Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

Many teachers remained very dependent on visiting teachers or the plans and resourcesdevised by the Pathfinder and relied on these conforming to the QCA Schemes of Work andthe Key Stage 2 Framework.It is crucial that primary schools and teachers receive support through schemes of work, KeyStage 2 Framework etc. in order for both primary and some secondary teachers working forthe first time in a primary setting to feel confident to deliver languages. One outreachteacher expressed the following wish:‘I still feel there needs to be more contact in terms of what we’re planning, what we’re using.’(outreach teacher)3.1.4.3. Integration of languages into the curriculumTable 1: Language and the Curriculum. Questionnaire 1 (Questionnaire 2 in brackets)Doing MFL meanssacrificing otherareas of thecurriculumLearning anotherlanguage is avaluable skill in itsown rightAgreestronglyAgreesomewhatNeitheragreenordisagreeDisagreesomewhatDisagreestronglyDon’t know10.1 (10.0) 36.2 (35.6) 9.5 (9.0) 20.1 (20.2) 22.1 (21.6) 2.0 (3.6)82.0 (80.5) 17.0 (17.6) 1.0 (1.2) 0.0 (0.3) 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.4)It is evident from the questionnaires that teachers valued the learning of a language highly,yet were also of the view that curriculum sacrifice is inevitable in order to accommodate this.Some schools had adjusted the timetable to fit languages in. However, there werefrequently practical difficulties to overcome, as encountered in one Pathfinder, where it wasdiscovered that not all designated outreach teachers could drive, resulting in logisticalproblems in organising taxis and inevitable cost increases, as well as the fact that most ofthe primary schools’ morning timetables were fully ‘booked’ so that language lessons tendedto be scheduled for the afternoons. It was not possible always to timetable outreach34