Dr Leanne Henderson
@leannehenderson.bsky.social
Lecturer in Education Studies, Queen's University Belfast. Languages, assessment, children's rights & educational transitions. 🏳️🌈🇪🇺 Personal views, rp≠endorsement
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
A very insightful article on the recent threats to UK modern languages:
www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...
Support the petitions to stop the closures at Leicester and Nottingham, to sign click here:
www.change.org/p/save-moder...
www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
#languages #mfl
www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...
Support the petitions to stop the closures at Leicester and Nottingham, to sign click here:
www.change.org/p/save-moder...
www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
#languages #mfl
November 14, 2025 at 9:13 AM
A very insightful article on the recent threats to UK modern languages:
www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...
Support the petitions to stop the closures at Leicester and Nottingham, to sign click here:
www.change.org/p/save-moder...
www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
#languages #mfl
www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/late...
Support the petitions to stop the closures at Leicester and Nottingham, to sign click here:
www.change.org/p/save-moder...
www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
#languages #mfl
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
✅Check out HRER news for details of the Call for Papers for #IAHRE2026 conference ‘Re-imagining Human Rights Education in a Turbulent World’
✅26-27 May 2025 Muenster, Germany
✅Abstracts due 3 Nov 2025
www.tandfonline.com/journals/rhr...
✅26-27 May 2025 Muenster, Germany
✅Abstracts due 3 Nov 2025
www.tandfonline.com/journals/rhr...
Learn about Human Rights Education Review
Learn about Human Rights Education Review aims & scope, editorial board, journal metrics and more.
www.tandfonline.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:29 PM
✅Check out HRER news for details of the Call for Papers for #IAHRE2026 conference ‘Re-imagining Human Rights Education in a Turbulent World’
✅26-27 May 2025 Muenster, Germany
✅Abstracts due 3 Nov 2025
www.tandfonline.com/journals/rhr...
✅26-27 May 2025 Muenster, Germany
✅Abstracts due 3 Nov 2025
www.tandfonline.com/journals/rhr...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
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 ⬇️
October 15, 2025 at 2:58 PM
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 ⬇️
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
Disadvantaged students ‘more likely to miss out on GCSE foreign languages’
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Disadvantaged students ‘more likely to miss out on GCSE foreign languages’
In 2004, language learning ceased to be compulsory at Key Stage 4, aged 14 to 16.
www.independent.co.uk
October 3, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Disadvantaged students ‘more likely to miss out on GCSE foreign languages’
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
Are you working on language policy?
Do you like Spain?
Then apply for the Language Policy Forum 2026 in Spain!
22-23 April, @ucm.es
Venue details, plenary speakers, abstract deadline and submission form on our website: langpol.ac.uk. Go go go! 👇
Do you like Spain?
Then apply for the Language Policy Forum 2026 in Spain!
22-23 April, @ucm.es
Venue details, plenary speakers, abstract deadline and submission form on our website: langpol.ac.uk. Go go go! 👇
BAAL Language Policy group
Welcome to the Language Policy special interest group of the British Association for Applied Linguistics. The Language Policy (LP) SIG provides a forum to discuss, critically engage with, and research...
langpol.ac.uk
September 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Are you working on language policy?
Do you like Spain?
Then apply for the Language Policy Forum 2026 in Spain!
22-23 April, @ucm.es
Venue details, plenary speakers, abstract deadline and submission form on our website: langpol.ac.uk. Go go go! 👇
Do you like Spain?
Then apply for the Language Policy Forum 2026 in Spain!
22-23 April, @ucm.es
Venue details, plenary speakers, abstract deadline and submission form on our website: langpol.ac.uk. Go go go! 👇
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
"That's not real teaching then is it?"
"Isn't that just crayons and that?"
"You just did it to work with women, I know your game!"
And these are family members and friends...
"Isn't that just crayons and that?"
"You just did it to work with women, I know your game!"
And these are family members and friends...
Nearly half of male primary teachers (45%) say they’ve received negative comments about their role - and 18% heard them as recently as this year. 👎
For your daily dose of data, download the Teacher Tapp app!
📲 bit.ly/DownloadTeacherTapp
For your daily dose of data, download the Teacher Tapp app!
📲 bit.ly/DownloadTeacherTapp
August 25, 2025 at 1:08 PM
"That's not real teaching then is it?"
"Isn't that just crayons and that?"
"You just did it to work with women, I know your game!"
And these are family members and friends...
"Isn't that just crayons and that?"
"You just did it to work with women, I know your game!"
And these are family members and friends...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
'I have additional ideas, beginning with better respecting the glittering diversity of languages emigrants bring to the UK. We wrongly dictate that assimilation in western countries requires shifting to English monolingualism'
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Time for a reality check: Britain cannot be a big player on the world stage unless we speak more languages | Sophia Smith Galer
For all the talk of addressing the problem, things have got worse. Which is criminal when there is so much we could do, says journalist Sophia Smith Galer
www.theguardian.com
August 23, 2025 at 7:12 PM
'I have additional ideas, beginning with better respecting the glittering diversity of languages emigrants bring to the UK. We wrongly dictate that assimilation in western countries requires shifting to English monolingualism'
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
This new Handbook brings together the viewpoints of academics, practitioners, artists and people seeking refuge in Scotland to explore the global learnings that can be gained from this context.
30% off your print copy with code HIR30 and digital version available open access!
buff.ly/j12AWU2
30% off your print copy with code HIR30 and digital version available open access!
buff.ly/j12AWU2
August 19, 2025 at 11:05 AM
This new Handbook brings together the viewpoints of academics, practitioners, artists and people seeking refuge in Scotland to explore the global learnings that can be gained from this context.
30% off your print copy with code HIR30 and digital version available open access!
buff.ly/j12AWU2
30% off your print copy with code HIR30 and digital version available open access!
buff.ly/j12AWU2
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
A new post for teachers interested in language teaching history. frenchteachernet.blogspot.com/2025/08/wilh...
Wilhelm Viëtor and his legacy
The Reform Movement which began in the last two decades of the 19th century was the start of a huge change in the way languages would be tau...
frenchteachernet.blogspot.com
August 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM
A new post for teachers interested in language teaching history. frenchteachernet.blogspot.com/2025/08/wilh...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
Social mobility in Britain is low 👎
The majority of the public feel that this country is unfair and unequal.
And our research shows that chances of success are heavily shaped by socio-economic background.
But lots can be done to change this ⬇️
The majority of the public feel that this country is unfair and unequal.
And our research shows that chances of success are heavily shaped by socio-economic background.
But lots can be done to change this ⬇️
Fair opportunity for all - The Sutton Trust
Our roadmap to reducing educational inequality and improving social mobility.
www.suttontrust.com
August 11, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Social mobility in Britain is low 👎
The majority of the public feel that this country is unfair and unequal.
And our research shows that chances of success are heavily shaped by socio-economic background.
But lots can be done to change this ⬇️
The majority of the public feel that this country is unfair and unequal.
And our research shows that chances of success are heavily shaped by socio-economic background.
But lots can be done to change this ⬇️
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
Find my recently edited book "Language Policy as Practice: Advancing the Empirical Turn in Language Policy Research" with Palgrave here:
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
August 11, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Find my recently edited book "Language Policy as Practice: Advancing the Empirical Turn in Language Policy Research" with Palgrave here:
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
link.springer.com/book/10.1007...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
There is now a 🔓 1-page summary of our @berj-2025.bsky.social paper on co-creating #linguistics materials with teachers on the OASIS database 👉 www.oasis-database.org/details/mctu... #langsky #mflsky #edusky
August 5, 2025 at 9:53 AM
There is now a 🔓 1-page summary of our @berj-2025.bsky.social paper on co-creating #linguistics materials with teachers on the OASIS database 👉 www.oasis-database.org/details/mctu... #langsky #mflsky #edusky
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
www.ox.ac.uk/news/arts-bl...
Nearly 50% of A* grades for A Level German go to native speakers. The exams are too hard for pupils who have learned the language in school. The exam boards cite this as "discriminating well".
Nearly 50% of A* grades for A Level German go to native speakers. The exams are too hard for pupils who have learned the language in school. The exam boards cite this as "discriminating well".
Are Modern Foreign Languages exams too difficult? | University of
www.ox.ac.uk
July 23, 2025 at 6:28 AM
www.ox.ac.uk/news/arts-bl...
Nearly 50% of A* grades for A Level German go to native speakers. The exams are too hard for pupils who have learned the language in school. The exam boards cite this as "discriminating well".
Nearly 50% of A* grades for A Level German go to native speakers. The exams are too hard for pupils who have learned the language in school. The exam boards cite this as "discriminating well".
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
💬 "Research by the Sutton Trust finds younger people especially attuned to these disparities: only 21% of 18 to 24-year-olds believe everyone has the same chance to succeed."
Our research cited in @uk.theconversation.com 👇
Our research cited in @uk.theconversation.com 👇
Welcome to post-growth Europe – can anyone accept this new political reality?
An expert in public policy asks if it will ever be possible for political parties in Europe to be honest about the limits of growth – and still get elected.
theconversation.com
July 12, 2025 at 9:14 AM
💬 "Research by the Sutton Trust finds younger people especially attuned to these disparities: only 21% of 18 to 24-year-olds believe everyone has the same chance to succeed."
Our research cited in @uk.theconversation.com 👇
Our research cited in @uk.theconversation.com 👇
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
It’s a challenge coming up with homework ideas where AI can’t be used to cheat. Using a sentence builder for chunk learning is one. This is another (kind of) frenchteachernet.blogspot.com/2018/01/goog...
Google Translate beaters
Google Translate is a really useful tool, but some teachers say that they have stopped setting written work to be done at home because s...
frenchteachernet.blogspot.com
July 9, 2025 at 4:57 AM
It’s a challenge coming up with homework ideas where AI can’t be used to cheat. Using a sentence builder for chunk learning is one. This is another (kind of) frenchteachernet.blogspot.com/2018/01/goog...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
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...
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 ...
www.lspjournal.com
July 9, 2025 at 10:22 AM
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...
www.lspjournal.com/post/how-can...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
✨ The Languages in UK Education special issue is now complete! Many thanks to our guest editors @wendya-b.bsky.social & @cforsdick.bsky.social for compiling this important collection, and to every contributor for sharing bold ideas to shape language education policy.
🔗 www.lspjournal.com
🔗 www.lspjournal.com
LANGUAGES, SOCIETY AND POLICY - HOME | LSP
Languages, Society and Policy
www.lspjournal.com
July 9, 2025 at 8:14 AM
✨ The Languages in UK Education special issue is now complete! Many thanks to our guest editors @wendya-b.bsky.social & @cforsdick.bsky.social for compiling this important collection, and to every contributor for sharing bold ideas to shape language education policy.
🔗 www.lspjournal.com
🔗 www.lspjournal.com
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
How can we turn the UK’s 'cold spots' for language learning into 'hot spots?' 🔥📚
J. Biddle & J. Andrews highlight practical grassroots projects across the UK that show what works: @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social www.lspjournal.com/post/how-can...
J. Biddle & J. Andrews highlight practical grassroots projects across the UK that show what works: @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social 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 ...
www.lspjournal.com
July 9, 2025 at 7:59 AM
How can we turn the UK’s 'cold spots' for language learning into 'hot spots?' 🔥📚
J. Biddle & J. Andrews highlight practical grassroots projects across the UK that show what works: @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social www.lspjournal.com/post/how-can...
J. Biddle & J. Andrews highlight practical grassroots projects across the UK that show what works: @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social www.lspjournal.com/post/how-can...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
“We’re at real risk of language education being accessible only to young people in the most affluent schools in England. This would be a disaster, shutting many young people out of essential education” : @cforsdick.bsky.social
Fewer pupils in less affluent English schools taking languages, survey finds
Less than half taking foreign languages GCSEs compared with 69% in most prosperous state schools
www.theguardian.com
July 1, 2025 at 4:59 PM
“We’re at real risk of language education being accessible only to young people in the most affluent schools in England. This would be a disaster, shutting many young people out of essential education” : @cforsdick.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
What does it really mean to think like a linguist?
Charlotte Ryland argues it's time to move beyond grammar drills and embrace creativity, culture, and collaboration in language education. 🔗 www.lspjournal.com/post/think-l...
✍️ Collection Edited by @wendya-b.bsky.social & @cforsdick.bsky.social
Charlotte Ryland argues it's time to move beyond grammar drills and embrace creativity, culture, and collaboration in language education. 🔗 www.lspjournal.com/post/think-l...
✍️ Collection Edited by @wendya-b.bsky.social & @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...
www.lspjournal.com
June 25, 2025 at 10:53 AM
What does it really mean to think like a linguist?
Charlotte Ryland argues it's time to move beyond grammar drills and embrace creativity, culture, and collaboration in language education. 🔗 www.lspjournal.com/post/think-l...
✍️ Collection Edited by @wendya-b.bsky.social & @cforsdick.bsky.social
Charlotte Ryland argues it's time to move beyond grammar drills and embrace creativity, culture, and collaboration in language education. 🔗 www.lspjournal.com/post/think-l...
✍️ Collection Edited by @wendya-b.bsky.social & @cforsdick.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
Curriculum and Assessment Review: ILCS, ALL and UCFL issue a statement.
'The development of a sustainable model for language provision across the whole of the educational sector is of the highest concern to all members of the subject community'
Read the statement:
ilcs.sas.ac.uk/research-pol...
'The development of a sustainable model for language provision across the whole of the educational sector is of the highest concern to all members of the subject community'
Read the statement:
ilcs.sas.ac.uk/research-pol...
Curriculum and Assessment Review
The interim report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review (March 2025) classified 'Languages' as requiring Category 1 intervention.
ilcs.sas.ac.uk
June 24, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Curriculum and Assessment Review: ILCS, ALL and UCFL issue a statement.
'The development of a sustainable model for language provision across the whole of the educational sector is of the highest concern to all members of the subject community'
Read the statement:
ilcs.sas.ac.uk/research-pol...
'The development of a sustainable model for language provision across the whole of the educational sector is of the highest concern to all members of the subject community'
Read the statement:
ilcs.sas.ac.uk/research-pol...
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
These topics are much more complex and nuanced than a few lines can address, but glad that a couple of the educational issues I raised, including the need for more explicit commitments to antiracism in the curriculum, made the cut in this piece.
‘Where are the foreigners?’: does a facile explanation lie behind Ballymena’s outbreak of hate?
Northern Ireland faces stark questions over the racism, xenophobia and intolerance that has forced families from abroad to flee
www.theguardian.com
June 14, 2025 at 8:39 PM
These topics are much more complex and nuanced than a few lines can address, but glad that a couple of the educational issues I raised, including the need for more explicit commitments to antiracism in the curriculum, made the cut in this piece.
Reposted by Dr Leanne Henderson
💬 What if stories—not grammar drills—were the key to unlocking language learning?
Jonathan McBride explores how storytelling can transform language lessons, boost motivation, & help every learner succeed. 📚✨ @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social
Read more: www.lspjournal.com/post/the-pow...
Jonathan McBride explores how storytelling can transform language lessons, boost motivation, & help every learner succeed. 📚✨ @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social
Read more: www.lspjournal.com/post/the-pow...
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...
www.lspjournal.com
June 11, 2025 at 10:27 AM
💬 What if stories—not grammar drills—were the key to unlocking language learning?
Jonathan McBride explores how storytelling can transform language lessons, boost motivation, & help every learner succeed. 📚✨ @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social
Read more: www.lspjournal.com/post/the-pow...
Jonathan McBride explores how storytelling can transform language lessons, boost motivation, & help every learner succeed. 📚✨ @wendya-b.bsky.social @cforsdick.bsky.social
Read more: www.lspjournal.com/post/the-pow...