Languages expert Florence Mills has warned that young children are likely to forget the French and Spanish they are being taught following the introduction of foreign languages in primary schools. Mills, professor of second language acquisition at Essex University, has raised concerns that there is not enough time being devoted to languages to allow the words to be retained by students.
The government made languages a compulsory element of the curriculum for all children from the age of seven in September - a decade after its predecessor axed the subject as compulsory for 14 to 16-year-olds.
Professor Myles did back the principle of teaching languages from a young age though; “Children are so enthusiastic. They just love it,” she stated.