Written question asked by Claire Curtis-Thomas (Labour) on Wednesday, 12 June 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 19 June 2002. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Wednesday, 19 June 2002 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Dept for Education and Skills

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research into the study of languages and the benefits of studying a foreign language is being undertaken by her Department. (Holding answer 18 June 2002).

Answer: Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research into the study of languages and the benefits of studying a foreign language is being undertaken by her Department. [62465] Mr. Ivan Lewis: [holding answer 18 June 2002]: We have considered the findings of recent research including the final report of the Nuffield Languages Inquiry (2000); the University of Warwick, Centre for Language Teacher Education (CELTE) report on the analysis and evaluation for teaching of modern foreign languages at Key Stage 2 in England, (2000) and the European Commission's survey of the languages spoken in the EU `Eurobarometer 54', (2001). These reports have informed our aspirations for the future of teaching and learning languages outlined in our `Language Learning' pamphlet and the discussions of the Languages National Steering Group. Our long term national language strategy, which we plan to publish in the autumn, will contain our proposals to widen the opportunities for language learning.

Secondary information