The Kate Languages Podcast - S6 Ep1 - Q&A
Feb 03, 2025
For the first episode of Season 6 of the Kate Languages Podcast, I answered some fantastic questions submitted by my lovely Instagram community.
Here is a summary of my answers - click above to listen to the episode in full.
Why Are Students Struggling More Than Ever with Instructions?
I think a lot of it comes down to screens and social media. Our students are so used to quick-fire TikToks and YouTube shorts that processing longer instructions has become really challenging for them.
My advice? Try breaking things down into single, clear instructions rather than giving two or three at once. I've noticed with my three-year-old (I know, very different from teenagers!) that taking things step by step works much better. And here's an interesting thought - maybe try giving instructions in the target language? Sometimes students focus more when they have to really concentrate on understanding!
Why Are Modern Languages GCSEs and A-Levels Becoming Less Popular?
This is such an interesting one, and I could get quite political here (those who know me well know I'm actually quite political, though I try to keep it separate from my work!). Brexit has had a huge impact, both on student motivation and teacher recruitment. I was chatting with a head of department recently about how challenging it's become to get visas for language teachers - it's just another hurdle we didn't need.
The harsh marking doesn't help either - languages are already challenging subjects, and when you add in competition from native speakers (imagine having a PhD student in your GCSE maths class - that's basically what we're dealing with!), it's no wonder students might feel discouraged.
Should Languages Be Compulsory?
Throughout primary school and Key Stage 3? Absolutely! But at GCSE? I'm a bit more on the fence about this one. I've taught in schools where languages were basically compulsory, and let me tell you, working with reluctant learners can be really challenging. We need to think carefully about why we want more students taking languages - is it to protect our jobs (which is totally valid!), improve school statistics, or genuinely promote language learning?
My view is that having strong language provision in earlier years is more important than forcing everyone to take a language at GCSE.
Should Schools Teach More Than One Language?
Should schools offer more than one language? Yes, absolutely! It's brilliant for teachers - we can maintain our language skills (I remember my French getting rusty when I was only teaching German), and it's great for students too. Different languages suit different learners - I can't tell you how many times I've had students complain about being "stuck with German" only to fall in love with it after a term!
That said, I don't think every student needs to learn multiple languages simultaneously. For some students, it's fantastic - I probably wouldn't be a languages teacher if I hadn't studied multiple languages. But for others, especially when dealing with similar languages like French and Spanish, it can be really overwhelming.
Which Do You Prefer to Teach - AQA or Edexcel?
Oh, this is such a good question! In my CPD sessions, it's fascinating to see teachers' reactions when I go through both specifications - they'll love one aspect of Edexcel, then prefer something else from AQA. Honestly? The perfect GCSE would probably cherry-pick the best bits from both!
My advice if you're still deciding? Just pick one and commit to it for a couple of years. You can always switch later if it's not working out.
If You Could Change Anything from the GCSE MFL Specification, What Would It Be and Why?
Tiers! That's the one thing I'd change immediately. Why do we still have them when they've been removed from most other subjects? It creates so much stress, especially with those borderline students who might get a grade 6 on a good day but could drop off the bottom of Higher tier on a bad day.
If You Could Do Any Job in the World Other Than Teaching, What Would It Be?
This is such a fun question! Would you believe I never actually planned to become a teacher? When I was younger, I wanted to be a TV presenter - which probably doesn't surprise anyone who listens to this podcast! I'm actually quite introverted (not shy, there's a difference!), but I love presenting and talking to people about things I'm passionate about.
In many ways, what I'm doing now with the podcast, CPD training, and creating content is pretty close to that childhood dream - just with the added bonus of working with lovely teachers rather than dealing with the media industry!
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