The Language Lab Podcast

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It's half term, so there's no full conversation this week. Instead, a short one from Will Marks: why this is the break to actually take, and why rest isn't the reward for surviving the term, it's how you survive the next one. There's an update on the show's new guest blog, with pieces from past guests including Steve Smith, Juliette Claro and Dr Elsa Petit, a push for listener voice notes (staff-room phone quality is fine), and a small, honest ask about Patreon and sponsorship. The next full episode lands on Thursday 5 November at the usual time. Until then: look after yourselves, and keep the conversation going.

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Are languages fighting a losing battle against the rise of STEM? In this episode, host Will Marks is joined by MFL consultant Sohelie Zafar to discuss how we can raise the profile of languages in an increasingly pressurized curriculum. Moving away from the 'Parisian cafe' stereotype, Sohelie offers practical advice on decolonising the curriculum, making trips more than just a 'jolly', and why language teachers need to be the chief advocates for their own departments. Whether you are a department head or a classroom teacher looking for ways to make your lessons more impactful, this conversation digs into the messy, unexpected realities of modern language teaching. We also reflect on the formative power of the year abroad and why, despite the challenges, there has never been a more important time to be a linguist.

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Are your primary language lessons a fragile house of cards? If the lead teacher leaves, does the provision collapse? In this episode, Will Marks sits down with Will Lloyd, director of the Primary Languages Network, to discuss how schools can move from 'here-today-gone-tomorrow' quick fixes to sustainable, embedded language culture. We dive deep into the 'momentum method,' a five-step framework designed to stabilize foundations, upskill non-specialist teachers, and create a shared responsibility model across the staffroom. Will Lloyd explains why honesty about teacher anxiety is the most effective starting point for any school, how we can effectively bridge the gap between primary and secondary, and why we should stop obsessing over elite-level delivery in favour of consistent, confident communication. If you are a language coordinator looking for practical, long-term strategies that don't burn out your staff, this is an essential listen.

Will also mentions the ELLiE study (Early Language Learning in Europe): https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/case-studies-insights-and-research/ellie-early-language-learning-europe

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In this episode, Will Marks is joined by Juliet Park, Director of Modern Foreign Languages at The Share Trust. Tired of seeing language education confined to dry grammar drills and distant academic theory, Juliet shares her vision for 'Business Pathways'—a curriculum that treats language as a genuine career superpower. We discuss the disconnect between the classroom and the adult world, the importance of fostering speaking confidence over seeking perfection, and why the current GCSE and A-level model might be underserving our students. Juliet offers concrete insights into how teachers can integrate vocational skills into their classrooms, help students recognise the value of their linguistic ability in sectors like healthcare, football, and video gaming, and navigate the pressures of modern school league tables. Whether you are an MFL leader or a classroom teacher looking for ways to make your curriculum feel more alive and relevant, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on the future of language learning.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Are we overstating the language learning crisis? Join Will Marks and Dr. Elsa Petit, Senior Lecturer in French Language Studies at Queen Mary University of London, for a deep dive into the state of modern language education. Dr. Petit brings 30 years of experience to a conversation about moving beyond the 'decline' narrative. We explore the role of critical AI literacy in the classroom, how to shift assessment focus from final outputs to learning processes, and why we need to stop gendering subjects like languages. We also discuss how to turn AI into a supportive, 24/7 'digital brain buddy' for students and why fun, interactive teaching methods shouldn't stop at primary school. This is a practical, candid look at how we can make language learning more inclusive, visible, and genuinely useful for the next generation of students. Visit www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk for more resources.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

The Language Lab Podcast is back for Season 8.

After a slightly longer pause than planned, Will is joined by the wonderful Juliette Claro to open the new season with a conversation about creativity, culture, exams, music, teacher autonomy and the joy of language learning.

Juliette is a lecturer in education at St Mary’s University, lead link tutor for secondary PGCE MFL and IQTS, a fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, a co-founder of the Creativity and MFL SIG, an experienced teacher, mentor and Ofsted inspector.

In this episode, Will and Juliette explore why creativity can feel squeezed out of modern language classrooms, how accountability and exam pressures shape what teachers feel able to do, and why language learning needs space for messiness, mistakes, problem-solving and genuine communication.

They discuss the limitations of GCSE, the possibilities of the DELF and the Common European Framework, the dangers of over-standardised lessons, and the importance of trusting teachers to adapt learning to the pupils in front of them.

There is also plenty on music, AI, Suno, sentence builders, project-based learning, noisy classrooms, mini whiteboards, and why languages should feel alive.

Season 8 will be released fortnightly.

Keep learning, keep questioning, and above all, keep the conversation going.

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

No full episode this week, because it is exam week and Will is currently somewhere underneath a landslide of marking, feedback sheets, revision lists and possibly a missing microphone.

In this short check-in, Will talks about the reality of exam marking, the strange things pupils write when they are trying to process language phonetically, and why looking after yourself during assessment season is not optional. There is also a thank you to recent guests, previous pupils, prospective guests and everyone who has reached out to the show.

Plus, a reminder about the upgraded Patreon, where paid subscribers will be able to submit questions for upcoming guests, and an open call for anyone interested in gaining voluntary experience with the podcast through audio editing, social media, guest support or content planning.

Normal service will resume once the microphone has been located.

For links, transcripts and more, visit www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk

Support the show:
patreon.com/TheLanguageLabPodcast
buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

What if better language teaching is not about adding more, but stripping things back?

In this episode of The Language Lab Podcast, Will Marks is joined by Marie Massé, French and Spanish teacher, consultant, instructional coach and professional overthinker in the best possible sense.

Together, they explore what “minimalism” in MFL teaching really means: not bare lessons, not dull lessons, but more intentional teaching. Marie talks about cumulative curriculum design, why pupils can end up feeling like permanent beginners, the limits of textbook-led planning, teacher agency, GCSE grading, workload, data, and why we need to stop confusing busy classrooms with genuine progress.

There is also a powerful discussion about aspiration, class, being underestimated, and why teachers should not be the people who decide which pupils are “fit” to study languages.

A thoughtful, practical and honest conversation about teaching with less clutter and more purpose.

For links, transcripts and resources, visit www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk.

Support the show:
patreon.com/TheLanguageLabPodcast
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

What happens when language learning stops being a worksheet and starts becoming real life?

In this episode of The Language Lab Podcast, I’m joined by Jane Handley, founder of JLH Languages, to talk about immersive language teaching, restaurant-based learning, and why students often speak more French in one restaurant visit than they do in weeks of classroom lessons.

We explore how food, role play, sensory experiences and genuine purpose can transform reluctant learners into confident communicators. From berets and breakfast sessions to GCSE speaking anxiety, Brexit, confidence-building and the wider purpose of language education, this is a conversation about why MFL matters far beyond the exam hall.

We also get into teacher identity, why language teachers are often selling far more than vocabulary, and why relationships remain the most powerful tool in any classroom.

Sometimes all it takes is one successful order of chips in French to change everything.

Find Jane here: JLH Languages
Website: jlhlanguages.org

For transcripts, CPD tools and more:
www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk

Support the show:
patreon.com/TheLanguageLabPodcast
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

What does it actually take for students to become fluent in a language?

In this episode, Will Marks is joined by Dylan Viñales, Head of Spanish in an international school in Malaysia and co-creator of the Sentence Builder books.

They explore what sits behind real fluency. Not just producing correct sentences, but building automatised language that students can retrieve and use with confidence.

The conversation covers:

• how sentence builders support automatisation rather than memorisation
• why recycling and cognitive load are essential for long-term learning
• what it takes to move from structured support to genuine communication

And at the centre of it all is one key idea.

Trust.

Trust in the classroom.
Trust in the process.
And trust in the language itself.

Because when that trust breaks down, particularly through the way we assess languages, confidence follows.

From GCSE listening to wider questions about testing, this is a clear-eyed look at the gap between how languages are taught and how they’re measured.

🔗 For links, transcripts and more: www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk
☕ Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast