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Language learning

Language learning. An academic view. Dick Hudson. The two crises. 1. Schools : language learning is unpopular 2. HE : language research is unpopular These crises are linked via teacher recruitment. Moral: teaching suffers when not supported by research Cf English-language teaching.

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Language learning

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  1. Language learning An academic view Dick Hudson

  2. The two crises • 1. Schools: language learning is unpopular • 2. HE: language research is unpopular • These crises are linked via teacher recruitment. • Moral: teaching suffers when not supported by research • Cf English-language teaching

  3. Schools: GCSE languages

  4. GCSE French and German

  5. A diagnosis: schools • Year 10 drop languages • because they’re • difficult • boring • not because they’re useless. (Dearing) • “… the quality of teaching … in [MFL at KS3] needs to be raised in comparison with other subjects.” (DfES)

  6. and A-levels A good measure of popularity in Year 11

  7. A-level French and German

  8. Languages were popular – till 1993

  9. What went wrong in 1993? • This cohort started language study in 1985. • They were the third cohort to take GCSE. • Language GCSEs had exclusively ‘communicative’ aims. • Aim: communication, not grammar. • Method: teach fixed phrases and nouns.

  10. BUT: UCAS applications

  11. From A-level to BA in FL(corrected since presentation)

  12. What went right in 2003? Why did a FL degree start to be more attractive after A-level FL? • Curriculum 2000 (AS + A2)? • Outreach by HE departments and LLAS? • ?

  13. A happy ending?

  14. What went right in 2006? • This cohort started language study in 1998. • Late 1990s: exclusively communicative teaching declined. • National Curriculum revised 1999. • “Pupils learn about the basic structures of language.” • FL builds on work in literacy and English.

  15. Interlude:Why bother with languages? • How to persuade a 14-year old? • The instrumental case: • Because languages will be useful in adulthood. • Because they may be useful on holiday now. • The academic case: • Because you’ll enjoy the lessons.

  16. The academic case for languages • Challenge: mastering a complex system. • Interest: comparing two languages. • Insight: investigating language and culture. • Excitement: exploring a new world of sounds, structures and meanings. • Satisfaction: building new skills. • Fun: trying new roles.

  17. Schools are already doing better. • Making languages themselves more interesting. • Not relying on future usefulness. • Focusing on learning about: • How language works. • How to learn a language. • Language comparison. • Starting earlier.

  18. But where are the trainee teachers?

  19. Why are FL teachers scarce? • Schools teach language, but little or no literature. • But in most HE courses, • the dominant topics are cultural and literary. • language teaching is not inspiredby research. • Because language research is in crisis.

  20. Language research in FL depts (1) • The RAE 2001 panel for French noted: • a ‘significant drop’ in the number of entries for French linguistics since 1996. • a ‘lack of renewal’: no new names. • PhD grants by AHRB Panel 5, 2000-2: Culture: 181 Language: 11

  21. Language research in FL depts (2) • AHRC research grants 2006: French Culture: 46 Language: 8 • Academy post-docs 1996-2006: in a department of French or German Culture: 10 Language: 0

  22. Staff research interests Google’s top three French departments: • Cambridge (RAE 2001: 5*) Culture: 28 Language: 5 • Nottingham (5) Culture: 20 Language: 1 • Sheffield (5) Culture: 16 Language: 0

  23. It’s official • In 2002 the AHRB recognised the crisis. • It ring-fenced six PhD studentships per year for the linguistics of the major foreign languages. • But in 2005 there were too few good applicants to fill them. • So maybe HE is part of the problem.

  24. Back to KS3 • “… the quality of teaching … in [MFL at KS3] needs to be raised in comparison with other subjects.” (DfES) • Good teaching requires: • A good syllabus • Good teachers • Secondary FL teachers can only come from FL in HE. OK Too few

  25. Conclusion • Maybe schools are already moving in the right direction. • But staffing remains a problem because HE FL departments produce too few teachers. • Maybe this is because HE language teaching isn’t based on research. • So it’s not ‘academic’. • So maybe it’s time for HE to change.

  26. Thank you This file can be downloaded from www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick/talks.htm#ba

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