Language class targets unclear

I AGREE with the concerns of Alasdair Sutherland (Letters, February 26), the Scottish Parent Teacher Council and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland about the plans for languages in primary schools (“Languages class target unachievable”, The Herald, February 21).

We need to take account of the lessons learned from previous projects and the research evidence. The plans completely fail to do so.

As Mr Sutherland correctly points out, the present situation is far from satisfactory and provision is patchy. It appears foolish to suggest, when we are struggling to climb the existing mountain with one language in P6/7, that we should climb the higher mountain of two languages and a P1 start, especially when the research evidence is split over whether an earlier start is better. Not only that, it is unclear which languages we are talking about and what the objectives actually are. Dr Dan Tierney, Reader, Language Education, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.