Language Futures developed out of a strand of work from the Learning Futures initiative. It took our understanding of informal and self-directed learning models and applied them to the specific context of learning languages.
Building on the work of Linton Village College, a secondary school in Cambridgeshire, a small group of schools is collaborating to develop a range of teaching approaches that put students’ interest at their heart. Young people learn languages of their choice with their teachers acting as guide to their independent learning, subverting the traditional model of teachers dispensing learning to pupils. The initiative also sees the wider school and local community getting involved in the teaching and learning process.
We have created a website for this programme, which provides a range of case studies and teaching resources for a range of modern languages. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news about the schools trialing this approach.
Association for Language Learning
In March 2015, the Education and Learning programme awarded a three-year transition grant to the Association for Language Learning, and partner Whole Education, to underpin the spread and longer-term support of Language Futures approaches.