Universities have too big a say in teaching of languages in our schools

I FEEL that Kevin Lawrie (Letters, March 10) is right to question any further expansion per se of modern languages in our secondary school curriculum.

He is right to point out that many people have specialised in a foreign language at school but relatively few can still communicate in it without considerable practice.

May I suggest that one key to this issue is the fact that what is taught in our Scottish secondary schools in this area is over-influenced by the demands of our universities rather than the practical skills for modern living which our young people require?

This has often resulted in a narrow approach where a school pupil will perhaps study one foreign language but do so in much depth.

Each of the eight available modern language Higher Grade courses states in the specification under usage and understanding units that for students studying the course, it will “develop their knowledge and understanding of detailed and complex language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture”.

While I could not doubt there is a valuable place for such fine objectives, I suggest that many of our young people would benefit from a much broader and functional view of usable language, especially European ones.

It may be that as an alternative for some, the “detailed and complex” aspects could be disconnected to provide time for more range and opportunity to learn conversational languages in, for example, a group award covering basic French, Spanish and German.

This might be a level similar to enabling a tourist abroad to ascertain directions, make certain purchases and travel.

Clearly a flexibility would be required as to the make up of any group depending on expertise within any one school. Additionally, learning languages concurrently, even at such a low level, may not suit everyone and so there is a timetabling issue.

Although our universities would doubtless frown on any academic dilution and light-touch approach to language and grammar learning as a limited utility, I expect that any one of the languages may prime an interest and be pursued individually at a later stage to master it. Bill Brown, 46 Breadie Drive, Milngavie.