April 2015
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Scheduled to follow the release of the British Council's annual Language Trends survey, this seminar provided a timely opportunity to consider the current and future state of language learning in England's education system up to the age of 18. It followed the A-level Content Advisory Board's (ALCAB) report on Modern Foreign and Classical Languages, which highlighted a 'grave decline in the numbers studying MFL (modern foreign languages) beyond the age of 16'.
Delegates discussed the specifications for MFL subjects at GCSE and A-level, planned for September 2015, as well as the challenges surrounding implementation and first teaching in 2016. Other areas of discussion included steps to be taken to tackle widespread concern that students tend to regard languages, particularly at A-level, as 'hard' and of little future value, as outlined in a review by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). In addition, the conference looked at concerns raised by employers and businesses that languages are no longer taken seriously, as detailed in the CBI-Pearson annual Education and Skills Survey.
Additional areas of discussion included the role played by foreign exchanges and technology in supplementing the language learning experience, as well as the benefits of languages for the economy.
