Languages revival no quick fix 24.08.07
This year's GCSE figures, released today, do little to comfort those of us seeking to promote young people's competence in languages.
With 30,000 fewer entries in French and German this year it is clear we need to do more to improve our young people's ability to communicate with the rest of the world.
The popularity of GCSE foreign languages has plummeted since the Government scrapped the subjects' compulsory status for pupils aged 14 to 16 in 2004.
In German, the number of candidates fell by a further 9,250 to just 81,061. This decline of 10.2 per cent was the largest percentage drop of any subject this year.
French plummeted by 19,471 or 8.2 per cent down from 236,180 in 2006 to 216,718. Spanish enjoyed a modest revival, with entries rising by 1,835 or 3 per cent.
New initiatives, put in place following Lord Dearing's review earlier this year, are not quick fixes. What is needed is a more diversified language offer within the new 14-19 curriculum, which stimulates students' interest and is relevant to the individual and employers' needs but this will take time to achieve.
Read the press release from CILT, the National Centre for Languages (pdf 160 KB).
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