Regarding the statutory teaching of modern foreign languages in primary schools (TES Cymru, February 23), England has had almost 10 years to prepare for this by 2010. The favoured model involves primary teachers doing the teaching, requiring a great deal of training and CPD.
The minister has obviously taken the first steps to allowing primary MFL to grow organically in Wales by pledging money from 2008 in the Better Schools Fund.
But you were right to identify our biggest challenge as a move to a situation of compulsion.
We must avoid an approach where some children learn languages at after-school clubs, some in class and others not at all. We will be gathering evidence over the next two years to assess the impact on secondary schools.
Ceri James,
Director, CiLT Cymru
* Editor’s note: this letter was received before publication of Lord Dearing’s report
