This case study includes a toolkit
(doc 38KB) so you can replicate the work too.
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 four to five 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This has been replaced by a common timetabled lesson of 90 minutes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 (Virtual Learning Environment). 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 two 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
(Advanced Skills Teacher) 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 progress in AS re-sits
- German results were the highest ever achieved
- It is hoped that in the future, this 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), pictured in his final year at
Teesdale 6th form in 2008 set the languages world alight 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: they include specially
created texts to support reading comprehension, vocabulary building
and grammar practice. There are also listening comprehensions.
Examples of the resources can be viewed on the following links:
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 it is highly likely 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,
thereby potentially increasing the opportunities for language study
14 to 19 in many different contexts.
Download the replication
toolkit (doc 38KB) for the blended learning model.