Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools 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

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a play-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

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teachers are generalists, and may not have the necessary

skill

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skills

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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 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.