11 Language

Language is involved, one way or another, in most ΓÇô arguably all ΓÇô teaching and learning activities. Teachers talk to their classes, pupils read worksheets, discuss DVDs and so on. And the same is true of assessment activities: pupils complete exercises, give talks, write answers to examination questions and so on. This is true not only of the obviously linguistic subjects, such as English and Modern Foreign Languages, but also of subjects elsewhere in the curriculum ΓÇô Science, Art and Physical Education, for example.

That all curriculum subjects inter-relate with language may seem obvious, even banal, when stated. Yet itΓÇÖs frequently for- gotten ΓÇô or not even recognized in the first place. The damage done by failing either to recognize or to remember this point can be quite severe. Consider the implications of the fact that most learning is mediated by language. For example, if a pupil does not learn a topic very effectively, there might be several causes. There might be a problem with the topic or the pupil ΓÇô or it might just be that there is a problem with the language being used to mediate between the two. Before we rush to the conclusion that the topic is too difficult or that the pupil is too ΓÇÿdimΓÇÖ, or has special needs, or whatever, we need to consider whether linguistic changes would do the trick.

A similar point applies to assessment. One science teacher asked me to review the written assignments that he gave his pupils. I asked him whether heΓÇÖd ever tried doing any of the