In Britain, the independent Nuffield Languages Inquiry was launched in 1998, to review the UK’s capability in languages. A committee chaired by Sir Trevor McDonald and Sir John Boyd was asked to consider the following questions and to make recommendations:

• What capability in languages will the UK need in the next twenty years if it is to fulfil its economic, strategic, social and cultural aims and responsibilities, and the aspirations of its citizens?
• To what extent do present policies and arrangements meet these needs?
• What strategic planning and initiatives will be required in the light of the present position?1

Its findings were:

1. English is not enough
2. People are looking for leadership to improve the nation’s capability in languages
3. Young people from the UK are at a growing disadvantage in the recruitment market
4. The UK needs competence in many languages – not just French – but the education system is not geared to achieve this
5. The government has no coherent approach to languages
6. In spite of parental demand, there is still no UK-wide agenda for children to start languages early
7. Secondary school pupils lack motivation or direction
8. Nine out of ten children stop learning languages at 16
9. University language departments are closing, leaving the sector in deep crisis
10. Adults are keen to learn languages but are badly served by an impoverished system
11. The UK desperately needs more language teachers2

 

Further information

• To know more about the position of the British Academy on the problem of monolingualism see: 
  • Languages: The State of the Nation presents both a longitudinal perspective on the UK’s supply of graduates with high language competencies into the labour market and future-scoping of emerging strategic needs. It highlights a ‘vicious cycle of monolingualism’, which in turn is causing market failure in the demand and supply of skilled linguists across all sectors of the UK economy3
  • 2011 UK Census data on the supply of existing multilingual skills in the UK (released 30 Jan 2013)
• Language Policy Unit. “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment.” Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2001. Download the report (1.2Mb pdf)

 

Continue reading…

• It’s a multilingual world
• Multilingual policies
  • The Australian position
• Memorandums of understanding with Latin America
• How learning languages changes brain anatomy
• Developing language skills as an investment for Australia
• Useful links

 

Footnotes

1. Nuffield Foundation (2000). “The Nuffield Languages Inquiry: Languages: the next Generation” in the Reports section of the Nuffield Foundation website [Online] Cited 08/11/2014. Download the report (650kb pdf)
2. Adapted from Willis, Jenny (2002), “Evolution of a national strategy for foreign language learning” found on the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies website [Online] Cited 28/10/2014
3. Tinsley, Teresa (2013). “Languages: The State of the Nation: Demand and Supply of Language Skills in the UK,” Alcantara Communications on the British Academy website [Online] Cited 08/11/2014