Workshop 3


	MFL & INCLUSION

WORKSHOP 3

Learning and teaching

Linking communities

Workshops main page

WHY TEACH LANGUAGES
TO LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS?

Much of the material on this site deals with HOW to teach foreign languages to learners to learners with various learning needs, but equally important is WHY? There are many reasons offered for providing alternative courses: "He can't use his own language properly yet, so why should he waste time trying to learn another?" "She hasn't time; there are more important things for her to learn." "They'll never use it anyway."

So what ARE the benefits of language learning for pupils for whom the purpose of such study is not always evident to the learners, to their parents, and sometimes, even, to their teachers? What is the rationale? What benefits are we claiming to offer? What expectations do we have of learners?

SECTION ONE suggests some reading matter which attempts to answer some of these questions.

SECTION TWO will be developed by visitors to this site. This is in two parts:
A:Why teach languages? (intentional, or predictable benefits).
B: Other benefits (incidental, individual benefits which could not be predicted)


	SECTION ONE
	Can all children benefit from foreign language learning?
	This first extract suggests that some benefits are predictable (provided that the teacher designs the course in such a way that these benefits are 'deliverable'), but that some are not - that some benefits arise from the impact the study makes on an individual learner. The 'snap shots' of individual learners and the way in which language study has enriched their lives are true stories collected by the author; only the names of the learners have been changed. There must be many more such uplifting stories. Please contribute your own stories to SECTION TWO. To do this, send your story as an email message to h.mccoll@clara.co.uk
	What is language learning FOR?
	These are extracts from a longer article published in the Journal Support for Learning © NASEN 2005. If you wish to read the whole article you will find it on the Publications page.

	Languages for All?

	This is the script of a keynote speech I delivered to LangSEN project delegates at the European Centre for Modern Languages in Graz in October 2004.

SECTION TWO

What are your own thoughts on these matters? What do you think are the main arguments in favour of providing everyone with an opportunity to engage in foreign language learning? And what are the conditions in which these benefits can be realised?

Your thoughts may relate to all learners, in which case, think about the questions in Part A, below. Or they may relate to a particular learner you know of who - perhaps unexpectedly - gained significant personal benefit from the experience, please contribute your story to Part B, but please change names etc. so that individual learners can't be identified.

Part A: What is the purpose of language learning for learners who are unlikely to reach a high level of communicative competence? What benefits do we expect them to gain? Do these benefits always materialise? Why?/Why not?

Part B: Some of the ways in which individual learners benefit can't be predicted, but the benefits are none-the-less real and may make very significant contributions to the lives of those learners. The only way we can ensure that all learners are exposed to such opportunities for personal growth is to ensure that they are not excluded from language learning. If you have a story which supports this point of view, please share it with visitors to this site.

Send your contribution in an email to h.mccoll@clara.co.uk


	Postscript...


	Some personal thoughts on how MFL at the secondary stage for students with profound and complex needs might fit into an inclusive framework


	A possible framework for MFL at Access 1 (Scottish system)


	Some thoughts on how such units might be developed


	This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.


	This page last updated: 26.5.06
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