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04/02/2004
Language initiative launched for primary schools
Trainee Primary School teachers will get the chance to work in Spain for four weeks to develop their language skills, it has been announced today.
The initiative will allow more children as young as seven the chance to learn Spanish and German at primary school, following the introduction of a similar scheme in Germany.
The scheme has been running in France since 2001, with around 600 trainee teachers benefiting so far.
Signing the agreement with Spain today, Schools Minister Stephen Twigg said that the scheme will help more children to start learning a language early which they can further develop at secondary school. Only 8% of all pupils taking GCSEs chose to study Spanish in 2003, while 19% took German and 49% took French.
Mr Twigg said: "It is good for our pupils' development and the international standing of our country.
"Our agreement with Spain and our links with Germany are big steps forward in our drive to give all pupils the opportunities they need to learn a language."
The government aims to ensure that every primary pupil in the country age gets the opportunity to start learning a foreign language by 2010.
(gmcg)
The initiative will allow more children as young as seven the chance to learn Spanish and German at primary school, following the introduction of a similar scheme in Germany.
The scheme has been running in France since 2001, with around 600 trainee teachers benefiting so far.
Signing the agreement with Spain today, Schools Minister Stephen Twigg said that the scheme will help more children to start learning a language early which they can further develop at secondary school. Only 8% of all pupils taking GCSEs chose to study Spanish in 2003, while 19% took German and 49% took French.
Mr Twigg said: "It is good for our pupils' development and the international standing of our country.
"Our agreement with Spain and our links with Germany are big steps forward in our drive to give all pupils the opportunities they need to learn a language."
The government aims to ensure that every primary pupil in the country age gets the opportunity to start learning a foreign language by 2010.
(gmcg)
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