Springwatch for languages
I find Springwatch and its fellow programmes rather depressing these days. Hearing that some bird or butterfly’s numbers have declined by 30% in the last ten years is bad enough. But then they nearly always go on to say that this is on top of an earlier decline of 70%, from the 1970’s.
Don’t get me on farmers claiming to be custodians of the countryside.
This all came to mind when I read this morning that there has been another sharp decline in those taking a foreign language to ‘A’ level. That is another decline on top of earlier decline from a level that any other country would have already thought was totally unacceptable.
The reasons are not hard to find, not enough teachers, bad teaching, the arrogance of the English because other countries teach english to their school kids and, of course, the last decade of jingoistic isolationism that is Brexit.
The results will be appalling for British business and exports, especially as hiring foreigners with language skills is increasingly difficult. It also means the private schools will rush into teaching even more languages, because universities have to take language students to keep their departments alive.
Far too many have already closed them altogether.
Sorting this sort of thing out needs concerted, concentrated, long term action, vast amounts of effort, political capital and money. Above all it needs politicians to care very deeply and they just don’t.
So the Springwatch circle of decline continues.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media