In recent years, countries across Europe have seen an increase in bi-lingual education as a way of preparing young people for future work, study and life in an increasingly multilingual and integrated Europe. This joint initiative between the British Council and the Spanish Ministry of Education to introduce a bilingual, bi-cultural curriculum in 72 infant and primary schools and in corresponding 42 secondary schools sits very comfortably within this development.
The project is in its thirteenth year, and the first groups of children, now aged fifteen and sixteen are clearly demonstrating the benefits of being taught a curriculum in both Spanish and English, where they study approximately the same number of hours each week. A recent evaluation report has noted the following successes:
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interest and motivation on the part of the children |
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the enthusiasm of the parents |
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a growing sense of satisfaction from head teachers in schools, many of which are in economically deprived areas |
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learning in two languages not only contributes to the progress of the children in their first language, but would appear to assist the children's cognitive development. |
Initially, 44 UK primary teachers were engaged by the Spanish Government to teach in schools. This number has now increased to 230, and gradually more Spanish teachers of English (930) are being brought on board to teach a diverse curriculum in English which includes subject areas from both the Spanish and the English National Curriculum.
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