England's independent exam regulator is to ask experts to discuss more evidence that it is harder to get top exam grades in some subjects than others.
BBC news has published a report on the relative difficulty of school subjects, in terms of exam grades.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7482225.stm
...
Numbers of primary schools teaching languages almost doubles since 2002
27/6/2008
DCSF has issued a Press Release (26/06/08) which says:
There has been a big leap in the number of primary schools teaching children foreign languages.
Minister for Schools and Learners Jim Knight welcomed news that 84% of primary schools now teach children another language, up from 70% on the previous year and nearly double the 44% in 2002.
Research from the National Foundation for ...
The Council for Subject Associations, supported by DCSF, is publishing a new family of magazines for schools. The first edition of Primary Languages can be found on the Publications page of this website. ...
Details of the 2008 Japanese Speech Contest organised by the Japanese Language Committee are available in the Committees section of this website, under Japanese ...
Chairs of Development Partnerships for Diplomas in Science, Humanities and Languages announced by DCSF
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls today published proposals to simplify the qualifications system so that all courses are well understood and valued, and offer young people a clear route into further study or directly into skilled employment.
He said that th ...
Message from Mr Ko�chiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, on the celebration of 2008 International Year of LanguagesLanguages matter!
The year 2008 has been proclaimed International Year of Languages by the United Nations General Assembly. UNESCO, which has been entrusted with the task of coordinating activities for the Year, is determined to fulfil its ...
DCSF “cash boost for language learning in schools”
19/12/2007
DCSF announced on 19 December 2007 a “cash boost for language learning in schools”
The funding includes:
* £35 million in 2008/09 for language teaching in primary schools, including investment in specialist teachers, training and teaching resources as well as joint working between schools to support transition between primary and secondary level. Languages will become a compulsory par ...
Preparing for Options
DCSF has published a leaflet for Parents: Talking Prospects? Why taking a language at KS4 can be good for your child's future
Downloadable from Teachernet website ...
The reference to primary languages in the Children's Plan (11 December) is :
We have announced a root and branch review of the primary curriculum, led by Sir Jim Rose, to ensure there is:
- more time for the basics so children achieve a good grounding in reading, writing and mathematics;
- greater flexibility for other subjects;
- time for primary school children to learn a modern fore ...
ALL regional briefing events for new secondary curriculum
22/11/2007
ALL you need to know: support for the new secondary curriculumBooking for regional briefing events for heads of languages has now gone live on the CfBT website. Booking is on a first come first served basis so we recommend that you apply as soon as possible. The dates and venues are:
South East Tue 15-Jan Gatwick
...
The latest review of Trends in secondary languages organised in collaboration between CILT - the National Centre for Languages, ALL and ISMLA (Independent Schools Modern Languages Association) is now published and can be found at:
www.cilt.org.uk/research/languagetrends
Key points include:
The very rapid decline in pupil numbers in Key Stage 4 appears to be slowing. ...
New Diploma for Languages
Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has announced plans for additional Diplomas in Science, Languages and the Humanities in order to increase the options for 14 to 19 year olds. They will be available to young people for the first time from 2011. He also confirmed that an A-Level review scheduled for 2008 will now be postponed and t ...
European Day of Languages - Seminar at European Commission
30/9/2007
European Day of Languages
Seminar at European Commission
Commissioner Lionel Orban
Linguistic diversity is a day-to-day reality in the European Union. The different languages we speak reflect our different cultures and identities. But these languages are also the prime tools of communication. It is through them that we understand each other, that we are in a position to access eac ...
A level results – press release from the Association for Language Learning
ALL is pleased that the numbers taking languages at Advanced Level and AS have stabilised overall and that entries for both Spanish and German have risen. The increase in German is especially encouraging, as there has been a decline in recent years in the number of pupils studying German at GCSE. In a world whe ...
GCSE RESULTS 2007
Another fall in the numbers of students taking GCSE French and German is regrettable, but not surprising given the optional status of all foreign languages in the KS 4 curriculum since 2004. Compared to other optional subjects, the number of entries for foreign languages overall is still encouraging, with over 392, 500 entries this year, which represents over 50% of a ...
Secondary Curriculum Review Subject Specific Support
ALL welcomes expressions of interest from members in the role of:
Regional Subject Advisers
Role Outline
The following provides an outline of the role of the Regional Subject Adviser. A detailed set of terms of reference will be agreed between yourself and the National Subject Lead in the course of the induction proces ...
For reference , the Languages Review 2007 can be downloaded from http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DFES-00212-2007&Teachernet ...
Alexander Report on Primary curriculum - ALL response
28/2/2007
This consultation has just ended. Below is ALL 's response.
Association for Language Learning (ALL) Response to the Primary Review Theme 1: Purposes and values
The Association for Language Learning welcomes this comprehensive review of the Primary Curriculum. It is keen to respond to the Review’s assessment of the direction in which the current system of primary educ ...
ALL has now responded formally to the Dearing Review of Languages. The Association thanks all of those members who contributed to the consultation process and the volunteers who compiled responses. The full 10-page text follows:
Dear Lord Dearing,
The Languages Review
This is the second response to your Review by the Association for Language Learning, the national subject associa ...
Lord Dearing has published his interim report on the Review of Languages at KS4
The interim report is available online -
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/subjects/languages/languagesreview
ALL has already submitted a response to the initial questions posed by the Review (which members can read elsewhere on this website) and is continuing to seek and comp ...
Dear Lord Dearing,
Review of Languages Policy
The Association for Language Learning (ALL) is the national subject association for language teachers in England and has some six thousand members in all phases of education from primary to higher. The largest sector of the membership teaches in the secondary sector. ALL welcomed the announcement of your Review last month and the urgency with ...
As part of the Dearing Language Review announced in October a Key Stakeholder Meeting was held on Monday 23 October 2006.
All was invited as a key stakeholder and was represented by several members, including Finance Officer Bill Musk, whose report on the meeting is in the Autumn Language World newsletter.
Bill’s notes give a fuller idea of the tone of the meeting, of the issues under review ...
The annual report on trends on Language learning carried out by CILT – the national centre for Languages, ALL and ISMLA , the Independent Schools Modern Languages Association has attracted a lot of press response , especially with the recent announcement of the Dearing Review.
A Press Release on the Trends report can be found at: http://www.cilt.org.uk/news/pressrelease/2006/pr0639lt0601 ...
-Dearing Review of KS4 Languages
The Secretary of State for Education has requested Lord Dearing to complete as a matter of urgency a review of the situation of Languages at Key Stage 4.
As a Key stakeholder ALL has been invited to contribute fully to the work of this review, and will make best efforts to support the work, which also involves the National Director for Languages (Dr. Lid ...
JOHNSON ASKS LORD DEARING TO CARRY OUT LANGUAGES REVIEW
13/10/2006
Education Secretary Alan Johnson announced yesterday that he has asked Lord Ron Dearing to carry out a review of languages policy.
Mr Johnson wants to see what more can be done to encourage 14-16 year olds to study GCSE or other language courses leading to a recognised qualification.
Lord Dearing will work closely with Lid King, the DfES National Director of Languages, and key partners ...
The winners of the ALL International Challenge Award 2006 have now been announced.
Prize winners [subject to confirmation]
WINNER:
Fiona Hilton, Brinsworth Comprehensive School, Rotherham
RUNNERS-UP:
Katherine Dooley, Greenbank High School, Southport
Alice Eastaugh, The Old School, Henstead
Caroline Harmer, Royal Forest of Dean College
Louisa Orr, Wycombe Abbey S ...
The “severe grading” of MFL grades at GCSE and A level
5/4/2006
How do grades in languages compare with grades in other subjects?
Helen Myers, member of ALL Executive Council and Chair of ALL-London has carried out a detailed study using national data in order to compare the grades obtained by pupils in languages with the grades in other subjects. She believes that this shows clearly that pupils of the same prior attainment will, on average, obtain ...
ALL is currently seeking nominations to all its Language Committees. If you are an ALL member and would like to represent your language at national level please consider joining one of our language committees. The French, German, Italian and Spanish Committees, which represent the bulk of ALL members, meet in person at least once a year to advise the Association on matters to do with their languag ...
The government has today announced new measures for languages at key stage 4 to ensure that schools provide languages after 14 to the maximum number of pupils and that no school should fall below 50% participation.
The full press release can be read at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2005_0159 ...
The Association for Language Learning welcomes today’s announcement from Jacqui Smith setting out the measures the Government proposes with the intention of ensuring that schools provide languages after 14 to the maximum number of pupils and that no school should fall below 50% participation. Since 2002, when the Government’s plans to withdraw languages from the core curriculum were first made pu ...
Have you visited the Languages ICT website (http://www.languagesict.org.uk/) ? This new site from CILT and ALL provides a gateway to information and guidance for teachers of languages in schools on using Information and Communications Technology in the classroom.
...
ALL and partners in schools and universities have been working on a project which looks at innovative ways that university students can support and mentor school pupils learning languages. It focuses in particular on the use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) to create secure environments to encourage this kind of collaboration. More details of Innovation Exchange Project can be found at
< ...
Making the case for languages
The national strategy for languages for England (Languages for all: languages for life) highlights the need to change the national culture and continue to raise awareness of the importance of languages, to
transform our country’s capability in languages.
recognise language skills as central to breaking down barriers bot ...
ALL welcomes the announcement last Friday by the Government that an additional £115 million is to be invested in language learning in the primary and secondary sectors. As well as supporting the Government’s ambitious primary initiative (£60 million for ITT and in-service training and to build local and regional advisory and training networks), there will be money to support new approaches to teac ...
Languages in the 14-19 Curriculum: a guide for Heads and Governors
14/3/2005
This information sheet is jointly produced by ALL and CILT, The National
Centre for Languages. If you would like to receive a copy of this leaflet,
please contact Pam Groom at the ALL office pamg@all-languages.org.uk
...
A DfES commissioned report 'The National Languages Strategy in HE' is out on the DfES research website:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RB625.pdf
The full report is at:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR625.pdf ...
In September 2004 the ALL Adult Education Special Interest Group organised a seminar in London to which representatives from those agencies which influence the teaching of languages in adult education (for example, national and regional LSCs, ALI, DfES) were invited. At the seminar practitioners from the field spoke to them about the problems facing languages education and language teachers in th ...
The results of the annual CILT /ALL Language Trends Survey show another sharp drop in the number of pupils at Key Stage 4 who are continuing to study languages. Outside the Specialist Language Colleges, 70% of maintained schools have now made languages optional and in year 10 only 41% of pupils in those schools have chosen to learn a language through to age 16. These figures contrast dramaticall ...
The Government’s Languages Strategy ‘Languages for All: Languages for Life – a strategy for England’ set out the commitment to give all Key Stage 2 pupils the opportunity to learn a foreign language in class time by the end of this decade (in practice from September 2009). In order to establish the most effective delivery models, the DfES has been funding 19 LEA-led Key Stage 2 Language Pathfinde ...
Independent journalist Amy McLellan highlights the advantages of ICT for languages teachers
http://education.independent.co.uk/schools/story.jsp?story=571842 ...
Are languages A levels marked more severely than other subjects?
10/9/2004
A recent Times article reports on research which shows
that some A levels, including modern languages, are "graded 'more severely'
... than the arts and humanities", and that universities should recognise
this when making offers to students. The full article can be found at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1244810,00.html ...
European award winners show vitality of UK language learning
17/8/2004
European award winners show vitality of UK language learning
Seventeen exceptional projects representing the vitality and diversity of language learning across the UK are to receive European Language Awards this year. The winners, selected on the criteria of excellence, innovation and the extent to which they provide a model for others, include a video-conferencing project, a creative-wr ...
Languages Entitlement 14-16A copy of a letter sent to all Chief Education Officers in LEAs from Lid King and Stephen Twigg MP in July on the issue of languages entitlement at 14-16. Reproduced with permission.
To: Chief Education Officers
Ref: LEA/0199/2004
5 July 2004
Dear Colleague,
Languages Entitlement 14-16
We are writing to you to share our aspirations, and ...
Taking a second language keeps old age at bay, says the Sunday Times
18/6/2004
Talking a second language keeps old age at bay, says the Sunday Times
Summaries of the research findings:
http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=519459Being bilingual could protect your brain
http://www.apa.org/releases/bilingual_aging.htmlBeing bilingual protects against some age-related cognitive changes, says new research
http://www.t ...
ALL's response to the Tomlinson Consultation on 14-19 Education
13/5/2004
Response to the Tomlinson Review Consultation
The ASSOCIATION FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING welcomes the review of the 14-19 curriculum and the chance it offers to create a cohesive and structured framework for the progress and achievement of young people in this important phase of education and training . We fully support the notion of continuity in this phase without the inhibitor of the some ...
Statement to parliament by Stephen Twigg (2/12/03)
2/3/2004
On 2nd December there was a discussion on languages and the National
Languages Strategy in the House of Commons, during which Stephen Twigg,
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills with
responsibility for taking forward the Strategy made a lengthy statement. You
can read the full discussion at:
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansr ...
http://education.independent.co.uk/schools/story.jsp?story=494999Click here to view the full article featured in The Independent (Thursday 26 February 2004) ...
Modern foreign languages and the Key Stage 3 National Strategy
2/2/2004
A shorter version of the following article by Jeff Lee appeared in the Language World newsletter (winter 2003).
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES IN THE KEY STAGE 3 NATIONAL STRATEGY
Author: Jeff Lee, General Inspector MFL, Barking and Dagenham LEA; Lead Author, “Framework for teaching modern foreign languages: Years 7, 8 and 9”
PLEASE NOTE: this article was originally written in October 200 ...
