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Cultural Barriers to Language Learning
The article, “The Crisis in Language Teaching” raises valid concerns about the state of language education in the UK. It not only points out the systemic issues but also criticizes the government’s lackluster approach to resolving them. The decline in language education is alarming, especially in a globalized world where multilingualism can be a significant asset. The article calls for a fundamental change in attitudes towards language learning, which is a crucial point that should not be ignored.
Highlights:
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Monolingualism in the UK: The article starts by highlighting that the British are generally not proficient in languages other than English. According to the British Council, only one in three people in the UK speaks a second language.
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Educational System’s Role: The author argues that the education system in the UK is partly to blame for this. In primary schools, language teaching is inconsistent, and students are often taught set phrases and vocabulary without understanding the grammar or how to use them in different contexts.
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Declining Interest: The article notes a significant decline in the number of students studying languages. For example, the percentage of GCSE pupils studying a modern language dropped from 85% to 45% between the New Labour era and 2010.
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European Languages in Crisis: Over the past 20 years, the number of children taking public exams in French and German has more than halved. Even Spanish, which had seen an increase, has started to decline.
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Government’s Attitude: The Department for Education has a defeatist attitude, according to the author. For instance, from next year, GCSE exams in French, German, and Spanish will only include vocabulary from an official list of 1,700 words.
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Impact of Brexit and Pandemic: These events have led to fewer language teachers and assistants coming to the UK from the EU. Schools have also struggled to maintain exchange programs.
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Cultural Barrier: The author argues that the biggest obstacle is the cultural attitude towards language learning. Languages are often seen as less important and are the first to be removed from the curriculum when other priorities arise.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-crisis-in-language-teaching/
spectator.co.uk
The crisis in language teaching
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