It's strange, but just as we were discussing whether the English should be encouraged to learn a second language on the forum I read this report on the BBC:-
Bilingual primary school to open
The first bilingual state school in England has been approved - with lessons in French and English.
The project in the Wix School in Battersea, south London, is to be supported by the French embassy.
Pupils joining the bilingual class will follow the national curriculum but will study all subjects in both languages throughout the primary school.
The initiative is the result of co-operation with the Lycee Charles de Gaulle, a French school in London.
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My only problem with this is why French? Why not Spanish?
In 1999 French was the 11th most spoken language in the world, being spoken by about 77 million people whilst Spanish was ranked the second or third most spoken language in the world. It is spoken as a first language by about 352 million people, or by 417 million including non-native speakers. Now that would make more sense!
The answer is very simple - the French Primary School is located in the same building as the English Primary School, so co-operation makes sense. To create a bi-lingual English-Spanish school on the site would require the building of new premises, and would make little sense for the existing two schools.
Philip Beddows
Chair of Governors, Wix Primary School.
That makes sense then and I do think it's a great idea. Thanks for the explanation.
I am a spanish teacher working in Bilingual english school in Zaragoza. I would like to exchange myself for a year with another teacher who is working in school to come to my school and teah english as a second language, and I teach spanish in his/her school as a second language.
I am a spanish teacher working in Bilingual english school in Zaragoza. I would like to exchange myself for a year with another teacher who is working in school to come to my school and teah english as a second language, and I teach spanish in his/her school as a second language.
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