In Wales, as in the rest of the UK, Modern Languages at university
degree level is in a under threat in some institutions.
• 8 HEI's offer modern foreign languages to some level (Aberystwyth,
Bangor, Cardiff, UWIC, Glamorgan, Lampeter, Swansea and Swansea Metropolitan).
• Only 6 (Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Lampeter, Swansea and
UWIC) at full honours degree and/or PG level.
• Glyndŵr University and Newport have both pulled out of language degree teaching.
Devolution, however, has given the Welsh Assembly Government power over
the teaching and learning side of Higher Education.
• The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), on behalf
of the Assembly, determines levels of funding for teaching overall and
for individual subject categories.
HEIs are autonomous bodies. However, through the use of funding, particular
initiatives and guidance, the Assembly and HEFCW seek to achieve particular
priorities and developments for the sector in Wales.
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• Working through HEFCW, the Assembly government has begun
to tackle the decline in language learning at HE level.
•
A thorough strategic review of HE ML teaching, at all levels, specialist
and non-specialist has been carried (see 'Strategic Review of Modern
Languages at HE Level'), in which CILT Cymru are playing a leading
part.
• A partnership has been established between the
UK HE Academy/LTSN Languages Linguistics and Area Studies Subject
Centre and CILT Cymru (See 'CILT Cymru/LLAS partnership'). This
provides a forum for teaching staff which cuts across language,
institutional and subject discipline boundaries. |
The future of foreign language study at HE level will depend on collaboration
at different levels, in different areas of the education system. CILT
Cymru is working to draw Welsh HEI's together into that common effort.
With our colleagues at CILT Scotland, Endland and Northern Ireland,
CILT Cymru is involved in research at a UK level. A summary of research
projects that CILT is involved in can be found in the Research
and consultation section of the Cilt England website.
Conferences and Continuing Professional Development
CILT Cymru organises a wide range of courses, workshops, resources days
and other events, many of interest to those in the Higher Education
sector. For further information on these events visit the Events
Calendar page.
European Language Portfolio
The UK European
Language Portfolio (ELP) for adults, including those in Higher
Education, was developed by the former Languages NTO with the support
of CILT to provide an attractive, portable and motivating way for the
individual learner to maintain an up-to-date record of their language
learning experience and to track their changing levels of performance.
Work Placements Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to help young people who are undertaking work placements in the UK or abroad to develop and record the international communication skills which will help them in their future careers, and to help those who are working with them to prepare for the placement, undertake it and review the experience afterwards. It is designed to be adapted and used flexibly, depending on individual needs and situations. The toolkit includes:
- Tips for
- Students (either those going abroad on placement or those undertaking a language placement in the UK )
- Work placement co-ordinators
- Language teachers
- In-company mentors (either in the UK or abroad)
- A Resources section, which signposts sources of useful information on other languages, countries and cultures.
- A Work Placement Language Learning Framework that sets out the tasks which an individual on placement will typically be faced with and the language and cultural skills which are involved. This can be used by students and tutors in preparing for the placement and assessing progress afterwards. It is also something for students to refer to throughout their placement, to help them identify what skills and knowledge they should be building, how to do it, and how to log their achievements. It can also be used alongside the UK European Language Portfolio: Adult version.
