1、 Background

This article introduces the results of the 2013 EU Foreign Language Proficiency Survey, which showed that English students in the UK ranked second to last in foreign language skills. It analyzes the foreign language learning challenges faced by the UK, including the impact of English as a lingua franca, the complex decision-making of policy makers in language selection and resource allocation, and the excessive emphasis on English in the 2011 Growth Plan. At the same time, it points out the differences in education policies in different regions of the UK, explores the changes in modern foreign language teaching policies in English public secondary schools, as well as the factors contributing to the birth, development, and successful integration of the Chinese Language Proficiency Program (MEP) into mainstream teaching curricula in the context of Brexit. The aim is to provide reference for global promotion of Chinese language teaching and strategic decision-making in Sino British bilateral relations.

2、 Changes in Modern Foreign Language Teaching Policies in English Secondary Schools

Since the 1980s, modern foreign language teaching in England has faced challenges, and policy changes reflect the background of the development of foreign language teaching. In the 1970s and 1980s, students in ordinary public schools in the UK generally did not learn modern foreign languages, which sparked a debate about the establishment of a national curriculum system. In the 1980s, the Ministry of Education supported the establishment of a unified curriculum outline, promoted the popularization of foreign language teaching to 16-year-old students, and emphasized the comprehensive development of language skills. In 1991, the first version of the National Curriculum Outline was released, aiming to establish a foreign language curriculum with communication as the goal, but the revised version in 1993 simplified the teaching content. At the beginning of the 21st century, foreign language teaching policies were constantly changing. In 2002, the Education Law considered language as non essential, and in 2004, the compulsory language requirement for KS4 stage was abolished, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of students learning language. After the establishment of the coalition government in 2010, the EBacc mechanism was used to encourage KS4 stage students to learn the language, but the implementation in public schools was not comprehensive, and most of the students who learned the language were top students. The current situation of modern foreign language teaching does not meet the needs of society, and the decline in language proficiency affects youth employment and business development in the UK. According to a survey by the British Chamber of Commerce, language is a barrier to the development of British exporters. The European Union Statistics Office pointed out that the proportion of British students learning foreign languages is much lower than the EU average. In the context of Brexit, the UK needs to cultivate more linguists to meet international demands. The International Alliance of British Universities emphasizes that Chinese language learning provides career advantages for British students. Business leaders believe that Chinese language proficiency has a promoting effect on the UK economy, but the UK labor market lacks fluent Chinese talents.

3、 Chinese language teaching in English secondary schools

Explored the history and development of Chinese language teaching in English secondary schools. The UK has been teaching Chinese since 1825, but the number of long-term Chinese learners is limited. In recent years, Chinese has gradually become a part of basic education curriculum, and the proportion of public schools offering Chinese courses has been increasing year by year. However, the development of Chinese language teaching faces bottlenecks such as insufficient teacher supply, inadequate allocation of course time, learning transition issues, parental attitudes, and weak connections between schools and external institutions. Despite this, the number of people learning Chinese is still increasing, and the number of students taking GCSE and A-level Chinese exams is steadily rising, making Chinese the third most popular foreign language in the UK.

4、 The Birth and Development of Chinese Language Proficiency Program (MEP)

A detailed discussion was conducted on the birth and development of the Chinese Language Proficiency Program (MEP) under the English Foreign Language Teaching Policy. In 2015, British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne emphasized the importance of Chinese during his visit to China. Subsequently, in 2016, the UK Department of Education announced a £ 10 million investment to promote MEP, with the goal of cultivating 5000 fluent Chinese high school students by 2020. The project is under the overall responsibility of the Confucius Institute at University College London, with support from the British Council. The first batch of 14 schools participated in 2016, and by 2019, 75 schools had joined.

5、 Inspiration

Explored the evolution of modern foreign language teaching policies in public secondary schools in England, and analyzed the importance and inspiration of the Chinese Language Proficiency Program (MEP) in the context of Brexit. The key contents include: seeking support from policy makers, incorporating Chinese into mainstream foreign language teaching, maintaining curriculum coherence, strengthening coordination and supervision, building a stable and high-quality local teacher team, and obtaining support from middle and high-level leaders in schools. These insights provide valuable experience for the long-term development of Chinese language teaching in the UK.

6、 Limitations

The limitations of the MEP project were pointed out, including the possibility that student selection methods may limit the development of Chinese language teaching, and the excessive elevation of the status of Chinese language teaching may cause tension with other languages. At the same time, MEP projects lack a unified evaluation method, and the introduction of GCSE Chinese reform and new examination system requires continuous review of their appropriateness. For students who are not suitable for GCSE, it is necessary to develop lower level qualification certificates obtained earlier. The YCT exam developed in China has not yet been determined to be suitable for the British education system. Developing a Chinese language teaching evaluation system that is suitable for the UK is key to promoting the systematic development of the Chinese language.