MFL Extension Courses - a case study

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Marco Gallucci, 36, was a representative for a holiday company: he is now training to teach French and Italian.

‘Je m’appel Marco’ and ‘Je suis un rock star!’ That was all I could remember from my 1984 French O-level. Since then I had worked for 12 years as a financial adviser; then I did a degree in Italian at Leeds University, which included a year in Italy – I taught English there, which was a good experience. 

I always wanted to teach Italian, but there is just not enough demand for teachers with one language. So after graduating I went to Rome as a rep for a holiday company: I had a place to live and a salary and was OK.

After I had been there two years, the French extension course came up at the University of Hull: the perfect opportunity to get onto a language teacher training course – and the £150 per week bursary helped me to decide. At first I was petrified. At 36 I thought I would be the oldest on the course, but I wasn’t. You get a mix of people who have worked in different areas, bringing different perspectives. The experience of working has helped me too: I look at things differently. 

We started each day with an intensive grammar session – difficult, but useful and enjoyable, with interesting, challenging activities. We were all committed and everybody was supportive. My spoken French came on well. I enjoyed the 10-day study visit, living with a French family: it was a short, intense programme and hearing French all the time was good.

I am now more confident in French and the course stimulated my mind: I had got into a rut before, and was not using my brain – now I am looking forward to the PGCE at St Martin’s College. As for the future, I want to make a very good languages teacher, to pass on my enthusiasm – and to inspire people to learn languages.