Policy developments in UK primary secondary and tertiary

Policy developments in UK primary, secondary and tertiary education: what are their implications for languages and what should we be doing about them? Jim Coleman, The Open University

UCML • University Council of Modern Languages • Over-arching body representing departments and professional associations in modern languages, linguistics and area studies • UK higher education 2

Languages in England • The other nations of the UK have different issues • Political context has several factors – What politicians say – What politicians do – Hard factual evidence – Public opinion and perceptions – Media 3

The background: media • Media shape and reflect public opinion • British media monolingualist – ‘English is enough’ – Languages portrayed not as a resource but as a problem, or as a non-issue – Xenophobia and stereotypes 4

The background: television • ‘In normal programming a monolingual world is largely assumed. Even in programmes when a multilingual environment is to be expected, the workings of crosslinguistic communication are largely avoided, eliminated or obscured. ’ (Gieve & Norton 2007: 207) • The impression given of speakers of other languages by the media is ‘that it is not really worth the effort to communicate with such speakers’ (210). 5

The background: newspapers • ‘the endorsement of English as a language of power and social prestige appears to sanction the downwards trend in the institutionalised enthusiasm for, and encouragement of, foreign language education’ (Ensslin and Johnson 2006: 179). 6

European comparisons Linguistic incompetence in adults (Eurobarometer 2006) 66% 62% 5059% 4049% 3039% 2029% 1019% 0 -9% IRL GB I P H E F PL GR CZ A D FIN B CY DK EST S SLO NL M LT LV SK L 7

European comparisons Linguistic incompetence in schools (EC 2008) Average number of languages studied (GCSE) 0. 6 1. 0 1. 11. 2 1. 31. 4 1. 51. 7 1. 81. 9 2. 02. 1 2. 22. 7 GB IRL H PL A CZ SK D BG SLO B E F LV I S LT P GR CY RO DK EST M F L NL 8

European comparisons Linguistic incompetence in schools (EC 2008) Average number of languages studied (A level) 0. 1 0. 70. 9 1. 01. 3 1. 41. 7 1. 81. 9 2. 02. 1 2. 22. 6 2. 73. 0 GB P IRL M GR E I H D LT CY PL BG LV A RO SK F SLO CZ S B DK EST NL F L 9

Background statistics • The UK is multilingual • Well over two million residents declare non-British nationality or national identity • Over two million speak a language at home which is not English • Over three million born in a country where English is not the national language • Mother tongue of 13. 5% of primary and 10. 5% of secondary school pupils is not English 10

Primary • Key Stage 1 ages 5 -7, KS 2 ages 7 -11 • Nuffield Primary French Project late 1960 s • Evaluation (Burstall et al. 1974) found no advantage so not adopted in England • Early language learning widely adopted elsewhere • 2002 Labour Government, to compensate for withdrawing languages from the National Curriculum at KS 4 (ages 14 -16), backed ‘entitlement’ to languages for all KS 2 pupils by 2010 11

Primary • Substantial resources, curriculum support, training • 2009 Rose Review recommended mandatory languages at KS 2 • By 2010 92% of primary schools with KS 2 language • Ofsted report on primary pupils: “They were usually very enthusiastic, looked forward to lessons, understood why it was important to learn another language and were developing a good awareness of other cultures, " 12

Primary • 2010 Coalition Government elected • Schools Minister Nick Gibb: ‘Languages are hugely important and under this government will become more so, not less’ • Government abandons plan for mandatory KS 2 language, though retains ‘entitlement’: ‘primary schools that are teaching languages should continue to do so’. 13

Primary • Cable et al. 2010 found enthusiasm from heads, teachers and pupils, positive impact on oracy and literacy, but – little actual learning – mostly French, some Spanish and German – mostly 30 -40 minutes a week, well below the 60 minute minimum – more teacher training needed 14

Primary • Local initiatives, no national coherence • No coherent arrangements for transition to secondary • Danger of loss of momentum 15

Primary: research • Critical Age Hypothesis: early starters learn languages faster and final attainment is higher • Bilingual teaching can enhance L 1 literacy, cognitive development and learning of ‘content’ subjects 16

Primary: research • ‘Earlier the better’ simplistic: – Critical Age Hypothesis may not transfer from naturalistic to classroom learning – Research into second language contexts (Wales, Canada) may not transfer to foreign language contexts – Motivation all-important, so research into L 2 English may not transfer to other L 2 s – Parental views all-important in primary 17

Secondary • Languages perceived as ‘difficult, boring, useless’ • Initial motivation falls away (Coleman et al. 2007) • KS 3 (ages 11 -14) foreign language still mandatory in National Curriculum – but timetable reducing (CILT 2011) • KS 4 (ages 14 -16) removal of foreign language from core curriculum announced 2002, implemented 2004 • Heads fear school rankings are jeopardised by lower grades in languages than other subjects 18

Secondary • Drop in numbers of state schools where half of all KS 4 pupils study a language: from 48% in 2005 to 36% in 2010 • Drop in proportion taking language GCSEs: from 71% in 1997 to 43% in 2010 • Decrease especially marked in North of England, in less privileged areas and in lower performing schools • Curriculum review currently under way 19

Post-compulsory (ages 16 -18) • Across all subjects, AS and A level numbers have been increasing consistently: A levels up 20%, AS levels up 25% since 1997 • French AS down 26. 8% since 2002 peak • German AS down 35. 5% since 2002 peak • Spanish AS up to 2010 peak, up 46% since 2001 • Overall AS languages down 9. 3% since 2007 20

Post-compulsory (ages 16 -18) • At A level, French represented 3. 66% of entries in 1996, just 1. 57% in 2010 • In actual numbers at A level, French is stable, German falling slightly, Spanish increasing • Overall, language A levels fell steeply 1996 -2004 (down 31. 5%) then recovered to 2010 (up 10. 1%), giving overall drop of 24. 6% 21

Post-compulsory (ages 16 -18) • A level grades in languages improving every year • Independent schools have a disproportionate impact: – 7% of UK school pupils – 29. 7%, 27. 2% and 34. 2% of A level entries in French, German and Spanish respectively – 42. 9%, 42. 5% and 48. 5% of top A level grades • Throughout secondary, languages are apparently becoming the preserve of a social and intellectual elite 22

University specialist linguists • Recruitment peaked 1992 • Decade of falling enrolments, departmental closures • Since 2004 small but consistent increase in numbers of students on language degrees • Likely impact of student ambassadors and other initiatives (Routes into Languages) • But departments still closing: increasing concentration in research-elite Russell Group universities • Of all university disciplines, languages has the highest proportion of students from independent schools 23

Other University linguists • Recruitment to Language Centres buoyant • Accredited and non-accredited courses • Open University 10, 000 language students a year 24

Current context • Successive reports (CBI, British Academy Languages Matter, House of Lords, etc. ) acknowledge importance of languages for the UK, but have little impact on public perception or political engagement • Worton report (2009) underlined HE disunity 25

Residence/Study abroad • David Willetts (Universities Minister) 2010: “Businesses say there aren’t enough students with experience of languages, different cultures and the wider world. British companies want to export abroad but one of the problems they raise with us is that British students don’t have foreign languages and an experience of living in another country. • “One of my aims is to try and encourage our undergraduates and postgraduates to study abroad and the best way to do that is to ensure it counts towards a British degree. There has to be time overseas doing a programme which a British university recognises and validates. It would enrich the outlook of British students and 26 make them more employable. ”

Residence/Study abroad • • Increasing global phenomenon Over 3 million in 2007 (OECD 2009), + 59% since 2000 But below 2% of students worldwide Erasmus 0. 85% of eligible students each year, 4% during university career • 2. 2 million students since 1987 • 4000+ universities 27

UK students abroad: Erasmus 00/0101/0202/0303/0404/0505/0606/0707/0808/09 Total +4. 52% +6. 79% +8. 61% +6. 23% +7. 21% +3. 18% +2. 12% +3. 38% UK -6. 06% -6. 16% -5. 25% -4. 30% -1. 15% +1. 46% +3. 97% -1. 25% 28

UK students abroad: Erasmus • Overall, specialist language students consistently comprise 15% of all ERASMUS students • In UK only, specialist language students consistently comprise over 40% of all ERASMUS students 29

UK students abroad: placements • Placements now under ERASMUS • 2008/09 UK 3, 397 of total 30, 375 • Assistantships peaked in mid-1990 s at over 2, 500, then declined, and are now rising again 2001/02 2004/05 2007/08 2009/10 1800 2007 2211 2385 30

Graduate employment • Most UK graduate jobs not linked to subject studied • Employability data is incomplete – 6 months after graduation – 3. 5 years after graduation 31

Graduate employment • Worton report (2009): – after 3. 5 years, language graduates’ mean salary (£ 26, 823) higher than any other SIV (strategically important and vulnerable) subject – CBI report (2009): employers value language skills highly, 36% recruit specifically for language skills 32

Graduate employment • EU Careers Month http: //ec. europa. eu/unitedkingdom/press/frontpage/2011/1119_en. htm – UK less than 1. 5% of applications for EU jobs in 2010 – UK 12% of EU population but only 6% of EU civil service 33

Graduate employment • Residence abroad means several types of learning: academic, cultural, intercultural, linguistic, personal and professional • Residence abroad enhances employability • A factor in landing first and subsequent jobs for over 70% of language graduates, a significant factor for over 30%, the determining factor for about 10% • Skills gained during residence abroad come in useful at work for nine out of ten language graduates 34

Graduate employment • Residence abroad increases likelihood of – international career – satisfying career 35

Current context • Arts and Humanities will lose all teaching funding, so reliant entirely on student fees and research income • Browne report (2010) on Higher Education funding (p. 47) supports continued Government funding for teaching ‘strategically important language courses’ • Higher Education White Paper due March 2011 now postponed 36

Current context • Student fees rising to one-third of average wage • Four-year courses will be less attractive because of greater debt, so there is a threat to specialist language degrees • Lower socio-economic groups are more debt-aware, so fee increase will accentuate existing elitism • SO WHAT CAN WE DO? 37

What can I do? • • Be glad you chose to study languages Reflect on and articulate the benefits Be an ambassador Tell the world what you have gained from languages and residence abroad • Tell politicians when they are at risk of going wrong 38

What can I do? • Tell people that if those with the money choose to buy into languages, that’s a good thing – but they should be equally available for everyone • Change public opinion, so that public opinion can force politicians to support languages 39