Hansard

Merci, Monsieur le Président. J'affirme cela car les langues sont plus qu'un simple moyen de communication. Elles représentent l'instrument de la compréhension et de la connaissance des cultures, le moyen d'encourager la diversité et la tolérance. Ce sont les thèmes sur lesquels l'Union européenne est fondée, et pour lesquels ce Parlement ne cesse de se battre.

L'idée d'une journée des langues, c'était d'encourager les citoyens de tout âge et de toute nationalité, à travers l'Europe, à reprendre l'étude des langues pour le plaisir. Ce discours en français était mon défi personnel.

Voilà! That was my challenge for languages day. [Applause.] Thank you very much. I will briefly summarise in English.

It is with pleasure that, partly in French, I am proposing this debate. Today is an important moment in the Scottish Parliament. In fact, it is an historic day because, for the first time, we are having a debate in a language other than English, Scots or Gaelic.

We are members of Europe's youngest and newest Parliament and therefore, on this day of European languages, we want to make our mark. In choosing this subject for debate, we are sending a message that our new Parliament wishes our nation to share our common European heritage. We do not want to be only observers. Languages are about more than communication: they are about understanding other cultures and encouraging diversity and tolerance—themes upon which the European Union was founded and to which this Parliament lays claim.

The idea of languages day was to encourage people of all ages and all nationalities across Europe to take a language challenge for fun. This speech in French was my personal challenge.

I acknowledge that I have taken up a bit of time with my language challenge, but I would like to take the opportunity to make a few brief points. As I have said, languages can be fun; but there is also a serious note to language development. In a single market, in which it is just as easy to place a call centre in Irvine as in Italy, there can be no doubt that language skills will be decisive factors in job and inward-investment markets. I believe that we, as politicians, have a duty and a responsibility to push forward the frontiers of language development so that Scottish children can compete on an equal basis with their European counterparts. In an increasingly mobile labour market, such skills are no longer luxuries but necessities.

"Citizens of a Multilingual World" makes a number of suggestions for improving language skills, including greater innovation in the teaching of languages. I fully endorse that. In North Ayrshire, we host the virtual school of modern languages, which is a joint initiative using videoconferencing, information technology and other technology. It is welcome and allows children to interact with their European counterparts in a modern way.

We must diversify the languages that we teach. I suspect that there will be a preponderance of French speaking today. It is important that we include other languages. I am prepared to take my own advice and try another language next year.

I am pleased to welcome to the gallery pupils from Kilwinning Academy, which is in my area. I am proud to say that this year, Kilwinning Academy offers classes in four languages: French, German, Italian and Spanish. The Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs will recall that he visited Kilwinning Academy earlier this year and I know that he will be delighted to hear of the further developments in the language curriculum. That is in no small measure due to the commitment of the head teacher and the modern languages staff.

We will all watch with interest the results of the immersion teaching pilot scheme in Aberdeen, which allows children to learn physical education, arts, expressive arts and drama in a foreign language. The fact is that teaching in that way makes sense. Too often in years gone by—and when I was at school I was taught this way—the whole modern language class was taken in English. A good modern language class should be taught for the most part in the language that is being learned.

It would be remiss of me not to mention that the age at which we start teaching languages is crucial to improved linguistic development. We have moved languages into the primary school curriculum, but there is a long way to go. In my area, we are fortunate to have some nursery classes in Spanish. In St Luke's Primary School in Kilwinning we are establishing the reputation of the borough for culture. I hope that Tom Shields will take careful note. The fact is that young children soak up information like sponges and are much less self-conscious in displaying their abilities than are older children, who are often shy about language learning.

As I said in my opening remarks, language is about more than just communication; it is the key to appreciating other cultures, raising our horizons and broadening our experiences, for it is upon the foundations of respect, understanding and tolerance that economic prosperity and peace will be built.

I conclude by saying that I look forward to the day when the children in our schools, who after all are tomorrow's tartan army, can cheer for Scotland and order a pie and a pint not just in one European language, but in several. Perhaps our football as well as our language prospects will be enhanced.

Je me suis bien amusée. J'attends avec plaisir les interventions des mes collègues. Je vous remercies.

I have enjoyed myself very much and I look forward to hearing my colleagues.