Digital Empowerment in Language Teaching (DELTEA)

这个创新项目的目的是实现小学外语教学的阶梯式变化，这是一个重要的目标，因为语言学习可以为学习者从小和更广泛的社会带来许多好处。英国各地的教育政策承认了这些好处，例如，官方要求在小学教授外语（英格兰和苏格兰），或者鼓励外语学习，但不将其作为法定要求（威尔士和北爱尔兰）。然而，在这四个国家，外语教师的语言知识和课堂技能、供应和保留方面存在问题，这意味着年轻学习者往往无法获得外语学习可以和应该带来的好处。在社会贫困程度较高的地区尤其如此。该项目将通过调查数字技术是否以及如何能够：1)提高教师的语言知识和课堂技能；2)提高教师的能力，提高学生的语言和读写能力，包括他们的同理心和创造力；3)这些改善是否也对教师信心、动机、工作满意度和外语教学承诺产生积极影响。它汇集了在研究影响年轻学习者语言发展的课堂因素方面具有国际声誉的研究人员，他们的研究表明教师的语言能力和教学技能（Graham et al., 2017）以及培养学习者的外语素养（Porter, 2014; 2020a; 2020b）的重要性。它还借鉴了申请人最近通过数字平台提高语言教师和学习者知识、技能和信心的成功经验。通过三个相互关联的工作包，该项目将：为英格兰和苏格兰的初级外语（PFL）教师开发一个数字专业发展（DPD）计划，并跟踪教师语言知识和课堂技能、教师动机、专业信心、工作满意度和留在专业领域的意愿方面的任何变化。开发和评估数字外语（DFL）素养教学干预，以提高学习者的外语语言和素养成果，以及他们对外语文化的创造力和同理心3。建立机制，使教师和学习者的任何变化都能发生。与DPD教师合作，创建和评估一个扩大的、同行支持的数字专业发展项目版本，并将其推广到英国所有四个国家。在实现其目标的过程中，该研究将为政策制定者和从业者提供具体和可持续的解决方案，不仅可以改善教师供应和保留，还可以改善学习成果。虽然它将在英国的背景下这样做，但它将对许多在提供PFL教育方面面临类似挑战的其他国家产生影响。此外，它将提供对教师动机如何发展和维持的关键理解，这将与所有课程学科领域相关。

The aim of this innovative project is to enable a step-change in foreign language (FL) teaching and learning in the primary school (PFL), an important goal because of the many benefits that language learning can bring for learners from a young age and for society more broadly. Educational policy across the UK recognises these benefits, through, for example, officially requiring an FL to be taught at primary school (England and Scotland), or encouraging PFL while not making it a statutory requirement (Wales and Northern Ireland). Yet across all four nations, problems with FL teacher language knowledge and classroom skills, supply and retention mean that young learners often do not reap the benefits that FL learning can and should bring. This is especially the case in areas of greater social deprivation.The project will achieve its aim by investigating whether and how digital technology can: 1) improve teachers' language knowledge and classroom skills; 2) improve teachers' ability to enhance pupil language and literacy skills, including their empathy and creativity; and 3) whether such improvements also have a positive impact on teacher confidence, motivation, job satisfaction and commitment to FL teaching. It brings together researchers with international reputations for studying the classroom factors that influence the language development of young learners, whose research has shown the importance of teacher language proficiency and pedagogical skills (Graham et al., 2017) and of developing learners' literacy in the foreign language (Porter, 2014; 2020a; 2020b). It also draws on the applicants' recent and successful experience of improving language teacher and learner knowledge, skills and confidence through digital platforms. Through three inter-related work packages the project will:1. Develop a Digital Professional Development (DPD) programme for primary foreign language (PFL) teachers in England and Scotland, and track any resulting changes in teacher language knowledge and classroom skills, teacher motivation, professional confidence, job satisfaction and intentions regarding staying in the profession2. Develop and evaluate a digital FL (DFL) literacy teaching intervention, for improving learners' FL language and literacy outcomes, as well as their creativity and empathy for the FL culture3. Establish the mechanisms through which any changes for teachers and learners occur4. Work with DPD teachers to create and evaluate a scaled-up, peer-supported version of the Digital Professional Development programme, and roll it out to all four UK nations.In achieving its aim, the study will provide policymakers and practitioners with concrete and sustainable solutions for improving not only teacher supply and retention, but also learning outcomes. While it will do so within the context of the UK, it will have implications for the many other countries facing similar challenges in delivering PFL education. Furthermore, it will offer crucial understanding of how teacher motivation is developed and sustained, that will be of relevance across all curriculum subject areas.