The interest expressed by primary school teachers in the Southern Education and Library Board area in introducing a second language to their pupils has been growing steadily.

Teachers in primary schools in Northern Ireland are under no obligation to teach a second language to their children. That many do so, particularly in a time of so much curriculum change, is testament not only to their energy and enthusiasm, but also to the value they place upon this learning experience. Most primary teachers introduce their children to a second language because of the contribution this learning experience makes to the total education of the child.

Learning a second language provides a completely new context within which children can consolidate skills already introduced by the teacher in English as part of the formal curriculum. There are a number of key developmental areas in which children can gain from the experience of learning a second language.

Consolidation and development of:

• basic concepts of space,
• time and number
• short and long-term memory recall
• independent learning skills
• information technology skills

Consolidation and development of:

• a sense of personal identity
• co-operative skills and respect for others
• the confidence and ability to speak in front of others

Consolidation and development of:

• education of the ear - that is training children to listen attentively and to discriminate between similar sounds
• language awareness and the curiosity to experiment with words, sounds and meanings
• awareness of the relationship between the spoken word and the written form
• awareness of the different purposes for which language is used and the realization that English is not the only way of expressing reality
• an enthusiasm for language learning.

Development of:

• awareness of otherness, of existence of different cultures, languages and life-styles
• interest in and positive attitudes towards the culture and way of life of other peoples

Learning a second language gives slower learners in the primary school an opportunity to make a fresh start with concepts and skills they may have failed to grasp the first time around. It helps children gain self-confidence, and through role-play and simulation, often provides a non-threatening forum for less extrovert children to express themselves.

Most children enjoy learning a second language, and enjoyment should be a critical part of the learning experience. Guidance on ensuring that language learning is enjoyable is provided in the next section.

It is helpful for schools teaching a second language to develop a clear statement of policy which articulates the reasons for its inclusion in the curriculum.
This statement of policy might include:

• general educational aims
• learning objectives
• teaching methods
• language content or programme
• resource and staff development needs

While general aims and objectives may be derived from the paragraphs above, the section which follows below provides guidance on teaching methods. Schools may wish to adopt or adapt the teaching programme set out in detail later in this resource as part of a school policy.

Whatever the educational value which a second language brings to the primary curriculum, the emphasis in teaching would be firmly on enjoyment and on ensuring that a child's first experience of a second language is a positive one. This has implications for teaching methodology and content. It is important to teach topics which relate to the children's own experience, eg. Home, school, family, and town, but also to leave room or the imaginative realm which children can experience through stories.

Learning should be active and fun, allowing children to acquire language through play and performance. Teachers in primary schools already use a variety of strategies which are appropriate to the teaching of a second language.
These include:

• games
• song
• story-telling
• drama
• visual media