Best Practice

Teaching languages: Some tips and a call to action!

Language education is under pressure at a time when language learning could not be more important for the next generation. Suzanne O’Farrell gives us some tips for teaching languages, and issues a rallying call...

GCSE and A level take-up in French and German is in sharp decline. This is happening at exactly the time we need more linguists as we prepare for life after Brexit.

Our success as a nation will depend upon our ability to forge global connections and to develop global citizens, and languages are an important part of achieving that goal.

As Nelson Mandela said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

As a languages teacher myself, I am passionate about this issue, and saddened to see the decline in GCSE and A level entries. So, this article is not only a practical guide designed to help colleagues who are teaching languages, but also a rallying call to do all we can to promote languages in our schools.

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