Best Practice

Too hard? Breaking down barriers to language learning

Languages and humanities Curriculum
Modern foreign languages are ‘too hard’ and are ‘not for me’ – how often have your heard students say this in your MFL classroom? Esmerelda Salgado and Rebecca Waker offer some tips for overcoming these attitudes
Image: Adobe Stock

Language learning can open up a world of possibilities for students, not just during their school journey, but in their future lives too.

And yet, too many students across the country feel that languages are not for them.

Research from Pearson (2023) reveals that more than half (56%) of 1,000 secondary-age students polled believe language learning is simply too hard. So, how can we ensure that every child sees languages as a fully inclusive and accessible subject?

In this article, between us, we will tackle the common misconception that language learning is too hard and that it is difficult to make progress, before then exploring the student perception that “it's just not for me”. We will offer our top tips for what teachers can do to combat these challenges.

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