In recent years, a concerning drop in the number of UK secondary school students learning foreign languages has sparked discussions about the nation’s global competitiveness, particularly in the wake of Brexit. The British Council and British Academy reports have not only critiqued the state of modern foreign language (MFL) teaching but have also highlighted the growing economic impact, estimating a staggering £50 billion annual loss due to a deficiency in language skills within the workforce.
One of the primary concerns is the widening gap between state and independent schools, creating a disparity in language education. The need to move beyond relying solely on English as a global lingua franca is now more apparent than ever. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, some UK schools have turned to Chinese, an emerging key world business language, as a potential solution.
Chinese, touted to be crucial for the UK’s business landscape post-Brexit, is gaining traction as a foreign language option in both private and state schools. Private schools, often quick to recognize the cultural capital associated with learning this language, were among the first to offer it. However, even some of the most disadvantaged state schools have begun incorporating Chinese into their curriculum, thanks to initiatives such as the Confucius Institute program and the related Confucius Classroom program.
The Confucius Classroom program, initiated by the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) in 2004, collaborates with UK secondary schools to provide teachers and instructional materials. Shared costs between Hanban and host institutions have allowed even financially constrained schools to offer Chinese, signaling to parents that they are providing something unique and ambitious.
As of 2015-16, 13% of UK state schools and a substantial 46% of independent schools offered Chinese language education. The demographic of students learning Chinese has become more diverse, representing various linguistic backgrounds. However, there are critical issues in the current teaching methods that need addressing.
One major hurdle is that Chinese is often presented as a showcase language, primarily to attract external funding and enhance school profiles. This approach results in a lack of sustained student motivation and a corresponding lack of effort and commitment from schools. A critical examination of school policy documents reveals that Chinese is often perceived as a difficult language suitable only for talented students, leading to a lack of effort in course development and teaching improvement.
To address these challenges, a shift in focus towards cultural and communicative contexts is necessary. Introducing elements of Chinese history, geography, and modern cultural values into the curriculum can help engage students on a deeper level. While some aspects of traditional Chinese customs are included, there is a need for a more comprehensive exploration of modern Chinese society, including its music and other contemporary aspects that could foster greater interest and connection among UK students.
Furthermore, Chinese language education tends to be isolated within modern foreign language departments, leading to intense competition for both students and resources. This results in inadequate time allocated to Chinese in the curriculum, despite its fundamentally different nature compared to English and the Roman script. Chinese language teaching requires more hours, strategies, and resources to ensure accessibility for all students, yet it often receives less attention than more familiar languages such as French, Spanish, and German.
To overcome these challenges, there is a crucial need for adequate provisions, effective teaching practices, and supportive policies. The Chinese language has the potential to serve as a new source of cultural capital for students of all backgrounds, a particularly valuable asset post-Brexit. Without government intervention in terms of school policy and curriculum development, achieving equality of opportunity and achievement in the competitive and globalized world market will remain an uphill battle. Schools and teachers cannot address this issue in isolation; a collaborative effort with comprehensive policies is imperative to harness the full potential of Chinese language education in the UK.
