Primary teachers 'lack modern language skills'

PRIMARY teachers do not have the skills necessary to teach modern languages to young children, local authorities have warned.

• Jenny Carr

Teachers must be taught language tuition before reaching the classroom or Scotland's economy will suffer, claims the East of Scotland European Consortium.

The group, which includes 13 local authorities, claims that Scotland could end up floundering on the periphery of the global economy within ten to 15 years if the problem is not tackled.

If action is not taken the country will struggle to make inroads with the "booming markets" of Russia, Brazil, China and India, they fear. The consortium also warned modern languages are a key part of the new school system – a Curriculum for Excellence – due in all schools this August.

Jonathan Robertson, policy adviser for the consortium, said: "The lack of any compulsory modern-language teacher training or entry requirement, means the vast majority of new teacher trainees have a Standard Grade level of modern language skills that ill prepares them for offering a new approach to modern- language teaching in the primary, on graduation."

Most teachers have skills "not much greater than the children they are supposed to be teaching," he claimed. Currently universities do not have to train primary teachers in language tuition.

Mr Robertson said it was "astounding" universities were not required to provide language training for student teachers, despite an expectation since 2000 that all schools would offer languages from primary six.

He said: "We are in essence perpetuating a cycle of linguistic stultification in an age group where there is greatest scope for improvement."

To make up for the skills shortage, councils have been providing on-the-job training in language tuition to teachers themselves. However, widespread budget cuts have forced such programmes to be scaled back. This year, for the first time, some cash-strapped local authorities are not providing any such training for staff.

Ken Macintosh, Labour schools spokesman, agreed that language teaching was not enough of a priority. He said: "Modern language training is not a compulsory or core part of initial teacher training and, because it is largely funded by local authorities, it is being squeezed at the moment.

"If modern languages are to be a part of Curriculum for Excellence teachers need to be given the extra skills to teach them and at the moment they are not. The government is failing education again."

However, the Scottish Government said languages were a key priority for youngsters. A spokesman said a review of teacher training, to be carried out by former school inspectorate chief Graham Donaldson, would include modern languages.

The spokesman added: "The Scottish Government sees modern languages as key to creating a more successful Scotland by equipping our young people with the skills needed in 21st century society.

"Furthermore, language learning in primary schools is not just provided by the class teacher – councils can also ensure this is provided through other teachers within the school, visiting secondary teachers, and foreign language assistants."

However, several councils have been cutting language assistants as part of wider job cuts in a bid to save money.

Earlier this week, Angus became the latest council to reduce the number of foreign language assistants, as well as music teachers, to save around 160,000.

And universities have warned they may have to cut teacher training departments and lecturers after the government reduced the number of places in a bid to tackle unemployment in the profession.