But this is not the place to point out what could be done to improve the teaching of the mother tongue in various parts of the world. Nevertheless, something must be said on the subject, because the teaching of the mother tongue and the teaching of a foreign language can support and assist each other. For we are dealing here with the teaching of language; and whether the language is the mother tongue or a foreign language, some of the methods used in the teaching will be very similar, and most of the principles underlying those methods will be the same. Therefore we may be sure that if the mother tongue is well taught, that teaching will help the learn of a new of a new language; and if a foreign language is taught on sound lines, the training that it gives the pupils will promote a better understanding and a better use of the mother tongue.