Lessons in Languages

This week, a report from Lord Dearing about plans to change oral language assesments in schools has been in the news.

One of the main reasons is that the exam is 'too stressful'. I agree, it is stressful, but most exams are! They're meant to be challenging!

I learnt a language right through to degree level and I had to take part in many speaking exams, some with my tutors and some with external examiners. They were stressful but they were useful. Once you've been in a pressured exam, it's much easier to use the language in an every day, more relaxed situation.

I do however think that there should be more classroom based speaking assessments throughout the year, if only so that the final one with an external examiner isn't such a shock. I also like the idea that pupils will be asked to make presentations and take part in spontaneous dicusssions - but shouldn't they be doing that anyway??

Better still, pupils should be learning languages from an earlier age and have more classes each week so it becomes the norm for them to be speaking it. In many other countries they learn English from primary age and have at least four hours of lessons each week - is it our arrogant opinion that everyone in the world should speak English that stops us from employing this sort of strict language learning?

Helen