The future of Estonia is in jeopardy: officials are concerned that with as many as 84% of all students in Estonian schools studying English as a second language and the popularity of languages such as German and French seriously on the wane, there will not be enough speakers of other EU languages in the years to come.
“The only way we'll get ourselves any proper specialists is if these languages are taught thoroughly and if the students gain experience in learning a number of them,” said Kersti Sõstar, the director of the language department of the National Examinations and Qualifications Centre.
41% of students (and rising) are currently taking Russian classes, while only 18% are studying German and a mere 3% French - with just 4% and 1% respectively studying the latter two as their first foreign language. Meanwhile, 71% are plumping for English as their foreign tongue of choice.
However, it is generally the schools themselves who decide which languages they teach (rather than the students being given the choice) and therefore which are given priority. This has led to many teachers of other languages having to turn traitor and take up teaching English lest they find themselves out of a job.
Now call me a cynic, but this in itself does not necessarily bode well for the teaching of English in Estonian schools. Sure, the methodology might be the same, but are the skills necessarily on par? Besides, if the state's education honchos are really so concerned about Estonians speaking EU languages, where are the schools offering Maltese and Irish Gaelic?
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