| IV. 4 Limited choices | | | | Government. Another evolution is that the plethora |
| Since September 2004, Modern Foreign Languages | | | | of traditional resources meets new competition from |
| are an entitlement, which means, as explained earlier, | | | | the rapidly improving 21st century technology. |
| that schools must offer pupils the opportunity to | | | | Information and communication technology, and |
| study one language up to GCSE. However, in practice | | | | interactive whiteboards, are now a common feature |
| schools deal with this new governmental policy very | | | | in classrooms. |
| differently from each other. Head Teachers of | | | | Although the future of language teaching should look |
| Comprehensive Schools have the possibility to | | | | positive with all these developments, there are still |
| implement the decision in varied ways, and for | | | | some detractors, but also some deeply rooted beliefs |
| instance in Specialist Languages School the tuition of | | | | which are detrimental to the progress of this school |
| Modern Foreign Languages at Key Stage 4 is still | | | | subject. In the United Kingdom, people still do not |
| compulsory. In School Z, where the number of | | | | feel a sense of belonging to continental Europe as far |
| options offered is limited, pupils who opt for textiles | | | | as traditions, culture and languages are concerned. "In |
| have to take a language. There are timetable | | | | every other school subject, the model of |
| constraints, which makes any other combination | | | | performance is one who has followed the same |
| impossible. Pupils are therefore often resentful, as | | | | learning route that both pupil and teacher must take. |
| they feel that what should have been a choice has | | | | In our subject, the model is the well educated native |
| been imposed on them. | | | | speaker, whose mastery neither the learner, nor |
| Some other Head Teachers promote the learning of | | | | most teachers, however gifted, can hope to equal." |
| a language and ensure that it is valued in the school | | | | (Hawkins, 1996: 16). Modern Foreign Languages |
| and community, and so they manage to keep the | | | | remains a highly academic subject and the |
| number of candidates who decide to enter for a | | | | governmental decision to make it an optional |
| languages GCSE quite high. This is often the case in | | | | entitlement leads many students to drop this subject |
| middle class catchment areas where the benefits of | | | | which is both challenging and demanding. Schools in |
| learning a language are understood and supported by | | | | deprived catchment areas are not encouraging |
| families. | | | | students to pursue the learning of this subject and |
| The schools that have suffered the most from this | | | | some Key Stage 3 students are already showing |
| decision are Comprehensive Schools in more deprived | | | | signs of disaffection. School budgets vary |
| areas, where there is no understanding of the | | | | tremendously according to the way Local Education |
| resource that languages can be, especially to improve | | | | Authorities allocate their funds, and if schools do not |
| Literacy skills. Some schools even withdraw pupils | | | | benefit from additional grants it is increasingly difficult |
| who have Special Educational Needs from Languages | | | | to provide up-to-date resources. |
| lessons, in order to provide them with extra support | | | | Although the quality of published material has vastly |
| in English. In school Z, the Literacy Co-ordinator | | | | improved, the statutory inclusion policy that the |
| agrees on the importance of offering children the | | | | Government expects from schools requires a greater |
| possibility to gain from learning a language, and he has | | | | need for differentiation. Schools can hardly afford |
| advised the Special Educational Needs co-ordinator to | | | | buying sets of textbooks to suit the needs of every |
| avoid removing them from lessons. | | | | individual student. Modern Foreign Languages are |
| Pupils acquire transferable skills in Modern Foreign | | | | often a department that performs badly at national |
| Languages, and this should be explained more | | | | examination levels, such as the General Certificate of |
| thoroughly to the general public. | | | | Secondary Education or the A Levels. Achievement is |
| Schools often aim to raise achievement in terms of | | | | one of the most common decisive factors used by |
| numbers, and in this concern the actual learning | | | | schools management to allocate funding. Therefore |
| process is not taken into account. Modern Foreign | | | | even if new technological devices are available, many |
| Languages teachers sometimes have to face poor | | | | Modern Foreign Languages departments can not get |
| behaviour in lessons, due to the perception of the | | | | equipped with them because it is not within their |
| subject. This is in direct link with the impossibility to | | | | budget. On the other hand, some colleagues who |
| practice speaking and listening skills in some contexts, | | | | benefit from instruments such as interactive |
| which implies that pupils will perform badly when they | | | | whiteboards are not trained appropriately and do not |
| are assessed. Pupils are set according to ability in | | | | use them to their full potential. The educational value |
| most schools, and the group which is labelled 'bottom | | | | and actual effectiveness of these new resources are |
| set' is usually a mixture of low achievers and badly | | | | yet to be proven, once the novelty factor has |
| behaved pupils. However, this has also a negative | | | | subsided. |
| impact on pupils' self esteem. Very low predicted | | | | Teaching and Learning is the latest governmental |
| grades have a negative effect on their motivation. | | | | focus in its effort to improve national examination |
| Some Languages Schools, but some Comprehensive | | | | results. The latter is many schools' obsession as it |
| Schools as well, have decided to disregard the | | | | determines their rank in the League Table, which is |
| languages entitlement at Key Stage 4 by creating | | | | the way schools are judged by the general public. |
| fast track sections in which pupils take their GCSE | | | | Some schools strongly guide their students in their |
| exams at the end of Year 9. In Year 7, pupils are set | | | | option choice to obtain better overall results. Some |
| by Christmas and the lessons of the fast track | | | | other schools think about alternative strategies to |
| groups are immediately tailored to progress at a | | | | enforce the government requirements but also |
| quicker pace. Other pupils are in mixed ability sets. | | | | develop their students' languages skills, such as the |
| Pupils who sit their exams at the end of Key Stage 3 | | | | creation of 'fast track groups', so that students can |
| are also learning a second language, which follows the | | | | take their General Certificate of Secondary Education |
| mainstream teaching routine, and they are eventually | | | | in Modern Foreign Languages at the end of Key |
| assessed at the end of Year 11. | | | | Stage 3, when it is still a core subject. |
| The policies that the Government is implementing for | | | | The paradoxical political position of the United |
| the 14 to 16 education in Languages also appear to | | | | Kingdom in educational affairs reflects to some |
| be in contradiction with some development plans for | | | | extent the country's public opinion about language |
| the 16 to 19 provision. The future of the system of | | | | learning. According to surveys, the British population |
| assessment has been discussed lately by politicians | | | | appears to regret their lack of proficiency in Modern |
| and educators. Some suggest the introduction of a | | | | Foreign Languages but do not transmit this to the |
| baccalaureate system which should be based on the | | | | younger generation, who is in a position to acquire |
| existing International Baccalaureate. This would imply | | | | languages skills at school. Although the decision to |
| the necessity of learning a language in the post 16 | | | | introduce Modern Foreign Languages at primary |
| education. Although this seems to be the direction | | | | school level as a core subject in the curriculum can |
| favoured by many educators, Governmental plans | | | | only be praised, its actual implementation is yet to be |
| appear to be different and somehow ambiguous. | | | | achieved appropriately. Primary school teachers who |
| The English baccalaureate which is a suggested route | | | | are not specialists in Modern Foreign Languages might |
| seems to be strongly following the lines of the | | | | resent teaching the subject, even if they are |
| current A Level system. As far as Modern Foreign | | | | provided with suitable training. The shortage of |
| Languages are concerned, Recommendation 14 | | | | linguists at higher level, that is to say studying A |
| included in the "14-19 reform: Inclusiveness, challenge, | | | | Level courses and/or attending University, will |
| quality and choice", published by the Dfes in 2004, | | | | generate in turn professionals with no skills at all in |
| states that "the Government should ensure a | | | | this area, including primary schools teachers. |
| comprehensive and flexible Modern Foreign Language | | | | The recent focus that the Government makes on |
| offer, building upon the National Languages Strategy | | | | vocational training does not involve Modern Foreign |
| (...) The existing entitlement to study a Modern | | | | Languages. On the contrary, it has led to their |
| Foreign Language at Key Stage 4 should be | | | | disappearance as a foundation subject in the |
| extended to 16-19 year olds." | | | | curriculum at Key Stage 4. Ruth Kelly, the Secretary |
| The United Kingdom is aware of the need to raise | | | | of State for Education, made the following statement |
| the profile of Modern Foreign Languages. The | | | | to the House of Commons on the 14-19 White Paper |
| necessity to teach pupils languages so that they | | | | on 23 February 2005: "Historically, our education |
| become proficient users is recognised by the | | | | system has produced a high achieving elite while |
| Government. Several business groups have | | | | failing the majority. In today's global economy, in |
| expressed their concern in the last ten years about | | | | which our national competitiveness increasingly |
| the lack of skilled employees. Although it is common | | | | depends on the skills of each an every person, we |
| knowledge, as many studies and enquiries have | | | | cannot afford so much talent to go to waste." |
| researched this matter, none of the current or | | | | However, Modern Foreign Languages as an optional |
| forthcoming educational policies appear to have the | | | | feature in the curriculum creates a divide in |
| potential to change durably the present situation. | | | | opportunities according to social class. Figures show |
| "Britain is Europe's foreign languages dunce: only one | | | | that in deprived areas the disaffection and the |
| in three Britons can speak a second language (...) The | | | | rejection of Modern Foreign Languages at Key Stage |
| inquiry into exam reform by the former chief schools | | | | 4, and to some extent at Key Stage 3, have already |
| inspector, Mike Tomlinson, suggested a foreign | | | | reached high percentages. Other measures, such as |
| language should become a compulsory part of a new | | | | the reintroduction of assessments at the end of |
| style vocational qualification such as Leisure and | | | | primary school, will lead to even more segregation in |
| Tourism" (The Independent, 24/12/2004: 6). The | | | | the access to education. Schools which are in the top |
| Government strongly focuses on developing | | | | places in the League Tables are the ones many |
| vocational studies and might integrate more | | | | parents want to send their children to. Some are |
| specialised languages skills within the curriculum. | | | | even prepared to move to live in the catchment area |
| However, the current Programme of Study for Key | | | | of specific schools to offer the best opportunities to |
| Stage 3 already focuses on the necessity to provide | | | | their children. The price of housing is dependent upon |
| pupils with a range of appropriate transferable skills. | | | | many criteria amongst which the proximity of a |
| The content of the curriculum, though, would benefit | | | | sought after school is a prominent one. |
| from covering a wider range of needs. | | | | Besides, restricting access to some schools by |
| CONCLUSION | | | | selecting on aptitude is against the principle of |
| Traditionally the educational system of the United | | | | comprehensive schools. The plan to turn all schools |
| Kingdom conveyed first and foremost the national | | | | into Comprehensive Schools was never achieved, and |
| language, values and traditions throughout its | | | | the political direction taken by the current Labour |
| curriculum. Modern Foreign Languages were not a | | | | Government turns away even more from this plan. |
| priority. | | | | Tony Blair announced a focus on developing schools |
| The birth of Comprehensive Schools could have | | | | with a 'specialist status' in 2000. Schools bidding for |
| brought some progress. The selecting process to | | | | this status need to raise £50,000 in business |
| enter Secondary School known as the 'eleven plus | | | | sponsorship, set improvement targets for the school |
| exam' was suppressed and schools were opened to | | | | and involve the local community. If successful, schools |
| every individual, regardless of class, gender or | | | | obtain £100,000 in capital grants and an |
| ethnicity. Languages teaching had to be adapted to | | | | additional £120 per pupil a year for four years. |
| fit the new generation classrooms as the lessons | | | | They are also allowed to select up to 10 per cent of |
| were no longer attended by the elite of students. | | | | their new applicants. The Government seems to |
| The process was not without difficulties and the | | | | encourage selection and elitism and Modern Foreign |
| exam results were not encouraging. | | | | Languages are highly affected by this ethos. |
| To try to improve matters, Modern Foreign | | | | The scale of this research is limited and some |
| Languages became compulsory at national | | | | implications may not have been analysed. Although |
| examination level in 1986. At the same time, business | | | | the elitist approach of the Government is detrimental |
| professionals and associations promoting languages, | | | | to Modern Foreign Languages as far as secondary |
| such as the Centre for Information on Language | | | | schools are concerned, the introduction of languages |
| Teaching, noticed a shortage of people able to use | | | | at primary school level can generate hope as to a |
| languages in professional contexts. To research into | | | | potential for language skills to be developed in the |
| the reasons for this, the Nuffield Foundation started | | | | United Kingdom. One might put forward the possibility |
| an inquiry whose final results were published in 2000. | | | | of outreach work that colleagues from specialist |
| The Government was held partly responsible for the | | | | schools can offer to their primary school |
| absence of coherent policies to promote languages | | | | counterparts. This would improve the quality of the |
| within the United Kingdom. | | | | delivery of teaching and the learning outcomes. |
| The Nuffield Final Report suggested some measures | | | | Besides, the number of students on roll in languages |
| which could help to develop the interest and | | | | at secondary school level decreases, which implies |
| knowledge in Modern Foreign Languages. Most | | | | that some Comprehensive School teachers will |
| government policies then followed the | | | | become available to teach full time in one primary |
| recommendations of the Nuffield Foundation. A | | | | school or in a consortium of primary schools. |
| National Curriculum was created in 1999. A new | | | | In the perspective that human resources are dealt |
| Strategy for teaching Modern Foreign Languages at | | | | with adequately, the transition between primary and |
| Key Stage 3 was elaborated in 2003, alongside a | | | | secondary level will have to be addressed. So far, |
| Framework for teaching languages. The introduction | | | | students who start Year 7 are taught the rudiments |
| of Modern Foreign Languages as a foundation subject | | | | of a Modern Foreign Language during their first year |
| within the curriculum in primary schools should be | | | | of instruction. The content of the curriculum needs to |
| implemented by 2012. All these measures aim at | | | | be altered rapidly to fit the level of ability students |
| enforcing the position of languages within the | | | | will have reached at the beginning of Year 7. As |
| curriculum, as a subject that provides transferable | | | | pupils come from various 'feeder' primary schools, the |
| skills and which is a valuable asset to the | | | | difference in level of achievement will have to be |
| development of pupils' literacy skills. However, | | | | dealt with. Teaching and learning Modern Foreign |
| alongside all these constructive improvements, the | | | | Languages at primary school has a huge potential in |
| Government decided to change the status of Modern | | | | so far that 'fast tracking courses' could become a |
| Foreign Languages by removing them from the core | | | | standard practice, and most students could take their |
| curriculum at Key Stage 4. Schools are required | | | | General Certificate of Secondary Education in Modern |
| though to offer the option, as any student is entitled | | | | Foreign Languages at the end of Year 9. |
| to benefit from tuition in a foreign language. | | | | Achievement is self perpetuating; pupils who |
| The innovations in the educational system between | | | | experience success in the early stages of their |
| the 1960s and the present mean that the teaching | | | | learning may well be motivated by this and continue |
| and learning of Modern Foreign Languages have had | | | | to succeed on into Key Stage 4. |
| to face many changes too. The resources available | | | | The development of vocational strands could also be |
| to teach the subject were not suitable after the | | | | interrelated with Modern Foreign Languages. Current |
| schools transferred to comprehensive schools, and so | | | | General Vocational National Qualifications (GNVQ) |
| the resources had to be adapted. Changes in the | | | | which are an alternative post 16 route in specialities |
| examination process with the introduction of the | | | | such as Leisure and Tourism, Media or Business |
| General Certificate of Secondary Education in 1988 | | | | Studies, do not include a module in Modern Foreign |
| also led to necessary adaptations. Publishers had to | | | | Languages. To encourage students to pursue |
| provide resources that fitted the new standardised | | | | languages at Key Stage 4, a vocational course in |
| curriculum, as Local Education Authorities lost their | | | | Modern Foreign Languages designed to lead on this |
| control in that matter in favour of the central | | | | speciality could be developed. |