The provision and use of foreign language assistants (FLAs) in Wales

As part of Project Activity 2 of the CILT Cymru Costed Programme 2002-2003, we have carried out a study of the provision and use of FLAs in Wales, using information provided by the British Council and the results of a survey carried out by CILT Cymru in Autumn 2002.

1. Numbers and distribution
There are 128 FLAs administered by the British Council in Wales for the academic year 2002-2003. Of these, 88 are French-speaking, 25 German-speaking, 13 Spanish-speaking and 2 Italian-speaking. This figure compares to 132 in the year 2001-2002, 121 for 2000-2001 and 122 for 1999-2000. Figures for Wales alone before 1999 are not available. The number of FLAs in Wales therefore appears to have remained relatively stable in the last few years, although the total number of FLAs in England and Wales fell by 8.6% between 1995 and 1999. We have no figures for FLAs who may be employed in schools in Wales through agencies other than the British Council.

The distribution of schools employing FLAs is as follows:
Blaenau-Gwent: 3
Bridgend: 8
Caerphilly: 12
Cardiff: 18 (+2 in FE colleges)
Carmarthenshire: 6
Ceredigion: 3
Conwy: 4
Denbighshire: 1
Flintshire: 1
Gwynedd: 0
Isle of Anglesey: 0
Merthyr Tydfil: 5
Monmouthshire: 4
Neath Port Talbot: 1
Newport: 6
Pembrokeshire: 5
Powys: 2
Rhondda Cynon Taff: 16
Swansea: 12
Torfaen: 5 (+1 in FE College)
Vale of Glamorgan: 3
Wrexham: 3

Total: 118
Percentage of maintained secondary schools in Wales employing FLAs: 51.52%

It would appear then, that there are regions of Wales where many schools have access to at least a shared FLA, whilst there are regions and LEAs where few or no schools have such access. With the exception of Conwy, North Wales is far behind the South in the provision of FLAs. Cardiff LEA, where a high proportion of schools employ a FLA on at least a part-time basis, specifies within the budget allocated to schools the proportion calculated for the employment of FLAs. Cardiff schools therefore have to actively decline to employ FLAs. This may be the main contributory factor in Cardiff's continuing success when it comes to the employment of FLAs.

2. CILT Cymru survey
CILT Cymru surveyed the Head of Modern Foreign Languages in all maintained secondary schools in Wales in October 2002. We received replies from 96 schools, i.e. a response rate of 41.92%. The replies we received account for 91 of the 128 FLAs currently in-post in Wales (71.09%).

Thirty-three of the respondent schools have no FLA (34.37%). Of these schools, 93.93% gave the reason for having no FLA as financial. 90.9% of these schools would like to have a FLA if the school's budget allowed. Indeed, when invited to give comments, one head of languages commented that funding should be provided to ensure that all schools could have a FLA and another, that "every school should provide a FLA for each Modern Foreign Language taught."

3. Induction
The majority of schools: 87.31% provide induction for their FLA. The 12.69% of schools which do not are generally concentrated in North Wales, where there are very few assistants, and no induction provided by LEAs.

Most FLAs in Wales receive induction from the school (23.80%) and/or through the LEA (88.88%). In only 1 respondent school (1.58%) was induction provided outside the LEA (from the Goethe institut).

Several heads of languages commented that good induction is essential, as most FLAs arrive with no pedagogical training.

4. Use of FLA
British Council-administered FLAs are employed for 12 hours per week, from the beginning of October until the end of May. 95.23% respondent schools use their FLA with Year 12 & 13 students, while 84.12% use them with pupils in Key Stage 4 and only 41.26% use them with pupils at Key Stage 3.

FLAs are mainly used with pupils to practise speaking skills and to enhance pupils' fluency and confidence.

44.44% use FLAs to practise for oral and other examinations/ assessments.

23.8% of respondent schools cite cultural discovery/ enhancement as a use of their FLA.

Other uses for FLAs cited include researching/producing up-to-date resources; lunchtime/revision clubs; oral testing; help with A2 projects; and, in one school, cross-curricular use with history & geography departments.

Many respondents commented that a FLA is a "vital" or an "invaluable" resource. Several pointed out that alongside their role working with pupils, FLAs provide a valuable INSET resource for teachers, to maintain and improve their own fluency in the target language.

While not many schools appear to make use of FLAs in Key Stage 3, one respondent commented: "As high a profile as possible with students helps promote the language. This is best achieved by team-teaching in Key Stage 3"

5. Further action by CILT Cymru
CILT Cymru undertakes to provide information and support in the use of FLAs in the form of a pack for schools, which will contain details of good practice from the arrival of the FLA to their departure. It will include information on good induction techniques as well as examples of how to best use the FLA in school. It will also include useful material for the FLAs themselves.

As part of its Costed Programme for 2003-2004 CILT Cymru will provide an induction day for FLAs in North Wales.

CILT Cymru, through its Compact scheme, will encourage schools to collaborate and share FLAs where funding is an issue.

Dissemination of the results of the survey and of good practice in the use of FLAs will be included in CILT Cymru's conference at Education Wales in Cardiff International Arena on 23rd May 2003, at the North Wales Education Conference in Llandudno on October 3rd and in the CILT Cymru roadshow INSET series in 2003-2004.

Kristina Hedges
Projects Officer
CILT Cymru
Cambrian Buildings
Mount Stuart Square
Cardiff
CF10 5FL
Tel: 029 2048 0137
Fax: 029 2048 0145
E-mail: kristina.hedges@ciltcymru.org.uk

April 2003