Primary Languages Head Teacher Survey
(October 2010 - present)

CILT is coordinating an online survey of head teachers’ views on the primary languages initiative. Click the link below to read a report of the findings:

CILT Primary Languages Head Teacher Survey Report (CILT, February 2011)
Appendix 1: Head teachers' key messages to government
Appendix 2: Head teacher's views on the benefits of primary languages
Appendix 3: Support needed by head teachers to sustain language teaching in primary schools

The survey is still active and can be completed at the following link: www.surveymonkey.com/CILT_headteacher_survey

Primary Languages Survey
(September 2010)

The Primary Languages Survey was carried out in September 2010 by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, to examine the existing provision for language teaching in primary schools in England - including the percentage of primary schools teaching languages in curriculum and issues of future sustainability. The survey was completed by 100 Local Authority Advisers for Primary Languages attending CILT's LA National Conference (16 - 17 September 2010).

Click to read the Primary Languages Survey Full Report (.pdf)
Appendix: Primary Languages Survey questionnaire (.pdf)

7-14 transition project
(April 2007 – present)

Ongoing CILT project, commissioned by the DCSF to investigate ways of ensuring effective transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 in languages.

Key areas of work are:

• To research examples of good practice in transition
• To produce successful models and new approaches to teaching and learning particularly in KS3 to support effective transfer and transition
• To identify national/regional/local needs influencing the different types of guidance that schools will be looking for in order to ensure smooth progression in languages from KS2 to KS3, e.g. multilingual classrooms, selective schools, the range of languages taught.

Download:

• 7-14 project - Final report of Phase 1 (.pdf)

You can find more information and download teaching resources produced by the Local Authorities involved at:

• CILT 7-14 project website

ELL-LC project (Early Language Learning and Language Colleges)
(2003 - present)

An ongoing CILT project launched in 2003 with the aim of establishing links between clusters of primary schools and Language Colleges in order to successfully teach languages to young learners.

Through the partnerships, primary and secondary teachers have been able to build on strategies and techniques from the National Literacy Strategy in order to develop pupils' awareness of language and the links that exist between English and other languages.

Progress reports from participating colleges are at the Languages colleges pages of the CILT website.

ELL initiative (Early Language Learning)
(1999 – 2004)

A DfEE initiative launched in March 1999, prior to the announcement of the National Languages Strategy, to promote and develop the provision and quality of primary languages in England and Wales.

Coordinated by CILT, the project aimed to establish a basis for future developments by providing advice and support for institutions involved in or considering delivering primary languages and creating support networks for sharing experience.

Part of this work involved initiating classroom-based research through two funded projects to develop curricular models with schools and Local Authorities. These were:

1. The Good Practice Project
(September 1999 – March 2001)

18 projects involving schools and Local
Authorities investigating models of provision for primary languages. Interim
findings were reported to the DfEE in September 2000.

2. DELL project
(2001 –  2003)

DELL succeeded the Good Practice Project and sought to continue action research into primary languages in schools. The findings and case studies from both projects fed into the development of the Best Practice Guide (Autumn 2002) which included the document Curricular Models, exemplifying good teaching practice and delivery of primary languages.

The Best Practice Guide was available as part of the NACELL website and has since been updated to reflect current developments and integrated into the advice on this site.

Work to support primary languages is now part of CILT's ongoing primary programme. For more details, see About us.

Further documentation:

• Report on phase one of the ELL initiative (.pdf)
• ELL curricular models (.pdf)
• CILT Information Sheet 55 (.pdf)
  

Modern foreign languages and literacy at Key Stages 2 and 3
(QCDA and CILT)

A joint project seeking to identify ways in which the development of English literacy and foreign language skills might be mutually supportive. Small amounts of funding and support where given to project schools in order to develop action research programmes.

Schools were given the modest but practical objectives of finding a common discourse between teaching English and languages and identifying ways for teachers from these different backgrounds to collaborate.

The report includes case studies and an introduction from Lid King, explaining the rationale behind the work.

Download:

• QCDA and CILT MFL and literacy report (.pdf)