ALL together – let’s speak out about languages!
20-26 September 2010
The Association for Language Learning would like to know about the issues which particularly concern you about the teaching and learning of languages and suggestions of things that should be done to tackle these.
At a time of change in the UK Government, ongoing political pressure from European sources, and internal pressures within our education system, it is relevant that ALL, the UK’s major association for language teachers, consult you, its members, about the matters that are most of concern and in need of attention.
Next week, beginning on Monday 20 September, ALL is asking members and language teachers everywhere to meet up anywhere, anytime – in the staff room, in your department, at home or in the pub – to think about ways in which language teaching and learning could be improved and promoted. And if you can’t find time to meet with others, don’t let that stop you sending us your own views.
If the Government is serious about the Big Society, then we think it should be ready to hear what teachers have to say!
The consultation week will culminate on Saturday 25th September at the Annual General Meeting of the Association (Goethe Institut, London 10.30 – 12.30, see www.all-languages.org.uk for further details) where we will pull together the ideas that you’ve sent to us during the week and where we hope members within reach of London will join us to take the discussion further.
Here are a few ideas about the kinds of things you might like to talk about
Within the context of your own work and locality:
1. What is the achievement you would most like the media / public / decision-makers to know about?
2. What is your response to media statements such as “language teaching puts most people off learning a language” or “Languages considered least important subjects for children to learn at school” ?
3 What are the issues that worry you most?
4. How can we ensure that decision makers in education value language learning?
We’ll be adding more ideas to our website over the next week – see www.all-languages.org.uk
We’d like to hear from you in the week beginning Monday 20 September – every day we’ll update the website with views as they come in. There are a number of ways you can send us your thoughts:
We’ll make a final public statement, bringing together all your views, on the European Day of Languages, to be celebrated this year on Monday 27 September.
Let’s work together to make the voice of language teachers heard!
Firstly, Mandy Barrow of the world famous Woodlands Junior School in Kent has produced an online World Advent calendar with details of Christmas around the world. Each day you can open a new door and find out about Christmas traditions from other countries, and find the answers to questions like
The second Advent treat is from Mark Pentleton at Radio Lingua Network who has made a Festive Phrase advent calendar. Behind each door is a short enhanced podcast teaching a festive phrase and also giving information about the language, speakers and where it is spoken. Can’t wait to find out if he’s doing Icelandic! Another great opportunity to increase the breadth of experience of our pupils in terms of language, knowledge about the world and understanding of others.
