A career in modern languages

Alice Opie discusses her progression from school to university and her plans for the future.

When did you first become interested in studying languages and which ones?  

I have enjoyed learning French since I was young. We were encouraged to learn French at primary school (albeit state-run), so there I joined an after school club. Also, my Father is a linguist so he always encouraged us to speak the native language when we were abroad. At secondary school, I studied French from the age of 11, then opted to take up Spanish at 14.  

How well do you think languages are taught at schools in England?  

Unfortunately, I think languages are tagged as something you love or hate. Although this could also me said for other subjects, the fact that they are optional at GCSE stops struggling students from persevering as they are 'going to drop it anyway'. The opportunity to make language learning fun and interactive is greater than in most other subjects, yet teachers often continue the old-fashioned way with verb tables and vocab lists. Having said that, while working at a school in Winchester, I was impressed by the modern, active approach to teaching MFL that some teachers had adopted.  

What made you decide to study languages at university?  

I have always enjoyed learning and speaking French and Spanish, so it was the natural thing to do. When researching courses, I was impressed by the flexibility of certain degree programmes and convinced by the idea of living abroad for a year.  

How was your course structured? 

My course is entitled Modern Languages and European Studies. It is split in to 9 equally weighted modules: speaking, writing and translation (in both languages). Culture and politics (of both countries) and European studies (politics, culture and history of Europe). The culture and politics modules are taught and assessed in the target language, while European studies is taught in English.  

What did you do on your placement year?

During the third year of my course, I completed two work placements abroad. I started in Madrid, working in a PR agency, then moved to Normandy, to teach in a French learning centre. Thanks to these placements, I was able to thoroughly immerse myself in society, as well as add some professional work experience to my CV.

Is it difficult to be motivated to learn when other countries speak English so well?  

I think this is a generalisation. In real life, there a countless foreigners that speak no English. Furthermore, I found that foreigners warmed to anglophones who actually makes an effort to speak the native language. Although it is disheartening when a foreigner says to you "it may be easier to explain in English", it is equally as rewarding when you are able to converse in the target language. Personally, I feel more driven to learn when I hear a foreigner speaking perfect English.  

What are your career prospects for the future using your language skills?  

I have always insisted that I want to use my languages on a daily basis in the work place, whether it be in an international company, organisation or even in a school. Among other positions, I have applied for a place on the MA in Interpreting and Translating, at Bath University, with the hope of becoming an in-house  translator for an international body, such as the UN. Many of my peers are, however, looking at general graduate training programmes, in which their degree in languages will be seen as a good competency, showing that they are dedicated learners and would be comfortable in a multicultural environment.  

How can we improve language learning in the UK especially when modern languages are no longer compulsory at GCSE?  

I think that we should move away from the perception that 'everyone speaks English', to the much more realistic one that the future of business may not be in English, but Mandarin or Portuguese, for example. Up to GCSE level, perhaps language teaching should focus on speaking and listening practice. This way, the prospect of communicating in a foreign language would become less daunting and students wouldn't be put off by complicated grammatical structures. As it stands, most foreign language courses have an obligatory year abroad. Perhaps this opportunity should be extended to students reading any subject, to encourage foreign language learning as well as improving their employability in the international market.    

Interview by Tim Marshall