ABSTRACT
We believe that all teachers are language teachers and that leadership can take place at all levels. Because of this, as teachers we are always tackling complex issues and facing ‘big questions’. We decided therefore, to base this chapter around five ‘big questions’ designed to provide ideas for designing a whole-school approach to planning and implementing a language- focused curriculum, where leadership is shared and all stakeholders involved. The five questions are:
What are the aims of the wider school curriculum?
Where should we position English/L1, ancient/modern languages, language awareness and English as an additional language within school policy?
Who should lead on language-focused curriculum development, and how can language leadership promote democratic citizenship?
How can we engage children with ‘big questions’ through the language curriculum?
How can we know whether the curriculum is meeting the stated aims?
