Why the drop in university applications for languages is worrying
Ucas figures showing falling applications for modern language degrees pose a real problem for Britain, says Nigel VincentMichael Booth took a few well-aimed shots at the myth of the Nordic Utopia this...
View ArticleA book about Berlin techno reminded me why I'm learning German
After a break for the winter holidays, a book about Berlin's cultural evolution rekindled a motivation to learn GermanI was given a book about Berlin for my birthday. It's about Berlin's dance music...
View ArticleTwo weeks in Bologna: language lessons for an MFL teacher
At first, the heat of the Italian summer added to a mental haze about learning the language for teacher Charlotte Bailey,but soon her confidence was growing with every gesticulation"OK, let's start...
View ArticleLanguages roundup: tweet translation, princes' appeal and Gisele Bündchen
This week in languages news, the royals make a wildlife appeal in six languages, Gisele Bündchen celebrates the languages of love and translate your Olympic tweets"I didn't begin to think about the...
View ArticleLanguages roundup: online challenge, dialect differences and mother tongues
Follow the Guardian's online challenge, distinguish between a dialect and a language, and celebrate mother language dayFriday February 21 is international mother language day, raising awareness of the...
View ArticleLiving abroad as a teenager made me want to teach languages
Modern foreign languages teacher, Rebecca Nuzzo, talks about her career and how school trips are essential to boost students' confidence and inspire them to learnI just got back from a trip to Paris...
View ArticleModern languages and linguistics postgraduate and master's courses in 2014
Includes French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portugese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, south Asian, African, Australasian, modern Middle Eastern languages, literature and linguistics. More.Continue reading...
View ArticleIf making embarrassing mistakes help you learn a language, I'm doing great
After a fortnight's sulk, our writer is spurred into action when he watches an American actor being interviewed in FrenchMore about the Guardian's online language learning challengeWhy Matt is learning...
View ArticleIs technology a silver bullet for language teaching and learning?
Sponsored feature: Technology such as Twitter and videos does support language learning, but teachers will only see the benefits if it goes hand-in-hand with a change of pedagogy"There is no longer a...
View ArticleHow important is differentiation in language teaching?
Sponsored feature: While differentiation isn't essential for primary students, teachers need a more holistic approach for secondary pupils, who learn as much about culture as languageI never did find...
View ArticleHow to teach the new languages curriculum: advice and best practice
Sponsored live chat: Join our online discussion on Wednesday 21 May from 5:30pm to 7:30pm to share ideas on how to implement the new languages curriculum or comment nowFrom September this year, all...
View ArticleThree ways to use iPads in the languages classroom
Sponsored feature: 'It is the ability to marry teacher and tech that makes the iPad so formidable.' Will Strange explains his innovative approach to teaching modern foreign languagesThe thought of...
View ArticleHow are primary schools preparing to teach languages?
Sponsored feature: From linking up with local secondaries to international collaborations, primary schools are busy getting the right resources in placeSince retiring as the director of a language...
View ArticleHow to teach ... Spanish
Spanish has been identified as one of the most vital foreign languages to the UK over the next 20 years. Take a look at our lesson resources and ideas to prepare your students Three quarters of the UK...
View ArticleFighting talk: how Tommies found a common language in the trenches
First world war soldiers would fight side by side but often not share a language so they invented their ownIn 1917, as America was drawn into the first world war, several glossaries of trench language...
View ArticleLanguages in Wales deserve a fighting chance
Reflecting on his redundancy, former director for the national languages centre shares his hope for the future of language education in WalesSometimes even linguists have to rely on clichés. As the...
View ArticleBreathing life into modern foreign language A-levels
Proposals for changes to the A-level curriculum focus on reinvigorating passion for languagesAs part of its revamp of the A-level curriculum, the government has launched a consultation on the way...
View ArticleAre drugs the answer to language learning? video highlights
Could smart drugs be the future for language learning? What are the moral and ethical implications of medically enhanced education? Would you take a pill if it would help your ability to learn? These...
View ArticleMy languages guilt: am I making the most of my degree?
The government complains about a modern languages skills gap, but graduates often find they have to retrain to get a jobWhen I chose to study French and Spanish at university, I thought I was taking...
View ArticleHow I quadrupled the number of pupils taking German in my school
Award-winning modern languages teacher Sara Davidson explains why the most important language in Europe still has a cloud hanging over itSara Davidson is a German teacher and head of modern languages...
View Article