Recent research has shown that language teaching and learning in the UK are still facing significant challenges1. But what are they and how can they be overcome? Head of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) at Dame Allan’s Schools, Tyne and Wear, Karen Fletcher, provides some thoughts on both the challenges and opportunities facing language education today and discusses how independent schools are uniquely positioned to make a difference.
Like many MFL teachers throughout the UK, I have the privilege of witnessing first-hand how learning a new language empowers pupils by instilling confidence and developing a deeper connection to the diverse cultures that shape our global community. I believe languages are the key to unlocking the world, and in an era where travel and international collaboration are increasingly accessible, one might expect learning new languages to be a top priority for the next generation…