Prepare for Learning
Providing for Learning There is currently a renewed interest in language learning. As always, political and economic concerns play a major role in the nation 's perception of the value of learning a second language (Met and Galloway, 1992). Furthermore, there is now a growing awareness of the role that multilingual individuals can play in an increasingly diverse society, and there is also a greater understanding of the academic and cognitive benefits that may accrue from learning other languages (Macro, 1998).
Recent years have seen major policy changes in the field of language learning in secondary schools in England. In 2002 The Department of Education and Skills (DfES) published the ‘Languages Strategy’ which set out the government 's vision for languages, with three main objectives: * to improve the teaching and learning of languages in schools. * to introduce a recognition system (known as ‘The Languages Ladder’). * to increase the number of people studying languages beyond school.
In order to improve teaching and learning in Key Stage 3 (KS3) education, the Framework for teaching Modern Foreign Languages (MFL): Years 7, 8 and 9 was introduced in 2003 (DfES, 2003). The KS3 Framework for languages contains a structured and progressive set of teaching objectives for modern foreign languages, together with guidance on how to use them. To address the challenges of secondary language learning, the use of the KS3 framework in conjunction with the National curriculum for MFL (Qualification Curriculum Authority 2007) were implemented to support teaching and learning. (King, 2011)
The inclusion of modern foreign languages within the school curriculum carries with it a number of potential benefits, which will be explored within this essay alongside a personal view of teaching MFL within the current national strategies.
Knowing a second language opens up new career opportunities and people with two or more languages are definitely better placed
Recent years have seen major policy changes in the field of language learning in secondary schools in England. In 2002 The Department of Education and Skills (DfES) published the ‘Languages Strategy’ which set out the government 's vision for languages, with three main objectives: * to improve the teaching and learning of languages in schools. * to introduce a recognition system (known as ‘The Languages Ladder’). * to increase the number of people studying languages beyond school.
In order to improve teaching and learning in Key Stage 3 (KS3) education, the Framework for teaching Modern Foreign Languages (MFL): Years 7, 8 and 9 was introduced in 2003 (DfES, 2003). The KS3 Framework for languages contains a structured and progressive set of teaching objectives for modern foreign languages, together with guidance on how to use them. To address the challenges of secondary language learning, the use of the KS3 framework in conjunction with the National curriculum for MFL (Qualification Curriculum Authority 2007) were implemented to support teaching and learning. (King, 2011)
The inclusion of modern foreign languages within the school curriculum carries with it a number of potential benefits, which will be explored within this essay alongside a personal view of teaching MFL within the current national strategies.
Knowing a second language opens up new career opportunities and people with two or more languages are definitely better placed
References: Byram, M. (2009) –Multicultural Societies, Pluricultural People and the Project of Intercultural Education .Available at: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/EducInter_en.asp (Accessed: 21st September 2012). Clarke, W.M. (1999) ‘An assessment of foreign language training for English-speaking exporters’, Journal of European Industrial Training 23, pp. 9-15. Cummins, J. (2001) Bilingual Children 's Mother Tongue: Why is It Important for Education? Available at: http://www.fiplv.org/Issues/CumminsENG.pdf (Accessed :27th September 2012). DfES (2003) Framework for teaching modern foreign languages: Years 7, 8 and 9. London Evans, M. and Fisher.L. (2009) Language Learning at Key Stage 3 The Impact of the Key Stage 3 Modern Foreign Languages Framework and Changes to the Curriculum on Provision and Practice Kern, R. (2006) ‘Perspectives on technology in learning and teaching languages. TESOL Quarterly 40, pp.183-210. (Accessed: 20th September 2012) Skutnabb-Kangas, T The Education Funding Agency (EFA) (2010) Summary Report (2010) Reaching the Marginalised [online]. Available at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001866/186606e.pdf (Accessed 26th September 2012) Willems, M Wolf, A. (2011) Review of vocational Education. [Online] Available at: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/Wolf-Report.pdf s (Accessed: 29th September 2012)