Cambridge modern languages graduate Baroness Coussins, chairwoman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages, complained to The Times newspaper that the UK was heading into a “humiliating decline” in influence overseas because not enough of its leading figures have sufficient knowledge of foreign languages.
The previous government had been planning to make language lessons compulsory in Britain’s primary schools, but this had been shelved just ahead of the election, she noted. Such half-hearted commitment to modern languages had contributed to a situation where the number of students taking foreign languages for GCSE had dropped by around 33 per cent since 2004 – the year that such GCSEs were made optional.
All three of the main parties in the UK have declared their support for modern languages, but the Baroness pointed out that Labour was responsible for shedding the compulsory nature of foreign languages at GCSE and the latest LibDem-Conservative coalition had made no indication that it planned to reverse the move. She insisted that every school pupil should learn another language at least until age 16.
“When I was appointed to the House of Lords in 2007, I decided to champion languages and set up the group - I was amazed there wasn’t one already,” she told the newspaper.
“We don’t just need specialists – we need people with conversational ability, who can be police officers, hotel receptionists or London Transport workers. We need to get our act together for the 2012 Olympics.”
At this year’s State Opening of Parliament, Lady Coussins will table a parliamentary question asking whether the new Government plans to tackle the shortfall in language courses.
Modern Languages and GCSE Courses in London
Modern languages remain a key part of most GCSE colleges. London is a centre for both foreign visitors and overseas students alike, and is ideally placed to promote modern languages. Students who have graduated from GCSE colleges in London and who are looking for employment in the City or with companies across the capital will find themselves at a great advantage in the job market with conversational or business skills in a foreign language.
Join Duff Millers GCSE Course Today
Graduates from GCSE colleges in London could also view modern languages as the ideal subject for specialisation in the world of higher education. If you are interested in languages, or GCSE courses as a whole, then please contact Duff Miller today on 0207 225 0577 to find out how you can embark on a London based GCSE course.
