The British government recently undertook measures to ensure that languages other than European ones can be taught in secondary schools there. Now, 11-14 year-olds can take classes Chinese, Arabic, Urdu, etc. Since that policy change, there has been much talk about this in the UK press about the future of language learning in the UK.
I think this move makes a lot of sense on one level. Clearly, the demands of a globalized world will make this necessary. However, as Carl Mortished pointed out in the Times yesterday, there has been a ” wholesale collapse of language skills among school-leavers” in recent years. So, if after all this time, the system cannot manage to churn out passable French and German speakers, it will probably struggle with these new, and more difficult languages.
This is a big question. The teaching methods in use in schools probably leave a lot to be desired. (I can’t claim an intimate knowledge as I haven’t been in contact with the UK system for some years, but if it is more or less as it was 10-15 years ago, then it’s not cutting the mustard.)
Obviously I believe we have a workable method of instruction with ChinesePod. However, much of that understanding has come from revising what we thought we knew about language learning over here. We’ve been forced to move away from a number of conventions, and take new ideas on board. It happens fast. Using the net as an instructional medium allows for huge empirical samples of how people learn Chinese and the feedback is undeniable. Some of that has surprised us, and more of it made us think in ways we hadn’t previously thought relevant.
Right now, for example, I guess we’re beyond issues about the structure of the target languages, or the cognition/acquisition, for example. These are the basis of an understanding but they are not enough. I beleive we now have to understand many new areas - the social triggers that enable learning , for example, as well as notions of Informal Learning, Communities of Practice, etc. The fact is that the old classroom-based theories do not encapsulate the developments we’re seeing. If the medium is the message, then we need to be sure we’re sending the right message. There’s a lot of learning to be done, and not just by the language learners!
One quote from Eric Hoffer (via Will Riahardson) says it well:
“In times of change learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.“
I wonder if the UK educational system is geared up for this level of change. In fact, I wonder if anyone is geared up for this level of change!
Ken Carroll
I agree with you, Ken - and would add that I believe the West waits too long before beginning formal language instruction in its schools. Young children are phenomenally well-equipped to learn languages - remember, we all learned our “native” languages when just toddlers!
Science has shown that by around age 13, the human brain stops aquiring language like a sponge. In fact if you wait until after this age to begin a language, it will be extremely difficult to learn it without an accent. However, if you learn before this age (or thereabouts), you are much more likely to become a fluent, “native” speaker. (See Stephen Pinker’s book, “The Language Instinct” for the science).
Let’s start instruction at the age of 5 or 6 in primary school - that would basically solve our language acquisition issues. The institutional problem with this solution - at least here in the States - is that I think that precious few primary school teachers can speak a second language themselves…
Chip Brewer
Hey Chip,
UK language education starts way to late. In Europe they do it much earlier. The Europeans also have proximity to several languages and much more compelling reasons to learn them.
Language education in the Anglo world is sorely lacking, the result of having English as a lingu franca. Not only do they need to reform their methods, but they need to do so in a way that makes sense in the globalized, web 2.0 era - no small task. I’m none too hopeful. (Could their be a future for Praxis Language???)
Ken Carroll
As someone who had experienced the language learning system in Ireland I think the problem is that everything is geared towards examinations rather than being able to use the language in a realistic context. The amount of molding of the language syllabus to the exam format varies from teacher to teacher but at the end of the day that is what they are all aiming for. This constricts the way in which language is taught since teachers need to produce results.
In saying that however some teachers manage to give their students a really good command of the language within this exam environment. In secondary school I had to study Latin, French, German and or course Irish. Of all of these languages French was taught the best and I was still able to use it when I went to France many years later. The worst taught of these languages was Irish and I think that is the standard across the board. Irish is taught at a very young age in schools, almost from the first day in fact and yet the level of Irish is very poor all round. The point is that if the system of teaching languages is not changed at all levels then it does not matter what age it is taught at, the results will be the same.
However I do believe if languages are introduced to children at a very young age in a suitable way then the situation will be much improved. I welcome the idea of teaching non-european languages in schools since people have depended too much on English being the lingua franca. I have had to attend conferences all over the world and I always try to learn a little of the local language before I go since it breaks down barriers so easily. I simple ‘thank you’ in the local tongue can have a surprising effect on the way people relate to you. Other people just assume everyone speaks English even outside the conference environment! I have seen terrible examples of this.
I was in China last summer for a conference and I went into register. There were over 2000 attendees there. I approached the registration desk manned by two Chinese students. I filled out the forms and they gave me the conference pack and I replied with a ‘xiexie’ and a ‘zaijian’. They were astounded by this and talked to each other about it. 2000 people registered and that was the first time they had heard that all day…very sad.
Zhende,
I’ve seen your blog. I think you’re making a great commitment to learning Chinese - I admire it!
In for a penny in for a pound Ken! I am motivated to learn, have a goal for my learning, constant exposure to the language and access to great resources. After struggling with other Chinese language resources in the past, Chinesepod has really accelerated the process and made learning much more enjoyable! So with people like yourself committed to providing a great language learning environment and students committed to learning, we can only succeed!
P.S. Spelled my name wrong the last time! Forgot the ‘g’.