The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/220935
NEWS & EDITORIAL Some 100,000 people have applied for Hungarian citizenship in Serbia, and more than 500,000 worldwide since a new Hungarian law came into force, in January 2011. There are only two conditions – a direct ancestor who was a Hungarian citizen, and a basic knowledge of the language… The sudden popularity of the Hungarian language – one of the hardest in Europe – has spawned a brisk trade in language schools. Many Hungarians offer teaching over the internet by Skype. 'Hungary Creating New Mass of EU Citizens', 7/11/13 The augmented reality headmounted device (HMD) was unveiled at the Ceatec gadget fair in Tokyo and was created by phone operator NTT Docomo. It uses character recognition when connected to the internet and the Japanese firm claim the visor will be ready for visitors to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020… The HMD overlays the wearer's first language onto unfamiliar text, making signs and menus instantly understandable. 'Is this the Best Holiday Gadget Ever?', 30/9/13 People the length of these islands are using indigenous languages other than English to communicate with friends, family, teachers, colleagues and public services… In the case of Gaelic-medium pupils, they outperform their English-educated counterparts in English tests. Their bilingualism bucks the monoglot trend of the majority. There are those who would claim that such languages aren't 'useful'… To say there is no worth in learning a language that isn't economically useful is like saying there's no point in being friends with somebody unless they're going to help you get a better job. It's a spectacular, cynical miss of the point. 'Don't Neglect the UK's Indigenous Languages', 29/10/13 6 The Linguist © ISTOCKPHOTO What the papers say… Inside Parliament Philip Harding-Esch on the recent meeting on modern languages The last meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages before the summer recess focused on the effective implementation of languages at Key Stage 2 (KS2). The new primary curriculum had been announced, with languages to become statutory at KS2 (ages 7-11) for the first time. Baroness Coussins, Chair of the APPG and CIOL Vice-President, announced that the government had abandoned the prescribed list of languages at KS2. This was welcomed by many of those present. Guest speaker Alison Peacock, Headteacher at the Wroxham School in Hertfordshire, shared her school's experience since becoming a Teaching School in 2011. New funding has allowed their alliance of schools to develop innovative practice at KS2 and KS3, including a series of resources available to all at www.wroxhamtla.org.uk. Guest speaker Christopher Toye represented the Vauxhall/Wyvil federation in London, where half of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium. One concern is the demise of Asset qualifications, which his school relied on to recognise pupils' talents. Baroness Jones of Whitchurch gave an account of the Opposition's approach to the curriculum review. Labour supports statutory languages at KS2, but she expressed concerns over how formal and structured the new curriculum appears to be and how much pressure there is on teachers. The APPG also welcomed Julia Coleman and James O'Donoghue from the National DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014 College of School Leadership. There were many comments and questions in the ensuing debate. One recurrent concern was that the appetite among primary school teachers for languages is not as strong as it was; in the 'hiatus' between 2010 and now, languages have taken a step back while literacy and numeracy are paramount. The Department for Education (DfE) now communicates less with schools, further removing languages from the agenda. Another issue was that of schools 'reinventing the wheel' with no recourse to any framework of support. On the positive side, there was overwhelming support for statutory languages at KS2 and the meeting proved an effective forum for different viewpoints and expertise to be shared between Parliamentarians, officials and professionals. Looking ahead, the APPG will launch a website to disseminate the information it gathers and to encourage wider engagement, in what promises to be another defining year for our subject. To have your say and to listen to what parliamentarians and others are saying about language policy and practice, contact philip.harding.esch@gmail.com for information on future meetings. TL Philip Harding-Esch works on behalf of the British Council to support the APPG. www.iol.org.uk