Laura Doggett

Capucine et ses histoires d’animaux vidéos.

Some wonderful storytelling from an adorable French kid!

The Ultimate Gadget

Who still wants to learn languages? | Education | The Guardian.

This is a terrifying article. What is really horrifying is that there are no surprises in it. Not one. Language learning and study is dying in this country, to the point where university departments are closing across the country. Languages are niching themselves almost exclusively into the Russell Group / independent school spectrum.

Whose fault is it? The Labour government for removing the obligation to study a language after the age of 14? Examination boards for shaping the experience of post-14 language learning to be so dry, inaccessible and irrelevant that continuing after GCSE seems like a fate worse than death? Or teachers and teacher trainers for leaving language learning behind somehow, so that other subjects have more appeal?

Pointing the finger will solve nothing. It is most likely to be a combination of complex reasons that have led to this critical decline. Most importantly, what happens now? How can we move the study and enjoyment of languages back into favour with young people across the country? Or is it too late?

Your thoughts would be most welcome.

I've just left a comment on Alex Blagona's blog, following a great post from him about the latest hot topic in the UK; teachers overpreparing or scripting GCSE language speaking exams. Thanks Alex!

Here are two displays for your MFL noticeboards!

One is the big four: Être, Faire, Avoir and Aller with personal pronouns and a title. The other is a three part selection of high frequency verbs in the past present and future. Feel free to pass them on!

BBC NEWS | Education | Trials of French teacher training.

A fascinating news item about potential changes to the way that Teaching qualifications work in France.