Impact
Impact of the approach in action:
A series of short clips have been created which explore the approach in practice from a variety of perspectives (teacher, researcher etc):
- Impact of a Language Futures approach on teachers and language teaching pedagogy.
- The potential and value of a Language Futures approach to language learning.
- Implementing a Language Futures approach to language learning in schools.
- The role of mentors and mentoring.
- Language Futures in practice - a primary teacher's view.
- Language Futures in practice, Melbourn Village College.
We have also created a series of blogs, features and articles exploring the approach:
- Language Futures - the primary approach.
- Is this the future of language learning?
- The role of mentor volunteers in the languages classroom.
- Using a Project-Based Learning approach to support language learning.
- Gladesmore Community School: promoting linguistic diversity through Project-Based Learning.
- Project-based learning in the MFL Classroom webinar.
- Bringing Life into Language Learning.
- Mentoring at Linton Village College.
- The Big Idea.
- A Day in the Life.
- The Power of a Language Mentor.
- The Big Idea - Lessons for the Mainstream Languages Classroom
Research
Over 2015/16, a Pilot Study Research Report was completed - an Executive Summary of the report is also available.
Over 2016-17, an in-depth research study exploring and evaluating the impact of the Language Futures approach on learners was carried out, findings of which were officially launched at Language World 2018.
The study focused on learning outcomes and evaluated linguistic competence, progression, motivation and engagement, and autonomy. To learn more about the findings of the research study, please download the Language Futures Research Report.
Alternatively, why not explore the Language Futures Research Study Headlines document?
A series of case studies have also been created exploring the impact of the approach across a range of models:
- Language Futures as in-curriculum 2nd foreign language
- Language Futures as in-curriculum community language accreditation
- Language Futures as KS3 in-curriculum alternative language provision
- Language Futures as extra-curricular language learning programme
An additional two documents explore the messages that can be taken from the approach for the mainstream languages classroom:
"Language Futures and the future of language learning: lessons for the mainstream languages classroom and beyond". View Rachel Hawkes at Language World 2018 or click the link above for a pdf of her presentation
Click, Connect, Learn Project
Since 2013, Nesta and the Cabinet Office have been working together to increase the availability of volunteer-led tutoring within schools in order to improve the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils. To this end, the Click, Connect, Learn fund was launched in order to explore how digital technology could work to make volunteer tutoring more accessible. In 2017, Language Futures was announced as one of three organisations to receive a grant to model, implement and evaluate their work in this area.
Students speak very highly of the positive impact of volunteer mentoring within Language Futures lessons. However, there can be some geography-based barriers to mentoring: finding mentors for all requested languages, consistent mentor attendance, and travel arrangements. Therefore, a key objective of the Click, Connect, Learn funding is to broaden languages provision offering pupils opportunities to study a language of their choice (either within the curriculum or as enrichment) while being supported in their learning by an online language mentor. Currently, we are trialling this highly innovative model of language learning to support KS3, KS4 and KS5 across a range of languages – many pupils are adopting the approach to explore a language that is interesting to them personally or a language that they have a connection to e.g. they speak at home etc.
Mentors are required to deliver a short online session to a small group of students once a week. Training is offered and mentors are supported and guided on the content of the session by the school offering the volunteering experience.
The Click, Connect, Learn project is led by our partner organisation Whole Education. For further information on becoming involved either as a school or mentor, please contact the LF/CCL Project Lead [email protected]
The Language Futures Experience
‘’In Language Futures, pupils enjoy being an expert in their chosen language, using skills and strategies suggested by the teacher and mentors. Pupils are keen to use the approaches they themselves find most useful. Having this sense of ownership is very motivating for pupils, who feel they learn more effectively when given more independence.’’
''Language Futures really suited me, because I could learn what interested me, as well as what was required of me. I loved being able to learn the culture about the cultures of Spain and Latin America alongside the spoken and written language because it like I was getting a more rounded, useful and adult Spanish language under my belt.”
‘’I value the unique approach to teaching foreign languages by allowing students to learn to learn. Students are guided towards the acquisition of skills and methodologies that help them to direct their own learning experience. Being so engaged, I feel they can make the experience personal and unique and suited to their own abilities and strengths.’’
''In Language Futures we get to learn in the way that we want to learn and it’s also very interesting. It is nice to be in control of our own learning and be really independent. Mentors are really good because it’s nice to have someone with a cultural knowledge of the language, they are great advisers and help us with pronunciation in a more relaxed and informal way.’’