Current Issues Facing Modern Languages Departments in

the UK

Philip Ford

Shifts in MFL studies in schools: England, Wales, Northern Ireland

1995GCSE French 62.6%GCSE German 23.1%GCSE Spanish 7.3%

A-level French 56.5%A-level German 21.8%A-level Spanish 9.9%

2009GCSE French 49.7%GCSE German 19.3%GCSE Spanish 17.7%

A-level French 39.1%A-level German 15.7%A-level Spanish 20%

Percentage of 16 yr-olds taking GCSE MFL

2009: 45.2%2008: 48.0%2007: 48.6%2005: 60.7%2003: 72.351999: 78.1%

Numbers taking A-level MFL

1996French 22,718German 9,306Spanish 4,095

All MFL 39,554

2007French 12,713German 5,631Spanish 5,502

All MFL 28,419

UK first degree and p/g enrolment 2007–8

BAFrench 8005Spanish 5100German 3105Italian 1320Slavonic 890

p/g340305200120295

UoAs entered for the RAE

05101520253035404550

1992 1996 2001 2008

FrenchGermanSpanish

Consequences of previous RAEs

• Research-related courses• Shift of emphasis from teaching to

research• Increase in externally-funded research

projects

Research-related courses

• Cinema• Francophone literature• History, politics, current affairs• Gender studies and sexuality• Contemporary thought and theory• Popular culture (music, BD, Polars)• Travel writing• Visual culture

Research-related courses: the losers

• Full chronological coverage• Non-contemporary literature, thought

and culture• Breadth• Linguistics (2009 AUPHF survey

showed 14/27 departments had no specialist in French linguistics)

REF changes

• One panel for Modern Languages (with 7 sub-panels)

• Outputs 65%• Impact 20%• Environment 15%

Table 5: Impact sub-profile: Criteria and definitions of starred levels

The criteria for assessing impacts are Ôreach and significanceÕ: In assessing the impact described within a case study, the panel will form an

overall view about its Ôreach and significanceÕ taken as a whole, rather than assess ÔreachÕ and ÔsignificanceÕ separately.

In assessing the impact template (REF3a) the panel will consider the extent to which the unitÕs approach described in the template is conducive to achieving impacts of Ôreach and significanceÕ.

Four star Outstanding impacts in terms of their reach and significance. Three star Very considerable impacts in terms of their reach and significance. Two star Considerable impacts in terms of their reach and significance. One star Recognised but modest impacts in terms of their reach and

significance. Unclassified The impact is of little or no reach and significance; or the impact was

not eligible; or the impact was not underpinned by excellent research produced by the submitted unit.

Library issues

• Cost of Eurozone books• Multiciplicity of specialisms• Individual-linked courses• Need for translations of texts?• Digital resources• Budget and new fees régime• Libraries as teaching resources