Rhetoric or reality: intercultural understanding in the English Key Stage 3 Modern Foreign Languages curriculum

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the aspect of intercultural understanding as a component in the revised Key Stage 3 (ages 11–13) Modern Foreign Languages curriculum in England. It critically examines the extent to which recent initiatives have been conducive to promoting the development of intercultural understanding (IU) amongst pupils at Key Stage 3. It argues that while policy appears to have placed increased emphasis on IU, it has been predominantly concerned with the need to complement a wider set of broader policy goals, not educational objectives and the development of an intercultural languages pedagogy.

Keywords:

• curriculum development
• Modern Foreign Languages
• pedagogy
• secondary schools
• government policy

Notes

1. The National Director for Languages worked on behalf of the Department for Education from 2003–2011 with responsibility for helping to deliver the National Languages Strategy (DfES 2002). He also advised on languages teaching policy. In 2008, he set up the Languages Company: http://www.languagescompany.com/