Teach Secondary -Issue 15.1

76% of secondary school pupils are worried about their chances of being able to attend university, secure an apprenticeship or find a job when they leave school. Source: Nationally representative poll conducted by J.L. Partners on behalf of Teach First “One day I will speak fluent German!” That was the promise I made tomyself after another inspiring lesson atmy comprehensive school in the Midlands.Well, I achieved that goal, andmy life since then has been enriched by the opportunities and experiences that learning languages has givenme. AsMFL teachers, wewant our students to feel that same spark for learning a language.Wewant them to aspire to communicate confidently and accurately, whilst connectingwith the culture behind the language. Yet at GCSE, that enthusiasmcan start to dip as lessons become dominated by heavy curriculumcontent, assessments and exampressures. So howdowe keep students’motivation high when the going gets tough? 1. STARTWITH SPEAKING Getting students talking ismy number one priority, so I aimto include speaking in every lesson fromthe start ofKS3. As students get older, their inhibitions grow, so building confidence early on is essential. One ofmy favourite speaking activities is ‘Quatschen’ –German for ‘chatting rubbish’. I play an upbeat German pop song, give students prompts and colloquialisms (a list we co-create in class based on student interest) and let themwander around the classroomchatting to each other for the duration of the track. The only rule – speakGerman! The music andmovement creates a fun, less daunting atmosphere inwhich students can build their verbal confidence. 2.MAKE EXAMPREPMORE ENGAGING Examtechniquematters, but it needn’t be dry.When introducing the ‘photocard task’, I’ll teach the key structures first, then show the students some silly pictures to encourage themto play around with the language. I also like using onlinemaps to drop into random locations inGerman-speaking countries and describewhat we see – it’s exciting, builds confidence andmakes speaking feel more natural. 3. BRINGCULTURETO LIFE Culturemakes language meaningful.Whether describing a photocard of ‘das Oktoberfest’, or listening to the latestmusic by singer Lena to practise complex opinions, real life content can spark students’ curiosity. 4. PRACTICE GROAN-FREE GRAMMAR Self-determination theory (see tinyurl.com/ts151-LL1 ) posits that giving students autonomy boosts theirmotivation to learn. I personally like to use flipped learning, by giving students a task to complete ahead ofmy lessons. I would typically ask themto research a grammar concept on BBCBitesize, then bring their notes and questions into class and assume an active role in their learning. The resources in question contain quizzes, so that students can practisewhat they’ve learnt. Using digital platforms in this way can free up often scarce lesson time and provide opportunities for independent practice at home. Striking the right balance between effective exampreparation and authentic language use isn’t easy, but it is possible. By building confidence in speaking, embedding culture and using digital tools to save time and empower learners, we can keep thatmotivationflame alive – even at GCSE. HOWTO... CLAIRE WILSON IS AN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR BBC BITESIZE; A SERIES OF NEWGERMAN MFL RESOURCESWILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE SITE IN TIME FOR THE SPRING TERM, FURTHER DETAILS OFWHICH CAN BE FOUND VIA TINYURL.COM/TS151-LL2 Qualifications in subjects such as computing, IT and D&T can domore to boost outcomes for lower attaining students at an earlier stage compared to other subjects. That’s the conclusion of a newNFER report – ‘The Tech Pipeline – Investigating educational pathways into the tech sector in England’ –which examines current educational pathways in relation to wider labour trends across the tech sector. Its findings include the detail that those opting for Level 3 vocational qualifications or tech- related degrees tend to have lower GCSE results compared to their peers, but will often be earning more than those peers – on average, by as much as £2,000 – by the age of 28. Apprentices in tech subjects were similarly found to have had lower GCSE results than fellow apprentices pursuing other fields, only to out-earn them soon after. As James Turner, Chief Executive of the Hg Foundation (which funded the research) observes, “ Tech and STEMqualifications, combined with AI and data literacy, strong essential skills and real-world work experience, offer a strong platform for social mobility in an uncertain and rapidly changing tech labour market. ” A key takeaway from the report, however, is that entry-level hires are down overall, with employers prioritising those candidates able to demonstrate practical digital skills, problem-solving abilities and adaptability. Other less positive developments highlighted by the report include the finding that students from lower income backgrounds are less likely to study tech subjects below degree level to start with, or indeed work in the tech sector – something that the report’s authors put down to differences in prior GCSE attainment. More troubling was evidence cited by the report that tech workers from ethnic minorities earn less at the age of 28 than their white counterparts. Read the full report via tinyurl.com/ts151-LL3 MOTIVATE YOUR MFL LEARNERS 73 teachwire.net/secondary L E A R N I N G L A B