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National foreign language policies for primary schools: Global perspectives
Edited by Janet Enever
[Language Teaching for Young Learners 2:2] 2020
► pp. 213–239
Research articles

Supporting foreign languages in an Anglophone world

Implementation challenges in English primary schools

| University of Southampton
| University of Essex
| University of Essex
| Born Global & Speak to the Future

Foreign language (FL) learning in English primary schools, statutory provision for most schools since 2014, has been characterised by distinct challenges. The first issue, peculiar to Anglophone settings, concerns how language learning is valued when ubiquitous English learning rationales of economic and social capital are unhelpful. Other challenges, shared globally, relate to provision and practice such as: the importance of progression, motivation, age-appropriate pedagogy and contextual factors. Successful policy implementation in England remains elusive and continues to be characterised by a lack of cohesion, coordination and forward planning. Provision and practice are problematic and linked to deficits in curriculum time, teacher linguistic expertise, planning and progression. This article will explore how both language and broader education policy in England have created conflicting forces for the sustainability of the foreign languages initiative in primary schools. It will examine how networks of researchers, teachers, educationalists and policy makers are supporting implementation through national and local education stakeholder engagement. Through collaboration and co-construction, research-informed practical suggestions are promoted, coupled with the development of solution-focused research agendas.

Keywords: young FL policy, education policy implementation, FL learning
Article outline
  • 1.Young FL learning in England
  • 2.Policy design: Pedagogic aims and routes to progression
    • 2.1Language status
    • 2.2Progression and outcomes
    • 2.3Pedagogic quality
    • 2.4Learner self-efficacy/motivation and progression
    • 2.5Historic FL policy logic in England
  • 3.Stakeholder engagement: Rationales and accountability measures
    • 3.1Rationales: Clear articulation of the value of FL education
    • 3.2Rationales: Stakeholder beliefs and personal values/experiences
    • 3.3Rationales: Stakeholder beliefs and capacity
    • 3.4Rationales: Historic primary FL policy
    • 3.5Accountability and inequity of provision
    • 3.6Resourcing and inequity of provision
  • 4.National contextual considerations: Structural reform and austerity
    • 4.1Structural reform in English education
    • 4.2Austerity and the loss of support mechanisms for FL education
  • 5.A sustainable primary FL implementation strategy
    • 5.1Policy design: Outcomes and progression
      • 5.1.1Stakeholder engagement: Rationales for language learning
      • 5.1.2Improved rationales: Metalinguistic awareness and links to L1 literacy
      • 5.1.3Improved rationales: Global citizenship including intercultural awareness
    • 5.2Stakeholder engagement: Provision and accountability
    • 5.3Ways forward in addressing continuing systemic weakness
  • 6.Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 8 July 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltyl.19013.por
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