Early learning of foreign languages means: learning a foreign language in the first classes of primary school. Most of our surrounding countries present the subject of English from the age of six years. With that they are in step with the agreements made in 2000 at the European top in Lisbon. The member countries there agreed to stimulate the presentation of two foreign languages. The presentation of foreign languages at a young age was explicitly discussed. In recent years we see a change in Holland too: more and more schools choose to present the subject of English earlier than in (Dutch) 7th grade, as is often the case now. A number of schools is already thematically working to start with English from 1st grade.
In May 2005, Elly Deelder and Anne Maljers of the European Platform (department Holland) have presented their findings as a result of their research of the state of affairs with regard to early learning of foreign languages in Holland. As to the question why schools start with early learning of foreign languages, they mention the following factors:
1. Young children’s language sensitivity
Teachers indicate that they do not want to let the language-sensitive age of children pass by. By listening and practicing (talking) they can learn to recognize and apply sounds, grammar and words. Past the age of seven, children learn a foreign language mainly via their native language, while before that, they very easily pick up another language simultaneously.
2. Preparation for the future
Teachers want to prepare their pupils well for an increasingly international society in which one needs foreign languages. By starting as young as possible, you provide the pupils with a thorough knowledge of the foreign language.
3. Secondary school
Offering a good preparation for, or connection to secondary school, is also an important reason to start with early teaching of foreign languages. Many advanced studies following secondary school present programs in English, and many study books are written in English or German as well.
4. The school’s characterization
Parents often deliberately choose a school that offers early teaching of foreign languages. As a result a number of schools saw an increase of the number of pupils.
5. Understanding of other languages and cultures
Learning a foreign language at young age increases the children’s awareness of cultural variety. Early teaching of foreign languages gives a better understanding for children that have a different language as native tongue.
The majority of teachers interviewed by Deelder and Maljers indicate that there are nearly no negative effects to be detected, but that -on the contrary- early teaching of foreign languages has positive effects:
- Pupils obtain more insight in language in general, which benefits their Dutch; the young child’s language-sensitivity is large: effortless they learn a second language, which gives additional stimulation of the linguistic areas in the brain.
- Early teaching of foreign languages increases the children’s confidence, they have the use of more and more and better possibilities of communication.
- Another important factor that is mentioned, is that early teaching of foreign languages contributes to more tolerance of anything not Dutch, and gains respect for children that speak a different language. Pupils make easier contact with other children and speaking a different language is made accessible.
- Also, the attitude towards learning languages is affected in a positive way. Pupils are all very enthusiastic and motivated to learn the foreign language. They take pleasure in it.
Professors S.M. Goorhuis-Brouwer and C.L.J. de Bot from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen confirm what has been stated above. They supervise the Early Bird project in Rotterdam (www.earlybirdie.nl) and investigate whether early learning of foreign languages is effective for native language and foreign language, whether early learning of foreign languages has a negative effect on the Dutch language, and whether early learning of foreign languages is suitable for all children.
For us as developers of My name is Tom, the first positive results of that investigation confirm our choice to develop a continuing English course that does justice to the natural language acquisition with children, to begin with the lower classes in primary school. On the website of the European Platform you will find more information about early teaching of foreign languages: www.talenopdebasisschool.nl.