The language of languages: a qualitative study into the decline of Modern Languages at A Level in Northern Ireland

This dissertation reviews academic, scholarly and government reports into the decline in presentations since 2002 for GCSE and A level Modern Languages and presents research into the reasons cited by teachers and young people in Northern Ireland for this decline, specifically at A level.<br><br>The purpose of the review is to situate Northern Ireland within the wider context of the United Kingdom, and to explore the commonalities and differences in reasons for the decline in language learning in different parts of the country.

The review gives rise to research questions which allow for a deeper exploration of language learning in Northern Ireland through empirical research.<br><br>The mainly qualitative study was conducted in four strands: (i) a survey of teachers of A level languages in Northern Ireland, (ii) a focus group with seven teachers who held promoted posts of Head of Modern Languages or Head of Subject in schools in Northern Ireland, (iii) semi-structured interviews with eight recent school leavers, all of whom were capable of doing a language for A level, but chose not to, and (iv) a narrative description of the 2017-2018 School Census with particular reference to languages at A level.