''Tried and trusted methods done well, will work...'' Ofsted for MFL
This session at the University of Sussex, Brighton, was organised by Sara Vaughan from MFL South-East and led by Elaine Taylor HMI, National Adviser for Modern Languages.
Elaine Taylor is the National Adviser for Modern Languages. Elaine has been an HMI for six years and the National Adviser since September 2011.
Before joining Ofsted, Elaine worked as a senior leader in a school and as a school improvement officer for a Local Authority. She taught French and German for over 30 years and trained modern language teachers through links with initial teacher education, including as director of specialism in a training school. Elaine as someone in the audience said ''is probably one of the nicest Ofsted inspectors on the planet''. She is extremely approachable, she smiles a lot and definitively knows her stuff. The kind of nice, honest person you would actually, wait for it, want to sit at the back of your classroom!
From the beginning of the session, Elaine wanted us to remember her moto : ''Tried and trusted methods done well, will work..''
This session was going to be an overview of the new framework and grade descriptors but more to the point a practical session, to find out what Ofsted can do, to help us.
Here is the outline of the session:
- From the last report, what needed to change / happen in MFL.
- What has changed?
- Using descriptors for self evaluation
- Judging target language use
The last report: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/modern-languages-achievement-and-challenge-2007-2010
In January 2011, Ofsted published Modern languages: achievement and challenge 2007-2010. (This was a follow-up to In 2008 Ofsted published The changing landscape of languages: an evaluation of language learning 2004/2007.) This kind of report is usually a 3 yr report, ( achievement and challenge) but not any more, the next Ofsted MFL report should be due early January 2013 but Elaine told us that considering all the changes that are happening / about to happen in MFL, the next report will probably be published a little latter. At the moment, Elaine is trying to get primary and secondary case studies published instead of triennial report. (see more information below)
What were the primary recommendations from the last report?
- build on good work in speaking and listening, including language learning strategies and knowledge about language, to develop pupils' early skills in reading and writing.
- ensure inter-cultural understanding is built in not just in say a one day Spanish day etc... but embedded in school life.
See the Good practice resource - Everyone a linguist: Cherry Orchard Primary School http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/good-practice-resource-everyone-linguist-cherry-orchard-primary-school
The secondary recommendations were:
- Target Language (TL), and greater emphasis on regular use
- Make more use of authentic materials to help develop students' language skills and their inter-cultural understanding.
- Broaden approaches to T & L to enthuse students and increase their confidence, competence and ambition in MFL
- Consider as a matter of urgency, the implications of recent developments in primary languages for their curriculum in year 7 and how they build on students' prior attainment.
See Good practice resource - Talking the talk in modern languages: Wildern School
This example shows how Wildern School uses effective strategies including a Target Language policy to engage students in modern languages, especially boys, and to promote spontaneous use of the target language by all students.
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/good-practice-resource-talking-talk-modern-languages-wildern-school
Elaine then shared with us her guidance principles on judging TL, this is NOT an official ofsted document however, it could potentially be very useful. In groups, we had to describe how we felt TL was used by pupils and staff in lessons across the whole MFL department and then make a judgement on the use of TL. I cannot emphasise enough the fact that the document is a draft only, not an Ofsted document!! I will put the document in the #mfltwitterati #dropbox
The grade descriptors
New grade descriptors because of new section 5
- the new descriptors have been pruned and bulleted and there is a sharp focus on the progress of groups
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/generic-grade-descriptors-and-supplementary-subject-specific-guidance-for-inspectors-making-judgemen
What does good practice look like?
In one school, the link governor liaises with the community, she has recruited people from the community who come to help and deliver session in their own language. In another school is only using speaking as the tested skill, another skill added in yr. 8 then all 4 in yr. 9.
When she observes a lesson, Elaine talks to children, a lot, and will usually ask them the following questions.
What are you learning today?
Have you done it before?
Is this hard?
Is this too heavy?
Elaine is thinking of writing guidance on what to look for in a MFL lesson so watch this space!
Her tips:
Give as much information as possible but be realistic! Give your aims, a copy of your mark book, not necessarily a lesson plan.you just don't have time to prepare reams of paper from the 12 o'clock call the day before..She reminded us: you have it all there..
Don't try to pretend / try too hard, just get on with the lesson. Inspectors are looking for evidence to backup SEF. She also mentioned something, in my very important, if CA are planned, don't change your plans, go ahead and the inspectors ought to go somewhere else.
Progress progress progress
It's not what you do it's the impact it has.
Do what you know works. Don't try to do things to please ofsted inspectors
What is the diet that the kids receive? Not what they get on a one-off.
Someone said in the room "You sound like a really nice ofsted inspector" and she was, and she was quite happy to share so much information with us, even her own email address!
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