[lg policy] Scottish schools' language funding 'hard to assess'

[Harold Schiffman]

Scottish schools' language funding 'hard to assess'
  The Scottish government wants pupils to be taught two languages from
primary school
 Continue reading the main
story<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-22989176#story_continues_1>
Related
Stories

   -

 MSPs do not know if enough money has been allocated to pay for plans to
teach pupils two foreign languages from primary school, a committee has
said.

The Scottish government wants primary pupils to learn two languages in
addition to English.

It has allocated £4m to the proposals - which head teachers have described
as a "a drop in the ocean".

A report by the European and external relations
committee<http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/56920.aspx>said
it was hard to assess whether the funds were adequate.

A lack of language skills is costing the economy more than £500m a year,
the Scottish government estimates.
 Continue reading the main
story<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-22989176#story_continues_2>

The government has taken a long-term and ambitious approach to tackling the
current shortage of language skills and its impact on the economy”

Christina McKelvie Committee convener

It wants children to learn a second language from primary one and a third
language no later than primary five, the so-called '1+2 approach'.

Most Scottish pupils currently do not start learning a foreign language
until primary six.

Committee convener Christina McKelvie said: "The government has taken a
long-term and ambitious approach to tackling the current shortage of
language skills and its impact on the economy.

"Our committee supports them in this and applauds that funding has been
provided to support this at pilot stage.

"But what we have found hard to assess is whether this funding is adequate
as it is still not known what the current levels of skills and resources
for language learning in schools are."

The committee had spent six months investigating the Scottish government's
proposals.

Committee members visited schools to see language teaching in action and
meet with parents, teachers and pupils.
'Job market'

They also hosted a conference to bring together policy makers, academics
and education practitioners to explore the issues raised during the inquiry.

In its evidence to the committee, the Association of Headteachers and
Deputies in Scotland said the £4m that had been allocated was a "drop in
the ocean", while the government's own Languages Working Group estimated
that two- to three-times that amount would be required.

Ms McKelvie added: "We have uncovered areas that the government should
reflect upon as it begins to roll out this policy from pilot to
Scotland-wide.

"In particular, whilst the committee believes local authorities require
flexibility on how they deliver the policy locally, there does need to be
more continuity.

"Therefore, we are recommending that local authorities ensure one language
is taught continuously from primary to secondary schools. This will help
develop competency and can feed into the local job market more
productively."

Ms McKelvie also said evidence given to the committee had shown that
acquiring the skills to learn languages was as important as the language
learned.

She added: "It is with this in mind that we have recommended the government
ensures that children with Additional Support Needs are adequately provided
for."

Languages Minister Alasdair Allan said: "Our ambitious languages policy to
provide every child in Scotland with the opportunity to learn two languages
in addition to their mother tongue by 2020 underlines our commitment to
supporting a future workforce in a global economy.

"We have already invested an extra £4m to language learning for the
forthcoming school year.

"We want all children to be able to benefit from the skills learning a
language provides. I thank the committee for their report which supports
our ambitions and we will formally respond to in August."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-22989176


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