Dear colleagues,
 
Thanks for all your thoughts, links and replies. I'll get in touch with exam boards for IGCSE figures if possible and will also find out if it is possible to include a further question on controlled assessment in CILT's annual Language Trends survey with secondary schools (schools and teachers have reported issues with controlled assessment in last year's survey - if you're interested, here's the link http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/research_and_statistics/language_trends_surveys/secondary/2010.aspx - so it will be good to follow up in this year's survey anyway) . I'll report to the forum when progress has been made.
 
Have a lovely bank holiday, everyone!
 
Best wishes,
 
Youping

From: mwood <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thu, 25 August, 2011 21:18:39
Subject: Re: GCSE times series for different languages

Perhaps the exam boards should take the same approach as the IB authorities - who have an  "ab initio" exam for Chinese and 2 separate exams for pupils with a pre-existing knowledge of the language, depending on whether they have some knowledge or are native speakers.  At the moment the GCSE is trying to serve two very different cohorts and whilst it is harsh to exclude pupils from Chinese community schools who do not have access to teachers to conduct controlled assessments,  it is also harsh to expect pupils in school, without a Chinese background, to compete with them for top grades at GCSE - it's quite alarming to think that as much as 35% of the GCSE entrants might have had this advantage in the past.

I see that the article about A-level states that the exam boards say the increase in numbers is due to the increase in non-Chinese pupils sitting the exam.  I would like to see the evidence for this.  I am sure there are more than there used to be - but 37% more overall?

Just my thoughts

Mary
________________________________________
From: Mandarin Chinese Teaching [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pete Goodman [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 August 2011 20:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: GCSE times series for different languages

Hi Youping,

You may want to look at the TES article<http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6074346> that was written in March highlighting these figures and that I posted to the network.  There was also a discussion that followed on the network which you may wish to look at through the JISCMAIL archive<https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A1=ind1103&L=MANDARIN-CHINESE-TEACHING#57> (look under ‘why the reduction in Chinese numbers?’) particularly concerning the introduction of controlled assessments.

On a positive note it is great to see that the number of Chinese A-level candidates has risen 37%.  This is bucking the trend of a fall in candidates taking other languages.  If you didn’t spot the article in the Independent last week, you can view it via this page<http://www.thechinesestaffroom.com/news/11-08-23/uk-chinese-level-numbers-rise-37>.  The section about Chinese is halfway down the article under the heading ‘Chinese lifts the gloom’!

Best wishes

Pete

Peter Goodman
Director
Bamboo Learning Ltd/The Chinese Staffroom
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From: Mandarin Chinese Teaching [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Youping Han
Sent: 25 August 2011 14:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: GCSE times series for different languages

Hello again colleagues,

From the figures, it looks like the overall Chinese GCSE entries are down by 42% on last year across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. While future trends need to be closely monitored and we cannot state for sure about the development just from this year's decrease, we do need to wonder what might have caused the striking slip this year. Any idea and thoughts will be gratefully received!

Thanks

Youping

Sent using BlackBerry®

________________________________
From: Youping Han <[log in to unmask]>
Sender: Mandarin Chinese Teaching <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:34:11 +0100
To: <[log in to unmask]>
ReplyTo: Mandarin Chinese Teaching <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: GCSE times series for different languages

Dear colleagues,

Please follow the link below to find out more about the lastest GCSE entry figures published today and a time series for all the languages since 1995.
http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/research_and_statistics/statistics/secondary_education/gcse_exam_entries.aspx

For the A level figures released last week, if you are interested to find out more about the longer-term trends in different languages, please follow this link: http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/research_and_statistics/statistics/secondary_statistics/as__a2_exam_entries.aspx

Best wishes,

Youping Han
CILT, the National Centre for Languages


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