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Short thread of posts on languages post GCSE and the total lack of mainstream language learning options. So bizarre that this isn't recognised as one of the top 2 problems when it comes to languages in the UK.

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 11h

How come we don't value language learning in this country unless it comes with the extra intellectual heft of essays, abstruse grammar, literature and linguistics?

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com/2023/10/colo...

Colonial Curriculum

At the same time as " the knowledge curriculum " is promoting the study of authoritative voices, the "best" of great literature and "standa...

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 1h

He looks more and more like John McLaughlin

Reposted by Mr E

Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 9h

Lord Heseltine, "Brexit is now having a debilitating effect on the UK.. It will be reversed, not it, when..The deception of Brexit has exposed Britain"

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Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 2h

It's got a large number of mistakes rendering letters as a different but similar looking letter eg O for Q.

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 9h

Grrr. Bought a book in English only to discover it was originally in French. Now I can't read it without constantly re-translating it.

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 10h

Would you say this is looking good or looking bad?

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 10h

Even at level of grammar translation exercise. He tries out what feels right to say and then checks the grammar.

Other students locate the grammar and then say the answer.

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 10h

Sheer amount of Spanish he has seen. And can now start to trust his feel for it.

Other students are entirely the opposite. They have the grammar clear and can build things out of it.

Surprisingly different approaches.

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Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 10h

Student in Y13 is ok at "grammar" but to be honest, it doesn't help him too much when it comes to speaking fluently. More likely to hold him back.

Nice to see him now getting to level where he can try out what he would say, and spot the grammar in there.

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Reposted by Mr E

Steve Smith @spsmith45.bsky.social · 10h

My chat with Will Marks on his podcast The Language Lab. www.iheart.com/podcast/1333...

Steve Smith, EPI and Why Grammar Drill Isn’t the Answer - The Language Lab Podcast | iHeart

<p>Steve Smith — MFL veteran, author, blogger, and founder of <a href='https://www.frenchteacher.net' target='_blank' rel='ugc noopener noreferrer'>FrenchTeacher.net</a> — joins Will Marks for a full-...

www.iheart.com

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Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 10h

www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/09/04/h...

How the manufactured narrative of 'failure' is distracting us from resolving the systemic problems holding back the study of Modern Languages - Part One. - HEPI

This post was kindly written by Vincent Everett, who is head of languages in a comprehensive school and sixth form in Norfolk. He blogs as The Nice Man Who Teaches Languages. We have to bring an end t...

www.hepi.ac.uk

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Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 10h

Unfair grading in languages and its pervasive pernicious effect.

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com/2025/08/unfa...

Unfair grading and its impact in Languages

Imagine you are selling petrol for £1.40 a litre, and the other garages down the street all sell it for £1.30. Should you be surprised or c...

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 11h

And how do they make sure that A Level is barely suitable for even the 4 pupils per secondary school who take it?
whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com/2025/06/real...

Really cool translation challenge.

I've been working on a really cool translation challenge for the last 3 days. And I've nearly cracked the first 5 words. You'll love it. It...

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com

Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 11h

How bad is the A Level we ended up with because of this reform? whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-...

The problem with THIS A Level

I am going to be writing a post looking at what needs to be done for Modern Languages , which will include explaining why the lack of mains...

whoteacheslanguages.blogspot.com

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Mr E @theniceman.bsky.social · 11h

Think I am exaggerating? Look at the (not even barely disguised) contempt here alevelcontent.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...

alevelcontent.wordpress.com

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Reposted by Mr E

Juan Fernandez @juanfernandez.bsky.social · 11h

Así de compleja es la educación: casi 300 entradas después de cinco años, y algunos temas siguen pendientes. Abordamos uno de ellos: el aprendizaje cooperativo. Aportamos algunas referencias que pueden ayudar a implementarlo con un poco de claridad.

Aprendizaje cooperativo: ¿fiable o moda?

¿Te has preguntado alguna vez qué evidencias existen en torno al aprendizaje cooperativo? Bien, no es una moda de temporada ni el primo del “trabajo en grupo” que consiste en dividir la tarea en partes y luego juntarlas todas. Cuando hablamos de aprendizaje cooperativo nos referimos a la propuesta didáctica que se basa en estructuras de interdependencia positiva, responsabilidad individual, interacción promotora, habilidades sociales explícitas y procesamiento grupal; ese “paquete” —no solo sentar a cuatro estudiantes juntos— es lo que la literatura evalúa y lo que conviene valorar con rigor (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 2013).

investigaciondocente.com

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