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<h1 class="gmail-headline gmail-semi-loud">Teach Mandarin, Urdu and Arabic to save language learning says report</h1>
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<a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/author/profile/73197.Andrew_Denholm/" class="gmail-author-name-link">Andrew Denholm</a>
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<span class="gmail-job-title">Education Correspondent</span>
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<p class="gmail-hero-caption"><span class="gmail-x-small">Reform Scotland argues modern languages taught in schools are not keeping up with Scottish society</span></p>
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A long term decline in the study of modern languages at school has sparked fears <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/search/?search=Scotland&topic_id=8820" target="_self">Scotland</a> is becoming increasingly isolated in the world.
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But a new report argues our population now speaks more languages than
ever before thanks to the establishment of communities from across the
globe.
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There are now 158 languages spoken by Scottish pupils at home with the
most common after English including Polish, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic and
Chinese.
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The report by the Reform Scotland has called on schools to harness the
language expertise in such communities to lead a revolution in language
learning.
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<ul><li>
<a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16409881.review-call-after-fall-in-pupils-studying-languages-and-science/"><strong>Read more: Review call after fall in pupils studying modern languages</strong></a>
</li></ul><p>
The findings come as figures from the Scottish Qualification Authority
(SQA) show entries in traditional languages have decreased over the
last 20 years.
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Entries for Higher French are down by more than 18 per cent while entries for Higher German dropped by nearly 60 per cent.
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Reform Scotland called for an end to distinctions between so-called “community” languages and other modern languages.
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Chris Deerin, director of Reform Scotland, said: “If we want to see
genuine growth in language skills rather than just paying lip service to
the idea we need to rethink our approach.
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“There is a danger the languages currently on offer within the
education system are not keeping up with Scottish or global society.
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“We need to think much more freely - as many other countries do -
about how best to equip ourselves to thrive in the modern global
economy.”
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Dr Thomas Bak, from <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/search/?search=Edinburgh&topic_id=8798" target="_self">Edinburgh</a> University’s <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/search/?search=School&topic_id=8784" target="_self">School</a>
of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, who contributed to the
report, said the decline in French and German was part of a natural
process.
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“A century ago the main discussion was between the modern and the
classical languages of Latin and Ancient Greek and we need to adjust the
offer of languages in schools to the times we live in.
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“Giving community languages recognition could lead to a virtuous
circle where children from immigrant are families more likely to learn
them, they will become better in languages in general and native
English-speakers might also get interested in learning them.”
</p>
<ul><li>
<a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15153661.Teachers____ill_prepared____for_primary_language_strategy/"><strong>Read more: Teachers "ill-prepared" for primary languages roll-out</strong></a>
</li></ul><p>
However, the report sparked concerns that the introduction of more languages would over-crowd an already cramped curriculum.
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<p>
Dr Dan Tierney, an independent languages expert, said the Scottish <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/search/?search=Government&topic_id=8816" target="_self">Government</a>’s strategy was already confusing.
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Under its 1+2 policy pupils are expected to learn two additional languages as well as their mother tongue.
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Critics argue a failure to focus resources on languages such as
French, Spanish, German and Italian in primary schools will lead to
further decline.
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Mr Tierney said: “The government suggests pupils are learning two
languages when the reality is they are not learning in depth in a
crowded curriculum and there is lack of continuity into secondary.
</p>
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“The focus should be on developing language learning skills through
key languages which will be an easier start than Chinese, which belongs
at a later stage.
</p>
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“The introduction of Polish, Urdu and Arabic will only help to muddle the existing situation even more.”
</p>
<p>
Helen Chambers, Emeritus Professor of German at St Andrews <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/search/?search=University&topic_id=8787" target="_self">University</a>, backed the report’s call for an end to the distinction between modern and community languages.
</p>
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However, she warned against “playing down” the drop in uptake of French and German.
</p>
<ul><li>
<a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13187382.Resources__should_be_focused_on_modern_languages_/"><strong>Read more: Teaching Mandarin "misplaced"</strong></a>
</li></ul><p>
She said: “As we prepare for <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/search/?search=Brexit&topic_id=8741" target="_self">Brexit</a>,
there is a stronger argument than before for political, economic and
cultural ties to the major member states, Germany and France, to be
strengthened not weakened by language policy.
</p>
<p>
“The experience of Germany with its strong economy and uniquely humane
stance on migration is one that Scottish language-learners would do
well to draw on.”
</p>
<p>
And Gillian Campbell-Thow, chairwoman of the Scottish Association for
Language Teaching, warned of the need for qualified teachers in
secondary schools.
</p>
<p>
She said: “The will is there, but we cannot expand a teaching
portfolio without recognised progression routes for teachers and
pupils.”
</p>
<p>
A Scottish Government spokesman said pupils were speaking more languages than they had ever done.
</p>
<p>
He added: “Language learning builds the skills which young people need
for an increasingly globalised world and we welcome all input into
ongoing discussion about how to further encourage language learning.”
</p>
<p>
Since 2013, the Scottish Government has made an additional £27 million
available to councils to help implement the 1+2 language policy.
</p>
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<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div></div>