Gaël Faye: Petit Pays

Un grand merci à Romain Devaux, qui m'a offert le livre 'Petit Pays' par Gaël Faye.  I read it all in one go today and I can see why it was awarded the Prix Goncourt des lycéens.  I suggest that it would be an excellent recommendation to any serious students of French who want to expand their knowledge of language and francophone history and culture.  

Written in the first person, Gabriel/Gaby recalls his childhood in Burundi as the son of a French father and a Tutsi mother (a refugee from Rwanda), describing nature, friendships, neighbours, servants, family and recounting everyday life, including incidents of class, race and  political conflict.  Although not autobiographical, we know that the fictional Gaby is a contemporary of the author, Gaël Faye, and it must surely be this lived experience which makes the narrative so real and compelling, seeing the impact of the horrors of the 1994 genocide through the eyes of someone who was affected by it and experienced its consequences.

GCSE Results 2024

I was representing ALL at the well organised JCQ briefing this morning which included representation from Ofqual and it was very helpful to receive so much information, easily accessible.

I have brought together some detailed numbers and links which may be useful to those analysing ML results.

1 Press release from ALL

ALL has released the following Press release: 

Association for Language Learning Statement on GCSE results.

2. Detailed numbers

The overall number of GCSE entries in all subjects has risen by 4.8% to 6,186,879 in 2024 with an increase of 4.6 % in the 16-year-old population in 2024 compared with 2023. 91.4% of all entries were from 16 year-olds. Entries from students aged 17 and over are up 20.5% to 430,377 compared with 357,207 in 2023.  In 2024, students aged 17 and over represent 7.0% of all entries compared with 6.0% in 2023.

 In 2024, within a context where the 16-year-old population is bigger (by 4.6%) French entries increased by 2.8% from 130,901 in 2023 to 134,651 in 2024, German increased by 3.5% from 34,707 to 35,913, Spanish entries increased by 6.2% from 125,651 to 133,395 and and other languages by 8.1% from 39,896 to 43,121. 

Comparing entry numbers between 2024 and 2019 (pre-pandemic) French has increased by 3%, German has declined by 16.1%, Spanish has increased by 30.5% and other languages have increased by 34%.  

 These numbers are taken from the JCQ UK cumulative figures published Thursday22nd August 2024.

 

Subject	Year	Number Sat	7/A	4/C	1/G	U
French	2024	134651	28.4	71.7	98.6	100
French	2023	130901	26.6	71.2	98.2	100
French	2019	130831	24.3	70.4	98.6	100
German	2024	35913	32.5	77.8	99.1	100
German	2023	34707	28.2	77.2	98.9	100
German	2019	42791	24.7	76.0	98.7	100
Spanish	2024	133395	27.3	70.5	98.1	100
Spanish	2023	125651	26.8	70.0	97.9	100
Spanish	2019	102242	27.7	71.1	98.2	100
Other Modern Languages (5)	2024	43121	71.8	92.5	97.7	100
Other Modern Languages (5)	2023	39896	70.3	92.2	97.8	100
Other Modern Languages (5)	2019	32183	65.9	90.2	97.5	100

 

JCQ Table: GCSE Other Modern Foreign Languages Entries Summer 2023 and 2024:

 

 3. Links

a) JCQ has shared results tables and press releases here:

https://www.jcq.org.uk/gcse-level-1-and-level-2-results-summer-2024/

  

b) Ofqual has provided an  ‘Ofqual GCSE results update:

• Guide to GCSE results in England, summer 2024
• Guide to the 2024 Level 1/2, and Level 2 qualification results for Vocational and Technical Qualifications in England
• National Reference Test Results and annual statement 2024 
• Infographics showing GCSE outcomes this year
• Infographics showing VTQ outcomes this year
• Interactive analytics of GCSE outcomes over time, variability in centres’ results, and outcomes by county
• Interactive analytics of PTQ outcomes over time and by subject

 Ofqual adds that you may also find the following information useful:

• Ofqual Student Guide 2024, which includes details of the Exam Results Helpline and Ofqual’s contact details
• Exam Procedure Review Service (EPRS) guide
• National Careers Service - make choices after your exams

 

 ______________________________________________________________________

c) A reminder about my recent blogpost: 

What to look out for in GCSE ML grading on Thursday 22nd August 2024

David Blow brings together 

• the Ofqual announcement about aligning grading standards in GCSE French and German with Spanish
• the FFT Datalab graphs on provisionalentries for GCSE languages 
• and a section on ‘Cohort prior attainment profile in each subject’, where he reminds us that it is misleading to look at raw % achieving grades in different GCSE subjects, because the ability profile taking each subject will differ.  He illustrates this by sharing graphs generated by the DfE Transition Matrices published in October 2023. 

When the DfE releases Transition Matrices for 2024, we will share a further analysis of the 2024 data.

What to look out for in GCSE ML grading on Thursday 22nd August 2024

The languages' community is gearing up for GCSE results day on Thursday 22nd August. 

Thank you to David Blow, ALL Fellow,  for sharing this document entitled 'What to look out for in GCSE  ML Grading on Thursday 22nd August 2024'.  [Apologies that the formatting has not transferred well to Google docs.  I will update tomorrow!]

 I have pasted it into this blogpost.  Throughout,  italics indicate content from sources quoted.

Ofqual announcement in July

On 18th July 2024 (postponed because of the election), Ofqual announced decisions arising from the completion of their work in 2019 to bring grading in GCSE French and German up to that of GCSE Spanish.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/grading-continues-as-normal-this-summer-in-england

GCSE French and German

Ofqual decided in 2019 to better align grading standards in GCSE French and German with Spanish (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/inter- subject-comparability-in-gcse-modern-foreign- languages), following the conclusion of an extensive programme of work considering inter-subject comparability. We required exam boards to award more generously at grades 9, 7 and 4 in GCSE French and German in summer 2023. We also set out our intention to review this to consider whether any further adjustments were needed.

Following these adjustments, there is greater alignment between GCSE French, German and Spanish than prior to the pandemic. We were always clear that any adjustment might be phased over more than one year, and we are therefore requiring exam boards to make a further positive adjustment this summer in GCSE German (grades 9, 7 and 4), and GCSE French (grades 7 and 4). We are not requiring exam boards to make a further adjustment at grade 9 in GCSE French, since the evidence suggests that there was broad alignment with Spanish in summer 2023. Making these small adjustments supports Ofqual’s role to secure qualification standards.

It is important to note that the 2019 review (and hence this final piece of work) was only regarding GCSE French, German and Spanish.

These moves were welcomed by organisations, although they made the point that there was still not comparability with the other EBacc subjects. [See ALL press release 18th July 2024]  

https://www.all-languages.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Press-Release-18-July-2024.pdf

What will 2024 ML grades be like when announced on Thursday?

FFT Datalab published an extremely helpful blog on Monday.

https://ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2024/08/five-things-to-look-out-for-on-gcse-results-day/

Here at Datalab, we’ve been banging on about the harsh grading of modern foreign language GCSEs for years. So we were pleased to hear that Ofqual plans to make some adjustments to grading this year. But we were slightly less pleased when we heard the details of the plan.

Essentially, the plan is to award some grades in French and German more generously this year, to bring grading in these subjects more closely in line with grading in Spanish. But we would argue that grading in Spanish is also overly harsh, and that these adjustments may still not go far enough

Entries in ML

From FFT Datalab blog: 

The proportion of pupils entered for a language has fallen every year since 2019. [See picture 1] 

Picture 1

And we are likely to see another small fall this year.  Provisional data on entries suggests that, while entries to languages are likely to have increased this year, they will have increased by less than the increase in the overall population of 16 year olds. [See picture 2]

Picture 2

So, despite strong increases in entries in Spanish and other modern languages, we can probably expect to see the proportion of pupils entering languages overall fall again this year.

Picture 3 is taken from the provisional entries information and shows the entries over time for French German and Spanish and the sum of all three  as percentage of entries for Maths, as a proxy for the total number of candidates taking exams

Picture 3

Cohort prior attainment profile in each subject

This information is only made public in October each year when the DfE publishes the Subject Transition Matrices, so we can only go up to 2023.  Ofqual and the exam boards do have access to the 2024 prior attainment figures (i.e. KS2 in 2019) and use those as part of the “comparable outcomes” process to ensure a reasonably consistent year to year picture.

It is misleading to look at raw % achieving grades in different GCSE subjects, because the ability profile taking each subject will differ.

 Although “comparable outcomes” is in place to ensure that in general % getting each grade in each subject remain reasonably constant over time, clearly,  if fewer lower prior attainment pupils take a subject, then the percentage of higher grades should rise.

The Ofqual decision in 2019 was to bring grading in GCSE French and German up to GCSE Spanish.  However, between 2019 and 2023 the profiles taking French, German and Spanish changed, and we expect the change to be maintained if not furthered in 2024 

Entries from 2019 to 2023:

• French: 109,139 to 110.101
• German: 37,292 to 29,523
• Spanish: 85250 to 104,718

There is a complication in comparison by prior attainment because the scale for KS2 prior attainment changed from sub-levels to scaled scores – roughly the KS2 Level 4b should align with scaled score of 100 whilst the top and bottom stay put.

We can see clearly in picture 4 the numbers of entries, where dotted lines represent 2019 and solid lines 2023, that the number of entries in Spanish from pupils of lower prior attainment have risen relatively.

Picture 4

The clearest way is to compare within 2019 and within 2023 the relative proportion for each prior attainment group doing French and German relative to Spanish, which is shown in Picture 5.

Picture 5

You can see clearly that the proportion of most able students in German relative to Spanish has risen noticeably (and in French), and so the proportion of top grade in German should rise in order to maintain “comparable outcomes”.

It is also worth looking at the raw numbers in the DfE Transition Matrices published in October.  You can see in Picture 6 that in 2023, there were over 10,000 students for Spanish entered with scaled score below 100 (the “expected” score), and yet over 500 of them gained a grade 8 or 9. 

Picture 6

 Whereas in German, (Picture 7) only 2,000 students had KS2 below 100, and only 20 of them gained a grade 8 or 9!

Picture 7

This information for 2024 will be published by the DfE in October, but it is unlikely to change much from 2023. Below in picture 8 is the subject Transition Matrix for French to explain what the figures mean.

Picture 8

 

D Day: a time to recall the events of WW2 and use French for real

 

I have prepared a resource which could be used in French lessons to accompany lessons about the second world war.

The resource is available as a document and PowerPoint. It aims to describe in simple French language

(1) the important dates of WWII from a French perspective

(2) the key points about the French resistance 

(3) the key points about D Day

It can be adapted to suit your purposes.  It includes a presentation, a worksheet and a quiz.

You can download the files directly from my Google Drive here.

Rationale:

FACTS

D Day celebrations give an opportunity to remind pupils of the timeline of events in the war.  They are likely to have learnt about the war from a British perspective, they will have access to much info on D Day itself at this period (programmes, articles etc) but they may not be familiar with the French perspective, including the notions of ‘collaboration’ and ‘resistance'. 

LANGUAGE

When visiting France (e.g. Battlefields trips, Normandy beaches) pupils are very likely to see text and pictures referring to WW2.  Reading authentic texts can be interesting and satisfying.  Even if words have not been encountered before, learner can ‘work out’ meanings drawing on what their existing knowledge events and language.

Activities to get pupils talking

I have just come across a document called 'Checklist of activities to get pupils talking' downloadable here on my Google Drive.  

I prepared it for a training session for student teachers.  There are loads and loads of ways to get pupils talking in a lesson, but this list may be of use to someone!

Thanks to the many teachers who have shared their ideas with me over my 4 decades of teaching.  Core books I have to had which will have informed some of these ideas are:

• Routledge Teaching Guide - A practical guide to teaching foreign languages in the secondary school
• Routledge - Learning to teach foreign languages in the secondary school
• CILT: Something to say? Vee Harris, James Burch, Barry Jones, Jane Darcy

I compiled this before acquiring the ALL publication 'It's good to talk' [link here]  and look forward to learning even more strategies.  You never ever stop learning.!

Checklist of activities to get pupils talking!

Most can be modelled by teacher  - whole class repetition – then led by pupils as ‘teacher clones’ in pair / group work. ‘Teacher clone effect!’

Ranked roughly in order of stage: predictable/supported -  Unpredictable/unsupported

Contents

1. READ ALOUD
2. INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD
3. COMPREHENSION
4. RANDOMISE
5. DISGUISE THE TEXT
6. MIME
7. CARD GAMES
8. PICTURE GAMES
9. SONG AND RAP
10. GAMES (non-card!)
11. INFORMATION GAP
12. OPEN DISCUSSIONS
13. GROUP CHALLENGES

Activity ‘name’ (helps to make memorable for pupils .. don’t need to explain every time!)	Notes
READ ALOUD	Full text Could be models dialogue, conversation, presentation, substitution table.
Choral repetition	Imitative – all involved but narrow
Choral performance	Read with different characteristics of performance: ‘Conduct’ / click  - get rhythm going (but insist only T clicks!) To the beat of  a metronome / drums / clicking Vary way it is said (volume, emotion,, speed)
Read aloud text	Variations: Teacher / pupils alternate Switch when you have had enough! Rewards for good performance Memorise
Reading auditions	As above in pairs With expression . body language. Facial expression
Puppet show	Read aloud as a puppet (create a theatre?!)
CTBG - Open pairs performance	Pair read in front of others.  Class gives feedback on appropriate criteria. ‘CTBG’ - catch them being good!
Memorisation	Memorise text gradually. Gradually hide words / letters Substitution tables gradually withdrawn
Against the clock	Time how long it takes to say the text x times
Recording studio	‘Final product’ encourages rehearsal
Act up!	Add own words to drama Emotional roles Resolving a dispute Planning a party Adding extra to the dialogue drawing on known – ideas,. Justifications With props – restaurant Add extra dimensions – emotions, problems
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD
Hot Potato reading	Pupil reads and passes to another by saying their name when not expecting it
Closed pairs practice	Pairs practise to rehearse for performance.
Marathon	Read aloud until mistake spotted!
Pass the parcel	When music stop, pupil holding parcel reads the next bit
Musical pass the mobile phone	Pupil has back to class. Class pass the old phone while music playing. Music stops. Pupil with phone says next phrase (can disguise voice) . Pupil has to guess the person.
Human punctuation	Switch at punctuation mark
On the ball (for real!)	Teacher throw squeeze to pupils at random with text, they throw back with next section
On the ball	Teacher read – stop – challenge: next word?
COMPREHENSION
Q/A work – pointed questions	Pattern practice: Closed / alternatives / open Teacher / Pupil / Teaching Assistant / Native speakers NB  Guidance needed (can be daunting / demotivating if not done well – lamentable!)
True or false chanting	Repeat if true, silent if false
RANDOMISE
Reverse read aloud	Say word Pupil say sentence containing the word
Random reading	Read sentence at random. Stop. Pupils supply next sentence.
Hangman	Give letters
Audio Hangman	Talk about letters it begins with  / finishes with   It’s a phrase to say when you leave ..
DISGUISE THE TEXT
Beat the pen	Start to write the text  / hide – guess or ask to continue
Sound then rhythm	Sound first syllable and clap the rest. Pupils supply full sentence.
Closed mouth speaking (Mouth full speaking?)   Humming	Say with mouth closed and work out phrase form rhythm and intonation
Heads and tails	Display just the top / bottom
Topsy turvey	Display text upside down
Chinese whispers	Start each row with a phrase to be ‘passed along’ through whispering.  Winner raises hand and says aloud phrase correctly.
Translation challenge	Gradually reveal En/TL from fixed dialogue Live challenge with substitution tables
MIME	Mime words / sentences within the text
Sign language	Work out the phrase from the sign language
Lip reading	Mouth the word  / phrase – pupil says the word/phrase
Trace in the sky	Trace in the air the word  / phrase – pupil says the word/phrase
Trace on your back	Trace on back the word  / phrase – pupil says the word/phrase
Special envoy	One pupil sent out of class.  Class decide on phrase to be mimed. Pupil returns and has to guess.
Class knock-down	Teams take it in turn to send out fellow team member. Decide on who mimes what. Team member returns.  Each mimes. When they com in they are timed in guessing the mimes. Shortest time wins.
Make the teacher mime	Pupil says word / sentence. If correct,  T mimes.
Charades	T/P mimes. Class interprets. Class says phrase / word
Team charades	Two teams A and B compete to guess sentences mimed by volunteer from their team quicker than the other team. After each mime, volunteer selects person to guess. Scores point if correct.  Then  moves to next card.
CARD GAMES
Fill the gaps	In pairs – each has the info the other one needs.
Secret choice	Teacher guesses pupil’s secret choice all class knows choice) for one round (10?).  Pupil gets points for each incorrect guesses. Pupils take it in turns to guess Teacher’s secret choice. Same scoring. Winner = most points (i.e. most incorrect guesses from opponent).
Pelmanism	Uncover matching pairs  /groups of cards.
Ask/hide/find the card	Pupils request card and keep. When all distributed, pupils have to recall who had which card and request it.
Slow reveal	gradually reveal a card – first to say phrase.
Quick flash	Show card very quickly – can they say it?
Noughts and crosses	Translate / Give  the phrase represented in the square to gain the square (or it goes to other team)
Happy Families	Pupils guess who has which card and requests it in TL. Supply phrases to play game
PICTURE GAMES
Pictionary	Teams draw word / phrase to illustrate. Teams members guess within a time limit.
Taboo	Team member draws word / phrase to define in TL without using specific words. Team members guess word,
Generation game conveyor belt	Words shown as on a conveyor belt. Memorise words. Recall – point per item recalled.
Kim’s game	Show words. Then hide all Memorise words Recall – point per item recalled.
Through the keyhole	Guess 8 images Call out words seen (Can be done with paper an dcut out keyhole!)
Beat the blur?	Call out word before unblurred
SONG AND RAP
Singalong song	Memorable.  Could focus on one part (chorus?)
‘Pick up a song’ ‘On connaît la chanson’	Fade out – are they still in time when you come in again?
Raps	Could create their own
Chanting	Rhythmic chanting of elements
GAMES (non-card!)
Chain game	‘I went to market and I bought A’ ‘I went to market and I bought B and A’ ‘I went to market and I bought C and B and A
Bingo	Pupils create 3x3 grid filled with 9 of the 20 words / [phrases available. (Or teacher creates in adavcen).  Teacher ‘calls; for whole class. Then Pupil ‘calls’ for whole class. Then group games where one is caller.
Noughts and crosses	Translate / Give  the phrase represented in the square to gain the square (or it goes to other team)
Battleships	Plot location of ships (say, 10 within a grid of 8x8) Pupil uses phrases to target grid reference. If square has a ship, they win a point (or the number of points in the grid). Can be with or without support of text.
Trapdoor	Each pair makes random choice of 3 to complete each of say 5 phrases. Take it in turns to guess the other’s  choice.  If incorrect, play passes to opponent.
Mastermind	As trapdoor, but no phrases in between.
Give us a clue	Listening charades
20 questions game	Discover word / phrase by asking questions (animal, vegetable, mineral ? Yes/No only answers allowed.
Blockbusters	Select hexagon. Answer challenge aloud to claim the hexagon. Winner crosses the board before the other team.
Millionaire	Quizmaster: teacher or pupil. Pupil representing team answers. Can call on rest of team (ask th e audience) phone a friend (in team) or 50:50. Can be built into a big TV show!
Flippity randomiser translations	Make a sentence from the randomiser (roulette? Fruit machine?)
Scruples	Anticipate what someone would do … (High prep, but worth it!)
Monopoly	Play and interact in TL.
Scrabble	Play and interact in TL
Pictionary	Play and interact in TL
Logic games	Discuss reasoning for choices e.g. match apartment to family e.g. planning a party for fussy guests e.g. placing animals in a zoo
INFORMATION GAP	Partner A / Partner B given info the other needs.
Fill the gaps	In pairs – each has the info the other one needs.
OPEN DISCUSSIONS
Surveys	Carry out surveys for a graph / feedback.
Find someone who /..	Info hunt to fill in grid
Group Talk!	Prompt: several images to discuss / give opinions and justifications Train in key phrases to question / react / give opinion See slides and Greg Horton talk
Diamond ranking	Groups discuss relative importance etc of cards / statements and rank  in order of importance.
Celebrity interviews	Wear masks and ask / answer questions.
Picture mystery (guess who owns house etc.)	Ask questions to match owner with house.
GROUP CHALLENGES
Quest in a 3D world!	Explore a 3D world with partner school.
Escape Room games	Play with a group and discuss in TL!
Practical Projects	Make chatterbox game – then play! Design ideal house