I have heard that primary one's are being taught french. Do you think it is a good thing at a young age?

Answer 1

There are studies too numerous to cite that reinforce the notion that learning languages is easier at an early age. The brain is more receptive, and less apt to reject something that doesn't fit a preconceived pattern.
The best place to start french, or any second language, is pre-school, and carry it right through primary, elementary and secondary. That way you produce students who are truly bilingual, rather than waiting until high school to introduce a year or two of french and ending up with students who are functionally illiterate in the second language, and have inexorable accents.

Answer 2

Excellent idea - are there sufficient teachers?
All primary pupils should be taught a modern European language. Government must insist the choice be a European language and not a language of the third world. Hopefully it will be communication/verbal that is taught and not bore the kids with grammer/sentence construction/spelling.
The concern will be that insufficient teachers and finance will be available to continue the language into the secondary schools.

Answer 3

Agree with everyone else. I was really fortunate because I had a French mother who only spoke in French, and an English father who spoke only in English. So I had a good start. I brought up both my children to speak fluent French and fluent English. I have taught young English children to speak French, mainly at the request of the parents, who want their children to do as many things as possible.

Answer 4

I think it's fantastic.
I started learning French at primary school, around age 7.
They had a supply teacher who come in for a couple of days would take one class in each year each week.
We only learnt basic words and phrases like colours, foods and "my name is.." etc, and practically none of it was written.

Because of this, by the time I left school I had spent nine years learning French and can speak and understand quite happily in France and French speaking countries (even if I am a bit rusty now!)

Compare this to German that I learnt for two years at secondary school. I can hardly remember any of it, and when I tried speaking in German last, the poor bloke I was talking to just looked bewildered and ended up laughing at me. Id probably told him his mother was a donkey!!

A friend of mine has four children, the youngest being born in Italy (after they'd moved there). She ended up going to an Italian nursery school and picked up the language really fast. She will only speak it when she has to, but she is fluent at 5 years old and acts as translator for the rest of the family.

I honestly think it's best to grab em young when it comes to language. After all, babies and young children are especially good at picking up language, of any description, so what better time to teach them.

Answer 5

I started learning English when I was about that age and I think it's great they encourage kids to learn a foreign language. When I came to the UK I was shocked to see how many people didn't speak a foreign language and they didn't even care.

Answer 6

Yes! Studies show that the younger you are the easier it is to learn a language. Not only does age make it harder for our brain but we also become more self conscious and less open to learning new languages.

Answer 7

this could be a stable question. and what's seen fluent, varies from u . s . a . to u . s . a .. it is barely my effect of issues, yet i've got heard that southern Europe is extra comfortable approximately "fluency". i'm from Finland, and that i think of i'm quite fluent in English. yet no longer even on the edge of a community. frequently in interviews i've got heard that I underestimate my language qualifications using fact is the way finns (in specific situations scandinavians) are. Humble. I did fairly nicely on my swedish and spanish matriculation exams (variety of like extreme college very final exams), yet i do no longer evaluate myself as fluent in the two of those languages. i'm able to get by employing, yet i could choose a number of of practice to be waiting to stay to tell the story is countries that talk those languages. i think of fluency skill to be waiting to maintain on a classic communique and getting by way of on a regular basis chores. hobbies, days activities, shopper help... entering into politics and financial gadget ought to pass somewhat overboard tho...

Answer 8

I do not think it is a good idea because at my elementary school they offered it and the kids were horrible in english, i think the best way to go is late immersion when you start in grade 6 and go until grade 12.

Answer 9

About time too! The earlier a child learns the better. We've dragged behind other nations for far too long!

Answer 10

I remember being taught french in preschool and spanish in my kindergarten class.

I say, why not? Can't hurt.