Written question asked by Paul Flynn (Labour) on Friday, 23 October 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 4 November 1998. It was answered by Charles Clarke (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 November 1998 on behalf of the Department for Education and Employment.

Dept for Education and Employment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proposals he has to increase the number of school leavers who attain fluency in a second European modern language. - (Holding answer 3 November 1998).

Answer: Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to increase the number of school leavers who attain fluency in a second European modern language. [56857] Mr. Charles Clarke: [holding answer 3 November 1998]: Under the National Curriculum, all pupils must study English and all secondary school pupils must study a modern foreign language. Secondary schools must offer one of eight working languages of the European Union, and they can also offer other languages. In practice around 97 per cent. of pupils study French, German, Spanish, or a combination of these. The National Curriculum programmes of study give equal weight to four communication skills: listening and responding; speaking; reading and responding; and writing. We also support language learning through sponsorship of the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT), which encourages good practice through a range of information and advice to language teachers.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 318 c590W; 56857
Session: 1997-98
Subjects: Curriculum Languages Secondary education Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research