Too Few Pupils Study Foreign Languages in N.Z.

Grey River Argus, 30 August 1948, Page 2

Too Few Pupils Study Foreign Languages in N.Z.

DUNEDIN, Aug 23. One-third of the post-primary schools in New Zealand, State ana private, think that too few. pupils take one foreign language as a subject and one-half of the schools think too few students take two languages.Those are two conclusions reached after an ambitious fact-finding inquiry made by an Otago committee appointed a year ago by the New Zealand Secondary Schools' Association to conduct a national survey into what is happenng to language teaching. , . A 17-page report has now been issued by the New Zealand Association, in which further acron is to be taken in pointing to possible courses of action when the committee has forwarded its final recommendations. 'Summarised, the findings of the committee include: — Teaching conditions for languages are good. In all but a few schools there is adequate opportunity to study one language, although the choice is mainly limited to French. One-third of the schools think too few pupils take one language and one-half think too few take two languages. Far too many schools have abandoned the two-languages course There has been a most disturbing decline, since 1943 in the number of pupils taking the available twolanmiages course and in the numbs* of schools providing such courses The courses suggested include the relaxation of university requirements, the utilitarian, approach resulting in the pursuit of qualifies tion rather than education, and the new School Certificate regulations The education field covered meluded State post-primary schools, private secondary schools and district high schools with an aggregate roll of more than 36,000 pupils. Languages are interpreted as excluding English and Maori. STATUS FALLING

French, Latin, and German in that order of popularity are the languages most commonly’ studied. About half a dozen pupils take Greek or Rus sian. , , When Dr. B. H. Howard was asked by the Secondary Schools’ Association to form an investigating committee, he selected as its members Dr. D. O. D. Raphael. Professor of Philosophy at the University of Otago, Dr. K. J Shean, Otago Boys’ High School, Miss M. Fitzgerald, M.Sc., principal of the Otago Girls’ High School, and Mr P. W. Hargreaves< 8.A., Waitaki Boys’. High School. x ~ , “There is general agreement that the status of languages is falling,” comments the committee. "The same reasons appear in all of the groups analysed —the demands of the 'core and the change in examination requirements at all levels. 1 These cause pupils and parents to favour soft options or specialised courses. Girls’ high schools and, to a. lesser extent., piHs’ nrivate schools, are