Tablets help pupils learn languages

A TEACHER is using iPads to encourage pupils at two Cardiff schools in special measures to learn and help her teach modern foreign languages.

Valerie Gooding, head of modern foreign languages at Michaelston Community College and Glyn Derw High, successfully applied for a grant from the Central South Consortium to buy the iPads and train 25 pupils in how to use them – and help other pupils use technology to learn languages and improve oracy.

The group will receive training next week before going into classes to learn and help others, as wel as helping Mrs Gooding prepare lessons using technology.

“The pupils will be trained to be digital leaders to help them in school and to be more in charge in the classroom. My aim is to make sure it will improve oracy in modern foreign languages.

“I want them to see the relevance of languages and see, through technology, how they can improve their skills. I hope using iPads will help their confidence and get them involved in learning.

“The children will help other pupils in class and help me plan lessons. They will have to come to my digital class after school or at lunchtime to help plan part of the lessons.”

Mrs Gooding said the programme would be used in French, Spanish and Welsh for oracy and written work and would also be relevant in other subjects they study.

The project follows on from Mrs Gooding enlisting the help of university languages students to encourage the first group of pupils at the two schools to take modern foreign languages at GCSE for the first time in three years.

The number of pupils taking modern languages in Wales has plummeted. From 2002-15 numbers of pupils in Wales taking at least one modern foreign language at GCSE fell by 44%. Entries for French are now less than half (47%) of what they were in 2002 and German entries are only about a third (36%) of those recorded in 2002.