Pupils Views on Language Learning

Pupils’ views on language learning

August 2006

QCA/06/2880


© 2006 Qualifications and Curriculum Authority 2

Contents

Context and background..................................................................................................... 3 The survey.......................................................................................................................... 4 Main findings....................................................................................................................... 5 Responses to the key questions......................................................................................... 7 Conclusions and recommendations for action.................................................................... 9 Acknowledgements........................................................................................................... 11 Appendix 1: The schools .................................................................................................. 12 Appendix 2: Questionnaire commentary........................................................................... 13 Appendix 3: Pupil interviews............................................................................................. 22 Appendix 4: Note on the process and findings ................................................................. 23 Appendix 5: The questionnaire ......................................................................................... 24



Context and background

This report describes a small-scale study of the perspectives on modern foreign languages (MFL) of a number of year 9 pupils, carried out between November 2005 and March 2006 as part of QCA’s review of the key stage 3 curriculum. The survey took the form of a confidential written questionnaire and follow-up interviews. Information about the procedures, pupils and schools is given in the Survey section, with more detail in Appendix 1. The main objectives were:

• to explore the views of pupils with regard to language learning at key stage 3 • to investigate whether pupils find language learning more or less demanding and

enjoyable than other subjects • to consider how pupils’ language learning experience during key stage 3 may

influence their decision whether or not to continue learning a language at key stage 4.

The key questions to be investigated were therefore:

• what have pupils enjoyed about learning a language? • what have they not enjoyed? • how could their learning experience during key stage 3 have been improved? • what are their ideas about what it means to make progress in language learning? • what are their main reasons for continuing to learn a language at key stage 4 or

not? • what might have made them reconsider any decision to drop languages? • what are their general views about language learning?

It is not claimed that these pupils’ responses are necessarily typical, but perhaps others would respond similarly. Appendix 2 contains a detailed commentary on these responses. Appendix 5 contains a copy of the questionnaire.



The survey

Given the limited scope of the survey, it was decided to focus on six, mixed, all-ability schools in one area. All schools are in Barking and Dagenham, an area of significant socio-economic deprivation but with some internal variations. Key indicators for the schools are given in Appendix 1. Five schools cover ages 11 to 18. The sixth school opened in 2002 and at the time of the survey had pupils aged 11 to 15 only. These schools had all been involved in earlier work on the Framework for teaching modern foreign languages: Years 7, 8 and 9 (DfES, 2003), though the degree of implementation varied. Each school identified approximately 50 year 9 pupils to complete a questionnaire and then nominated 10 of these pupils to take part in a group interview session. The pupils were representative of each school’s population in terms of gender, ethnicity and EAL (English as an additional language) aspects, although most were in the average- or upper-ability range, with a smaller number of lower-attainers. The questionnaires elicited quantitative and qualitative data via tick-boxes and free responses. The responses to questionnaires and interviews were confidential between the pupils and QCA. The interviews were used mainly to explore further provisional findings from the questionnaire. It was not part of the project to talk to teachers, look at schools’ key stage 3 curriculum or teaching or investigate schools’ systems for subject choices and curriculum design at key stage 4. If pupils are described in this report as being in any way critical of their schools or of MFL provision generally, such criticisms are included because they reflect how pupils honestly felt or thought about their MFL provision.



Main findings

This section summarises pupils’ responses in terms of the three main objectives of the survey. The pupils generally considered foreign languages important but not easy, and not as enjoyable as they would like. They thought they were doing the right kind of work, and most said they were progressing quite well. They said they would like more time for practice (they saw time as scarce and not always well used) and more help to improve their speaking and writing skills in particular. They regarded these productive skills as the hardest aspects, along with – in their words – ‘putting it all together’ and ‘remembering it all’. They had quite a good grasp of what learning a language involves and what progress looks like. They spoke in terms of levels of attainment, topic areas and to some extent the key stage 3 framework objectives. They seemed to know less about the national curriculum programme of study or the general aims of GCSE. They enjoyed active and interactive work (which perhaps explains why they derived more enjoyment from other subjects such as PE, art and music). They did not like lessons in which teachers were ‘talking too much’ or ‘going on in the language but not helping us to understand’. Excessive copying was also unpopular and unhelpful. They said they would very much like more contact with, and information about, the foreign country and culture. A significant number wanted more help with study and learning skills. Just over half of the pupils surveyed were either planning to continue with MFL at key stage 4 or were still undecided. A third did not intend to continue. The three main factors for deciding whether to continue or not, and their order of importance, were very clear:

• the perceived importance of languages for their future (jobs, using a language later in life, usefulness for learning other languages later)

• whether they thought they were good at languages • whether they enjoyed learning languages.

Pupils’ two main concerns, and hence reasons for dropping languages, were:

• the difficulty of the subject compared with others, and hence their fear of failure or ‘wasting’ a GCSE option choice

• lack of enjoyment – boring lessons.



A few mentioned other factors such as option systems, like/dislike of teachers, or friends’ choices. Pupils thought they received the best advice about continuing MFL from their MFL teachers. A third also mentioned their parents and families, a third mentioned other guidance provided by their school and just under a third mentioned discussion with other or older pupils doing MFL. In some respects gender differences were insignificant though, overall, girls expressed a stronger preference for MFL than boys. Pupils were more likely to choose to continue with MFL:

• if their key stage 3 lessons were more interactive and enjoyable • if they felt they were making faster progress • if there was some choice of the language they could continue to learn • if they received more help and time with productive skills and the recall and

application of language they had learnt • if they learnt more about the foreign country and culture and had contact with it.



Responses to the key questions

This section sets out responses to the key questions listed in the Context and background section, as evidence for the main findings. Pupils mainly enjoyed:

• visits to and contact with the foreign country and culture • lessons that were lively, enjoyable, active and interactive • acquiring new vocabulary and language • using good-quality resources including ICT and video.

They least enjoyed:

• writing tasks • speaking (where they felt exposed and not sufficiently skilled) • passive lessons • reading tasks • lengthy explanations of grammar or sentence work.

They would like more help and time for:

• improving and practising speaking and pronunciation • vocabulary acquisition • spelling and writing.

They would appreciate opportunities to:

• have more direct contact with, and learn much more about, the foreign country and its culture

• work directly with native speakers • learn useful language related to interesting everyday contexts.

They saw progress in foreign languages as related to performance in the various skills and broadening their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. Some talked about getting more fluent, meeting more complex language or learning more tenses, while others relied mainly on test results as an indicator of progress. The principal reasons for continuing with a language at key stage 4, or not, related to three main criteria, which emerged regularly in interviews:

• whether a subject would be important and useful later



• whether pupils thought they were doing well in it • whether they found it enjoyable.

Languages scored quite strongly on the first of these but less well on the other two. It is a hard subject, in pupils’ eyes. In some cases there was clearly disaffection brought about by lessons judged unstimulating. Issues mentioned by a few pupils included option choice availability, individual teachers and the high value of MFL as a qualification for later stages of education. Provision at key stage 3, which included the features listed above, might have brought about a better uptake of languages at key stage 4. Pupils implied that they needed to feel they had made substantial progress at key stage 3 and that the difficulties they associated with MFL were surmountable. Even if they considered languages important, they might not continue if they thought they would not make good progress, it would become so hard that they missed out on a good GCSE grade or it would become, or stay, uninteresting (in their terms) at lesson level.



Conclusions and recommendations for action

This survey was based largely on what the pupils had experienced and knew of language learning and what they were thinking about in the context of decisions for key stage 4 language learning. The suggestions given here about how to achieve more positive attitudes are based largely on what pupils said. How MFL compares with other subjects is included because other subjects are in competition with MFL for pupils’ choices. However, the survey did not seek to explore in depth some of the more complex aspects of language provision such as the entitlement curriculum at key stage 4. The results were a mix of positive and negative. It is fair to say these pupils were much better informed about the process of language learning than their predecessors (in the earlier ‘Invisible Child’ survey of 19981) probably because the key stage 3 framework has addressed the issues raised in that study and Ofsted inspections. But the framework has not addressed all these issues. At the heart of the pupils’ responses are their views on the importance, difficulty and enjoyment levels of different subjects. On the evidence here, they are weighing these up quite carefully. Their responses were delivered honestly, with only a very few indications that they rejected the importance of MFL as a subject. But in order to attract more pupils to MFL, the subject needs to offer them success and enjoyment outcomes that counteract the difficulty aspect. It is unreasonable to suggest that languages should be made easier or other subjects more demanding in order to level the playing field. In fact it is argued in some quarters that GCSE in MFL is actually not demanding enough in its present form as a basis for post-16 study. On the basis of the findings of this survey, the following steps might help to bring about more positive attitudes and better take-up at key stage 4:

• provide lessons that are active/interactive and participatory • ensure best use is made of lesson time to provide pupils with enough practice in

what they are learning, especially speaking and writing, and avoid long periods of passivity

• use good-quality resources, including ICT as available, and foreign language assistants, in line with those used in other subjects

1The invisible child: The responses and attitudes to the learning of modern languages shown by

year 9 pupils of average ability (CILT, 1998)



• strengthen the implementation of the key stage 3 framework with a view to bringing about faster progress over key stage 3 and including more work on culture and people

• spend less time on testing and preparation for tests, while developing assessment for learning routines to check on individual progress or problems

• provide opportunities for memorable and large-scale activities, including visits and contact with native speakers

• at senior management level, ensure that fair entitlement opportunities for MFL study are offered at key stage 4 and that the difficulty factor is addressed properly in advice to pupils

• explore the issue of choice of languages at both key stages • review the weighting of the four skills at GCSE, to reduce the perceived difficulty of

the subject • strengthen the provision of vocational language courses suitable for all ability

levels.



Acknowledgements

QCA would like to thank the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham for its assistance and support in the survey work. In particular we would like to thank the headteachers and MFL teachers and pupils of the following secondary schools for their hospitality and their very positive attitude towards this project, which enabled it to take place efficiently and in a very productive atmosphere:

• Barking Abbey School • Eastbrook School • Eastbury School • Jo Richardson Community School • Robert Clack School • Sydney Russell School.



Appendix 1: The schools

As an urban local authority area, Barking and Dagenham has significant levels of deprivation. The indicators used in the Government’s IMD (Index of Multiple Deprivation) 2004 showed that the borough rated as the 42nd most deprived local authority in England out of 354. Other current relevant indicators are employment levels (315th of 376 areas) and higher-education qualification levels (315th of 376). Considerable change in population through immigration has taken place in the borough over recent years, after a relatively long period of little social mobility. Some general characteristics of the schools as at autumn 2005 are given below. The figures are broadly accurate as far as is known but have not been validated or confirmed by schools. Pupil numbers are given for the 11–16 and post-16 age groups. The other figures relate only to the 11–16 age groups. Names of individual schools are not shown here but are listed in the Acknowledgements section, though in a different order.

School

Pupil numbers 11–16 and post-16

Percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals

Percentage of special educational needs School Action/Plus and statemented

Percentage of first language other than English

Percentage of pupil mobility

Ethnic groups other than white British

A 1433

232 33.4

26.62.3

15.4 3.8 19.4

B 538

0 30.9

16.03.5

3.7 7.6 16.0

C 1399

155 36.2

16.01.8

20.0 15.7 25.1

D 1444

127 19.5

16.21.9

8.2 9.3 13.4

E 1388

358 17.2

8.71.4

30.6 9.3 52.2

F 1439

238 34.9

11.42.7

29.6 44.7 37.8



Appendix 2: Questionnaire commentary

This section provides a commentary on the responses to each of the three sections of the questionnaire. Figures are given as whole-number percentages in relation to the total number of respondents (321 pupils: 156 boys, 165 girls). Differences in terms of gender are identified only when significant (approximately +/- 15 per cent). Differences between schools are mentioned only exceptionally. Few pupils offered comments in the open-ended questions. Usually only the most common responses are described.

Section 1: About you

Language learning at key stage 3

Eighty-nine per cent of pupils began their secondary education at their current school. Ninety-two per cent had been studying French as a first foreign language and 20 per cent German as a first or second foreign language. A small number had begun another language as well (Spanish, Latin). Seventy-nine per cent said they were in a particular ability group for MFL. The remainder said they were not or did not know. In interviews the issue of setting/banding was raised by some pupils and in one school pupils said arrangements were not transparent.

Language learning at primary school

Ten per cent of the pupils had had some limited experience of learning a foreign language at primary school. This predated the local authority’s work on introducing primary MFL. In interviews these pupils said their primary experience had not been especially helpful, but they agreed that starting at primary school must surely help to provide the extra time needed for real progress and learning.

Knowledge of other languages

Thirty-four per cent of pupils said they knew or spoke another language other than those taught in school. Approximately 25 of these languages were listed. This situation has clearly changed over recent years. Current and recent PANDA figures show that EAL numbers have been rising. It was not possible to identify a precise link between these



pupils and overall attitudes towards national and individual language needs and attitudes, but in interviews they displayed a quiet pride in their linguistic capacity.

Favourite subjects

Pupils were asked to identify their three favourite subjects from a list of eight non-core subjects at key stage 3. Twenty-seven per cent of pupils listed MFL as one of their three favourite subjects: 22 per cent of the boys and 32 per cent of the girls. The three preferred subjects were PE, art and music, selected by 66 per cent, 50 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

Section 2: Learning foreign languages

Pupils’ views on the importance of language learning

This section was designed to make pupils reflect on their views of the importance of MFL generally and in the curriculum and their experiences of language learning to date. Pupils’ subject choices relate to the three main criteria: importance for the future, perceived success in learning, enjoyment. A subject scoring highly in all three areas would be very popular. Pupils were generally positive about the importance of learning languages for people living in England. Twenty-one per cent thought it very important and 53 per cent quite important. Twenty-nine per cent thought it ‘not that important’ but only 3 per cent thought it ‘not at all important’. Girls responded only marginally more positively than boys. Pupils were also asked to choose whether it was more important to learn one foreign language well, learn two or three to some extent or to acquire language-learning skills. There was no clear winner: 35 per cent chose the first, 38 per cent the second and 26 per cent the third. Gender differences were minimal. In the interviews, a significant number of pupils said they would have liked to choose which language to learn at key stage 3 and wanted choice also at key stage 4. This linked very much to the issue of the perceived life value of subjects: the standard diet of one language for five years seems to be under question, especially when pupils feel that progress in it is slow, as some did.

Pupils’ experiences of language learning: what they liked

The rest of Section 2 was about pupil enjoyment and subject difficulty and how MFL teaching and provision might be improved, as a guide to enhancing uptake at key stage 4.



Pupils were presented with a range of features of key stage 3 MFL provision and asked to tick those that they particularly enjoyed. Pupils could add other features, though few did. Each feature could have been broken down further, to include aspects such as pronunciation and spelling. Some pupils mentioned this kind of detail in their open-ended responses. Similarly, speaking, which takes many forms, was not broken down but readily assumed to mean any occasion (not only formal testing) when a pupil is required to say something, of whatever length and complexity, with or without support, in the foreign language. Such aspects were then referred to in the interviews, to ensure that interpretations were consistent. The four features receiving most positive mentions were visits abroad (64 per cent), teachers making lessons lively/fun/interesting (63 per cent), learning new words (59 per cent) and using ICT (52 per cent). The four with fewest positive mentions were everybody using the foreign language as much as possible (21 per cent), reading in the foreign language (24 per cent), writing in the foreign language (26 per cent) and learning how to put sentences together (32 per cent). Speaking and listening to or watching audio or video, and working with partners scored equally, at around 45 per cent each. Both genders scored quite similarly. Some pupils ticked a large number of items, while others ticked few. But the large numbers of pupils who gave scores to visits abroad, appreciating clear, active and enjoyable lessons, and willing to engage with speaking and listening work despite their difficulty all indicated a will to engage with the subject as long as:

• it corresponds with their expectations • it gives them a clear and usable life-skill • it engages their active interest and participation.

Responses to later questions showed that most pupils find the productive skills of speaking and writing more difficult. Paradoxically, most also said they think speaking is their strongest skill, but said that it is the skill with which they feel they need most help and – crucially – time for practice. Responses for listening, though not apparently an issue, emerged later to be linked to:

• teachers using the target language without strategies for pupil understanding • poor-quality listening facilities with pupils unable to discern acoustically as well as

linguistically what was being said.



What pupils liked least

In terms of what is enjoyed least, writing and speaking scored roughly equally, across both genders, and received (at 20 per cent and 19 per cent) twice the number of mentions of the next aspect: lack of enjoyment / repetitiveness / lack of interactive pupil activity. This aspect clearly featured in the minds of many and was one of the three key factors important to pupils in their subject preferences. The full list of what pupils had liked least, with the approximate percentage of pupils mentioning each, is as follows:

• writing (20 per cent) • speaking (19 per cent) • ‘boring’ work, reading, grammar/sentence work, listening (6 to 10 per cent) • tests, ‘difficult’ work, not understanding explanations or the work generally, target

language use (3 to 6 per cent) • individual teachers, speed of lesson, vocabulary learning, ICT, ‘remembering it all’,

poor behaviour (by other pupils), spelling, textbook exercises, slow progress, partner work, pronunciation, ‘embarrassing to speak out’, not proving useful (three per cent).

To this list could be added a lack of contact with the foreign country and culture, as expressed below – a sense of making it all real.

How language learning could be improved

A key open-ended question was about how MFL provision (at key stage 3 but also more generally) could be improved to make learning more effective and to increase the popularity of the subject (since pupils’ perception of progress is one of their three key criteria for subject choice). Overwhelmingly they asked for more help with, and time on, improving their speaking skills. There was no wish to shy away from this work, simply to get better at it and to be better able to recall and re-apply the language they had learned. More help and/or time were sought for the following areas:

• speaking (23 per cent) • vocabulary learning/retention, grammar/sentences, spelling, pronunciation, writing

(6 to12 per cent). Pupils answering this question seem to be asking for not just more of the same, but rather more effective and efficient ways of helping them to improve and progress. They



acknowledged that language work is hard, but wished to make better progress in a subject which most deemed to be important. In terms of how they would wish to see provision extended in scope and opportunity, there was an overwhelming preference for learning more about the country, its people and culture. The main items suggested here were:

• learn more about country and culture (29 per cent) • visit the country (18 per cent) • work with native speakers (eight per cent) • group/partner work for speaking (three per cent) • more useful everyday language and content (three per cent).

Pupils’ perceptions of their progress and of what is difficult

The final questions in this section explored pupils’ perceptions of their own progress, attainment and difficulties. Sixty-one per cent of pupils thought they were doing well in language learning, while only five per cent thought they were not doing well. Twenty-four per cent were not sure – a surprising figure in the light of the amount of assessment that commonly takes place. In interviews it emerged that some of these pupils at least were not totally convinced by their test results and levels. They seemed to feel that despite their marks and grades, their progress was not what they wanted. On balance it seemed that girls were slightly more self-critical than boys in this area. Pupils were asked where they thought they did best, in terms of the four skills, grammar and vocabulary learning. Both girls and boys judged writing to be their weakest skill. Listening and grammar/vocabulary learning were judged generally the strongest areas. However, the difference between the strongest and the weakest of the five areas was fairly narrow. In the light of their earlier responses and later interview answers, it may be that there is more work to do on looking at the links between objectively measured performance in MFL and pupils’ perception of their own attainment, and at the basis on which they come to such perceptions. This is especially relevant in the light of their views of what they thought was most difficult about language learning. The aspects mentioned in this open-ended section were:

• speaking (19 per cent) • writing (15 per cent) • grammar/sentence work (15 per cent)



• ‘remembering it all’ – recalling all the detail and applying it as required (12 per cent)

• pronunciation (eight per cent) • listening (eight per cent) • understanding the work better (four per cent) • reading (three per cent) • understanding the teacher using the target language (two per cent).

There were only minor differences between genders in this area. The top choice – speaking – suffers, in pupils’ views, from a lack of support and time. Yet it is clearly a skill that they thought had to be mastered in order to develop their foreign language competence as a life skill and make the contact with people and culture so many of them wished to make. If this is a fair assessment and if it applies generally to many learners nationally, it may go some way to explaining low numbers at key stage 4. In contrast, the most common problems raised in The invisible child survey (such as pronunciation, accents, making sentences, high-frequency words) were, although occasionally mentioned, much less predominant and mentioned by far fewer pupils.

Section 3: Languages in year 10 and later

Information about language courses

This section asked pupils what they knew in general terms about the situation of MFL at key stage 4 in their school, whether they would be continuing with MFL and why or why not. When they completed the questionnaires, the process of subject choice for key stage 4 was more advanced in some schools than others. The researcher tried not to direct pupils’ thinking while finding out what would influence their decisions about MFL. As background, 61 per cent of pupils said they had received a little information about choosing subjects, 31 per cent said ‘a lot’ and eight per cent said ‘none’. For example, most pupils knew by November of year 9 that it would be an option to continue with MFL, but a significant minority did not. There was a range of perceptions on information about choosing subjects even within schools and subjects, suggesting that more clarity on this issue would be welcome. MFL teachers were held by most to be the best source of advice on continuing with languages, but 40 per cent listed family, 34 per cent other school information such as option booklets and 30 per cent other pupils (including those doing MFL at key stage 4, although 50 per cent did not know whether most key stage 4 pupils



did MFL). Little was expected of other staff in this area, but seven per cent of pupils had approached foreign friends or contacts and looked at the Internet. Pupils were clearly beginning to pick up information about key stage 4 but the process seemed in many cases to be rather random.

Pupils’ likely option choices

In terms of take-up at key stage 4, MFL would be compulsory for about 12 per cent of the pupils in the survey (higher achievers in one school). For the rest it would be an option, offered in a range of combinations. In the questionnaires, 43 per cent of the pupils (including those for whom it would be compulsory) said they thought they would continue with MFL if free to choose, 34 per cent would not and 23 per cent were not yet sure. Figures for boys were: 37 per cent yes; 41 per cent no; 22 per cent not sure yet. For girls: 48 per cent yes; 27 per cent no; 25 per cent not sure yet. These figures indicate only what pupils were thinking on the basis of what they knew at the time of the survey and assume there were no restrictions via option arrangements; they are not a prediction of actual percentages. The overall ‘yes’ figure of 43 per cent also conceals considerable variations between schools, with a high of 67 per cent and a low of 22 per cent. Schools were asked to identify a range of pupils for the survey and most did so, but in some cases most pupils were clearly within the upper half of the ability spectrum. The above take-up indicators should therefore not be taken as showing anything other than what applied to the range of pupils involved – in crude terms, average- and higher-achieving pupils. When asked whether they would like to start learning an additional or different language, 24 per cent said yes to starting an additional foreign language; 15 per cent said yes to changing to a different language; 60 per cent said no to both. The figures for boys were: 19 per cent for additional foreign language; 16 per cent for different; 65 per cent neither. For girls: 30 per cent additional; 14 per cent different; 56 per cent neither. This showed quite strong support for key stage 4 provision that offered more than simply continuing with the first foreign language and reflects the earlier response about learning two or three languages (where 39 per cent thought this useful). This also emerged in interviews, where in most of the schools pupils said they would like more choice of language at key stage 3 and 4, rather than just being offered (usually) French to learn.



Influences on decisions about whether to learn languages at key stage 4

A key issue for the survey was that of influences on take-up at key stage 4. This area had already been approached in Part 2 of the questionnaire, where pupils were asked for a personal response. The questions in Part 3 were designed to make pupils think more generally about this issue, regardless of whether they were planning to continue. Some key factors stood out, but with variations among schools. Pupils were given eight examples of factors that are commonly assumed to influence subject choice positively; they could name further factors if they wished. The rank order of these positive factors, with the percentage of pupils rating them, was as follows:

• useful for jobs (69 per cent) • might need to use the foreign language when older (62 per cent) • want to communicate with speakers (60 per cent) • enjoy learning languages (35 per cent) • might help with learning other languages later (32 per cent) • get on well with teachers (23 per cent) • like the kind of work we do (17 per cent) • if friends continue (10 per cent).

Boys and girls rated factors fairly similarly, though 42 per cent of girls rated ‘enjoy learning languages’ as opposed to 27 per cent of boys. Across the six schools, the rank order was very similar (+/- one place maximum) though the numbers of votes per factor varied. Even where enjoyment of learning was relatively low, the value of foreign languages as a life skill was rated quite highly, with the three top factors given scores usually of at least 50 per cent. There are clear messages here for the development of the key stage 4 curriculum and GCSE, as well as for the place of a genuinely vocational component or context for MFL. MFL will continue to suffer if it does not match the appeal of other subjects in these respects.

Reasons for not continuing with languages

Pupils were then asked to give reasons for not continuing with MFL. This allowed for open-ended responses in their own words, but these invariably corresponded to one of the following (shown with percentage of pupils mentioning):

• find it difficult or think it may become difficult or may get a poor grade (40 per cent) • find the work uninteresting/boring or think it may become so (21 per cent) • decide that they do not need it after all or not as much as another subject (13 per

cent)



• say it clashes with another more important or preferred subject or the options system does not enable/promote MFL (seven per cent)

• do not get on with teachers/do not wish to be taught by a specific teacher (three per cent)

• friends do not continue (one per cent). The overall numbers of responses to this question were significantly lower than for the previous one on positive factors. This could mean that only those pupils with strongly held views responded but the responses were consistent across all six schools, with the issue of difficulty clearly uppermost in pupils’ awareness or concerns. In Section 2 of the questionnaire, 61 per cent of pupils had said they thought they were doing well in MFL, and any precise correlation between those responses and the views on difficulty was not easily identifiable. But the general trend did seem to indicate that MFL is perceived as a subject harder than most, even for average/higher achievers. They fear perhaps that they will not be able to develop their skills to the level demanded by GCSE under the circumstances they have experienced to date. However, there were some encouraging messages here. The issue of teachers was a long way down the list of pupils’ concerns, and was mentioned by pupils in only three schools. This might suggest that pupils are now receiving a range of largely appropriate provision consistently across the curriculum, so that the issue of individual teachers arises only rarely. Similarly, pupils appeared to be unconcerned about whether their friends were continuing. On balance the great majority of pupils in this survey revealed a mature attitude to their education and were concerned to make the right decisions at this crucial time. They were weighing up the pros and cons of different subjects, with MFL clearly in the frame.



Appendix 3: Pupil interviews

Some messages from the interviews are mentioned in the previous section. It is worth re-emphasising these and other points that many interviewees wanted to make, in particular:

• MFL is a hard subject in terms of the essence of the subject and the amount they have to remember

• they enjoy lessons which are active, practical, enjoyable, with a fun factor, and wish MFL could offer more of this

• time is short – they feel they need more time in order to practise and re-apply their language knowledge and skills

• they want more individual attention and small group/pair work with support, because many feel exposed when speaking in front of the class

• they want contact with native speakers and to learn more about the country and people

• they want better resources that will promote active working, especially in schools that are full of ICT equipment they don’t use.

Individual comments were made with which other pupils agreed quite strongly:

• there was too much assessment/testing and preparation for it • there should be more choice of languages, not just at key stage 4 • some pupils were unclear about their ability group • a few aspects of routine practice still create problems, including target language

use without support strategies and poor-quality listening materials.



Appendix 4: Note on the process and findings

This survey took place when pupils were at a key point in their language learning decision-making process and it was important not to skew this. They were asked to say if they intended to continue with MFL or not, but more important was what would influence their decision-making. The final statistics are not a precise match with pupil numbers because some pupils omitted some questions (whether by accident, indecision or lack of time). As the interviews proceeded, the emphasis of the questioning changed somewhat since – although there were differences between schools – it was clear that some points of attitude could be established quite quickly, and the time spent rather on exploring reasons for them. However, individual pupils did respond differently and showed different degrees of articulacy, so the amount of time needed to explore a given issue varied. It could be argued that the interviews were therefore not entirely consistent, since not exactly the same questions were asked, but in the time available the main objectives were pursued and pupils were not asked leading questions.



Appendix 5: The questionnaire

QCA questionnaire: Year 9 pupils and modern foreign languages

Your teacher will have told you what this questionnaire is about and how to fill it in. Please

follow those instructions carefully.

First fill in the boxes below straight away:

Your name:

Boy or girl: Your school:

THIS IS NOT A TEST. There are no right or wrong answers. It does not matter whether you think

you are good at foreign languages or not, but how you answer the questions below is really

important. You will help your own school and others to improve the way languages are taught.

Now start your answers, writing them in the boxes next to the questions.

For some, you need to PUT A CIRCLE round the answer or answers you choose. For

others, you will need to TICK one or more boxes, or WRITE A FEW WORDS of your own.

Please make sure you answer every question if you can.

Where it says ‘foreign languages’, this means ANY foreign language you have been learning

or might learn in future.

There are 23 questions. Read them carefully. Work quickly, but make sure you have enough time

for Parts 2 and 3 – they are really important.

PART 1: ABOUT YOU

1 Did you join this school at the beginning of

year 7?

CIRCLE

YES NO

2 Which foreign language or languages have French German Spanish



you been learning at the school?

CIRCLE

Other (say which: )

3 Are you in a particular ‘set’ or ‘band’ for

foreign language learning?

CIRCLE

YES NO NOT SURE

If YES, say what kind of group – faster

learners, upper, average, lower etc:

( )

4 Did you start learning a foreign language at

your primary school?

CIRCLE

YES NO

5 Do you know or speak any other languages

(such as Urdu, Turkish, Bengali or Panjabi)?

CIRCLE

YES (say which: )

NO

6 Look at the list of eight subjects in the box,

and CIRCLE THE THREE you like most.

(We have left out English, Maths, Science and

IT on purpose.)

Art

Design/Technology

Foreign Languages

Geography

History

Music

PE (Physical Education)

RE (Religious Education)

PART 2: LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

7 How important do you think it is for people

living in England to learn a foreign language?

CIRCLE

Very important

Quite important

Not that important

Not at all important

8 Which do you think is useful?

TICK YOUR CHOICE (ONE ONLY)

To learn one foreign language really well

To learn a little of two or three foreign

languages

To become really good at knowing how to



learn a language

9 What do you most enjoy about your foreign

language work?

TICK all the ones that apply to you

Learning new words

Learning how to put sentences together

Working with partners in lessons

Everybody using the language in lessons as

much as possible

Knowing clearly what I am supposed to

learn and do

Teacher makes lessons lively, fun,

interesting

Speaking the foreign language

Reading the foreign language

Using IT/computers

Listening to tapes/CDs or watching videos

in the foreign language

Writing in the foreign language

Visits abroad

Others (give an example):

10 What do you least enjoy about your

foreign language lessons?

WRITE YOUR COMMENT – if you want,

choose from the list in the previous

question

11 How do you think your language learning

could be made better for you?

WRITE IN YOUR COMMENTS WHERE YOU

CAN

• By getting more help with:

• By spending more time on:

• By having the chance to:

• By learning more about:

12 Do you think you are doing well in foreign

language learning?

CIRCLE

YES NO NOT SURE

13 What do you think you do best in your Speaking the language



foreign language work?

TICK ANY WHICH APPLY

Understanding the language when you hear

it

Reading the language

Writing the language

Learning new words and grammar

Other (give an example):

14 What do you think is most difficult about

learning a foreign language?

WRITE YOUR COMMENT – if you want,

choose from the list in the previous

question

PART 3: LANGUAGES IN YEAR 10 AND LATER

15 How much information have you had

already about choosing subjects for year 10

and GCSE?

CIRCLE

NONE A LITTLE A LOT

16 Will you have to continue learning a foreign

language in year 10?

CIRCLE

YES NO DON’T KNOW YET

17 Can you choose to continue learning a

foreign language if you want to?

CIRCLE

YES NO DON’T KNOW YET

18 If you are free to choose whether to

continue with a foreign language, do you think

you will do so?

CIRCLE

YES NO NOT SURE YET

19 Why might you want to continue with a

foreign language?

TICK ANY WHICH APPLY

I just enjoy learning languages

I like the kind of work we do

Useful for jobs

I get on well with the teachers



I want to be able to communicate with people who speak it I might need to use a foreign language

when I’m older If my friends decide to continue If it helped me to learn another language

later Other reasons (give an example):

20 What are the main reasons you might

prefer NOT to continue with a foreign

language?

WRITE YOUR COMMENT – if you want, choose from the list in the previous question

21 Would you like to start a new foreign

language in year 10?

TICK A BOX

YES, instead of the one I’m doing now

YES, as well as the one I’m doing now

NO

22 Where do you think you will get the best

advice about continuing with foreign

languages?

TICK THE ONES MOST IMPORTANT FOR

YOU

Foreign Language teachers

Class/form teacher

Head of year 9

Talking with other pupils

Other things in school (e.g. year 10 options

booklet…)

Parent/s and family

Others – which ones?

23 Do most year 10 pupils learn a foreign

language in your school?

TICK A BOX

YES, I think so

NO, I don’t think so

NOT SURE

ALL FINISHED? THEN:

1. Check that you have answered all the questions, but don’t worry if you couldn’t answer one or two

2. Check that you have written your name, boy or girl, and school on the front page

3. Then fold up your questionnaire, put it in the envelope, and seal it

4. Give it to the teacher or other person in charge.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP

Documents

Pupils Views on Language Learning