Languages

[Canopus]

Languages are now optional rather than compulsory at GCSE level under the NC. Does anybody know if mainstream schools are restricted to teaching European languages or can they now offer non-European languages?

[Tez]

They can offer non-European languages. I know from when I was looking for GCSE courses for A the other day that AQA offer Panjabi as a language option for non-Panjabi speakers at GCSE and I believe that other exam boards do as well. Not sure how many mainstream schools actually offer it as an option though.

[Canopus]

I know exam boards offer a variety of non-European languages for GCSE level but can mainstream schools teach them?

[Tez]

Yes Canopus mainstream schools can teach them, it was discussed between the LEA and A's school at a meeting I was present at.

[lisa]

My daughter's school will teach any language at GCSE wherever possible. If a child speaks for example Turkish at home they can then do a GCSE in Turkish if they want.

 

In another local school which has language college status my friends son is learning Mandarin!!!!

 

 

Lisa

[DaisyFulkirk]

Languages are now optional rather than compulsory at GCSE level under the NC. Does anybody know if mainstream schools are restricted to teaching European languages or can they now offer non-European languages?

 

They were allowed to offer non-European languages before, too. We had short courses of Japanese and Chinese in our GCSE years at (mainstream comprehensive) school and some other students took GCSEs in Farsi, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese...