Which languages?
Another plan is to give school children more choice. The languages traditionally studied in British schools
have been French, Spanish and German. Now the government is encouraging teachers to expand the
range of languages taught to include Arabic, Mandarin and Urdu.
Mandarin Chinese is predicted to become the second most popular foreign language learned in UK
schools. It is already studied by more children than German or Russian. Only French and Spanish are
more popular. Gareth from Wales says 'I am learning Chinese, and find it fun.' Another student, Thomas
from London, says 'Just telling people that I learn Mandarin impresses people. Even having a very basic
level gives you an advantage.' Brighton College has become the first independent school to make
Mandarin a compulsory foreign language. Its headmaster Richard Cairns said, 'One of my key tasks is to
make sure pupils are equipped for the realities of the 21st century. One of those realities is that China has
the fastest-growing economy in the world.'
It may be an ambitious task to change the Brits’ attitude to learning languages but the government is
determined to try!