Innovation for the Future | Language Fest North West

The Northwest Regional Language Network is made up of 3 Language Networks - Kinder, Etherow, and The Lakes.

Alongside Language Fest North West, each network is working on their own National Priority Project (NPP).

NPPs are designed to drive change through research-informed action in classrooms, addressing DfE national priorities and schools' local/regional needs. They will enhance the quality of languages teaching and learning - enabled by NCLE experts and leveraging UCL Institute of Education's world-leading research base.

You can read an overview of each of our NPPs below, and findings & outputs from the projects will also be shared here over the course of the research so make sure to keep checking back!

Sing to Speak

Led by Kinder Language Network

Building on successful pilot studies, this NPP will work with Year 10 classes in two schools to build student confidence and fluency through songs.

Combining AI software with specialist teacher knowledge will ensure that the songs created are relevant to the new GCSE content and required skills with a focus on the Speaking exam.

Innovate to Motivate - Developing the languages curriculum

Led by Etherow Language Network

Language teachers, researches, and learners unanimously agree that incorporating target language culture into the curriculum is not only motivating but also provides powerful knowledge which can create lifelong language learners. Yet planning for this can be time consuming.

Recognising it is impractical to ask schools to re-write their curriculum, this NPP takes a flexible, non-prescriptive and collaborative approach, focusing on smaller-scale improvements that can initiate discussion around sequencing of language and the inclusion of rich cultural content.

Talking Classrooms - Stepping away from the textbook (KS2 to KS5)

Led by The Lakes Language Network

Building on Keswick's track record in curriculum innovation in a rural county, this NPP seeks to meet language teachers' appetite nationally to see motivational target language teaching in action and for continued support and training to develop their own curriculum design and practice without increasing workload.