ENGLISH IN PRIMARY SCHOOL: TEACHING A THIRD LANGUAGE TO EIGHT YEARS OLDS IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY.

Authors

  • Jasone Cenoz
  • Diana Lindsay

Keywords:

Age, Attitudes, Foreign languages, Curriculum, Language policy, Primary education.

Abstract

Thiis article describes a project carried out in thirty primary schools in the Basque Autonomous Comunity during the academic year 1992-93. The aim of the project was to introduce a foreign language, English, to eight-year-olds, three years earlier than previously. The article looks briefly at the situation of teaching primary English according to the aims of the National Curriculum Reforma and then goes on to describe the type of syllabus decided on and the metodological approaches adopted by the reachers. In shows how the project was evaluated externally and internally, the actitudes of the parents, schools, students and teachers and the level of atrainment achieved by the pupils. Finally ir discusses the issues, problems and implications involved in the adoption of such policies.

Author Biographies

Jasone Cenoz

Dpto. de Filología Inglesa
Universidad del País Vasco

Diana Lindsay

Dpto. de Filología Inglesa
Universidad del País Vasco

Issue

Section

Artículos