Impact of language should inspire

18th December 2009, 12:00am

Steve Brace oversimplifies the case if he thinks Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is just a geography teacher grabbing a French dictionary (Letters, December 11). As a sixth-form teacher I taught politics, economics, sociology and environmental studies for years - and in two foreign languages. When a Year 10 boy in the North East makes comments like, “I enjoy going to French now, you don’t know what to expect,” the approach is obviously having an impact. And authentic letters written by French soldiers from the trenches before visiting Flanders Fields stretch and challenge students in a way that Un kilo de pommes, s’il vous plait never could.

John Connor, Regional subject adviser, modern languages, West Midlands.