Stay up to date with the latest news on language related issues from the APPG on Modern Languages. For information about upcoming events or any of the items below please contact the secretariat to the APPG.
Past events
16 July 2018
Languages TEDx! Five quick-fire presentations on language innovations in the UK.
Five new developments in the UK language sector, with speakers from the DfE (new MFL Hubs), British Academy (Arabic mapping project), British Council (Language Trends), Chartered Institute of Linguists (Real Lives examinations) and Westminster & Aston Universities (centres of excellence in bilingual education)
21 May 2018
A duty of honour: Securing international protection for interpreters in conflict zones
Calls to improve protection for this constituency, including recent developments in the European Parliament and at the United Nations, with speakers from the AIIC, Red T, a UK solicitor and an interpreter seeking asylum in the UK.
15 May 2018
Respecting communities in International Development:
languages & cultural understanding.
Recommendations for NGOs, donors & HE, with evidence from research in
Peru, Kyrgyzstan and Malawi, presented by Prof Hilary Footitt, University of Reading & Dr Angela Crack, University of Portsmouth.
19 March 2018
A solution to the MFL crisis in schools?
Hackney’s innovative primary-secondary MFL teaching model - with leaders, teachers & pupils from Hackney schools.
29 January 2018
The cognitive benefits of learning a language – the science behind it and implications for practice and policy.
Evidence that learning languages benefits the brain, including cognitive performance and protection from neurodegenerative diseases.
Speakers: Thomas Bak, University of Edinburgh, Dina Mehmedbegovic, UCL Institute of Education, Li Wei, UCL Institute of Education & Bencie Woll, UCL.
19 December 2017
Launch of the Languages for the Future report
The British Council APPG and Modern Languages APPG launched the British Council’s Languages for the Future report. The reception was jointly hosted by Mark Prisk MP and Baroness Coussins. Over seventy policymakers and sector experts were in attendance. The report recommends that now is the moment to initiate a bold new policy to improve language learning for a transformational ‘Global Britain’, and that languages should form an integral part of the strategic review of skills that the UK will need post-Brexit, and that schools should prioritise language-learning alongside Science, Technology Engineering and Maths.
23 October 2017
An end to “shambolic”? Evaluating the MoJ’s £120m contract for providing court interpreters
With contributions from the NRPSI, the Chartered Institute of Linguists, the Ministry of Justice and thebigword who deliver the contract.
17 October 2017
Brexit and Languages
The APPG on Modern Languages published its document Brexit & Languages – a checklist for government negotiators and officials – on 17 October, calling on the Government to ensure Brexit negotiations protect the UK’s urgent strategic need for language skills, if the UK is to succeed as a world leader in free trade and international relations.
17 July 2017
Inaugural Election of Officers
The outcome of the election was as follows:
Chair: Nia Griffith MP (Labour)
Co-Chair: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench)
Vice-Chairs: Sir David Amess MP (Conservative), Tonia Antoniazzi MP (Labour), Lord Dykes (Crossbench) and Baroness Garden of Frognal (Liberal Democrat).
Global graduates: the strategic importance to the UK of increasing the international experience of UK graduates
‘Born Global’ – pre-publication summary of the British Academy’s final report: languages, education & employment.
AGM & Inaugural Election of Officers; The successful implementation of primary languages.
Followed by APPG meeting:
British Council Language Trends survey 2017: the state of language teaching in schools in England.
Lead researcher Teresa Tinsley discussed the latest trends in MFL uptake and attainment in England.
Manifesto for Languages
The APPG was active before 2017 but did not have a website. However, you can view the 2014 Manifesto for languages here.