A little statistical work has confirmed some trends that should give us all pause for thought:

• 2012 was the year in which the total figures for A2 English Language equalled those for all Foreign Languages combined (well, all the big ones - French, German and Spanish). The rising graph for Eng Lang meets the falling graph for FL. I leave you to decide whether to celebrate or mourn.
• 2011 was the first year in which the rise in Eng Lang did not compensate for the fall in FL; so if you see Eng Lang and FL as 'language education', total language education at A-level started to decline in 2011.
• But Eng Lang is still rising healthily, in contrast with both Eng Lit and Eng Lang & Lit, which are both faltering.
• Meanwhile, applications for BA Linguistics are pretty stable.
  

The figures are at http://dickhudson.com/trends-in-uk-language-education

One general conclusion, it seems to me, is that applicants for BA Linguistics are becoming increasingly monoglot, in contrast with a decade or so ago. (1991 was the peak year for FL at A-level.)


Dick Hudson (dickhudson.com)