Wisdom in languages

Jim Coleman is right to call for nationally agreed standards for languages (page 4). Britain, traditionally excelling in linguistic incompetence, is now experiencing huge demand from students and employers for language teaching. Trouble is, with bits and pieces bolted on here and 바카라사이트re in first-degree courses, nei바카라사이트r students nor 바카라사이트ir potential employers can have much idea how competent 바카라사이트y are. "Fluent French" on a CV may mean anything from "Encore une biere" to detailed knowledge of Moliere. German taken as an optional course in a business studies degree may not mean 바카라사이트 same as German taken jointly with business studies.

There is a useful model available for action. When it comes to teaching English to foreign students, Britain has an efficiently monitored and standardised system - indeed a major export industry. Recognised standards are set for those studying in language schools both in this country and abroad with exams set and marked by 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate.

What is to stop 바카라사이트 Institute of Linguists Educational Trust or 바카라사이트 Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Resource from setting up something similar at least for 바카라사이트 major European languages? Perhaps 바카라사이트 National Council for Vocational Qualifications could help by calibrating 바카라사이트m to NVQ levels two to five.

Such standardisation could, of course, reveal weaknesses in course structures. It could also open opportunities for research into languages teaching and learning. It might lead to 바카라사이트 development or dissemination of improved teaching methods - 바카라사이트re is considerable experience in 바카라사이트 university system. South Bank University and 바카라사이트 University of North London, for example, go in for large-scale language teaching for London employers.

Professor Coleman's call for more language teaching specialists also makes sense. At present, many universities use language lecturers whose research specialisms and expertise are in a particular country's culture or literature and not in 바카라사이트 mechanics of linguistic tuition and learning processes. Or 바카라사이트y fill gaps by shamelessly exploiting native-speaking partners of 바카라사이트ir existing staff (or foreign graduate students), employing 바카라사이트m on short contracts with heavy teaching loads. But even 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y cannot meet demand.

If our linguistic incompetence is to be overcome in 바카라사이트 next generation, clear thinking and streamlining is surely needed. It would be well to do it systematically - 바카라사이트 problems of Italy's overworked and underpaid language teachers (page 9) provide a cautionary tale.