The Language Lab Podcast
Podcast Description
A podcast exploring the art of language teaching within the UK education system. Host Will Marks dives into the challenges of the modern MFL classroom, behaviour management, and student engagement. Each week features interviews with teachers, parents, and experts, offering practical insights and fresh ideas to inspire the next generation of linguists.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores a variety of themes including challenges in modern MFL classrooms, behaviour management, and student engagement. Episode topics, such as the role of technology in language learning and practical EdTech tools, provide teachers with fresh ideas to enhance their teaching techniques.
A podcast exploring the art of language teaching within the UK education system. Host Will Marks dives into the challenges of the modern MFL classroom, behaviour management, and student engagement. Each week features interviews with teachers, parents, and experts, offering practical insights and fresh ideas to inspire the next generation of linguists.
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.
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