tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post8867103494127711568..comments2023-10-08T10:24:24.396+01:00Comments on Stephen's Liberal Journal: La Lingua Franca pour FionaStephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-55090763698618744962009-05-06T08:34:00.000+01:002009-05-06T08:34:00.000+01:00I know at my old school, that if pupils want Spani...I know at my old school, that if pupils want Spanish they attend another school and if from any other school pupils want German, Russian or Mandarin they attend mine. Seems to work very well.<br><br>How can anyone expect every school to have teachers available in all the European, ancient and modern languages going? What a waste of money. Since comprehensive education was introduced and two distinct styles were squeezed under the same roof, it was obvious there would be surplus places in languages. 47 years ago I used to travel from a small border school to Edinburgh to study higher music as I'd transferred from a large Dundee academy. Nothing was thought about it and in fact I was grateful for the arrangements they made.<br><br>The days are long gone where schools competed in subjects. Far better use of money to share don't you think?subrosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-15087480878983293862009-05-06T08:54:00.000+01:002009-05-06T08:54:00.000+01:00Maybe my 21 years ago experience is different from...Maybe my 21 years ago experience is different from you 47 years ago. I think the intervening 26 years between us was a step to progress.<br><br>I understand the situation about Spanish which bizarrely considering it's world wide standing is neglected in the UK too much. And the same applies for the other languages. However, I am assuming that staff are already on site for French and German up to Higher level. The failure to provide classes then but waste time and resources in shipping pupils somewhere else not necessarily conjacent is 20% and 10% of schools are not offering these courses is not in the best interest of the pupil. <br><br>As far as education is concerned I feel that the best interst of the pupil is of paramount importance and the spending should be available for their future. Therefore you last point is negated I feel. As for comparing things 47 years ago with todays school infrastructure you know if a school needs to share teaching staff with today's IT infrastructure and language labs I would say surely investment in video conferencing teaching is a possibility rather than limiting the choice.<br><br>It's the SNP who wants us to be a powerhouse in Europe after all. Therefore we need the language skills rather than having to import them from vistors to thses shores (my work in a multi-lingual customer care centre tells me just hte state of our nations language skills).Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-26528415815069798022009-05-06T09:24:00.000+01:002009-05-06T09:24:00.000+01:00If Wick High School, 25 years ago, could provide t...If Wick High School, 25 years ago, could provide teaching facilities for Highers in French, German and Russian for me, then this is a very worrying step back. <br><br>You can have all the maths and science in the world, but if you can't communicate with each other, you're stuffed.Caronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-69550314174083195912009-05-06T14:40:00.000+01:002009-05-06T14:40:00.000+01:00As far as learning another language, is concerned,...As far as learning another language, is concerned, can I put in a word for the global language, Esperanto?<br><br>Although Esperanto is a living language, it helps language learning as well. <br><br>Five British schools have introduced Esperanto in order to test its propaedeutic values. The pilot project is being monitored by the University of Manchester and the initial encouraging results can be seen at http://www.springboard2languages.org/Summary%20of%20evaluation,%20S2L%20Phase%201.pdf <br>You might also like to see http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8837438938991452670Brian Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17619597021388228806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-2538077185038309522009-05-06T15:24:00.000+01:002009-05-06T15:24:00.000+01:00How good to see the mention of the importance of l...How good to see the mention of the importance of language learning here, immediately followed by a reference to Esperanto. Your text (if I have read it correctly, would read as follows in Esperanto:<br><br>Oni akuzas la Skotan Ministron pri Edukado Fiona Hyslop ke ŝi neglektas la estontecon de Skotlando. Estas anoncite ke unu el kvin lernejoj ne plu proponas la germanan por la abiturienta ekzamenono, kaj ke oni malsukcesas provizi al gerlernantoj elekteblecon por la franca je altgrada nivelo. 'La brava Skotlando' malsukcesas por ke ni prenu nian lokon en moderna Eŭropo. <br><br>A good starting point to look at Esperanto is www.esperanto.netBill Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12810992711601197508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-82306097642076173542009-05-07T21:31:00.000+01:002009-05-07T21:31:00.000+01:00Language training in the classroom is largely inef...Language training in the classroom is largely ineffective, especially in the English speaking world. (I live in Vancouver, Canada). There is far too much emphasis on output, performance and testing. You first have to get used to other languages, and then you have to want to learn.<br><br>Kids should be offered the chance to read, and listen to stories, sing and watch movies in foreign languages in their early years. This should continue, and only those who want to, should be required to produce the language. Once learners are more familiar with different languages, some will want to speak, and only those will learn. What we do now just turns kids off. It is a waste of time.Steve Kaufmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14380873962646626621noreply@blogger.com