Lost for Words

A fantastic video, telling us exactly what I told my students back in my lecturing days at university in applied language teaching. Yes, business transactions will only be at their most effective in the customer's mother tongue.
Remember the Chinese proverb: tell me and I forget, teach me and I learn, involve me and I remember.
Businesses have something to teach us here in that pupils carryng out or simulating business transactions in the foreign language woul be totally immersed-the most effective way of learning is remembering, as the Chinese say.
By the way, "Bonjour la classe" is not French - at least not from where I come.

It's just what we need for highlighting the problems that have been caused by making modern languages an optional subject beyond age 14. The need for languages in exporting goods from the UK is mentioned and the way in which primary school languages are being handled is criticised. The idea that languages are difficult and causes headteachers to promote other subjects so that their schools' positions in the league tables doesn't suffer also features in the video, etc. In other words, everything that we have been shouting about for years!

I particularly like the bit in which a Frenchmen tries to find his way to the station in Birmingham, stopping passers-by and speaking only French. After several failed attempts he eventually finds a young woman who can give him directions in French, but he misses his train - symbolic!

This video should be compulsory viewing for headteachers, businesses, parents and, of course, students considering giving up languages after the age of 14.

As usual, the waffle and excuses from the Department for Education and Skills in the video fails to impress!