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

ignored in the evaluation at least as 'possible factors connected to
foreign-language attainment' (Johnstone, 1991: 37). The first evaluation of the
National Pilot thus stated that an early start can bring added value:

"...by offering an opportunity to promote not only positive attitudes to language
learning, when children are still at a highly formative, impressionable age, but
also intuitive, experiential forms of learning based on the kinds of project-work,
creative activity, song, dance, drama and practical tasks that children regularly
perform nowadays in Scottish primary school classrooms." (Low et al.,1993: 2)

However, it is very likely, judging from the above quotes, that 'the opportunity to
promote positive attitudes' was not an original rationale for an early start but
rather a 'post-rationalisation'. The 'time factor^, as a justification for an early start
will be discussed further in Chapter Two within the contexts of the origins of the
belief that younger is better and in Chapter Three in the context of the
evaluation of the Scottish National Pilot. Whether an early start in a foreign
language per se promotes positive attitudes towards foreign language learning
will also be discussed in more detail as will outcomes from the Scottish National
Pilot.

1.7 European Projects

Increased interest in early foreign language learning is not limited to Britain
alone, however, and early language learning schemes have also been
introduced in a number of European countries, in Greece from the age of nine,
in Italy from seven, in France from seven and in Portugal and Spain from eight,
for example, (see Johnstone, 1994, for a description of some of the European

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