Sheffield language lesson: 44% of primary schools offer something

It said 6,000 primary school language teachers would be recruited over the next three years.

And 18,000 existing primary teachers and 9,000 teaching assistants would be given training to teach foreign languages to their pupils.

More secondary schools are to be encouraged to become languages specialists.

Optional

They will receive an additional �30,000 per year to work with local education authorities, universities and regional partners to promote language learning.

The idea is that they will do this for not only their own pupils but also those in neighbouring secondary and primary schools.

Controversially, ministers have made learning a modern foreign language optional after the age of 14.

Instead they are focusing on trying to encourage earlier learning - intending that by 2010, every child aged seven to 11 should be able to learn a language in school.

EU laggards

The Department for Education and Skills says England has been lagging behind other European countries in the level of its citizens' language skills.

Languages are vital for children in today's world Education Secretary Ruth Kelly

In a survey by the European Commission, almost 66% of UK respondents did not speak any language other than their mother tongue - by far the highest proportion of all EU countries taking part.

"In the global economy too few of our employees have the necessary language skills to be able to fully engage in international business, and too few employers support their employees in gaining language skills as part of their job," it says.

Announcing the extra funding, Education Secretary Ruth Kelly said: "Languages are vital for children in today's world. They open doors to new experiences, increase employment opportunities and break down cultural barriers.

"They also boost community cohesion and our economy's competitiveness."

Her department said 1,000 primary language teachers had been recruited in the last two years.

'Cynicism'

It said 44% of primary schools now offered some form of language learning, such as in lunchtime classes, compared to 20% in 2001.

However, the research which produced this finding said the provision was "not as extensive as this might suggest".

Only 3% of primary schools gave all pupils in Key Stage 2 (seven to 11) a language session of at least 20 minutes at least once a week.

Shadow education secretary Tim Collins said: "For Ruth Kelly to trumpet this initiative is the height of cynicism.

"Teachers and parents will remember it was Labour who dropped the requirement for pupils to study languages at GCSE, and who have presided over falling numbers of pupils studying the subject.

"Now just weeks before an expected general election Ms Kelly claims she is championing the subject."

A Conservative government would "restore rigour to the teaching of foreign languages and other core subjects" through its planned review of the national curriculum.

Part of the money announced on Friday - �6m - is to encourage international links, school twinning and teacher exchanges.

A website managed by the British Council, called Global Gateway, has been set up to facilitate international links.

The BBC has set up a site, World Class, for schools to find twinning partners or to record schools overseas with which they have links.