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Action on Languages - National and Local
This page is to tell you about some of the campaigns we are currently or have been involved in over the last year (2006/07)
Languages Strategy co-ordinator, Children and Young People’s services (ex - Sheffield Education Dept)
In autumn 2006 a report came out which threatened to remove this post. We circulated MLCF members and friends who sent e-mails to Jonathan Crossley Holland, Executive Director for Children and Young People’s Services. The petitioners included Lid King, National Director for languages but also many local people who considered that the Education Dept should give a clear direction and support languages in Sheffield. The campaign was successful and the post retained
Census
This campaign started some time ago to include languages in the next census. We think that the language you use is as much if not more of an indication of your identity than ethnic group and would give valuable information for researchers and the public and private sector. The sample survey now published has responded to the lobbying by including language but we would like use of languages rather than competence (this is at present divided into competence in the four language skills) and we would like space for more languages: at present English, Welsh, BSL and one other. Many people in the UK speak more than one language other than English. We have sent a written response with this message and are about to attend a consultation meeting to convey this in person.
Council of Europe profile of Sheffield
In response to our campaign to raise awareness of Sheffield as a multilingual city, the Council of Europe will monitor multilingualism and language learning in the city, between spring 2007 and autumn 2008. The Council’s rapporteur for this exercise is Professor David Little of Trinity College Dublin, an international expert on language learning and learner autonomy. This profile will be the first at city level in Europe: until now profiles have been at country and region level.
Dearing review
We have (January 2007) sent a response to the Dearing review of school language provision, emphasizing the importance of language take-up by the majority of our schoolchildren to promote language and cultural skills for UK citizens. We support the Review in its ‘middle way’ proposal about take-up at Key Stage 4, namely that the governing bodies of maintained schools should be required to set annual take-up targets in order to achieve between 50 and 90% of pupils taking a foreign language in KS4.
ESOL funding
We support the campaign against the withdrawal of ESOL funding from next September (announced in October 2006)
There will no longer be universal entitlement to free English for speakers of other languages up to Level 2. Fee remission will be only for those on benefits or tax credits and will be granted only after completion of a 20 page form in English. This decision contradicts government policy about social inclusion
To sign a petition go to http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2014
UCU represents a coalition of trade unions, refugee groups and education organisations who are also organising a parliamentary lobby on 28 Feb 2007.
An early day motion has been tabled by Helen Jones MP to protest about the withdrawal of funding. To write to your MP asking them to support it, use http://www.writetothem.com