World Oral Literature website launched

The World Oral Literature Project is an urgent global initiative to
document and make accessible endangered oral literatures before they
disappear without record.

http://www.oralliterature.org

Speaking is 'languages weakness'

Speaking skills remain a weakness among children learning modern languages in secondary schools in England, says a report from inspectors.
But this is against a background of wider improvements in learning languages, Ofsted reports.

BBC website
Tuesday 1st July 2008

CILT statement on changes to GCSE languages assessment

'Recent press reports have created a perception that proposed changes to the assessment arrangements for GCSE foreign languages will lead to a lowering of standards. This is unfortunate, as above all we need to hold on to the value that language learning has for learners, employers and for academic study. The misunderstanding perhaps arises from a misplaced confidence in the existing system of measuring oral competence. We concur with Lord Dearing that the current arrangements can be demotivating for pupils – not only because they are stressful, but because the tasks involved are not creative or stimulating. Bringing in more teacher assessment is an opportunity to correct this, not a threat to standards, but it will need to come with more training, support and appropriate monitoring arrangements.'

Full press statement from CILT:

http://www.cilt.org.uk/news/latest/2008/19_02_oral.htm

DCSF statement on GCSE language orals

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES News Release (2008/0028) issued by The Government News Network on 18 February 2008

Monday 18 February 2008
Wired-gov

Language GCSEs 'could drop orals'

Oral tests could be dropped from language GCSEs because they are "too stressful", according to a report.

Sunday, 17 February 2008
BBC website