The Linguist

UK speech decline The parlous state of languages education in the UK is well documented, but recent data shows a wider – and deeper – crisis emerging in the population's speech and language skills. Teachers have been reporting a rise in the number of pupils starting school with poor speech and language. The phenomenon has been blamed on the impacts of Covid lockdowns in early developmental stages, compounded by cuts to early-years funding and wider struggles with the cost of living. Writing in SchoolsWeek, Jane Harris, CEO of Speech and Language UK, argued that schools can do more with regard to language and its role in mental health. She quotes research showing "45 per cent of young people referred to mental health services struggle with core language skills, such as making inferences, interpreting ambiguity and understanding figures of speech." In March, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) called for an increase in the number of therapists as demand has surged by 30% recently. Absent from much of this discourse is recognition of the role of languages and multilingualism in our society. We know that learning other languages, and supporting bilingual children to learn their home/ heritage language, is beneficial to children's English literacy, resilience and academic achievements, and has lifelong benefits for brain health, including protection against dementia and recovery from strokes. Yet support for bilingual children in schools is often poor, while language and intercultural skills training in the NHS is not always prioritised. Furthermore, the UK's approach to speech and language therapy has been challenged as being too strictly benchmarked to standard English, as discussed by the University of Greenwich's Warda Farah at the NALA (National Association of Language Advisers) Annual Conference last June. This is a complex area which will benefit from a broader discussion of the relationships between language, cognitive health and social integration. 6 The Linguist Vol/64 No/2 ciol.org.uk/thelinguist NEWS & EDITORIAL In the media PHILIP HARDING-ESCH In March, the long-awaited interim report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review in England was published. Although vague on the details – the final report is not due until the end of the year – some priority areas are emerging, generally building on previous reforms rather than wholesale change. For languages, there are concerns that the possible abandonment of the Ebacc, which encourages schools to prioritise languages GCSEs, could lead to renewed downward pressure on languages in schools. Baroness Coussins, Vice-President of CIOL, told the i newspaper: "If the review is serious about 'high standards for all', it should be serious about 'languages for all'." According to David Blow of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the most important factor determining the future of languages in schools will probably be Ofsted's decisions about how it will judge schools on the curriculum. In Scotland, the review of the Curriculum for Excellence is underway, prompting active discussion among educators and researchers about the future for languages. The TES reported on the University of Strathclyde's symposium addressing the decline in uptake there, while STV News highlighted the loss of over 20% of Scotland's language teachers since 2008. The TES also published a series of think pieces exploring different visions of what the future of languages scholarship should look like in UK universities. While BBC News covered Gwynedd Council's plans to phase out English-medium streams from most of its secondary schools, making Welsh the sole language of instruction. The Guardian published a glowing review of Laura Spinney's How One Ancient Language Went Global, which tracks the evolution of Proto-Indo- European, describing it as "The fascinating story of the ancient words that survive in the mouths of billions of speakers today." Philip Harding-Esch is a freelance languages project manager and consultant. evidence to reach sensible recommendations about appropriate use of translation tech in high-stakes settings in two Health Tech World articles: 'Why common translation tools won't cut it in medtech' and 'Jumping the tech hurdles in remote language interpretation'. "After all, a single mistranslation can delay approvals, prevent market entry, or even put patients at risk," they pointed out. Meanwhile Dentistry.co.uk ran a piece highlighting "dental professionals' legal obligations around language barriers" alongside "some strategies for communication with patients who do not speak English". The point about legal obligations is key. Often, when tested in the courts, attempts to save money by withholding language services are found to be unlawful. This was the case with teenager Niamh Braid, who took Fife Council to court for failing to provide her with a BSL interpreter in class, and won the case. Baroness Morris of Yardley published an opinion piece in The Law Gazette ('Justice must not get lost in translation') discussing the many issues identified by the House of Lords Public Services Committee. Crucially, she concluded "these problems are solvable", outlining recommendations for a 'roadmap' that includes preparing the courts both organisationally and physically for the responsible use of AI tools in the future. © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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