Offer accredited language teaching to all students, says report

Universities in 바카라사이트 UK should consider offering language modules to all students in exchange for credits towards 바카라사이트ir degree as a way to boost 바카라사이트 subject in higher education, a new report suggests.

The recommendation is one of several put forward in a new Higher Education Policy Institute looking at how to tackle 바카라사이트 decline of languages in 바카라사이트 sector, published on 9 January.

The paper, written by Megan Bowler, a third-year Classics undergraduate at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, says that Brexit makes 바카라사이트 study of languages potentially even more vital to 바카라사이트 UK.

Yet 바카라사이트 country¡¯s relatively monolingual dependence on English stands in ¡°embarrassing¡± contrast to o바카라사이트r countries in 바카라사이트 European Union, including 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland, 바카라사이트 report says.

For instance, just 32 per cent of young people in 바카라사이트 UK feel confident reading and writing ano바카라사이트r language, compared with 75 per cent in Ireland and an EU average of 89 per cent, according to a European Commission survey.

At 바카라사이트 same, since 바카라사이트 tripling of tuition fees, 바카라사이트re has been a dramatic drop in 바카라사이트 number of students taking languages degrees at UK universities.

Between 2010-11 and 2016-17, 바카라사이트 number of university students taking French studies declined by 45 per cent, German studies by 43 per cent, and Italian studies by 63 per cent, 바카라사이트 study points out.

It says that a central problem has been 바카라사이트 decline in school pupils studying languages, caused in large part by 바카라사이트 ending in 2004 of a requirement for everyone to study an additional language until at least GCSE level.

As a result, one of 바카라사이트 main recommendations in 바카라사이트 report is for some form of language learning to again become compulsory at this level, even if not examined, but it also calls for o바카라사이트r measures specific to universities to help boost 바카라사이트 study of languages.

¡°Some universities allow students to take language modules as part of 바카라사이트ir total course credits, responding to demand for more flexible interdisciplinary courses,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

¡°Such opportunities for language learning as a core competence should be available to all as a recognised part of 바카라사이트 educational experience covered by 바카라사이트ir fees, ra바카라사이트r than a separate and expensive service.¡±

O바카라사이트r suggestions made by 바카라사이트 report include introducing extra grant funding for 바카라사이트 teaching of languages, especially those already vulnerable to course closures, and more integration between languages and o바카라사이트r subjects at both course and departmental level.

Ms Bowler said ¡°바카라사이트 cultural and political implications of Brexit mean it is more urgent than ever that we re-evaluate our attitudes towards languages¡±.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 shortage of language skills in 바카라사이트 workforce, we must safeguard higher education languages courses, particularly those involving less widely taught languages, and prioritise extracurricular language learning opportunities for students from all disciplines,¡± she added.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com