National Languages Strategy

Languages for All: Languages for Life
A strategy for England

Introduction | Objectives

Realising the objectives

Across Sectors | Primary | Secondary | Secondary + Further | Higher | Further Reading

Across sectors

Languages for all: from strategy to delivery, an update on the implementation of the National Languages Strategy was announced on 4 June 2004. A free copy of the booklet can be ordered by calling 0845 6022260 or e-mailing dfes@prolog.uk.com (quote reference DfES/0478/2004). A PDF version is available on the DfES Languages website.

A boost for modern foreign languages: How the National Languages Strategy is transforming the languages capability of the nation (pdf), 11 March 2005, is a leaflet available from the DfES Languages Site. It includes details of implementation of the Language Ladder, intended to complement existing qualification frameworks and due to be launched in September 2005. The leaflet also gives an overview of funding for initial teacher training, to support foreign language assistants, for in-service training for teachers and classroom assistants, for regional networks, for language colleges and to support international links. Also available is an 11 March press notice from the Education Secretary, Ruth Kelly, announcing this investment.

The Languages Ladder

This voluntary national recognition scheme complements existing national qualifications and the Common European Framework. It aims to provide languages qualifications that are flexible, relevant and useful to learners of all ages and abilities and Languages Ladder based qualifications will eventually cover six stages in over twenty languages. The contract for these qualifications was awarded to UCLES (OCR/Cambridge ESOL) who are developing them as Asset Languages qualifications.

 

Primary education

Research into KS2 provision and progress

Results of research commissioned by the government into provision at Key Stage 2 were published in September 2004 on the DfES Research website - see The Provision of Foreign Language Learning for Pupils At Key Stage 2. (DfES Research Brief RB572 and DfES Research Report RR572). Available online in PDF format or as a priced publication from DfES publications. An executive summary (Word file) is provided on the DfES Languages website.

A new research study, Primary Languages At Key Stage 2: A Longitudinal Study Of Progress Towards Full Entitlement And Impact On Learners, is about to start.

KS2 Language Pathfinders

This type of pathfinder involves LEA's working together with schools to pilot methods of delivering primary language teaching. There is information on the nineteen primary pathfinders on the NACELL website. DfES has now published its evaluation of these Pathfinders that operated from September 2003 to July 2005 and a summary report is available online

Building a qualified teacher workforce

The Initial Teacher Training Primary Languages Project currently links together initial teacher training institutions in England, France, Germany and Spain. Further information is available on the NACELL website.

Provision for a specialism in MFL is now available on many initial training courses for primary teachers. CILT Info 10: Training to teach languages in primary education (rtf) lists providers of these courses.

Building non-teacher capacity

Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs) in primary schools may be used to support modern languages. Information about the HLTA programme is on the TDA website. The NACELL website has a short course for teaching assistants and HLTAs covering languages in primary schools.

The Student Associates Scheme seeks to recruit students of modern foreign languages and certain other disciplines to work in classrooms. The aim is to make 10,000 placements across the curriculum in 2005-06.

Secondary schools may send their Foreign Language Assistants to feeder primary schools for part of their time. The British Council website has information for FLA’s and for schools.

Key Stage 2 Framework and Schemes of Work

The KS2 Framework for modern foreign languages has now been published (October 2005) on the Standards Website of the DfES. Schemes of Work are also available for French, German and Spanish.

Language Colleges and Early Language Learning

In 2002 CILT launched a project that includes 70 Language Colleges, each working with its family of schools in order to teach languages successfully to young learners. Further information is on the Language Colleges projects page of the CILT website.

 

Secondary education

Key Stage 3 National Strategy

The Key Stage 3 MFL Framework has been developed, drawing on existing good practice.

Professional Development

The network of Comenius Centres in England is being expanded and strengthened to support professional development programmes and in-service training.

Content and Language Integrated Project (CLIP)

CLIP is a three year project to develop teaching and learning of other subjects through the medium of the foreign language.

Specialist Language Colleges

The government’s target is to have 200 Language Colleges by 2005. The CILT website has details of SLC’s and related CILT projects.

Developments in ICT

BECTA’s ICT Advice website can now be searched for MFL in the primary and secondary education sectors and provides subject-specific links to external sites.

An ICT across the curriculum (ICTAC) pack has been developed. It includes guidance on using the ICT framework objectives in MFL in Key Stage 3 and examples of curriculum and lesson planning. The MFL file, and the rest of the pack, can be downloaded via the links on the ICTAC page of the Standards Site or ordered from DfES Publications.

CILT and ALL were funded to set up a gateway to information and guidance on using ICT in the classroom. This forms the Languages ICT Website.

KS4 MFL Entitlement

Starting in September 2004, the statutory programme of study for modern foreign languages at Key Stage 4, was replaced by an MFL entitlement for which there is guidance from the QCA.
Information on how schools are responding to this change is contained in Language trends 2004 a joint report of ALL, CILT and ISMLA.

A booklet, Modern foreign languages in the Key Stage 4 curriculum is also available - see "downloads" menu of QCA's subject homepage for MFL. Also available from QCA Publications on 8700 606 015 or qca@prolog.uk.com. Order code: QCA/04/1300.

Teacher supply:

Three month, funded, teacher training extension courses in French targeted at graduates with a degree in one language were from offered through the University of Hull and Liverpool John Moores University starting in May 2004. The extension course developed participants’ linguistic competence so that, after training, they can teach French accurately and confidently to pupils at Key Stage 3. Plans for rolling out pre-ITT modern languages extension courses are being presented at a TTA conference on 12 April 2005. Details are in TTA News, March 2005.

Secondary and further education

The final report of the Working Group on 14-19 Reform, 14-19 curriculum and qualifications reform, was published in October 2004. Known as the Tomlinson Report, it is available in a pdf version online and in print from DfES Publications. The government responded to Tomlinson with a White Paper in February 2005. The White Paper and a summary are available to download. CILT's website contains CILT's commentary on the final Tomlinson report (rtf, 81kB).

Work related training

The Black Country Pathfinder has various language projects including community languages in vocational contexts and language training modules. Further information is on the website.

Languages Work Project

A wide range of resources has been developed by Languages Work which aims to raise awareness of the true value of languages in the workplace. There are specific entry points for 10-14, 14-19, further and higher and continuing education and the materials are in a range of formats.

Higher education

The National Languages Strategy in Higher Education is the report of a DfES-funded research project about the role of the Strategy in Higher Education, published in February 2005. Downloads are available of the report (pdf) and a summary.

Further reading

Access and engagement in modern foreign languages: Teaching pupils for whom English
is an additional language, published by DfES, January 2004. Ref: DfES 0090-2004. Part of the Key Stage 3 National Strategy

Community languages in secondary schools. QCA, 2005. Report and guidance

Frequently asked questions: National Curriculum documents. CILT website page. Lists MFL documents for Key Stages 2, 3 and 4.

GCSE booster pack: 2004 supplement. DfES, 2004. Reference DfES 0678-2004. Free publication. Recommended guidance for students and teachers. Includes Improving your GCSE coursework: French and Improving your GCSE coursework: German.

Good assessment practice in modern foreign languages (MFL), published by Ofsted, 2003. Document reference number: HMI 1478. Downloadable in Word document format. Printed version available from Ofsted Publications Centre (Telephone: 07002 637833, Fax: 07002 693274, E-mail: freepublications@ofsted.gov.uk)

Hands on support: guidance and support materials for HOS providers – secondary. (pdf)
DfES publications, 2004 (Key Stage 3 National Strategy). Document reference: DfES/0418/2004. A guide to hands-on ICT support which includes MFL-specific case studies.

MFL Cameos. Ofsted, April 2004. This document contains an example of best practice that has been identified during a school inspection.

Modern foreign languages: 2004/5 annual report on curriculum and assessment. QCA, December 2005. Document reference: QCA/05/2172.

Modern foreign languages at a glance 2002/03. Ofsted, July 2004. Gives an overview of inspection findings for MFL in secondary schools.

Modern foreign languages (MFL): Progression and improving boys’ achievement in modern foreign languages. Ofsted, July 2003. (Ofsted subject reports conference series 2002/03). Document reference: HMI 1641. The conference was held at the CILT, London, in March 2003. Downloadable in pdf format.

Modern foreign languages (MFL): [summaries of research and development awards]. TTA website page. Links to reports of five NLS-related research projects.

Ofsted subject reports 2002/03: Modern foreign languages in primary schools, published by Ofsted, February 2004. Document ref: HMI 2002.

Ofsted subject reports 2002/03: Modern foreign languages in secondary schools. Ofsted, February 2004 (Document reference: HMI 1983). This complements the Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools: Standards and Quality in Education 2002/03 and can be downloaded in Word document format.

Primary modern foreign languages in initial teacher training: a survey, published by Ofsted, November 2003. Document reference: HMI 1768. Downloadable in Word document or PDF format.

2004 Report: ICT in schools: the impact of government initiatives: Secondary modern foreign languages. Ofsted, May 2004. Document reference HMI 2191.

You don’t know how useful they’ll be at the time: Implementing modern foreign languages entitlement in Key Stage 4. Ofsted, June 2005. Document reference: HMI 2481.

Last updated 5/1/2006