@wendya-b.bsky.social
Are you a modern languages postdoc looking for an opportunity to work on a languages policy project? There is a new opportunity to work on a @themhra.bsky.social funded project with myself and Charles Forsdick: university-council-for-languages.org/2026/06/job-...
Job Opportunity: Postdoctoral Researcher - Building Policy-Research Bridges in Languages | University Council For Languages
Thanks to the very generous award of a Special Research Grant by the MHRA, UCFL is in a position to appoint a postdoctoral researcher to take forward
university-council-for-languages.org
Read about the fantastic work Rob Ley has been doing for our @themhra.bsky.social-funded project to create a policy space on the UCFL website: www.mhra.org.uk/news/2026/05/25/policy-and-belonging.html There will be plenty for academics and policymakers alike!
Policy and Belonging
Interviewing Dr Rob Ley, MHRA Languages and Policy Postdoctoral Researcher, and his Cambridge-based mentors Professor Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Professor Charles Forsdick.
mhra.org.uk
YOU SIGNATURE MATTERS! Help us save Modern Languages at Leicester. Sign the petition: www.change.org/p/save-moder...
In this #ShoutOutforGerman week, let's celebrate all things German! I love compound nouns like Schadenfreude, Weltschmerz and Treppenwitz.
theconversation.com/wicked-for-g... Fantastic piece on prescriptivism in popular culture by @emhumps.bsky.social
Wicked: For Good – what lies beneath correcting the way people speak?
Elphaba’s insistence on correctness speaks to a broader challenge facing anyone positioned as an outsider: having to work that much harder to be accepted.
theconversation.com
Many thanks to @themhra.bsky.social for making my 1987 book open access. It is great to see it available again: www.mhra.org.uk/publications...
Vaugelas and the Development of the French Language - Wendy Ayres-Bennett
Modern Humanities Research Association - Vaugelas and the Development of the French Language - Wendy Ayres-Bennett
mhra.org.uk
The latest threat to UK modern languages is yet another faux pas www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...
The latest threat to UK modern languages is yet another faux pas
Nottingham and Leicester are taking a swing at language departments. But those proposing closures have taken their eye off the ball, say four linguists
timeshighereducation.com
The decision to 'suspend' all courses in Mod langs from Monday is premature & ill conceived. There are world-leading researchers & teachers in languages at @uniofnottingham.bsky.social who must be given the chance to review the data and offer viable counter proposals. @ucflangs.bsky.social
Looking forward to contributing to this seminar on 'Professional agency & language policy in the context of the Curriculum and Assessment Review' @camedfac.bsky.social on 30th Oct with Norbert Pachler, @wendya-b.bsky.social @zhu-hua.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social and others. In-person & online ⬇️
Why top-down language policy matters www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... This paper argues that top-down language policy matters and that policymaking would benefit from: (i) a longer historical purview of what has and has not worked, and (ii) more holistic, cross-government approaches.
Why top-down language policy matters
This paper argues that top-down language policy matters and that policymaking would benefit from: (i) a longer historical purview of what has and has not worked, and (ii) more holistic, cross-gover...
tandfonline.com
Today is the European Day of Languages. And this year, we mark 25 years of celebrating multilingualism in our Union. 🥳 Languages open doors. They help us connect, explore cultures, make lifelong friends, and journey further. We remain stronger, united in our diversity. europa.eu/!6FkntW
BA report shows that worst cold spots in SHAPE are in Modern Foreign Languages: French & German single honours degrees are declining sharply, with cold spots in all 4 UK nations. Progress in expanding provision of non-European languages is being reversed. www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
Cold spots: Mapping inequality in SHAPE provision in UK higher education
This British Academy report reveals that many parts of the UK are becoming subject cold spots – areas with no provision in a subject within a commutable distance. These are often in rural, coastal or ...
thebritishacademy.ac.uk
Read UCFL's reaction to the new HEPI report on languages: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/07/31/n... The recommendations for HE are particularly welcome, as are those around equality of access and social justice. @emmacayley.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social
New HEPI report calls for urgent action on revitalising language learning
UCFL welcomes the release of a new HEPI report, sponsored by Duolingo, that highlights the urgent need for action to support and improve the uptake of languages at school level and beyond. It empha…
university-council-for-languages.org
In the latest episode of the @bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk's podcast series, Crossing Channels, Benjamin Pitt & I discuss the value of speaking other languages: pod.fo/e/2fb7e1. @benpitt.bsky.social explains how language & culture shape the way people think & the value of cultural/linguistic diversity
Crossing Channels: What is the value of speaking other languages?
In this episode, Richard Westcott is joined by Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Benjamin Pitt to explore a big, everyday question: what is the value of speaking other languages? The conversation looks at ho...
pod.fo
A great afternoon in Westminster thanks to the APPG ML. We presented our collective response to the Curriculum & Assessment Review: university-council-for-languages.org/2025/06/23/c... Was pleased to be there to represent @ucflangs.bsky.social with @wendya-b.bsky.social & @marcecazzoli.bsky.social
Response to the Interim Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR).
In the interim report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review of March 2025 , the subject ‘Languages’ was classified as requiring Category 1 intervention, i.e., a subject currently deem…
university-council-for-languages.org
In our final LSP opinion piece, Biddle and Andrews present inspiring examples of close-to-practice research. The entire collection underlines the vital role of collaboration. Let's all work together! @charlesforsdick www.lspjournal.com/post/how-can...
How can we move from cold spots to hot spots? Learning from current practices which nurture languages education in the four nations of the United Kingdom
Jo Biddle and Jane Andrews | 9th July 2025 | Opinion PieceIn this opinion piece, Jo Biddle and Jane Andrews consider a small set of examples of close-to-practice research from the four nations of the ...
lspjournal.com
What does it mean to think like a linguist? And how can we bring creativity and inclusive culture into language learning? Read Charlotte Ryland's fascinating piece in our LSP edited collection www.lspjournal.com/post/think-l... @cforsdick.bsky.social
Think Like a Linguist: Community and collaboration for a new languages curriculum
In this article, Charlotte Ryland reflects on how the learning from creative translation and languages advocacy projects can feed into languages curriculum reform. By focusing in particular on the lin...
lspjournal.com
Jonathan McBride looks at the power of stories in the language learning classroom in this week's LSP opinion piece. He brings interesting international insights: www.lspjournal.com/post/the-pow... @cforsdick.bsky.social
The Power of Stories in the Languages Classroom
Jonathan McBride | 11th June 2025 | Opinion Piece In this article, Edinburgh-based languages teacher Jonathan McBride argues that stories have the potential to transform modern languages teaching at a...
lspjournal.com
Fiona Barclay considers the longstanding deficit in the social value associated with languages, true not just of Scotland, but across the UK. She proposes 3 avenues for improving public perceptions of languages www.lspjournal.com/post/languag... @cforsdick.bsky.social
‘Language capital’: reframing formal language-learning in Scotland.
Fiona Barclay | 3rd June 2025 | Opinion PieceIn this article, Fiona Barclay considers the longstanding deficit in the social value associated with languages. She argues that this deficit has contribut...
lspjournal.com
In our next LSP opinion piece Rowena Kasprowicz tackles the thorny issue of transition from KS2 to KS3 www.lspjournal.com/post/bridgin... An important intervention in light of the curriculum reviews onging in England, Scotland and NI. @cforsdick.bsky.social
lspjournal.com
What can mainstream modern languages education learn from Irish-medium practitioners? Thomas Rogan shares some fascinating insights in Languages, Society and Policy: www.lspjournal.com/post/languag... @cforsdick.bsky.social
Language teachers of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in mainstream primary schools – what can they learn from Irish-Medium (IM) practitioners?
In this opinion piece, Thomas Rogan suggests three ways in which teachers of MFL in mainstream primary classrooms might enhance their practice by taking cognisance of the practice of IM practitioners.
lspjournal.com
How can primary languages best be taken forward in Northern Ireland? Read Sharon Jones's piece on this in Languages, Society and Policy: www.lspjournal.com/post/towards... @cforsdick.bsky.social
Towards Language Education Excellence in Northern Ireland’s Primary Schools
Sharon Jones | 28th May 2025 | Opinion PieceIn this opinion piece, Sharon Jones, drawing on her teaching and research in languages and education, reflects on the potential of broadening access to the ...
lspjournal.com
Many of us were inspired to be language learners by our international experiences - Vicky Gough and Philip Harding-Esch make a powerful case for the need for this for young learners today. @lspjournal.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social
Languages, Society and Policy@lspjournal.bsky.social · last yr.🌍 What happens when international exchanges vanish from schools and universities? Vicky Gough and Philip Harding-Esch argue for restoring international experiences to the heart of language learning—for all learners, not just a privileged few. www.lspjournal.com/post/interna...
In our next @lspjournal.bsky.social opinon piece @clairegorrara.bsky.social and Lucy Jenkins explore the new curriculum for languages in Wales. What could the rest of the UK learn from what Wales is doing? www.lspjournal.com/post/new-cur... @cforsdick.bsky.social
New Curriculum, New Languages Education? How International Languages Education is Changing in Wales
In the following opinion article, Claire Gorrara and Lucy Jenkins explore how the Curriculum for Wales represents a radical shift in language education, embedding International Languages into the core...
lspjournal.com
Here is the next of our opinion pieces in @lspjournal.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social by Suzanne Graham and Alison Porter: www.lspjournal.com/post/rethink... This important piece on primary education should be read by anyone interested in the ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review.
Rethinking the Purpose of Language Education
Suzanne Graham and Alison Porter | 14th May 2025 | Opinion PieceIn the following opinion article Suzanne Graham and Alison Porter argue that primary language education needs a more meaningful and cohe...
lspjournal.com
How do we meet the challenge of language teacher shortages? Read Lisa Panford's new thought-provoking piece in LSP on the recruitment of teachers of Colour: www.lspjournal.com/post/the-rec... @cforsdick.bsky.social @lspjournal.bsky.social
The Recruitment and Retention of Languages Teachers of Colour from the Global South in England
In the following opinion article Lisa Panford finds that urgent intervention is needed to address the conditions into which languages teachers of Colour from the Global South are inducted. Further, th...
lspjournal.com
The @lspjournal.bsky.social series on Languages in UK Education is back! @cforsdick.bsky.social Neil Kenny explores alternative qualifications in languages post-GCSE. Could a level 3 certificate be an incentive for STEM students to continue with a language?
Languages, Society and Policy@lspjournal.bsky.social · last yr.📘 New from Languages in UK Education series 👇 Can students keep learning languages after GCSE—without a full A-level? Neil Kenny proposes a practical, flexible Level 3 ‘Applied Languages’ certificate. Read more: www.lspjournal.com/post/time-fo...
www.mhra.org.uk/news/2025/04... Read about our MHRA-funded project to produce readable summaries for policymakers @themhra.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social @oliviaglaze.bsky.social Watch this space for ways to engage!
Making Languages Research Accessible to Policymakers
Interviewing Dr Liv Glaze, MHRA Languages and Policy Postdoctoral Researcher, and her mentors Professor Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Professor Charles Forsdick.
mhra.org.uk
classiques-garnier.com/remarques-sur-la-langue-francoise-1.html New version out today at (relatively) bargain price of 13,93 €! New cover to mark the Classiques Jaunes series.
