As the National Centre for Languages, CILT has committed itself to pursuing new goals in order to realise our vision for languages.

In economic life, we want:

• British trade and industry to be able to identify the language and cultural skills it needs to win overseas contracts and open up new markets
• Innovation, growth and development stimulated through access to information and research not available in English
• The UK workforce equipped to compete for jobs with language skills, and encouraged to develop them further
• Informed use of specialist interpreters and translators
• Public recognition by employers of the value of languages and intercultural skills in both public and private sectors

In our society, we want:

• Social cohesion through all members of society valuing the ability to use another language alongside English.
• Greater appreciation of the complex skills involved in being able to use another language, however acquired
• Increased recognition of public service interpreters instead of reliance on untrained volunteers
• British people willing and able to use other languages as a mark of respect for others
• Improved language skills nationwide as part of the legacy from London 2012

In our education system, we want:

• A recognition that languages are a key skill in the 21^st century.
• Opportunities for everyone to develop their language learning, whatever their age, interests and abilities
• Encouragement for plurilingual children to develop their other language(s) alongside English.
• Raised expectations of progression in language learning in the statutory phase from 7 to 14
• Raised expectations of participation in language learning post 14 and beyond
• A far wider range of languages taught and studied in the 14-19 curriculum and in further and higher education
• More courses which combine languages with other subjects and specialist skills, as well as courses for specialist linguists
• Intercultural understanding and skills taught and assessed alongside language skills
• A recognition that language is a tool for learning as well as an object of learning.
• Development of structures for initial teacher education to allow providers to offer a wider range of languages.

If you share our vision, we would like you to join us in making languages matter.  You can help us to bring these goals a little closer by making the case for languages in your sphere of influence.

If you would like to talk to us about how we can work together to achieve these goals, please get in touch.

Download CILT's agenda for languages (pdf, 249kb).