A new language policy agent, the language management consulting agency
1. Regional Language Network: a Language Management Model? Anne-Marie Barrault-Méthy Université Montesquieu - Bordeaux IV Université Bordeaux 2 Victor Segalen, EA 4140, LACES APDA LILAMA European network
2. Introduction - Languages supposedly not an issue in the UK - Competitive advantage (Grin 2005) + de facto multilingualism - Yet, several reports on the theme of the decline of multilingualism: the Nuffield report (2000), the British Academy report (2008), ELAN (2007) - Language management = a major field of intervention for New Public Management in the UK, nationally and locally - Public linguistic space has become multilingual in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales - Languages have become optional post 14 years of age - Taking money off language education to allocate it to training
3. - RLN: operating a local level to respond to businesses' targeted language needs - Analysis based on language management theory (Spolsky, 2009) - What happens when funding for languages is taken off teaching towards training? - research questions: what is RLN? What are the characteristics of the language policy model it implements? How has it evolved? - LILAMA network, 143523-LLP-1-2008-1-ES-KA2-KA2NW
4. Plan 1. Method 2. Results a) What is RLN? b) The characteristics of the language policy model it implements - In relation to businesses - In relation to projects - Other functions 3. Discussion 4. Conclusion
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6. What is RLN? - A network created after 2002 - Implements the National Languages Strategy - Overturning a national culture of underachievement, recognising bilingualism and community languages, diversifying entry points to language learning, raising motivation - RLN deals with helping schools & teachers raise motivation - Matching local corporate demand in language skills with the offer
7. Characteristics of the language policy model RLN implements a) In relation to businesses > The problem solving model > The challenge > The mixed model - Solutions are short term, middle term and long term - Using Offshore English = a register b) In relation to projects > The problem solving model > The hypothesis model c) Other functions > Brokering > Language management at macro level > Project management
8. Discussion - difficulty to make use of migrants' language skills - difficulty to prove how effective RLN has been - a sustainable financial model?
9. Conclusion - RLN = neither a language service nor a language management agency - a language management service
