Czech Republic: mandatory English from year one?
A new chapter has begun in the long-running debate about language classes in Czech schools. Education Minister Mikuláš Bek wants to make English a compulsory subject from year one and a second foreign language from year six onwards. Up to now English lessons haven't begun until year three, partly due to a lack of teachers.
Don't overburden the kids
Lidové noviny proposes hitting the brakes:
“For many children, a playful approach to English can be a great introduction to the mysteries of this language, and playful introduction to German at the age of eleven is a wonderful way to learn about German culture. But 'for many' does not mean 'for all'. More and more children are coming to school with a very limited vocabulary and are actually learning basic Czech in their first year, as well as reading and writing. Making English a compulsory language for them would be counterproductive. The same applies to a compulsory third language: a not insignificant proportion of pupils in year six have problems with basic English (and in some cases also with maths).”
Teach useful language skills
Hospodářské noviny makes the case for as much practice-oriented language teaching as possible:
“To this day, no one at our schools cares how you get along abroad with what you've learned. Or whether you can read a book, a menu or understand the instructions for assembling a cupboard. Nobody really needs to know all the tenses and grammatical tricks that teachers like to torment children with. ... Compulsory second, third and other foreign languages at the earliest possible age should be a matter of course in Czech schools. After all, the Czech language is not global and it's good to always be equipped for the future - also language-wise.”