Industry News
Speaking one language 'not competitive'
Posted on 20th September 2007
Schools in Britain are failing to encourage children to study foreign languages, leaving them unequipped to compete in the global job market, a commentator has claimed.
Managing director for Europe at Rosetta Stone Steven Wines believes children will lose out to their European counterparts by being unable to speak a second language.
He said: "Second language skills will open up doors and offer UK students broader career prospects and equip them with tools to compete on an international stage."
A recent report by the National Centre for Languages claimed a lack of ability when it came to speaking foreign languages was "severely hampering" Britain's competitiveness in global trade.
The government stopped language education being compulsory past 14 in 2004 and recent research by the European commission found only 30 per cent of the population can speak a second language.
The Conservatives consider a foreign language to be one of the "core" subjects at GCSE and recently accused schools of moving children away from such traditional subjects and encouraging them to study "easier" subjects to improve grades.