Parental support and the attitudes of boys and girls to modern foreign languages

Modern foreign languages (MFL) currently appear to be close to demise, as the number of pupils opting for the subject at Key Stage 4 continues to fall. This paper addresses the issue of the key role of parental support in relation to attitudes of pupils towards MFL. It reports on a study conducted at two secondary schools which made use of teacher and parent questionnaires and a small number of parent interviews. The questions posed concerned: the importance attached by parents to MFL; whether parents could help children with MFL study; gender differences in attitudes; and socio-economic backgrounds. The findings, while based on small samples and therefore not generalisable, point to future lines of inquiry into this important question.