • So maybe it’s time for HE to change.

  26. Thank you This file can be downloaded from www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick/talks.htm#ba

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