Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Traditionally, children have begun studying foreign languages at secondary school, but introducing them earlier is recommended by some

educationalists

.

This

policy has been adopted by some educational authorities or individual schools, with both positive and negative outcomes. The obvious argument in its favour is that young children pick up languages much more easily than teenagers. Their brains are still programmed to acquire their mother tongue, which facilitates learning another

language

, and unlike adolescents, they are not inhibited by self-consciousness. The greater flexibility of the primary timetable allows for more frequent, shorter sessions and for a

play

Suggestion

playful

centred approach,

thus

maintaining learners' enthusiasm and progress. Their command of the

language

in later life will benefit from

this

early exposure while learning other languages

subsequently

will be easier for them. They may

also

gain a better understanding of other cultures. There are,

however

, some disadvantages. Primary

schools

Suggestion

school

teachers are generalists, and may not have the necessary skill themselves. If specialists have to be brought in to deliver these sessions, the flexibility referred to above is diminished. If primary

language

teaching is not standardised, secondary schools could be faced with a great variety of levels

in

Suggestion

of

different languages within their intake, resulting in a classroom experience which undoes the earlier gains. There is no advantage if enthusiastic primary pupils become

demotivated

as soon as they change schools.

However

, these issues can be addressed strategically within the policy adopted. Anything which encourages

language

learning benefits society culturally and economically, and early exposure to

language

learning contributes to

this

. Young children's innate abilities should be harnessed to make these benefits more achievable.