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Compilation of responses as of 18. June 2017
Number of hours:
2 hours/week is too little
[or 4/fortnight]
There was general agreement that this provision was too little.
In “The Student Room” (an internet forum) the answer was:
“between 4 and 4.5
hours/week per A level subject” – but the answers were general and not for
languages specifically.
AQA say: 360 hours for A level. But they do not give recommendations re hours/week. see: http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/languages/AQA-MFL-AS-A-FAQ.PDF
Schools teach on 190 days per year (38 weeks). For the 2-year A-level course, that’s 76 weeks. 360 hours divided by 76 is 4.74. It seems that 4.5 hours/week is the recommended norm.
[“GCSE: We recommend two to (ideally) three hours per week of teaching time, spread over frequent lessons of between 40 – 60 minutes duration. A GCSE course should have at least 10% of curriculum time.” TSC Review, see here: https://www.tscouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/MFL-Pedagogy-Review-Report-2.pdf]
From a group on "Language Learning Framework Project” (which looks at hours needed within the CEFR context):
“2,5-3 contact hours per week for A1/A2/B1, with a slight increase in self-study hours for B1. I would group A-Level as a B1 qualification. Without taking into account self-study time, a cut of hours as you mention seems to more or less implicate a reduction of contact hours from 3 to 2 hours, i.e. below what our chart would recommend. For B2 we do recommend more contact hours (3,75 - 4,5), which fits with the practice that quite often B2 is split in two modules in many UWLP [=University Wide Language Programs] programs.”
Reasons for more than one language:
“One argument for studying
more than one language is, for me, that not all languages are equal, and nor
are all language learners. I very much wanted to learn German specifically when
I was younger; I did a degree in both French and German, but my heart was
always in the latter. So to offer 'just' French and allow those who don't enjoy
French to then say that they are 'no good at languages' really isn't good
enough. Some students will also want to go on to study subjects where (at
least) a reading knowledge of German will be a major advantage - a historian
friend of mine is frequently shocked by students wanting to take Masters / PhDs
in history, wanting to research the Third Reich (of course...) or the GDR, but
without the ability to read the original sources.”
”I think it is really important to offer more than one language as it gives students who have not "clicked" with the first one a second chance. Also we need some students to study 2 at GCSE and A-level so that they can go on to be our future language teachers!”
Suggestions:
Linking German with the
world of work. Example: http://englisch-oldenburg.de/ol-work-experience/
The importance of School Exchanges were mentioned several times while at the same time it was pointed out that organising them had become very difficult.
Further Resources mentioned:
https://www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/
http://www.relocatemagazine.com/news/language-german-tops-list-of-requested-languages-in-uk-job-ads
Facebook Group “Teaching German” - a very useful resource.
http://englisch-oldenburg.de/john-trim-memorial-library/
Soon to be published: Article by Martin Durrell in “Deutsch als Fremdsprache” on teaching German in English schools.
Events coming up at King’s London:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/german/pdf/World-Cultures-Global-Futures-Summer-School.pdf
Dear colleagues,
I have been working in outreach and recruitment for a number of years. In my view, Modern Languages teaching at schools, and not only in the maintained sector, is reaching crisis point.
German is affected more than most languages. I have received a few e-mails from teachers I have been working with, asking for support. Here is a typical situation at a state school:
Lesson allocations for AS are to be cut from 6 to 4 lessons PER FORTNIGHT. Minimum number of students per subject is 15. A group of 10 is not financially viable, so unless numbers of hours are cut, the whole subject will be cut.
Most non-linguists at the school, typically involving the head teacher, would see running two or three languages as duplication and believe that French is enough. MFL teachers need to demonstrate that uptake for languages at A level is low nationally and that their department is doing well comparatively. They need to ask for special consideration on the basis of this.
MFL teachers need to make a convincing case. Often, language departments are very active. They organise exchanges, may have good GCSE numbers, they run cultural days, organise trips, in short, they do work tirelessly to make the subject attractive. German teachers are often creative in overcoming difficulties: if the language assistants are cut, they work unpaid over time to make up for it, for example.
I have the following questions:
1. What is the typical number of hours required, teaching 16-18 year olds to guarantee progress required to pass an A level MFL qualification?
2. What can be said to make the case for offering a range of languages (including German), and not just one (typically Spanish or French)?
I am aware of the Languages Trend Survey
https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/language_trends_survey_2016_0.pdf
I know that the Goethe Institut has compiled a list of arguments in favour of German, and produced films as well. See:
https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/spr/wdl.html
I am aware of the publications by the British Chamber of Commerce, The British Council and of all the very excellent work Bernardette Holmes is doing
See, http://www.britac.ac.uk/born-global and : https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/policy-insight-research/research/languages-future
and:
http://www.speaktothefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/STF_objective_3_briefing_170211.pdf
If you are aware of anything else we can put together and send out to teachers, please reply to me at [log in to unmask] . I will compile what I am sent and make it available to this list and also via the Think German networks. (I don't wish to have everybody's inboxes filled up with replies to everybody.)
Many thanks, and best wishes,
Silke
--
Silke Mentchen
Senior Language Teaching Officer
Department of German and Dutch - University of Cambridge
Director of Outreach and Schools Liaison
Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages
Fellow of Magdalene College
Director of Studies and Tutor
Office: 01223 335017
College: 01223 332103