Language for Life

The unique Key Stage 2 and 3 MFL programme, aimed at teaching modern foreign languages (MFL) in primary and secondary schools, saw its first students graduate this summer. They will now enter the schools workforce with the specific skills to help children make the tricky transition between learning languages at primary and secondary school level – and, hopefully, help Britain produce school-leavers who are as confident at speaking foreign languages as our European neighbours.

“The Dearing Report recommends that we should start learning languages at an early age to keep up with European competition, but it is also acknowledged that we should enjoy languages from early childhood,” explains course leader Shirley Gaskell.
The course, which was designed in response to the government’s national agenda for learning languages for life, is the first in the country to integrate degree-level language study with KS2 and 3 teaching practice.

“This is a very special course because it enables our graduates to specialise in the crucial period of transition from KS2 to KS3,” says Shirley. “This creates direct and immediate advantages for themselves and the schools they go to.

“There are other programmes that contain KS2 and 3 teaching, but you are expected to have a language specialism already. We produce graduates who are not just teachers of language, but who are teachers of children who specialise in languages.”

Shirley believes joined-up MFL teaching practice that embraces both the primary and secondary sectors is crucially important to the future of language in education.
“In the 60s and 70s they tried to bring languages into primary schools, but the strategy failed as a result of lack of funding and poor communication between primary and secondary schools,” said Shirley.

“This is why our degree course is fundamental to MFL teaching, because traditionally primary or secondary are considered to be separate entities and never the twain shall meet. We want to change all that by training teachers who know the issues on the other side of the fence, regardless of the type of school they teach in.”
Graduates of the programme also obtain extra scope for career development as a result of this cross-sector knowledge.

“One of our graduates could become a head of year seven in a secondary school, with a remit to work with primary schools, or a primary-school language co-ordinator could take on responsibility for liaising with secondary schools,” said Shirley.
Although the Edge Hill MFL KS2 and 3 programme is unique in the field of languages, other subjects are already taught in this format at the University, with Religious Studies the most recent addition to a growing portfolio.

The three-year MFL course was started in 2006 and the first crop of four French language students graduated this summer. Next year, eight students are expected to graduate in French, and 15 the following year, of whom eight will have studied French and seven Spanish.
Edge Hill University is also collaborating with Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council to produce an innovative video-conferencing project that enables primary-school children to learn a language, even though they have no language teacher.

“For several weeks, we use video-conferencing technology to transmit four sessions a day to Wigan primary schools,” said Shirley. “Our students plan a series of sessions and deliver them from the University while I watch. In this way, I can give them instant feedback that enhances their teaching practice, while the schools are assured that the sessions are professionally supervised.

“This is very much a win-win situation in that our students get hands-on teaching experience that produces a tangible result in the classroom, while schools that don’t have a language teacher can offer languages lessons to their children.”