MODERN LANGUAGES
Two years ago the government allowed languages to become optional after 14. Schools could choose whether to insist on a language GCSE, or not. The majority promptly dropped them. Worrying about this, at the beginning of the year, Jacqui Smith sent out a letter demanding that schools should observe a ‘benchmark’ of getting at least half their GCSE pupils doing a language. Most ignored it. Now CiLT, the National Centre for Languages, publishes a survey showing that fewer than one in five state schools demand a language GCSE… and in 6 out of ten comprehensives fewer than half the pupils do one. Even in the private sector numbers are falling, in imitation – just over half of private schools make all their GCSE pupils study a foreign language, whereas last year it was three-quarters. In further education and in adult evening classes, the decline is also sharp. The minister has announced an urgent review and a possible U-turn. But what would it take to turn things around?
Libby Purves discusses the issues with: Eddie Moore, Head of the Language Department of Impington Village College in Cambridgeshire; and Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the national centre for languages.
Last weekend, Reporter, Melissa Viney, went along to Olympia in London where thousands of people poured through the doors to Britain’s first consumer exhibition for language learners, language teachers and everyone with a passion for languages.
LEARNING WITH GRANDPARENTS
Learning with Grandparents is a new campaign from the Basic Skills Agency, to highlight and develop the important role grandparents can play in education. It aims to raise standards of basic skills amongst children aged 5-11 by involving grandparents in supporting their grandchildren’s learning.
There are currently around 13 million grandparents in the UK. In the past two generations, the number of children cared for by grandparents has jumped from 33% to 82% - with more than a third of grandparents spending the equivalent of three days a week caring for their grandchildren.
The campaign was prompted by research from Goldsmith’s College which showed that although grandparents did a huge amount to introduce their grandchildren to literacy and numeracy this input went largely unrecognised. Libby Purves speaks to Jenny Cobley, Senior Assistant Director Early Years and Primary National Development Team at the Basic Skills Agency.
Reporter, Sara Parker, went along to Isambard Brunel Junior School in Portsmouth to talk to some of the pupils and their grandparents.
RaW: The BBC are currently running RaW - a 3 year national literacy campaign aimed at the 12.1 million adults in the UK with intermediate reading skills and who lack confidence in their ability to read and write. Part of the campaign focuses on encouraging families to read together. From Christmas there’ll be a free family pack available through the RaW helpline which comprises a book with activities and stories, designed for parents who struggle with reading and writing, to help them read, write and tell stories with their children.
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