Latest News
All the latest news from the world of languages and language teaching.Ofsted: Curriculum research review series: Languages
As members will be aware, on Monday Ofsted released a report as part of its Curriculum Research Review series on Languages. The review explores the literature relating to the field of foreign languages education. Its purpose is to identify factors that contribute to...
What makes someone bilingual?
The Conversation posted this piece concerning 'what makes someone bilingual', an interesting read. It’s estimated that half the world’s population is bilingual, and two-thirds of the world’s children grow up in an environment where several languages intersect. But...
ALL Press Release: Ofsted Languages Research Review
ALL Press Release Ofsted Research Language Review “ALL welcomes the emphasis in this report on the integral role of languages in the curriculum and agrees that learning a language helps to equip pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to...
School trips to UK from EU could halve as Brexit hits cultural exchanges
A news article featured in The Guardian gives a warning that the loss of young Europeans on pupil visits will cause reputational damage to UK, say tour organisers. French and German educational trip organisers bringing as many as 750,000 school pupils to the UK every...
Consultation on non-exam assessment at GCSE 2022
The latest consultation from OFQUAL includes recommendations about the Speaking element of GCSE Languages in 2022. The essence of the proposal is to revert to the arrangements in place before the need arose to create Speaking Endorsement arrangements in 2021...
International Experience
The British Council and APPG are seeking submissions on the value of international experience, skills and connections for young people in the UK. The inquiry will examine how access to international skills and connections can be widened, and look at how international...
Welsh Consultation on GCSE Content
Welsh consultation on GCSE content: extracts from the consultation document Qualifications Wales has recently (16 April 2020) closed its consultation on: the GCSE subjects that should be available in the future; the other made-for-Wales qualifications that should also...
Questions in Parliament (21/4)
Languages have been featuring recently (April 2021) in some of the UK Parliament debates. Please find below links to questions by parliamentarians and ministers’ responses, which are publicly available. Question on eTwinning:...
Cultivating ‘multilingual identities’ in schools could improve language-learning abilities
More young people may choose to study foreign languages to GCSE if they are encouraged to 'identify' with languages at school, rather than just learning vocabulary and grammar, new research suggests. The University of Cambridge study found that pupils who learn...
Found in Translation: Languages are more connected than we think
Languages are more connected than we think. As language lovers, polyglots and linguists we know how languages are linked but an interactive installation Found in Translation in Tokyo shows us a veritable visual feast of interconnectivity between 24 languages using...
Google Doodle celebrates letter Ñ on Spanish Language Day
On Spanish Language Day, Google Doodle celebrates the letter Ñ (pronounced "enye"), which is the only letter in the Spanish alphabet that originated in Spain. Originally published on the Newsweek.com website you can read the article in full here.
ALL Elections 2021
ALL’s Council has twelve members who are elected for a three year term. The Council’s role is: • to discuss and Inform the Association’s policies and strategies • to contribute to the future development of the Association • to consider proposals for new activities and make recommendations to the Board. The Council meets once a […]
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Responding as a community to issues which concern the teaching of languages.
Media centre
Press releases & open letters from the Association for Language Learning.