Decolonise MFL Curriculum Special Interest Groups
Welcome to the Decolonise the MFL Curriculum Special Interest Groups webpage. The original group (concerned with bringing attention to the issues of race and racism in Secondary MFL) has now been joined by a group addressing the same issues in the Primary curriculum. Our shared aims are underpinned by our conviction that urgent research and pedagogical intervention relating to these issues is needed in our subject.
Through these SIGs we facilitate dialogue between MFL specialists in schools, universities, HE ITT institutions and publishing, in order to mobilise pedagogical advances in decolonised curriculum development, in order to have positive practical impact on our students in the primary and secondary MFL classroom.
We subscribe to the notion that meaningful advancements in this area are only possible through collaborative working between experts with aligned values, and we are excited about embarking on this journey of learning and sharing expertise with colleagues through this group. Readers with a particular interest/specialism in this area and who are willing to commit to half-termly meetings are welcome to register their interest: [email protected]
Similarly any references to related reading material, project reports, resources or materials can be sent to [email protected] for potential inclusion.
This webpage will be updated with our ongoing work and developments in this area.
As an ALL member, you will receive full access to ALL publications: the Language Learning Journal, the ALL Language Zones and termly copies of Languages Today magazine. You will also be kept in the loop through the weekly e-bulletin ALLNet and receive a discount on other ALL publications. You can find out more about joining here.
What we offer for ALL members:
Local networks
Languages Today
ALLNet
Events
Language Zones
Language Learning Journal
Supporting work to decolonise the MFL Secondary Curriculum in collaboration with...
Decolonising MFL Reading/Research
Podcasts
Teachers Talk Radio podcasts with Maud
5 February 2023
https://teacherstalkradio.podbean.com/e/the-sunday-twilight-show-with-maud/
7 May 2023
9 July 2023
https://teacherstalkradio.podbean.com/e/decolonising-the-curriculum-the-sunday-twilight-show/
Engage African Literatures
Dr Madhu Krishnan and Dr Ruth Bush were highly commended in the 2015/16 Engagement Awards for their engaged research teaching African and postcolonial diasporic literatures to a wide audience.
This short film explores some of their work in this field.
Languages Today - Working with Decolonising
Please click here for the full article.
Languages Today - Tackling Racial Bias
Please click here for the full article.
AMLUK Symposium on Pedagogies in Modern Languages, Area Studies and Linguistics
Article from BERA - Reflections on teacher-led decolonising initiatives
Summer Update 2023 from the Secondary SIG
Decolonising MFL Training Resources
SCILT Training Resources
Anti-racist language learning - Professional Learning resource
Inspired by a recorded conversation with two anti-racist educators teaching in schools in West Lothian, SCILT has created a professional learning resource about anti-racist approaches for pre- and in-service primary and secondary teachers of languages.
Professional learning resource: Click here
Working towards a decolonised secondary languages education
The ALL Decolonise Secondary Languages Special Interest Group held its inaugural symposium, hosted online by ILCS, in June 2024. Colleagues shared ideas and action with educators working together to make advancements in decolonising secondary languages education.
Programme included:
Keynote: Dilemmas and Opportunities: Perspectives on Decolonising Secondary Languages Kerry Bevan (Cardiff Metropolitan University)
Representation: Pupil voice Caroline Conlon (UCL), Kerry Bevan (Cardiff Metropolitan University), Andrea Pfeil (Goethe-Institut), Marina Jaubert (Ealing Fields School), Camilla Smith (UCL), Ruth Bailey (University of Bristol)
Why and how do we decolonise our languages classrooms? Elaine Huggett (Nower Hill High School), Vanessa Fonseca-Cívico (Raynes Park High School), Hannah Purdy (Wellington School), Naomi Wells (ILCS)
Dismantling the hierarchies Ashni Haria (Davenant Foundation School), Maud Waret (ALL), Cecile Jagoo (University of Bristol), Mariel Deluna (University of Edinburgh), Judith Rifeser (ALL), Ro-Henry Grant (University of London)
Decolonising secondary Classics: tensions and opportunities Rachel Wright (Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls), Nadine Lewis (Nower Hill School) & Caroline Bristow (University of Cambridge)
An ALL publication is being planned.
Institute of Modern Languages Research event
Event delivered by SIG members , in collaboration with the Institute of Modern Languages Research.
Programme:
Please click here.
Recordings of the sessions:
Modern Languages and Inclusivity: Sharing Ideas and Practices - Session 1
Modern Languages and Inclusivity: Sharing Ideas and Practices - Session 2
Modern Languages and Inclusivity: Sharing Ideas and Practices - Session 3
Decolonising Education: From Theory to Practice
Decolonial Theory Course - Futurelearn.com
University of Bristol
ILCS PhD
ILCS is inviting applications for a fully-funded PhD on the topic of ‘Transnationalism, Culture and Race in the Modern Foreign Languages Secondary Classroom’, to begin full- or part-time in October 2023.
This project examines how researcher- and teacher-led initiatives that foreground questions of race, cultural representation and colonialism in relation to language learning can be brought together to transform the study of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in secondary schools.
Full details and how to apply here.
ALL June Event 2023
For the ALL London June Event colleagues kindly contributed their own views and approaches to the keynote talk by Steven Fawkes.
We share their screens with permission here:
Decolonising MFL teaching Resource Bank – for all languages
European Day of Languages 2023
The British Council Languages Challenge covers a wide range of languages and issues.
Please click here for full details.
Pearson Resources: Permission to speak! Amplifying Marginalised Voices Through Languages
Anti-Racist and Diverse Resources for MFL
Google Docs with thanks to Sophia Chahad for sharing
Decolonising MFL
Decolonising MFL – with thanks to St Mary’s University PGCE Secondary trainees (2020-21) for sharing
Decolonising MFL Whole School Project Work
Inclusive Outreach Through Translation Project
Whatever your Christmas, we wish you a happy one!
Please click here for more information.
A Decolonised European Day of Languages
Feedback from EDoL & Pupils’ Work
Resources on Decolonising the Curriculum (non subject-specific)
What is decolonisation and why does it matter at Cambridge?
Manifesto from Keele
Keele University’s Manifesto for decolonizing their curricula
Manifesto from Kent
University of Kent’s decolonising the curriculum Manifesto
Supporting work to decolonise the MFL Primary Curriculum
Welcome to the Decolonising Primary Modern Language Curriculum Special Interest Group space.
Our group is focussed on the issues of race and racism in Primary Languages. We aim to facilitate dialogues between classroom practitioners, ITT providers, primary school pupils and researchers to make language provision more diverse and inclusive. Our intention is to provide support to Primary Language teachers and to enhance pedagogical practices in the language curriculum development for primary schools.
We believe that random gestures of diversity or multiculturalism are harmful, and instead of increasing representation, can lead to tokenism. Decolonising the Primary MFL curriculum therefore, is not about including a few black and brown faces in our resources rather it is forming a consensus through dialogues, which allows us to move beyond our Eurocentric view of the world.
Recent Events
Primary SIG Meeting March 2025
Presentations from the meeting
ALL SIG meeting 19/03/2025: Please read
Lesson plans engaging with modern Australia: Click here
Primary SIG Meeting November 2024
In November Darnelle framed the session with a short contextualising presentation: Click here
Maud Waret then delivered her presentation on Mlle. Lala which is: Click here
Primary SIG launch June 2023
ALL - Decolonising the Primary Curriculum SIG Meeting
Please click here to watch the session recording.
From ALL June Event 2023
Resources for Primary
Black History Month
In this document Darnelle Constant-=Shepherd has collected some links and stories of interest to Primary teachers.
Website resources selected by Darnelle Constant-Shepherd
Please click here gto view the website resources.
A Francophonie Christmas lesson and reflection
Please click here for full details.
Primary SIG Review
Primary Decolonising the Curriculum SIG Report for 2023-2024.
Please click here for the full report.
YouTube talks about decolonisation
David Olusoga
7 Nov 2022
To celebrate Black History Month join us for a lecture with award-winning writer, historian and broadcaster, Professor David Olusoga OBE.
He starts his talk about back in his days at school he was never taught about the contribution of Black people.
Click here to watch on YouTube.
British Library
A History of African and Caribbean People in Britain: Hakim Adi with David Olusoga
Despite the best efforts of researchers and campaigners, there remains a tendency to reduce the history of African and Caribbean people in Britain to a simple story…
Click here to watch on YouTube.
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Click here to watch on YouTube.
British Muslim Women in Cultural & Creative Industries with Raabia Hussain
Click here to watch on YouTube.
What Were Africans Doing In 1492?
Click here to watch on YouTube.
La Toussaint French Polynesia lesson and reflection
Please click here for full details.
Let’s talk about the heroines of French colonial past!
Please click here for the full presentation by Darnelle Constant-Shepherd.
Ellie Chettle Cully's Blog
Ellie is a primary teacher in Leicester. Her blog is subtitled 'Thoughts, ideas and inspiration for everything primary MFL' and includes reflections and practical examples of de-colonising approaches.
Please click here for full details.
Métis(se)
Lesson objective: use song to expose learners to speakers of French from different parts of the world.
Please click here for Métis.
Reading
A few links below for you to further your reading and research:
Empire Museum
Scottish museum of empire, slavery, colonialism and migration
Black histories and the National Trust
Flintshire History, Heritage and links to the Slave Trade
More resources here.
Dido Elizabeth Belle
Mixed parentage Dido who lived at Kenwood House, in North London
Haringey Local-National-World Links
Darnelle Constant-Shepherd introduces:
Haringey Local-National-World Links: Sylvia Collicott
Through the pages of Connections, you will be amazed to read the traces of how the world came to Hornsey and Haringey a north London borough with a diverse population.
Please click here to read more.
The ALL Special Interest Group
Enormous thanks to Melina Irvine who has been co-chair since the group’s inception in 2021 and instrumental in all SIG activities including the development of our Pearson series of resources. Melina is now stepping down, but her work to establish a social media network for colleagues interested in discussing race and languages education was the inspiration for the group’s founding.
We wish Melina the very best of luck in her new school setting and thank her for the incredible contributions and advancements she has made in our subject discipline.
Decolonise Secondary MFL Curriculum SIG
Primary SIG Members
Please click here for full details.
Facebook Group
The Decolonising MFL Facebook group (not hosted by ALL) can be contacted here.
Secondary SIG Members
Please click here for full details.
Twitter handles
@melinairv
@panford_lisa
@ALL4Language
Elsewhere on the ALL Website
OASIS
The OASIS database (https://oasis-database.org) makes research in language studies more accessible to those who don't have time or money to access research findings behind paywalls.
OASIS holds about 1,500 one-page summaries written in non-technical language - all summaries are freely available, and new summaries arrive every week.
The summaries cover a very wide range of topics including:
multilingualism computer-assisted language learning feedback
CLIL assessment classroom teaching
language policy language learning theories motivation
self-efficacy language learning across the lifespan teacher identity
neurolinguistics heritage, home, and community languages and many more!
OASIS also holds summaries of large systematic reviews of whole areas of research.
***Note*** The monthly newsletter about new summaries has ceased!
So, signing up is the only way you can receive notifications about new summaries. It takes just a minute. You will then receive an email containing links to new summaries. You can:
1) Sign up to all summaries. Every week you will receive an email with url links to all new summaries that week. We recommend this option if you have wide-ranging interests.
OR
2) Subscribe to keywords that match your interests. Every week you will receive an email with links to new summaries that match your selected keywords.
Sign up here: https://subscriptions.oasis-database.org/
Language teaching: learning from the past
The first package from the Language Teaching: Learning from the Past project is ready to trial. It deals with “Differentiation and diversity in language teaching”. Please follow this link to access the material https://www.nottingham.ac.uk//CLAS/Research/Modern-languages-research-groups/Learning-from-the-past/Language-Teaching-Learning-from-the-Past.aspx
Contact for feedback etc. is [email protected]
Advice for primary teachers
Advice & guidance for teachers of languages in the primary sector.
Advice for language coordinators
Advice & guidance for language coordinators in the primary sector.
Advice for head teachers
Advice & guidance for head teachers & governors in the primary sector.