Cut in modern language support
December 12, 2011
Sir, – We are dismayed to hear of the abrupt decision to abolish the Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative announced last Tuesday and to divert its funding to the literacy and numeracy programme.
While we appreciate the concern of the Department of Education and Skills with literacy and numeracy, we believe cutting the €2.5 million being used to teach a range of modern foreign languages in more than 500 primary schools nationwide will unnecessarily restrict opportunities for Irish children. Indeed, this cut will impact on children at the age when they are most receptive to language learning.
Research has shown that the learning of modern languages promotes literacy and enhances children’s reading readiness. Principals and teachers involved in the MLPSI have testified that the learning of a third language has not only increased learners’ appreciation of Irish, but has also led to improved performance across all subjects.
Ireland’s export-dependent economy needs increased modern language competence at all levels of education, in a century where English will not be enough. From now on, those who speak another world language in addition to English will have a significant competitive edge, within Europe and beyond.
As everyone knows, languages cannot be learned overnight, and neither can cultural awareness. Nurturing language capacity from an early age in our schools is one way to ensure that Ireland’s linguistic and cultural gifts are developed for the future.
The saving involved in this cut does not justify restricting our children’s potential and some way must be found to reverse this regressive decision. – Yours, etc,
GOSIA BARKER, Lecturer in English as a Foreign Language and Linguistics;
MARIE-THÉRÈSE BATARDIÈRE, Lecturer in French,
NÚRIA BORRULL, Language Teacher, Spanish;
ANGELA CHAMBERS, Prof of Applied Languages;
YVONNE CLEARY, Lecturer in Technical Communication;
JEAN CONACHER, Senior Lecturer in German;
CIARA CONSIDINE, Aonad na Gaeilge;
SÍLE de CLÉIR, Léachtóir sa Ghaeilge;
JOACHIM FISCHER, Senior Lecturer in German;
BARBARA GERAGHTY, Lecturer in Japanese;
CATHERINE JEANNEAU Language Resources;
ANN MARCUS QUINN, National Digital Learning Repository;
MARGARET MILLS HARPER, Glucksman Professor of Contemporary Writing in English;
DEIRDRE Ní LOINGSIGH, Stiúrthóir na Gaeilge, UL;
TADHG Ó hIFEARNÁIN, Léachtóir Síseartha sa Ghaeilge;
CINTA RAMBLADO, Lecturer in Spanish
NANCY SERRANO, Lecturer in Spanish.
C/o School of Languages, Literature, Culture and Communication, University of Limerick, Limerick.
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