On Screen p 54. Foreign Languages in Kindergarten? Oral Mediation

 

Read the instructions for the task. With the information given, produce a monologue using your own words. (approximately 2,5 minutes)



Task description

You are a member of the School Council at your local school. At one of the meetings one of the items on the agenda is whether kindergarten students should be taught foreign languages. You decide to express your opinions about it based on an article you have recently read. Consider whether it might be helpful for children to learn a second language at such a young age or whether it is a case of too much, too soon. Deliver your monologue explaining your views.

Article



Kindergarten introduces foreign language lessons

Happy Kids Kindergarten in Leeds has caused controversy by introducing foreign language classes for its students- some as young as two years old. Many parents are supportive of the new scheme, claiming that it gives their children a head start when they learn foreign languages later in life or when looking for a job, and at the same time they also become aware of the world's cultural differences. Others, though, say that these classes will simply confuse the students and affect the progress of language learning in their own language.



Sample answer

These days there seems to be a general consensus about the importance of knowing at (1)_________ one foreign language, (2)______________ reminds me of a quotation by Roger Bacon, (3)___________ once said, "knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom." 

Disagreement arises, (4)____________, over whether it is appropriate to start a foreign language programme as early as kindergarten. On one hand, some people (5)_________ argue that we should introduce children to foreign languages in their early years. (6)___________ others are convinced that teaching foreign languages to young learners can delay progress in their mother tongue. (7)___________, we need to examine both sides of the argument before we reach any conclusion.

Firstly, by teaching foreign languages to children, we can make it easier for them to learn languages in the later stages of their education. For (8)__________, even learning the alphabet of a foreign language can be useful. In this (9)___________, students would find it easier to learn languages in more detail when they get older.

Secondly, having a second language (10)____________ one's sleeve when job hunting is likely to help a candidate to get a certain position. This is very often the case in most jobs in international business or in the hospitality sector in tourist areas. As a (11)___________, there is a lower unemployment rate among people who speak foreign languages.

Furthermore, foreign language lessons teach kindergarten students about how diverse the world is. For (12)_____________, they learn that people in foreign countries speak other languages and have different cultures. As a (13)__________, students learn to respect other cultures at a young age.


On the other hand, opponents of foreign language teaching in kindergarten argue that it can hamper the development of a child's language acquisition in their mother tongue. In (14)____________, when children are still building their basic vocabulary in their own language, learning foreign words might disrupt this. (15)_______________, students could fall behind in their language development.

All things (16)______________, I feel that kindergarten children have much to gain from learning foreign languages, (17)___________ they not only prepare them for future language learning and employment but they also familiarise them with the diversity of the world (18)__________ the fact that it can delay their own language betterment. Young children have an amazing ability to learn foreign languages, (19)__________ why not exploring this as early as (20)_____________.



KEY


1. least

 

 

 

2. which

 

 

 

3. who 

 

 

 

4. however 

 

 

 

5. would 

 

 

 

6. While 

 

 

 

7. Therefore 

 

 

 

8. instance/example 

 

 

 

9. way 

 

 

 

10. up 

 

 

 

11. result/consequence 

 

 

 

12.  instance/example 




13. result/consequence

 

 

 

14. particular/fact

 

 

 

15. Consequently

 

 

 

16. considered

 

 

 

17. since/because/as/for 




18. despite

 

 

 

19. so

 

 

 

20. possible

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