1. UEA’s Language Teachers’ Network and MFL activities
Dr Kim Ridealgh
Lecturer in Socio-linguistics

2. UEA’s Language Teachers’ Network
Started in Sep 2014
At that time no LEA/CC support for MFL teachers
Now has 75 teachers from 45 schools as part of the network
Building a personal relationship with teachers
Online resources and s
Meets 3 times a year
Encourages regular direct contact with teachers and schools.
Funded by Widening Participation
4.45
Arrive
Arts 1 foyer
5.00
Tea and Coffee
Arts 01.02
5.30
Talk about changes/challenges
6.00
Speed date talk 1: Languages and careers: opening doors (CC)
Speed date talk 2: Experimenting with language meaning (AHG)
1)Arts 01.01
2)Arts 01.02
6.20
Speed date talk 3: Thinking beyond language... (CPG)
Speed date talk 4: Retaining Language students (KR)
3)Arts 01.01
4)Arts 01.02
6.40
Speed date talk 5: Promoting students’ interest in languages by exploring interlinguistic variation (GP)
Speed date talk 6: Popular music and politics in Venezuela in the Chávez period (HM)
5)Arts 01.01
6)Arts 01.02
7.00
BBQ
Square

3. Projects at UEA: using language to raise aspirations
Language assemblies
Language taster days on campus
Support language events in schools
Language ambassador scheme
Language oral support scheme for schools in low attaining wards
Language of Business
A-level oral revision day
Language retention summer school
Routes into Language projects
Discover Japan
La Taberna

4. Feedback on projects: weekly support at Paston College
Student feedback
Feedback on projects: weekly support at Paston College
19% were male, 81% female.
38% received help with German, 62% with French.
92% of students said they either “definitely” or “probably” planned to enter Higher Education after school
100% of students said that they found the extra speaking sessions helpful
65% of students said they plan to continue studying a language in the future
Did you find the extra speaking sessions helpful?
Definitely – you can’t get better than speaking to a native speaker
It was useful to see all the little mistakes I have been making in oral practise
It gave me a good idea of what exactly to expect from my oral exam this year, and I found it helpful to receive advice from people who had recently experienced the same thing
They were frequent, which made the speaking exam seem less new and scary
Very helpful – I’ve benefited from 1:1 oral practice as we do more group work in class
Extra conversation practice was a real confidence-booster

5. Teacher comments about the Network
Most beneficial part of the Network to you?
Meeting other teachers
Discussing ideas
Finding support for teaching ideas or resources
Sharing experiences and challenges
Making new links
What would you like the network to cover next?
How we can continue to encourage students to study MFL
Cover cultural aspects of new curriculum
Specific idea sharing

6. Thank you! Merci! ¡Gracias! ありがとう

7. ANY QUESTIONS?