Hansard

Madame la Présidente, je suis très heureux que la journée des langues européennes, une initiative de l'année des langues européenes, se marque par ce débat sur l'enseignement des langues en Ecosse, et avec une telle diversité de langues—une première pour le Parlement écossais.

Personnellement, j'ai fait de grands efforts pour améliorer mon français et j'en ai retiré beaucoup de satisfaction. Je deviens de plus en plus conscient de mon manque de compétence dans les langues, mais je fais de grands efforts pour y remédier. Donc, j'ai choisi de vous parler en français aujourd'hui.

Je suis heureux que d'autres personnes ont choisi d'utiliser une autre langue aujourd'hui. Nous habitons dans un monde où la communication devient de plus en plus rapide entre les citoyens de differents pays. Nous visitons les pays étrangers régulièrement, et les jeunes d'aujourd'hui travailleront dans les pays étrangers même plus souvent que nous. Pour eux, parler une langue étrangère, c'est plus qu'important—c'est essentiel. Je suis convaincu que l'apprentissage de langues étrangères est un élément essentiel dans l'expérience de chaque élève et que la maîtrise d'une langue étrangère est une compétence nécessaire pour la vie.

Je suis persuadé que tous nos jeunes écossais devraient avoir le droit d'apprendre une deuxième langue. C'est essentiel pour eux, pour nous et pour l'Ecosse. Ensemble, nous pouvons développer un système efficace d'apprentissage de langues pour nos jeunes, ce qui leur permettra de devenir, en effet, des citoyens d'un monde multilingue.

I have been waiting for that for nine months.

I am pleased that European languages day, which is a European year of languages initiative, is being marked by a debate on languages education in Scotland in such a linguistically diverse way—a first for the Scottish Parliament.

I have worked hard to improve my French and have enjoyed the experience very much. I am more and more aware of my lack of foreign language skills, but I am trying to improve, so I chose to speak in French today.

I am glad that others have also chosen to use another language today, because we live in a world where communication between citizens of different countries is becoming faster and faster. We visit foreign countries regularly. Today's youngsters will work in foreign countries more often. For them, speaking another language is more than important—it is vital. I am convinced that language learning is an essential element of a pupil's educational experience and that language ability is a valuable life skill. I believe that all our young people should have the right to learn a second language. That is essential for them, for us and for Scotland.

I thank Irene Oldfather for lodging the motion that we are debating today. I also thank those members who have contributed to the debate. I do not attend many members' business debates, but it has been fascinating to learn that Karen Gillon was once shy, that Ian Jenkins has a French mistress and that Winnie Ewing put a new interpretation on "The Flying Dutchman". It has been great to have this opportunity and I thank the Presiding Officer for agreeing to mark the European day of languages by allowing a choice of languages in the chamber.

If my old French teacher, Wilma Pirrie, could see me now she would probably die of shock. I would especially like to thank Jessica Princeton, who is in the gallery today. She has been tutoring me all year to get me to this stage and I am grateful to her for that. I took up the language challenge and I do not regret it. In the gallery, we also have John Mulgrew, who chaired the action group on languages. He is director of education at East Ayrshire Council and is with many pupils from that area. He and the action group did first-class work in putting together the report, "Citizens of a Multilingual World". I am grateful to them for their work and for being here today.

I believe that language skills open doors—they widen horizons and develop individuals. I want our record in Scotland's schools to improve. The Executive has today responded to the key elements of the action group report. We have backed the idea of an entitlement to experience a progressive, coherent and successful language education. We endorse that model and are determined to make it work. We will develop an information leaflet for parents and pupils, which will draw on the excellent rationale for language that was produced by the action group and will help to inform them about the new entitlement.

In recent years, funding for language education has been focused—I have to say successfully—on additional training for primary teachers, with little facility to fund innovative approaches to language learning and teaching. As of now, we are going to change the funding package to provide resources to local authorities.

Over the next three years, we will provide an additional £2.5 million to let local authorities be the innovators along with those who direct improved language education at a local level. That funding should be used to support the learning of all languages other than English; it should not be restricted to modern European languages. It should be used for Gaelic, Urdu and other languages for which there is a demand in Scotland's schools.

We have also responded to the report in saying that our review of initial teacher education will examine thoroughly ITE for language teachers and language training for primary teachers. Our work on continuing professional development will ensure that those elements—especially professional development for language teachers—are recognised and progressed.

A number of excellent examples of language education currently exist in Scotland's schools. I will highlight four of them. First, there is the work at the Shawlands Academy international language school. Secondly, there is the excellent, innovative partnership involving East Ayrshire Council, North Ayrshire Council and Argyll and Bute Council—some of the pupils and teachers that are involved in that are here today. Thirdly, there is the French partial immersion project in Aberdeen—that was one of the most fascinating classrooms I have been in anywhere in Scotland. Five-year olds were learning French almost as a first language, never mind as a second one. Fourthly, there is the teacher support project in Clackmannanshire, which I am sure Richard Simpson would endorse.

Those are all great initiatives and there are many more. Language learning in Scotland is entering a new era. It will be contemporary, responsive and appropriate for the needs of our young people in the 21st century.

Together we can develop an effective system of language education for our children, which will ensure that they can indeed become effective citizens of a multilingual world.

In other words, Presiding Officer, ensemble nous pouvons développer un système efficace d'apprentissage de langues pour nos jeunes, ce qui leur permettra de devenir, en effet, des citoyens d'un monde multilingue.