tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988350683382077886.post997008872252777088..comments2024-03-03T18:42:45.305+00:00Comments on My Languages: No Return to Compulsion? Lack of Foreign Languages Skills in the U.S.Isabelle Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08981793519693793815noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988350683382077886.post-20176276947427021942007-06-11T20:23:00.000+01:002007-06-11T20:23:00.000+01:00Hi!I am glad you enjoyed reading the blog. Languag...Hi!<BR/><BR/>I am glad you enjoyed reading the blog. Languages are becoming more and more elitist here in the UK and also less and less socially inclusive. Even when languages were compulsory after the age of 14, some schools were "disapplying" students for all sorts of reasons: special needs, learning or behavioural difficulties, special abilities in other subjects... The truth is, to learn foreign languages, there is no substitute for regular practice and you do have to learn vocabulary... On the other hand, I have known below average students in terms of general ability do well just because their attitude and work ethic was up to it. Hopefully, they also got a bit of inspiration from their teacher...Isabelle Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08981793519693793815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5988350683382077886.post-87972680788453925662007-06-11T15:31:00.000+01:002007-06-11T15:31:00.000+01:00Hi! I came to your blog by way of misssimmonds. Y...Hi! I came to your blog by way of misssimmonds. <BR/><BR/>Your post re: compulsory language and the US is a sad albeit hard, cold truth. Unlke many parts of the world, here in the US learning languages is touted by school officials, parents and politicans in theory, but the will, motivation, public support and financial resources just aren't there. At the very expensive prep school where I teach, some students still whine about why they HAVE to take a language -when they're failng/too lazy to do the work. It is a travesty.<BR/><BR/>I will be visiting again. Thank you for your blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com