Evaluating Student Mentoring As an Intervention to Support Modern Foreign Language Learning in Secondary Schools in Wales

Blake, Sally; Gorrara, Claire

doi:10.16922/wje.21.1.3

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The largest-scale programme tackling language mindsets is the Welsh Government-funded MFL Student Mentoring programme, 4 now in its fourth year. Similar to the Routes into Languages programmes engaging university language students to promote language learning, the Welsh mentoring project engages university students to work with school students who are about to decide if they will continue with their MFL study or not, using group mentoring to minimise concerns around safeguarding (Blake and Gorrara 2019). The impact in schools has been observed to be beneficial, especially on the value students place on the usefulness of language study.…”

Section: Changing Language Mindsets Via Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing language mindsets about modern languages: a school intervention

Lanvers

2020

The Language Learning Journal

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In the context of the UK language learning crisis, several studies have aimed to influence student attitude towards languages via school interventions, with mixed results. A six-session tacking diverse metalinguistic issues (e.g. cognitive benefits of language learning, world languages) was carried out in three secondary schools in England, using both whole-class and small-group teaching. The study included a hitherto unmet aim, that of changing mindsets in mixed-ability settings, including students with the most negative language mindsets. Pre-post differences reveal that beliefs about language learning improved more than self-efficacy. Inclination to continue modern foreign language (MFL) study improved more in those students initially most disinclined to continue. Given the well-known gender divide in MFL uptake, it was pleasing to note that the intervention showed greater effect on boys than girls. Qualitative and quantitative data suggest that the intervention might have had a small 'equalising' effect in gender differences, in that boys' self-efficacy improved more than girls'. The study concludes that the dual delivery (whole-class teaching and inschool mentoring, delivered by older students in the same school) offers a promising format, but that, in order to achieve greater effects, more contact time and more mentor preparation are needed.

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Section: Changing Language Mindsets Via Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing language mindsets about modern languages: a school intervention

Lanvers

2020

The Language Learning Journal

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“…There were revealing comments from pupils of some schools stating that some languages could not be chosen because the class was unable to run due to a lack of numbers. Blake & Gorrara (2019), when evaluating the student mentoring project, also referred to this problem of a class not being able to run despite pupils choosing MFLs as a result of the mentoring project: "even when mentees had selected a modern foreign language at GCSE helping to generate a group, it was not permitted to run" (Blake & Gorrara, 2019:34). Clayton (2022) refers to this as a factor to do with availability, and says this is a 'key barrier' to additional language choice in Australian schools.…”

Section: Lack Of Opportunity To Study One Of the Foreign Languagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Choosing a Modern Foreign Language as a GCSE subject – is there a choice? Option boxes and other factors

Jones

2023

WJE

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The aim of the research which underpins this article is to identify the factors that influence pupils when choosing, or not choosing, to study a modern foreign language as a GCSE subject. In 2015, the document Global Futures was published by the Welsh Government to improve and promote Modern Foreign Languages (MFLs). However, statistics show that the numbers taking MFLs as a GCSE subject are continuing to fall (British Council, 2021). The Evaluation of Global Futures (Welsh Government, 2022a) acknowledged that not all the aims of the strategic plan were fully realised as no increase was seen in the number of pupils studying MFLs at examination level. This article focuses on one particular aspect of the data collected by the project, namely the factors that prevented pupils from choosing MFLs as a GCSE subject. Data was collected from 860 pupils in 10 secondary schools, and barriers at school level, such as option boxes and courses not running, were found to be key factors (Jones, 2021, Clayton, 2022). The perception that the subject was difficult was also a factor preventing pupils from choosing MFLs as a GCSE subject, and it should be noted that the foreign language for the pupils in this study (Fukui & Yashmina, 2021) was, at the very least, a third language. It is argued, in line with the British Council report (2021:6), that ‘urgent intervention’ is needed to reverse the decline in the numbers choosing to study MFLs as a GCSE subject. Some recommendations are offered on ways to increase numbers, with reference being made to such considerations such as choosing option subjects in Year 8, setting MFL classes and the need for more deliberate planning in order for pupils to succeed in learning a foreign language (Ofsted, 2021). The implications of the Curriculum for Wales and the multilingual and plurilingual approaches presented therein as ways to “ignite learners’ curiosity and enthusiasm” (Welsh Government, 2022b) are also considered.

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“…• promote and raise the profile of modern foreign languages as an important subject, • ensure the availability of teachers to deliver modern foreign languages effectively from year 5 onwards, • provide enhanced learning opportunities to engage learners The plan received £480,000 in the first year and in May 2017 the Foreign Language Mentoring project was given a further boost of £140,000. As part of this mentoring project, students from university modern languages departments were placed in schools as mentors with the aim of encouraging pupils to choose modern languages for their GCSE options (for an evaluation of the project, see Blake & Gorrara, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Successful Futures” for our “Global Futures”? Implications of the 2022 Curriculum for Teaching and Learning International Languages

Jones

2021

WJE

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This article discusses the future of teaching and learning international languages in Welsh schools in light of the changes being introduced by the 2022 curriculum. It is a well-known fact that the numbers studying foreign languages as GCSE and A Level subjects have fallen significantly in recent years. The aim of the government’s Global Futures strategy (Welsh Government: 2015) was to increase these numbers. With this five-year strategy about to come to an end and with preparations for the 2022 curriculum underway, it is timely to ask whether we can anticipate an increase in the number of pupils choosing languages such as French, Spanish and German as a GCSE subject over the next few years. To explore this question, we will look at research into the teaching and learning of foreign languages in primary schools in England and Scotland, and the practical challenges involved (Finch, Theakston & Serratrice, 2018; Holmes & Myles, 2019; Giraud-Johnstone, 2017). Secondly, we discuss the role of motivation in learning a foreign language and argue that the limitations of the option boxes in years 8 or 9 prevent some pupils from choosing a modern language as a GCSE subject (Estyn, 2016; Abrahams, 2018). Thirdly, we elaborate on the widespread view among pupils that learning a foreign language is difficult and challenging (Coleman, Galaczi & Astruc, 2007; Coffey, 2018; Rodeiro, 2017; British Council, 2019). To conclude, some recommendations are proposed on how to ensure the success of the international languages element of the new curriculum to try and address the current shortage of pupils choosing the subject and teachers to teach the subject.

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Evaluating Student Mentoring As an Intervention to Support Modern Foreign Language Learning in Secondary Schools in Wales

Cited by 8 publications

References 15 publications

Changing language mindsets about modern languages: a school intervention

Changing language mindsets about modern languages: a school intervention

Choosing a Modern Foreign Language as a GCSE subject – is there a choice? Option boxes and other factors

“Successful Futures” for our “Global Futures”? Implications of the 2022 Curriculum for Teaching and Learning International Languages

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