Why take a foreign Why take a foreign language at A-level?language at A-level?

The students’ viewThe students’ view

Les émeutesLes émeutes

……actions justifiés ou la actions justifiés ou la délinquence?délinquence?

Le monde en voie de Le monde en voie de développementdéveloppement

……a-t-on le droit a-t-on le droit d’ignorer?d’ignorer?

El abortoEl aborto

¿Estás a favor o en ¿Estás a favor o en contra?contra?

La integraciónLa integración

¿…sueño irrealista?¿…sueño irrealista?

El matrimonio El matrimonio homosexualhomosexual

¿…amenaza para la ¿…amenaza para la sociedad?sociedad?

Le réchauffement Le réchauffement de la planètede la planète

……on exagère?on exagère?

Internet?Internet?

…un vrai danger aux jeunes?

On est tous accros à On est tous accros à l’internet?l’internet?

Le réchauffement de la planète

L’égalité entre les sexes

……ça existe encore?

MEDIATelevision• TV viewing habits• Range of programmes, eg their appeal andpopularity• Range of channels including satellite and internet• Benefits and dangers of watching TVAdvertising• Purposes of advertising• Advertising techniques• Curbs on advertising, eg tobacco, alcohol• Benefits and drawbacks of advertisingCommunication technology• Popularity of mobile phones, MP3 players, etc• Benefits and dangers of mobile phones, MP3players, etc• Internet - its current and potential usage• Benefits and dangers of the internet

POPULAR CULTURECinema• Types of film, changing trends• The place of cinema in popular culture• A good film I have seen• Cinema versus alternative ways of viewing filmsMusic• Types of music, changing trends• The place of music in popular culture• Music I like• How music defines personal identityFashion/trends• How we can alter our image• Does how we look define who we are?• Lifestyle and leisure activities• The cult of the celebrity

AS topicsAS topics

HEALTHY LIVING/LIFESTYLESport/exercise• Traditional sports versus ‘fun’ sports• Reasons for taking part in sport / physical exercise• Factors influencing participation in sport / physicalexercise• Links between physical exercise and healthHealth and well-being• Alcohol, tobacco, other drugs• Diet, including eating disorders• The ‘work/life balance’• Risks to health through accidentsHolidays• Types of holiday and holiday activities• The impact of tourism on holiday destinations• Purposes and benefits of holidays• Changing attitudes to holidays

FAMILY/RELATIONSHIPSRelationships within the family• Role of parents and importance of good parenting• Attitudes of young people towards other familymembers• Conflict between young people and other familymembers• Changing models of family and parentingFriendships• Characteristics and roles of friends• Conflicts with friends• Importance of friends• Friendship versus loveMarriage/partnerships• Changing attitudes towards marriage orcohabitation• Separation and divorce• Staying single: benefits and drawbacks• Changing roles within the home

AS AssessmentAS Assessment

One paper including One paper including Listening and reading tasks Listening and reading tasks One writing piece of 200 words.One writing piece of 200 words.

A speaking exam covering all the A speaking exam covering all the topics learnt topics learnt

Discussion from a cardDiscussion from a card ConversationConversation

Learning for AS Learning for AS French/SpanishFrench/Spanish

GCSE requirement: A* to BGCSE requirement: A* to B Small classes/individualised learningSmall classes/individualised learning Debating skills/group activitiesDebating skills/group activities Personalised assistant timePersonalised assistant time Independent learningIndependent learning KerboodleKerboodle Be a mini-assistant in a school in Brittany Be a mini-assistant in a school in Brittany

or Santanderor Santander

We love teaching We love teaching languages!languages!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdxP85ouT9c

¿Por qué aprender el español? Зачем учить русский язык?

Pourquoi apprendre le français? Perché imparare l’italiano?

Czy warto uczyć się języka polskiego? Miksi opiskella suomea?

English is not enough

"I am deeply concerned that fewer and fewer students are studying languages: it not only breeds insularity, it means an integral part of the brain's learning capacity rusts unused”. Sept 2010Michael Gove, current Education Secretary of State

• A lack of language skills among the UK workforce is holding back firms trying to

maximise their international trade

• Up to a quarter of firms may have lost business due to inadequate language skills amongst staff

• 49% of employers are disappointed with graduates’ foreign language skills

English is not enough

•EU enlargement means greater need for languages and contact with new markets

•Customers addressed in their mother tongue are three times more likely to buy

• 94% of the world’s population does not speak English as their first language

• 60% of UK trade is with non-English speaking countries

• 74% of employers are looking to employ people with conversational language skills

Languages improve the quality of your life

•Salary uplift for using languages at work•Improved employability•Opportunities to travel and see the world•Opportunities for promotion and new responsibilities•Develop other skills, e.g.– improved communication skills– proof-reading and summarising– independence, mental agility

What do you want to do with yourlanguages?

Transferrable skillsTransferrable skillsThe multidisciplinary and language-specific nature of programmes in languages and related studies encourages the development of a wide range of key transferable skills, including: interpersonal skills and personal attributes; communication, presentation, interaction; the ability to work creatively and flexibly as part of a team; mediating skills, empathy; self-reliance, initiative, adaptability and intercultural competence

Specialist language occupationsTranslation, interpreting, language teaching and trainingNew angles: telephone interpreting, digital subtitling

Who do you want to work for?

Industry sectors requiring languages

Occupations with languagesJournalist, market researcher, accountant, software developer, engineer

Any other combination where the languages is complementary, not the key skill: Business services, central government, contact centres, engineering, financial services, marketing, media, technology, travel and tourism, voluntary and charitable sector, engineering, construction…

Who do you want to work for?

Characteristics of organisations that use languages

– Multinational or internationally networked– Web-based– Foreign-owned– Facing non-English speaking customers

“With increasing globalisation, the majority of young people entering education today can expect to work either abroad, or be managed here by a foreign company for a period in their lives.”

If, alongside excellent technical knowledge and skills, you can demonstrate language capability, your employment prospects will certainly be enhanced. Your language skills will make a big difference and you’ll have a more interesting time at work as well.

A little language can make a lot ofdifference

•UK businesses need people with language skills– from basic to native speaker ability– from switchboard to boardroom

•Importance of cultural understanding

•Basic phrases can break the ice

•Refresh or learn a new language throughout life– evening classes, self-study– time abroad, at home– university language centres

UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELDUNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD Electronic Engineering with a Modern Electronic Engineering with a Modern

LanguageLanguageDepartment of Electronic and Electrical EngineeringDepartment of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Materials Science and Engineering with a Materials Science and Engineering with a Modern LanguageModern Language

Department of Materials Science and EngineeringDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering

NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITYNEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY French and Business Studies BA HonoursFrench and Business Studies BA Honours Spanish and Business Studies BA HonoursSpanish and Business Studies BA Honours

UCL University College LondonUCL University College London Chemistry – International programmeChemistry – International programmeFor the final year of the Chemistry with a European For the final year of the Chemistry with a European

Language MSci, you will study and carry out research in Language MSci, you will study and carry out research in a country where your chosen language is spoken.a country where your chosen language is spoken.

Broaden your horizonsWork experience

•Work for a multilingual recruitment agency in the holidays

•Use gap year or year abroad before or during university to work in a foreign country

•Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

•Work as an au-pair

Launceston College Sixth Launceston College Sixth Form:Form:

Get a head startGet a head start A language shows a wider understanding and A language shows a wider understanding and an open an open

mind mind (a sixth former)(a sixth former) If it wasn't for learning French  I don't think I would

have had any of the experiences I've had in the last year, working and travelling abroad and getting to speak to so many people. I am really grateful.

Jeremy Downton, Business and French, Aberdeen UniversityJeremy Downton, Business and French, Aberdeen University Studying languages has not only given me the Studying languages has not only given me the

chance to visit places I’d never thought to see, but chance to visit places I’d never thought to see, but has also given me the opportunity to recognise that has also given me the opportunity to recognise that people are people, no matter where you are on the people are people, no matter where you are on the globe. globe.

Ordinarily we have a habit of only seeing what is Ordinarily we have a habit of only seeing what is different between us, but studying a language different between us, but studying a language opens a window to our similarities.opens a window to our similarities.

Isla Kennedy, Chinese Studies, Oxford University Isla Kennedy, Chinese Studies, Oxford University