A passion for languages: motivation and preparation to teach modern foreign languages in eight cohorts of beginning teachers

Abstract

The findings presented in this article build a picture of modern foreign languages (MFL) student teachers' concerns and motivations as they embark upon their initial training and subsequently their teaching careers. Their motivations to teach MFL, particularly relevant for the areas of recruitment and retention, and the emerging ideas on teaching languages which they bring with them are discussed, as well as student teachers' expectations of the year ahead. The data were collected through a questionnaire administered to eight cohorts of MFL student teachers immediately prior to their one-year postgraduate teacher training course. The analysis, using both qualitative and quantitative techniques, depicts a very conscientious group of student teachers, passionate about their subject, thoroughly committed at this stage to their choice of career, but who are tentative in many of their responses and who appear to be aware at least partially of the learning ahead. In a national context where modern languages are from September 2004 no longer compulsory at Key Stage 4 (pupils aged 14–16) and where MFL remains a shortage subject, it is timely to consider the motivating factors driving quality graduates.

Keywords:

• Foreign languages
• Learning to teach
• Motivation
• Teacher education