All teachers of languages have their lessons observed at some time or other. It might be by Ofsted, by a school leader or by a colleague. It's quite common for a teacher of languages to be observed by someone who is not a language teacher or specialist, and who therefore has little or no knowledge of how a language should be taught. Over the years I have heard from and about some of this latter group of language teachers (primary and secondary), who have been criticised because the learners did not write in their books during the lesson. The assumption for some observers appears to be that learners should write in their books in every languages lesson. Are they right?
I was taught and have always followed the rule that writing in books (not the same as all writing, as I will discuss later) should only take place once aural and oral practice has taken place, and the children's knowledge and understanding of the new vocabulary, grammar, phonics and structures are secure.
Over the last two days I have been searching for some kind of official documentation to back up this rule. Unfortunately, there is nothing to be found. However it's certainly worth noting (and thank you to Vincent Everett for pointing this out!) that neither is there any official documentation saying that learners should be writing in books every lesson.
So when should learners be writing, and how should they go about it? Let's have a look at the evidence and the documentation that we do have.
I'm going to start with the documentation from Ofsted, since, like it or not, their inspection framework influences what we do in the classroom and how other professionals observe and judge our lessons. Two weeks ago, Ofsted published Curriculum research review series: languages, "a review of research into factors that can affect the quality of education in languages". Here are two excerpts:
The phrase "over time" is used in both these excerpts. Ofsted have made clear that they are no longer expecting to see progress made in one single lesson, but are looking instead for planning and evidence of progress across a series of lessons. As languages professionals, we know that it takes several lessons to introduce and practise thoroughly the new language before it is formalised in writing. Personally, I can often go three or four lessons without children writing anything in their books.
Dr Michael Wardle, Ofsted's languages lead, said at Language World 2021 that "building blocks in each subject [should be] carefully sequenced and practised until sticky". In other words, activities should be meaningful, in the right place in the sequence for a purpose. They should not be tokenistic, which is how I would consider writing in a book every lesson merely to tick a box. Dr Wardle has also said that the new curriculum and the new Ofsted framework is all about "knowing more and remembering more". We should only plan a writing activity if it is going to help children to know more and remember more at a specific stage in the sequence of learning.
There is further evidence on page 2 of the document Ofsted inspection - clarification for schools:
Ofsted recognises that no work in books does not mean that no learning has taken place, and it's clear that this should be shared by observers of any subject, not just languages.
There are, of course, mentions of writing in the National Curriculum programmes of study for languages. According to the purpose of study for both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, a balance between the spoken word and the written word must be struck:
In Key Stage 2 subject content, we are required to offer a balance of oracy and literacy:
The word "appropriate" is crucial here - a writing activity must be appropriate to the sequence of learning and not just there because there is an expectation that writing in books must be done.
We can also refer back to the Key Stage 2 Framework for Languages (a sadly technically obsolete but still very useful document, available here) for additional guidance as to the place of writing in the sequence of learning:
The inference here is that children will begin a unit of learning with speaking and listening, which will later be reinforced and further developed by reading and writing. Oracy is seen as a foundation for literacy, in other words it comes first, and children move on to literacy when it is appropriate to do so.
- take photos of children speaking and stick it in their books
- video children or record children speaking, attach it to a QR code and stick the QR code in their books
- stick a sticker in the books on which is recorded the learning that has taken place
- children complete a peer test or check activity, record the result on a post-it, and this is stuck in the book.
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