This programme tackles the subject of making language courses appealing to lower ability pupils. When Andy Markham and his colleagues in the MFL department at Frederick Gough School in Scunthorpe realised that less able students were simply switching off when studying for GCSE French or Spanish, they decided to try introducing more vocational language courses as an alternative. The CBLC in Spanish (Certificate of Business Language Competency) and ABC French (Awarding Body Consortium) were two such courses and were offered to pupils as a new option in the curriculum. Teaching staff immediately saw a difference in attitude in the classroom. The belief is the vocational courses are much more relevant to pupils with lessons covering leisure activities and basic business skills for example. Andy discusses his experience of teaching 'business' French, Spanish and or Russian courses (including the Certificate of Achievement) and reveals the benefits and pitfalls of taking this approach.

Video Series: KS3/4 Modern Foreign Languages
Release Date 2006