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Universities, colleges and schools working together

Universities, colleges and schools working together. Jocelyn Wyburd University of Manchester. Context. Largest university in the UK (One of) largest schools of language related disciplines Research intensive Degree pathways in 14 named languages

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Universities, colleges and schools working together

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  1. Universities, colleges and schools working together Jocelyn Wyburd University of Manchester

  2. Context • Largest university in the UK • (One of) largest schools of language related disciplines • Research intensive • Degree pathways in 14 named languages • 18 languages offered on institution-wide language programme • c. 2 300 ‘specialist’ linguists (including postgraduates) • c. 1 800 ‘non specialists’

  3. Why work with other sectors to promote language learning? • Strong brand and reputation regionally, nationally and internationally – effective champion • Civic duty • Link with HE agendas for Knowledge Transfer – languages are strategically important; recognised skills gaps regionally and nationally • Public relations profile – dynamism and active engagement with outside world • adding value to our own graduates/alumni • attracting highest quality of applicants for staff vacancies

  4. Linked to recruitment • School pupils coming onto campus: • A level days • University of Manchester Insight Into Languages Programme (UMILAP): 15/16 year olds from ‘widening participation’ backgrounds • Going into schools/6th form colleges: • Sharing Words – using Erasmus exchange students • Giving talks: Why Study Languages? and Studying Languages in HE to 15-year olds + • Online: • Student-mediated tasters in studying Lesser Taught languages

  5. Linked to transition (& recruitment) • Bridging the gap events on campus • Language Teachers’ Consultative Forum (LATCOF) • Pre-registration e-mentoring / peer mentoring

  6. Responses to changes in trends and take up in secondary schools • Expanding in-school, on-campus and teacher consultation activities with reference to 13/14-year olds (before options choice) • Collaboration with other HEIs where not a direct recruitment issue (13/14-year olds) – North West Universities Language Alliance NWULA • Active participation in consultations e.g. Dearing Review • Some focus on initiatives with primary sector

  7. Activity types – on campus • Campus tours (including library, refectory etc) • Motivational talks • Workshops on employability and languages • Sample university teaching (content/grammar etc) • Language enrichment activities • Talks from examiners • Workshops on UCAS form • Tasters in ‘new languages’ • Meet native speakers • Hands-on workshops with satellite TV and IT • Cultural ‘markets’

  8. Activity types – in schools • Motivational talks (based on LLAS and CiLT materials) • Why Study Languages? • Routes to study languages in HE • Careers and employability with languages • UG and Erasmus students as classroom ‘assistants’ / motivators / NS exemplars • Tasters in ‘lesser taught languages’ • Some ‘bridging the gap’ days taken into schools instead of being delivered only on campus

  9. Sharing Words • Erasmus students into 6th forms (ages 16-18) and to lesser extent Year 11s (ages 15-16). • Evidence of enhancement of oral results in A levels • Evidence of Erasmus students returning to Manchester to do PGCEs and teach in UK system, enthused by this experience

  10. Activity types – engaging teachers directly • LATCOF – consultative forum bringing together teachers for exploration of pedagogy, content, challenges, curriculum changes, use of IT etc across sectors • Teachers’ symposia – obtaining feedback from engagement with schools, gaining local market intelligence, encouraging mutual support and collaboration, enabling information flows

  11. Impact and effect? • Motivational talks in schools : greater take-up of languages post 14 • Events on campus : motivational to language take-up post 14 • Language take-up post 16: difficult to assess due to local school system • Recruitment events : direct link to applications • Collaborative working with other HEIs – sharing scarce resources • Experience activity organisation, collaboration and databases of contacts: impact on additional plans and funding bids • Applications to study languages at Manchester increasing year on year : combination of factors

  12. Funding • Internal to University • Recruitment and admissions budget • HEFCE ‘widening participation’ funding • External to University • HEFCE Higher Education Innovation Fund • North West Development Agency • AimHigher • HEFCE via LLAS ref Routes into Languages • DCSF via LLAS ref Links into Languages

  13. National engagement • Active participation in work of national/cross sectoral bodies: UCML, SCHML, LLAS, AULC to keep abreast of policies and trends (cf CiLT) • Languages designated strategic important and vulnerable (SIV) – HEFCE support • Successful bid to first round of Routes into Languages regional consortia funding • NW regional support centre for Links into Languages for teachers

  14. Engagement with national/cross-sectoral bodies • Workshops and case studies on outreach, working across sectors, transitions – standalone (SCHML) and at conferences (LLAS/CiLT) • CiLT Languages Work and LLAS Why Study Languages materials : essential for talks to school groups • CiLT Trends statistics – vital in informing strategy priorities and bidding processes • Opportunities to feed into reviews and consultations (e.g. Dearing) via UCML, SCHML and AULC • UCML lobbying of government re. languages – HEFCE designation of languages as SIV – UCML & LLAS bid to HEFCE  Routes into Languages • LLAS & SSAT & ALL bid to DCSF  Links into Languages

  15. Routes into Languages • www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk • NW Regional Consortium: 5 Universities (led by MMU – UoM a major partner), building on previous collaboration • COmmunity and Lesser Taught Languages (COLT) Project www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/northwest • Focus on rich vein of language learning in multicultural region : alongside dropping numbers in mainstream schools • Motivation, enhancement of value, recognition of transferable skills, training of NS teachers, research into demand for degree pathways • Events building on previous experiences

  16. Links into Languages for Teachers • Consortium of LLAS, SSAT and ALL • Commissioned by DCSF • Nationally co-ordinated network of Regional Support Centres for Languages. • Programme of high quality professional development and support to be offered from April 2009, together with funding for development projects carried out by teachers. • University of Manchester to be NW Regional Language Support Centre

  17. Some conclusions • Positive impact on take-up of languages at various stages • Effects on perceptions of importance of languages by pupils and parents • Good way of engaging students as mentors and role models • Much more effective if collaborative • Working together with other Universities and national bodies has secured serious funding • Not all about what we can offer schools, but about how we can facilitate support and sharing of good practice between teachers/schools • Positive impact on transition to University life and teaching and learning methods

  18. Jocelyn WyburdSchool of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures www.manchester.ac.uk/llc Jocelyn.wyburd@manchester.ac.uk

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