Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

More documents

Recommendations

Info

3.1.4.7. ICTOne SLC made extensive use of ICT in languages. All its schools had interactivewhiteboards and the focus was on the development of whole class interactive work and allpupils in the linked primary schools had been supplied with home computers. More widely,many schools were feeling the benefits of increased use of interactive whiteboards inlanguages and the introduction of ICT appeared to have been very effective in manyPathfinders. As the Pathfinders progressed, ICT was used much more, and moreeffectively, from a less than secure base in year 1. Many more schools in year 2 were usinginteractive whiteboards in languages lessons and a few had plans to incorporate further ICTbasedactivities for languages, such as video-conferencing. Sometimes ICT was perceivedas having helped in the dissemination of existing resources and management and provisionof new ones. Some headteachers talked of the ‘natural links with ICT enabling crosscurricularwork’.ICT could be a source of invaluable support to primary teachers, although this on occasionwas perhaps too much of a prop:‘They love playing on the computer and that does the work for you really.’ (languagesteacher)Occasionally there were instances of practical difficulties: in one pyramid, a secondaryoutreach teacher had produced materials and activities for the interactive whiteboard, but itthen transpired that in at least one adjacent feeder primary, the boards were of a differenttype and not compatible, so that resources had to be re-created – a time consuming task.3.1.4.8. Broader positive/ negative effects – learning, parents, workforce, wider schoolcommunityThe questionnaire results, almost identical in both questionnaires, indicate very clearagreement by teachers that languages have a beneficial effect (Table 5). In many of theinterviews, especially from year 1 of the Pathfinder, there was a strong feeling of excitementabout languages. For example, a teacher described the feeling as a ‘buzz in the authority’with the initiative and the production of interesting, effective resources and the reaction frompupils. One headteacher commented on the way languages learning had a raising of selfesteemeffect on other subjects as well, creating a ‘can do’ culture. Most headteachersinterviewed felt there were broader positive effects of the Pathfinder.41
Table 5: Languages and Learning - Questionnaire 1 (Questionnaire 2 in brackets)Learning a foreignlanguage hasbenefits for pupils’learning moregenerallyAgreestronglyAgreesomewhatNeitheragree nordisagreeDisagreesomewhatDisagreestronglyDon’t know27.1 (28.0) 52.3 (52.4) 12.1 (11.6) 2.5 (2.0) 0.5 (0.4) 5.5 (5.6)‘The more children understand about language, the more it will help.’ (headteacher)As another teacher said‘French is not just a language issue. It includes life skills.’ (languages teacher)Where parental opinion had been sought, or given voluntarily, this was generally verypositive. On the whole, however, little feedback had been generated. Where anecdotalevidence was cited, for example through pupils feeding back their parents’ views, this waspositive. Some schools had involved the parents more actively, for example, inviting them toa languages assembly or to a French café simulation, or by holding workshops bringingtogether both parents and children, involving twilight sessions for families, which covered notonly language but how parents can help their children. Events such as these proved verypopular and were seen as successful. Parents were frequently viewed as regardinglanguages positively, because they knew their children were enjoying the experience. SomePathfinders had involved the wider community for example, a local football club providing alearning support group offering two hours of Spanish per week. In one Pathfinder, a schoolhad included questions on languages for the first time in its annual parental satisfactionquestionnaire and responses were unanimously positive. In another Pathfinder, it wasreported that:‘Key Stage 2 parents were saying how enthusiastic they were, because they realised thechildren would have a modern foreign language in secondary.’ (languages teacher)42
Page 1 and 2: RESEARCHEvaluation of the Key Stage
Page 3 and 4: Contents1. Executive summary 32. In
Page 5 and 6: practice and factors that might imp
Page 7 and 8: of the experience. Individual feedb
Page 9 and 10: • The analysis revealed the need
Page 11 and 12: • Are pupils with SEN and gifted
Page 13 and 14: Both respondent characteristics and
Page 15 and 16: Interviews were recorded and a 25%
Page 17 and 18: 2.2. Advantages and disadvantages o
Page 19 and 20: 2.2.2. Languages Delivery by the Pr
Page 21 and 22: 2.2.4. Languages Delivery through a
Page 23 and 24: Analysing these models, conditions
Page 25 and 26: • Schools should be encouraged to
Page 27 and 28: however, instances of schools where
Page 29 and 30: 3.1.3.4. Time allocated to language
Page 31 and 32: ‘French would not be taught now a
Page 33 and 34: • beneficial for the subject’s
Page 35 and 36: Many teachers remained very depende
Page 37 and 38: Table 2: Integration and Communicat
Page 39 and 40: ‘We’ve written a letter and dra
Page 41: ‘it makes you realise that if acc
Page 45 and 46: 3.1.5. Pupils - Learning and Attitu
Page 47 and 48: • useful for travelling abroad -
Page 49 and 50: • ‘Comments at the end to help
Page 51 and 52: ‘At times they find it difficult
Page 53 and 54: teacher who knew our level.’ In t
Page 55 and 56: In most Pathfinders, however, there
Page 57 and 58: 3.2.2. Recommendations• Primary t
Page 59 and 60: Effective staffing is essential to
Page 61 and 62: Martin and Mitchell 1993). In anoth
Page 63 and 64: Nineteen respondents had specialise
Page 65 and 66: As revealed in questionnaire 1, in
Page 67 and 68: However, some teachers were pleasan
Page 69 and 70: However, there were frequent instan
Page 71 and 72: • team-teaching on the ground•
Page 73 and 74: involved external bodies in the del
Page 75 and 76: Generally, there was a sense that s
Page 77 and 78: • Methods of recording progressio
Page 79 and 80: However, there were challenges in a
Page 81 and 82: In one Pathfinder one school cluste
Page 83 and 84: One example of assessment included
Page 85 and 86: trying to evaluate, prior to each u
Page 87 and 88: Case study: exemplar of a well deve
Page 89 and 90: In some Pathfinder schools effectiv
Page 91 and 92: ‘Only a very small number (6/7) g
Page 93 and 94:
• transfer of more sensitive info
Page 95 and 96:
‘…I know the Year 7 teachers we
Page 97 and 98:
3.4.5. Links to KS3 Framework/Natio
Page 99 and 100:
situation was especially difficult
Page 101 and 102:
3.5. Sustainability and Replicabili
Page 103 and 104:
develop ‘effective and replicable
Page 105 and 106:
3.5.4. Leadership and managementThe
Page 107 and 108:
on one aspect of delivery. This was
Page 109 and 110:
3.5.5. Staff and staff expertiseIn
Page 111 and 112:
‘Usually it is impromptu: 10 or 1
Page 113 and 114:
‘The reason why I have decided to
Page 115 and 116:
c) there is obvious progression fro
Page 117 and 118:
to be constrained. Methodologies ge
Page 119 and 120:
Time spent on the project was gathe
Page 121 and 122:
Estimating development costs of res
Page 123 and 124:
There were significant differences
Page 125 and 126:
on staff costs, with the impact on
Page 127 and 128:
5. CONCLUSIONSOverall, this evaluat
Page 129 and 130:
5.2. Teacher Competence• Primary
Page 131 and 132:
o for training secondary teachers i
Page 133 and 134:
ReferencesBell, E with Cox, K. (199
Page 135 and 136:
Case Study 2Case study 2 is a compa
Page 137 and 138:
channelled through this school. At
Page 139 and 140:
Case Study 5This LA is a large auth
Page 141 and 142:
Case Study 7Case study 7 is a joint
Page 143:
Copies of this publication can be o
show all

Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?