Progressing towards the '1+ 2 Approach'
‘Language learning is life enhancing. It opens the doors to possibilities and experiences which are not available to those who are restricted to the knowledge of one language. Learning an additional language also facilitates a deeper understanding of the possibilities of language and of communication, including those relating to the learner’s mother tongue.’ (Scottish Government, 2012, p.6)1
Indeed, there is an international research base indicating that very young children learn a new language with enthusiasm and are able to develop a degree of communicative competence and language awareness. The recent Lessons from Abroad Research Report (Tinsley & Comfort, 2012)2 is a wide ranging and comprehensive study which took into account examples of research, policy and practice in early language learning from Europe, Asia, America and Australia. One of their conclusions was that their analysis indicated:
Starting early allows for more time for language learning overall and a sustained experience with the potential to lead to higher levels of proficiency at the end of secondary school. Children learn and practise skills and strategies which transfer across languages and this has a positive influence on literacy in the mother tongue. Children also learn about language in general and this enables them to step back from their own language and become more conscious and deliberate in expressing ideas. (Tinsley & Comfort, 2012, p78)2
These arguments also support the Scottish Government’s 1+2 language policy. With this in mind, the Goethe-Institut – the German cultural organisation based in Glasgow - developed a sustainable German language programme for the very early stages of learning in nursery education.
In the summer term of 2012, Springburn Nursery School piloted the ‘German in the Nursery School’ resource. Prior to this pilot, though there had been no formal language teaching before, the children did experience other cultures through celebrating festivals such as Chinese New Year and Divaili.
Access the Goethe-Insitut website
1 Scottish Government (2012) Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 Approach Edinburgh: Scottish Government
2 Tinsley, T. & Comfort, T. (2012) Lessons from Abroad: International Review of Primary Languages Research Report. Reading: CfBT Education Trust
Aims of language learning approach
Jean Waters says that the aims of the project for the school was: ‘To introduce the concept of another language to the children and to make them more globally aware by learning about the culture of another country.’
For the Goethe-Institut, the four stated aims for the pilot were:
- To introduce children to aspects of German culture
- To focus on developing listening and speaking skills
- To raise language awareness
- To show it is fun to learn a foreign language