Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

• useful for travelling abroad - otherwise ‘If you want a pork chop you might end upgetting egg and chips.’Many pupils expressed a desire to travel abroad; and several had already visited a targetlanguage country either privately or through school. Some who had visited Germanspeaking countries liked the reaction from native speakers:‘People smile at you and respect you for trying to speak their language.’ (pupil)One boy wanted to emulate an older brother:‘I enjoy French because I like my brother, and my brother’s really good at doing French andI’d like to be like my brother when I’m older.’ (pupil)’However, there were aspects of learning languages some pupils viewed more negatively:! speed of tapes played! confusing visuals: ‘Some of the pictures look the same too’! learning pronunciation! just repeating! memorising lots of words! spelling in the target language (e.g. silent letters)! confusion if learning two or more languages! occasional embarrassment when they forget something orally! ‘having to wait for other people to answer the question, who don’t know the answerwhen you do.’’! Not understanding what is being said/going on. ‘When I’m in a mood, I don’t likecoming, because I get confused [about] what she says and I don’t remember.’ (pupil)There was some indication that the target language of the classroom was not being explicitlytaught:‘Last lesson she asked us to put our hands up if we were eight or nine… we don’t normallyknow things like “put your hands up” so we have got like to guess ….’ (pupil)46