A crisis? Language teaching and learning in the UK

Speaker:

Dr Abigail Parrish , The University of Sheffield.

Abigail is a former modern foreign languages teacher in schools in England. Her work focuses on student motivation to learn a language, using self-determination theory, and the impact of choice, policy factors and student multilingualism. 

Abstract: 

Language learning in English schools is often described, both in the literature and the media, as being in crisis. This is because student numbers have been in decline ever since the subject was made optional at age 14 two decades ago, and many languages academics and journalistic commentators believe that all young people should learn a language. However, the decline in numbers suggests that the policy change enabled students’ latent lack of interest in the subject, implying that the current school language offer doesn’t appeal to students. In this talk, I will draw on work I have done on student motivation, through the lens of self-determination theory, over the past decade, and my work on students’ multilingualism, to explore whether this demonstrates a lack of interest in language learning, or in school language learning specifically. I will consider how education policy and school performance measures impact in various ways on the teaching and learning of languages in schools, and I hope we can identify points of similarity and difference with Australian schools.