The range of languages available to school children today is more diverse than ever with this generation seeming to shed the country’s image as lingua-phobes by embracing a variety of languages.

A study by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) today revealed that pupils are sitting a wider range of language exams and called for more graduates to become modern language teachers.  The research demonstrated the huge diversity on offer in schools and colleges, with more than 30 languages taught in classrooms across the country.

The TTA analysis, based on data from CILT, the National Centre for Languages, revealed an eight per cent increase in the number of entries for language GCSEs in the last ten years, with more young people studying Japanese and Chinese (both have increased by 93 per cent) reflecting the country’s increased cultural diversity.

French and German are still the most popular languages by far, with more than 320,000 students sitting French and 122,000 sitting German GCSE exams in 2004.

Other European languages have increased in popularity. Portuguese is up 139 per cent, Turkish by 129 per cent, Spanish by 81 per cent and Italian by 14 per cent.

The research forms part of a drive by the TTA to encourage more modern languages graduates to consider keeping their specialist skills and knowledge alive by becoming languages teachers.

Mike Watkins, Assistant Director of Teacher Training for the TTA said: “It is great news that more young people are studying languages GCSEs. It is a really rewarding subject to teach and to see young people’s confidence grow as they get to grips with a foreign language is fantastic. There are still places left to start training this September and graduates with a languages degree, particularly French or German are welcome to apply.  The postgraduate courses attract a £6,000 bursary and on successful completion of the first year in teaching, a golden hello of £4,000 is given."

Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages said: “These figures show the success of the 'languages for all' policy during the period of the National Curriculum. We now need to carry these gains forward into the new landscape for 14-19 education, and a good supply of languages teachers is essential to this.”

Teachers’ earnings have also gone up recently and a newly qualified teacher (NQT) will now start on at least £19,161 or £23,001 in inner London from September 2005. Graduates interested in teacher training should visit www.teach.gov.uk or call the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 (-992 for Welsh speakers) to find out more. 

Table showing the modern foreign language GCSE entry comparison, 1994 and 2004 for European and World Languages, excluding Welsh and Irish

Data source: CILT, National Centre for Languages, Languages Year Book

-ends-

This news release is issued on behalf of the Teacher Training Agency.

Media enquiries

Mel Garfield at Band & Brown Communications. Tel: 020 7419 7312, email mel@bbpr.com or Michael Sheen Tel: 020 7419 8616, email Michael.sheen@bbpr.com

General TTA enquiries

0870 496 0123

Notes for Editors

Teacher Training Agency

This news release applies to England only.

For more information about how to become a teacher, see www.teach.gov.uk. Personal advice is available from the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 – 992 for Welsh speakers (minicom 01245 45 43 43).

Applications for most postgraduate Initial Teacher Training courses are processed through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry and can be submitted online at www.gttr.ac.uk. Applications for undergraduate teacher training courses can be made via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (www.ucas.ac.uk).

A newly qualified teacher (NQT) can expect to start on a salary of at least £19,161 (£23,001 in inner London) in September 2005. The pay scale for good, experienced classroom teachers who have 'crossed the threshold' rises to at least £30,339 outside London and £35,985 in inner London in September. Additional allowances may be paid to teachers considered to be excellent, and to those who take on management and other responsibilities. The pay scale for head teachers can rise to over £90,000 depending on size of school.

Bursaried courses designed for people to gain an additional language before entering teacher training are available.  Call the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 for further information.

Pre-initial teacher training modern languages extension courses in French were introduced in May 2004. These courses are running again in 2005 and are available at the University of Hull, primarily serving Yorkshire and Humberside, and at Liverpool John Moores University, primarily serving the North West region.

Similar extension courses in German are running in May 2005, also at Liverpool John Moores University, and at the University of Portsmouth, primarily serving the South East region.

Courses are specifically designed to help graduates with one foreign language develop a second language up to Key Stage 3 (up to the level for pupils aged 14). The modern language extension course lasts for 14 weeks. On completion, you will be expected to immediately undertake initial teacher training on a secondary modern languages course leading to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Eligible trainees on postgraduate initial teacher training courses in England are entitled to a tax-free training bursary worth £6-9,000 tax free.

From September 2006, Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) with a PGCE in maths and science may also be eligible for a ‘golden hello’ payment worth £5,000 (taxed) after successfully completing their induction period. Those with a PGCE in modern languages, English or drama, design and technology, Information and Communications Technology, music and RE may receive £2,500.

Details are available on the TTA website at www.tta.gov.uk/funding

The Graduate Teacher Programme enables people to train to become a teacher while employed in a school. Details of employment based routes can be viewed at www.tta.gov.uk/ebr

Data collected by TTA shows that over 41,000 people will begin teacher training this academic year (2004/5), the highest number since 1975.

The Teacher Training Agency was established under the Education Act 1994. Its purpose is to raise standards by attracting able and committed people to teaching, and by improving the quality of training for teachers and the wider school workforce.

CILT, the National Centre for Languages

CILT, the National Centre for Languages is the Government’s recognised centre for expertise on languages and seeks to promote a greater national capability in languages. CILT supports and develops multilingualism and intercultural competence in all sectors of society.

www.cilt.org.uk