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ESL forum >
Ask for help > starting age
starting age
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windflora
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starting age
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Hi there,
What is the starting age to learn a foreign language at schools in your country? Plus, how many hours a week are there English lessons? |
21 Nov 2009
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moravc
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8-9 years (third grade of the basic school)
twice - three times a week - 2-3 x 45 minutes - 1.5 to 2.25 hours per week
education at basic schools is free
but parents can pay extra English game lectures at nursery schools (usually offered to kids aged 5-6) - this is not so expensive...
or parents can pay for special language courses at private lang school, suitable for kids aged 3 and older, but those courses are very expensive...
And you?
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21 Nov 2009
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belfer
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In my native Poland, children begin to learn English as soon as they enter school (K or 1st grade). In US, they don �t learn a second language until they enter middle school, age 10 or 11. Here, the most popular second language is Spanish, Italian and French.
For those who teach English in early grades and want to include teaching reading, I recommend my Phonics Wheels, which I use with my ESL students in US -
http://www.eslprintables.com/printable.asp?id=329144#thetop - free for premium members as of today.
I will place more of them soon if I see any interest (downloads).
Have a great weekend.
Beata
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21 Nov 2009
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libertybelle
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Some countries believe that it is important for children to learn their own language first before learning a second language because otherwise they never learn any of the languages depth.
In the Denmark the children start English in 3rd grade and German in 5th.
Some take Spanish or French in the older classes. These children are often fluent in 3 languages by the time they enter high school.
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21 Nov 2009
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LA LUNA
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This is basically new here in Mexico because English used to be only for private schools and for parents who can afford a private English course. Fortunately, that has changed. It has been implemented in public schools. Now, children usually start learning this language in 3rd grade (kindergarten). It is really hard for me to work with children. However when I notice their English learning I feel so satisfied and proud of them of course.
Zoila |
21 Nov 2009
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chrisling831
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Here hong kong was a colony of the UK so children learn English when they are three years old. After 1997, when we were handed over to China, young kids also learn potunghua but English remains the most important foreign language. |
21 Nov 2009
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snejankaaa
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Hello!! Here in Bulgaria English learning starts in 2grade/class/ about 8 years old with 2 schoolhours per week.
But I think it is not right for them, becouse I think children have to learn at first their native language and after that to start foreign language learning. My daughter is in this age and she has the advantage to have at home English teacher/ me / but the others.... big hotch-potch |
21 Nov 2009
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Yanina
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Hi! We �ve got new policy in Russia since last year . Children start learning a foreign language in the 2nd class at the age of 8 now, previously they started in the 5th clas at the age of 10-11. Enghlish has been number one for almost 30 years, I think. German and French come next in the list. I like the idea of starting learning the language at the 2nd class, cause the sooner they start, the more time they have to prepare for the State exam, which is really hard to pass. |
21 Nov 2009
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Amandina
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Hi teachers
In Switzerland children had to learn French / German as their first second language. This is changing now since everybody seems to agree that English is as important as a French or German. From next year on children will start learning English at the age of eight. They will have three lessons of English a week.
Have a nice weekend!
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21 Nov 2009
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