One striking example is that thirty-seven local authority areas, including some of the poorest (North Tyneside, Knowsley, Wigan, Rochdale) now enter fewer pupils for foreign language exams than the elite Eton College.
I did French and German to "A" Level in the late 80's, but never felt really confident about speaking them in a real life situation until the last decade or so, when I started going to Germany and the French-speaking part of Belgium on beer trips, and was pleasantly surprised how much came back within a few hours of my being there.
Apparently foreign languages, especially French and German, are seen as too hard, both by students choosing which subjects to study to GCSE and their teachers. A big part of that is exam results counting towards a school's position in the league tables, and hence their funding. And of course, once people stop studying foreign languages at school it has a knock-on effect on both the number of undergraduates studying them at university and those qualified to teach them.
I was also one of the last half dozen people to take "O" Level Latin at a state school in Stockport, although sadly I don't get much chance to use it now.
The British people's command of other languages is poor enough as it is without being further diminished just to improve a school's position in league tables.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that story too, Matt, and was saddened. Although I only studied French and German to “O” level standard, I have retained sufficient of both languages to enable me to get by whilst visiting French and German speaking countries.
ReplyDeleteUs Brits already have a reputation for being lazy when it comes to learning foreign languages, and this news will only enhance this. Pushy parents and school league tables, have a lot to answer for!
Learning a language from a young age not only helps development and improves skills in that foreign language, it also increases awareness of how English works and increases knowledge of foreign countries, history and culture.
ReplyDeleteAside from that, I worked abroad a lot. Those who can communicate in the local language and can read the local news have a huge advantage over those who cannot. Just relying on the fact that so many foreigners can speak English can so easily put you in the position of a Graham Greene or Evelyn Waugh character who muddles his (it was always a man in those days) through the confusing world of social misunderstandings of those lost in a foreign land.