Research Report DCSF-RR198 Languages Learning at Key Stage 2 A Longitudinal Study Final Report Carrie Cable1, Patricia Driscoll3, Rosamond Mitchell2, Sue Sing1, Teresa Cremin1, Justine Earl3, Ian Eyres1, Bernardette Holmes2, Cynthia Martin3 with Barbara Heins1 1 The Open University 2 University of Southampton 3 Canterbury Christ Church University Research Report No DCSF-RR198 Languages Learning at Key Stage 2 A Longitudinal Study Final Report Carrie Cable1, Patricia Driscoll3, Rosamond Mitchell2, Sue Sing1, Teresa Cremin1, Justine Earl3, Ian Eyres1, Bernardette Holmes2, Cynthia Martin3 with Barbara Heins1 The Open University1, University of Southampton 2 and Canterbury Christ Church University3 The views expressed in this report are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. © The Open University ISBN 978 1 84775 639 8 January 2010 Acknowledgements We would like to express our gratitude to all participating staff and children in the schools involved for their willingness to talk to us and engage in all aspects of this complex research study. We were constantly impressed and refreshed by their enthusiasm and commitment to languages; without them this research would not have been possible. This study would also not have been possible without the involvement of a large number of researchers and we are grateful to them for their participation and insights. Lijing Shi1 was involved as a research assistant analysing data for the three years of the project. Helen Jones1, Andrea Coulson3 and Catherine Knowles3 were research fellows in the first year of the project. Other researchers include Carolyn Batstone1, Pat Bricheno1, Louise Courtney2, Michéle Deane1, Lynne Graham-Mathieson3, Klaus-Dieter Rossade1, Kimberly Safford1 and Müge Satar1. Those who gave special assistance with the assessment of children’s attainment in languages, alongside many members of the core research team, include: Helen Abji, Louisa Blakey, Claire Davis, Simon Iglesias, Sally Lyte and Sonia Moran Panero. Special thanks are due to Kathy Hall, originally of the Open University and now of the University of Cork, who was the first director of the project until March 2007. A number of secretaries have supported the work of this project over the three years. Special thanks are due to Patricia Portsmouth and Claire Brisland at the Open University and Jill Mason at Canterbury Christ Church University. We have received valuable feedback on data instruments and draft reports from members of the DCSF steering group, in particular: Alan Dobson, Pam Haezewindt, Lid King, Chris Maynard, Jo Peach and Mike Rauh. We are grateful to our project managers, Jenny Buckland and John Hopper, for their support, understanding and flexibility throughout the lifespan of this project. i Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ii List of Tables ...................................................................................................................v List of Figures.................................................................................................................vi Executive Summary ........................................................................................................1 Key findings...................................................................................................................1 Background to the study................................................................................................2 Methodology..................................................................................................................3 Findings.........................................................................................................................4 1 Overview of the study .............................................................................................9 1.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................9 1.2 The policy and research context .........................................................................9 1.3 Aims and objectives of the research study .......................................................13 2 Methodology ..........................................................................................................15 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................15 2.2 Criteria for selection of the case study schools.................................................15 2.3 Methods for data collection and data analysis ..................................................15 2.4 Profile of the schools.........................................................................................17 3 Literature review....................................................................................................21 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................21 3.2 Rationale and aims for languages learning in the primary phase .....................21 3.3 The organisation of languages provision at primary school..............................25 3.4 Learning and teaching ......................................................................................28 3.5 Assessment and recording ...............................................................................33 3.6 Influences on provision .....................................................................................36 3.7 Impact on children’s learning ............................................................................40 3.8 Summary...........................................................................................................46 4 Teachers’ perspectives on languages: benefits, impact and recent developments in the schools ....................................................................................................................47 4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................47 4.2 Underlying rationale for languages ...................................................................47 4.3 Perceptions of cross-curricular impact on children’s wider learning .................47 4.4 Teachers’ developing confidence .....................................................................56 4.5 The impact of the Key Stage 2 Framework for Languages...............................58 4.6 Summary...........................................................................................................60 5 Children’s perspectives on languages learning.................................................61 5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................61 5.2 Children’s enjoyment ........................................................................................61 5.3 How learning languages is different from other subjects ..................................66 5.4 Children’s sense of progress and achievement ................................................66 5.5 Children’s perceptions of the wider value of learning languages......................67 5.6 Summary...........................................................................................................68 ii 6 Practice and provision in learning and teaching languages in the schools....70 6.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................70 6.2 Organisation of learning and teaching ..............................................................70 6.3 Use of external guidance and resources ..........................................................74 6.4 Subject leadership and management ...............................................................77 6.5 External sources of support, guidance and training..........................................78 6.6 Finances ...........................................................................................................80 6.7 Summary...........................................................................................................80 7 Pedagogy ...............................................................................................................81 7.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................81 7.2 Teaching approaches .......................................................................................81 7.3 Teaching of the strands from the Key Stage 2 Framework for Languages.......86 7.4 Progression in learning .....................................................................................94 7.5 Children’s engagement during languages lessons ...........................................98 7.6 Monitoring, assessment and recording .............................................................99 7.7 Summary.........................................................................................................100 8 Children’s achievement in languages ...............................................................102 8.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................102 8.2 Oracy achievement in Years 3-6.....................................................................103 8.3