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

"On an interpersonal level, inductive reasoning forms the foundation for
empathy." (Harris, 1993: 525)

Up to the age of about eight the child is said to ^,decentre' gradually from his
initial egocentrism in thought and social life and to become increasingly more
able:

"...to take the perspective of other persons, to understand not only that they
may perceive, feel and think differently from the way he does, but also to
interpret their actions in different situations and to arrive at an understanding of
what they may perceive, feel or think." (Garvey, 1991: 9)

If this is the case, then the commonly held assumption that younger is better
also becomes questionable from a 'cultural' and 'empathetic' point of view.
Sharpe states that:

"English children should not grow up equating being human with being
British...and this lesson is best learned as young as possible."
(Sharpe, 1992:13)

One has to agree with the view that 'English children should not grow up
equating being human with being British'. Whether what needs to be learned in
this context can be learned from a very young age, however, remains
questionable if one takes the above findings from child development into
account. It could be argued, on the other hand, that a decline in empathy
during adolescence suggests that a starting age just before or around
adolescence is ill-judged. However, a decline in empathy at adolescence might

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