Languages, choice of languages, and other priorities in the Leathes Report to the British Government (1918)

Abstract

The Leathes Report on the teaching of modern languages in Britain was commissioned by the British government and published in 1918 as part of planning for post-war educational change. It made recommendations on matters of policy, methodology, teaching force and the choice of languages to be offered to learners in schools and universities. This analysis focuses on the report’s recommendations concerning choice of language and then places this question in the broader context of education in post-war Europe and in Britain in particular. A key recommendation was the use of the term ‘modern studies’ instead of ‘modern languages’ to indicate that language study should be for a purpose, including the study of other countries, and not just a study for its own sake. This question is analysed in the context of the role of schools in creating nationalism. It might be expected that the effects of war would lead to a reduction in the emphasis given in schools to the development of nationalist sentiments and that modern language teaching might be seen as a key element. However although there were contemporary calls elsewhere in society for internationalism and a reduction of the emphasis on nationalism, there is no trace of this in the Leathes Report in general nor in the question of choices of languages in particular.