Philippines probes collusion with bogus schools; US publisher to target mobile learning in India; Rwanda threatens teacher training truants with sack
French Minister for National Education Luc Chatel is keen to start language learning in nurseries. Photograph: Mehdi Fedouach/AFP/Getty Images
Children could start learning English in France's nursery schools from age three as part of a strategic review of language education launched by education minister Luc Chatel.
Chatel announced last month that he wanted to "reinvent the learning of English" in schools. He said a team of specialists were examining a range of options aimed at boosting young people's skills in English and other foreign languages.
Specialists would investigate starting learning from age three, he said. "We have been experimenting with this and there have been some good results," he said.
He also wants to develop online language learning and to encourage more secondaryschool children to go on language-study trips to English-speaking countries.
But the minister's commitment to high-quality language teaching has been called into question. As part of cuts to education budgets announced last month, schools are likely to lose up to 1,000 specialist language assistants from classrooms from the start of the next academic year.
According to the Le Monde newspaper, educationalists are sceptical about using computers for language learning from such a young age. "Putting three-year-olds in front of computers?" asked Christian Chevalier, general secretary of the SE-Unsa teachers' union. "We are not opposed to developments in teaching that are useful. But you need a human to impart knowledge. Only a high-quality teacher who can speak English can teach the language," he said.
Philippines investigates collusion with fake schools
The Philippines bureau of immigration last month launched an internal investigation into the conduct of some of its officers, who are alleged to have helped bogus English language schools bring students into the country from South Korea.
Bureau acting commissioner Ronaldo Ledesma told the Philippines News Agency that a surge in the number of foreign nationals who were studying without permits could be linked to immigration staff working with language schools.
Ledesma said the investigations followed the recent arrest of 86 South Koreans and two Japanese minors found studying without visas. Last month 70 South Korean minors were held after a raid on a school at a resort in Batagas province, PNA reported.
US publisher to target mobile learning in India
US education publisher McGraw-Hill is to collaborate with technology services provider Wipro to deliver training content, including English language lessons, via mobile phones and laptops to users in developing countries. The mConnect platform will be piloted in India.
Meanwhile, US dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster has launched a version of its English language dictionary for iPhone users with voice recognition. Merriam-Webster claims that the free app allows users to look up a word by speaking it into their handsets.
Rwanda threatens teacher training truants with sack
Rwanda's ministry of education has warned teachers who failed to take part in a five-week English proficiency training course that they could be sacked.
Over 50,000 teachers were expected to take part in training as part of a national strategy to introduce English as the medium of instruction in schools. According to the government, 96% of teachers enrolled in the session, which ended in December.
Emmanuel Muvunyi, executive secretary of the teacher service commission in Kigali, told the New Times newspaper: "We know [the teachers] and we are going to take appropriate measures."
max.delotbiniere@guardian.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment