A Critical Examination of the Beliefs about Learning a Foreign Language at Primary School

"It is certain that clarity at this stage of the process is crucial and far outweighs
any dogmatic avoidance of ∞ntact between the two languages."
(Rapaport & Westgate, 1974: 64)

The finding in the Scottish evaluation of the National Pilotthat discussions of
language similarities and differences 'hardly took place' was also predictable;
after all, the original aim favoured maximum use of the target language and
'communicative competence' over 'language awareness'. In contrast to the
early stipulation, however, the Scottish final evaluation of the Pilot quite clearly
points to the dangers of such an approach:

"...the insistence on the FL as the medium of instruction and interaction in the
primary classroom was not only a source of anxiety for some pupils (who were
concerned about not being able to speak well or understand), it also helped to
relegate the primary classteachers to a subordinate role." (Low et al., 1995: 82)

The validity of an approach which systematically avoids the target language in
the English primary school classroom has also been questioned by the writer
who discussed possible effects on both children's cognitive and affective
development (Poole, 1994). Recognising the importance of making references
to children's first languages, however, does not mean underestimating the
complexities and challenges of such an approach in the multilingual classroom,
a point which will be taken up again later in the context of the two case studies.

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