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Teesdale School, Co. Durham, AS Language Courses based on
E-learning and Video Conferencing
Context
South West Durham is a large geographical region with a mixture of rural and urban areas. There are six secondary schools in the area with post-16 provision and all had experienced difficulties in recruiting sufficient numbers to AS language courses to make groups viable. As in other parts of the country, the numbers opting for languages at KS4, particularly as a second language, had also decreased and this exacerbated the situation.
As a means of addressing this problem, all six Headteachers gave their backing to the development of a programme for AS provision combining e-learning, video conferencing, online and face-to-face tutorial support and an intensive language day once every half-term. This would enable small groups of students from each school to form one viable group. Led by Teesdale School in Barnard Castle, the scheme was first trialled in September 2006, when the first cohort of students from the area experienced this new form of language study.
How the programme is organised
AS courses were offered in French, German and Spanish with a shared scheme of work, common access to online resources and where possible, coordinated timetabling structures to allow for the delivery of tutor input via video conferencing involving all students. It was made available to students from across the area, many of whom would not have had access to advanced language study without the scheme.
Traditionally the students would be taught as part of the normal options structure for 4–5 hours of lessons a week.
This has been replaced by a common timetabled lesson of 90 minutes which is delivered in one of the schools and shared with the other by video-conferencing. This accounts for 30% of the student’s time.
A further 40+% of time is spent on independent e-learning which is placed on the school VLE. Students are timetabled to do this work in school but can also access it at home via the internet. The e-learning includes listening work which is downloadable onto an i-pod and can therefore be worked on out of school if necessary. (See Resources section below.)
The remainder of the time is delivered through 2 intensive languages days per term. This core work is supplemented by a weekly session with a Foreign Languages Assistant and a one week work placement in Germany or Spain.
High quality teaching and learning achieved through careful allocation of staffing is further enhanced by the use of ASTs or external language consultants on the intensive study days.
Results/effects
- Without this model, the small number of learners from each school would have made the AS German and Spanish courses non-viable.
- AS Spanish students achieved one grade above their target grade.
- All other students either achieved their target grade or one below.
- A2 German results improved from AS because e-learning opportunities supported progess in AS re-sits.
- There was an in historic German performance.
- A flexible, technology-led programme based on independent learning may ultimately attract some students to study languages at AS level, who might not otherwise have chosen to do so.
Jay Smith (pictured right), currently in his final year at Teesdale 6th form, set the languages world alight last week when he won a national competition with an essay linked to his A level Spanish course... read the full press release.
Resources
Resources have been tailor-made to support the blended learning approach, which include specially created texts to support reading comprehension, vocabulary building and grammer practice. There are also listening comprehensions. Examples of the resources can be viewed on the following links:
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Future developments
The aim is to recruit larger total numbers of students across the six schools and ensure the viability of the course by sharing staff and resources. Organising work experience abroad for all the students taking part is a further objective of the scheme. It is hoped that the scheme can be further expanded onto A2 and every likelihood exists that a similar programme will also be developed at KS4, particularly for schools struggling to offer a second language or where numbers for the first language are low. Once this method of delivery has been properly piloted and established it can be broadened to include adult learners and business needs. Other areas of the country with similar circumstances would be able to benefit from the development work undertaken by this pilot scheme in Co. Durham, so potentially increasing the opportunities for language study 14 to 19 in many different contexts.
Signposting |
If you are interested in taking part in this blended learning approach in the North-East area, contact Michael Wardle, Comenius Manager, Comenius North-East or Steve Mulgrew. For information on how to replicate this model in your own area download the replication toolkit (doc, 35KB): How to replicate a 'blended learning' approach at post-16. There is also an accompanying leaflet (pdf, 1.32MB) If you are interested in finding out more about 14 to 19 activities within your local area, contact your Comenius Region. |
