Second foreign language at school: questions, problems, prospects.
Prepared by:
Sagaidakova N.L.
MKOU "Novoivanovskaya OOSh"
Email:[email protected]
“One language takes you into the corridor of life.
Two languages open all doors along the way"
(Frank Smith)
Changes in the political, socio-economic and cultural life of Russia that have been taking place in the country over the past 20 years, of course, are reflected in the language policy and language education in our country. The early study of foreign languages has become popular, and the trend of mastering several foreign languages is becoming more widespread. The first foreign language, in most cases, is English, on the basis of which children begin to learn another European language.
The general goal of teaching a foreign language, including a second foreign language, as an academic subject in the context of the new federal state standard of general education is formulated in the text of the fundamental core of the content of general education - one of the basic documents of the new generation of the Federal State Educational Standard. It consists in the development of foreign language communicative competence among schoolchildren, that is, “the ability and readiness to carry out foreign language interpersonal and intercultural communication with native speakers”.
In the new academic year (since September 1, 2015) the second foreign language will become a compulsory subject of school education, said the head of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Dmitry Livanov. The head of the Ministry of Education and Science stressed the importance of learning foreign languages at school. "This is not just a means of communication, but also a means of developing the child's memory and intellect," he said. From September 1, the first federal state educational standard (FSES) for grades 5-9 comes into force in Russia. It defines the status of a second foreign language for the first time - it is included in the list of compulsory subjects in the subject area "Philology".
We are actively integrating into the world community, the global education system. In Europe, everyone knows several languages, so our children must master at least two. True, for this it will be necessary to unload the school curriculum: the main emphasis should be placed on the study of the Russian language, literature, history, mathematics and foreign languages, and the program for other subjects should be made more compact.
To introduce a second foreign language for this, the possession of the first foreign language must be strong enough. The beginning of learning a second foreign language depends on the type of school: when learning the first foreign language early, it is common practice to study the second - from the 5th grade, in secondary schools, when studying the first foreign language from the 5th grade, the second is usually introduced from the 7th grade, although there are cases of later introduction of the second language, for example, from grades 8, 10 with a significant increase in hours for studying it (up to 4 hours a week). The second language is given an hour or two a week in schools; it can be either a compulsory or an optional subject.
As for teaching aids, special educational and methodological kits for German as a second foreign language have now been created, namely the N.D. Galskova, L.N. Yakovleva,
M. Gerber "So, German!" for grades 7 - 8, 9 - 10 (publishing house "Enlightenment") and a series of teaching materials by I.L. Beam, L.V. Sadomova, T.A. Gavrilova "Bridges. German after English" (based on English as the first foreign language) for grades 7-8 and 9-10 (Mart publishing house). Work is underway on the third part of this series. The basis for the development of the series of teaching materials "Bridges. German after English" is the "Concept of teaching German as a second foreign language (on the basis of English)" by I.L. Beam (M., Ventana-Graf, 1997). Line UMK "Horizons" M. M. Averina and others. German as a second foreign language. 5th-9th grades.
In French as a second foreign language, it is recommended to use an intensive course by I.B. Vorozhtsova "Good luck!" (publishing house "Enlightenment").
To study Spanish as a second language, the current series of teaching materials on Spanish as a first foreign language by E.I. Solovtsova, V.A. Belousova (publishing house "Enlightenment").
You can start learning English as a second language at the intensive course of V.N. Filippova "English language" for grades 5, 6 (publishing house "Enlightenment").
Many parents have already heard that a second compulsory foreign language is being introduced in schools. Moreover, representatives of education, and some parents consider this the norm. However, even the opinions of experts are divided - more than half are confident that the introduction of a mandatory second foreign language will only lead to a weakening of our native, Russian language. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education even lowers the USE scores in order to give children a certificate of secondary education, since almost a third of schoolchildren simply do not reach the normal level of knowledge of Russian.
Since 2020, the third mandatory USE has been introduced - in foreign languages. You can prepare well for the exams only by contacting the services of tutors. So how to introduce a second foreign language if the issue with the first one is not resolved?! And who will lead it?
Let's see what problems are associated with the study of a second foreign language at school.
Lack of practical application ( Some children directly tell their parents: “I don’t want to learn (foreign) English / German, I won’t need it anywhere in my life). We are used to admiring Europeans, many of whom speak several foreign languages. However, life in Russia is strikingly different from European realities. Europeans live in conditions of close economic and cultural integration, as well as active labor and student mobility. As for the majority of Russian citizens, for us this state of affairs is more an exception than a rule. Of course, there are examples of people from Russia who also leave to study or work abroad, but against the backdrop of the bulk of the population, these are few.
Lack of teachers ( In many "ordinary" schools, some children are forced to learn a foreign language solely on the principle of having a teacher. This immediately raises a flood of questions. Where will schools find new teachers? What languages will they teach? How will this affect the number of hours allocated to other subjects (including Russian)? Questions, questions, questions, to which no one has yet given a clear answer.))
Low learning efficiency (But what parents are most worried about is the quality of education. Of course, you can blame the turnover of staff, the lack of professionalism of teachers, or, to put it mildly, “strange” textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education… But, by and large, school lessons are generally unsuitable for studying language.Just imagine: a class of 30 people is divided into 2 groups.The lesson lasts 45 minutes, per 1 student there are only 3 minutes left.But you still need to take time for organizational issues, explain a new topic and check homework.In fact, each student speaks in a lesson for no more than one minute. Is it any wonder the deplorable results? In general, whatever one may say, the fears of parents cannot be called unfounded. Many are already forced to resort to the services of tutors, since the child cannot figure it out on his own, and his parents cannot help (for example, because they themselves learned German at school, or they simply forgot everything). even for the second tutor looks frightening. But twos and threes in the school magazine are not the worst. The saddest thing is that after such “learning”, children leave school with a firm belief in their “inability” and an ardent dislike for languages.)
But not all schools are ready for the introduction of a second foreign language. Each specific school has its own educational situation: the presence or absence of qualified personnel in a particular foreign language, its own traditions of teaching this subject. Parents and students choose the language being studied based on their interests and needs.
But in fact, knowing a foreign language is a very useful practical skill. Languages open up new opportunities for travel and career advancement, for expanding horizons and making friends around the world.
At the same time, experts note that it is much easier to learn two foreign languages than one, and the sooner a child masters this, the easier it will be for him in later life. A second foreign language is acquired faster and easier if the first one acts as a support for it.
Classes in a foreign language have not only a teaching goal, but also a developing one - they train memory, broaden their horizons, and introduce them to a different culture. Therefore, even if the child does not use this language in the future, second language lessons will not be useless.
But, of course, you should not place the same hopes on it as on the main foreign language.
“To learn a language, free curiosity is much more important than formidable necessity.” Aurelius Augustine
Bibliography
Bim I.L. The concept of teaching a second foreign language (German based on English). - Tver, Title, 2001. - 36 p.
Denisova L.G. Solovtsova E.I. Second foreign language in high school. I.Ya.Sh. - 1995 - No. 3
It is possible to educate future active members of society who are capable of a conscious choice of a profession, to help them develop and correctly apply their abilities to the maximum only in an atmosphere of free development of the individual, general access to education and respect for human rights and freedoms. First of all, the rights and freedoms of the students themselves, who are being educated, who are being prepared. At the same time, in the context of the practical organization of the activities of a general education institution, when it is necessary to find the optimal combination of various pedagogical, psychological, economic and other aspects, it is often very difficult to stay within the required framework. Therefore, the legal guideline along this path should be the right of students to receive education on the basis of equal opportunities.
In this sense, the issue of choosing a foreign language to be studied is today one of the most subtle and at the same time significant moments in the field of primary and basic general education. Since it reflects not only really available opportunities for students to develop abilities based on their own ideas and needs, but also a latent, not formulated for various reasons, conflict of interest on this issue between education authorities, school administrations, on the one hand, and students and their parents, on the other hand.
In the practice of a general education institution (school, gymnasium, lyceum, hereinafter referred to as a school), there are often cases when the administration, in order to preserve linguistic pluralism, considers it acceptable to refuse admission to school for children who do not live in a nearby microdistrict if they do not agree to study a certain foreign language. Moreover, already in the learning process for this category of children there is also no right to choose the foreign language being studied. In this connection, if there are no free places for them in the group of the desired foreign language, the number of which the administration determines at its own discretion, they will be able to study this language only on a paid basis.
It should be noted that at the moment, when resolving the issue of which of the foreign languages is the most attractive for learning, the objective trend in favor of the English language is typical for many countries of the world. This is due to geopolitical and socio-economic factors, including its widespread use in computer technology and the Internet. Therefore, in this article, the “desired foreign language” primarily means English.
At the same time, according to the current legislation, the division of a class into groups of a foreign language is possible only in accordance with the free choice of the student to study one or another foreign language, provided for by the curriculum. So, on the basis of principle 7 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, Art. 43 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, every child has the right to receive education on the basis of equality of opportunity, the general availability of basic general education in state or municipal educational institutions is guaranteed. As follows from the “Model Regulations on a General Educational Institution” (paragraphs 2, 3, and 5), approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 19, 2001 No. 196 (hereinafter referred to as the “Model Regulations”), the general educational institution creates the conditions for the citizens of the Russian Federation to exercise the right to public education , which in its activities is guided by federal laws, decrees of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Model Regulations, as well as the charter of a general education institution developed on its basis. According to paragraph 31 of the Model Regulations, when conducting classes in a foreign language, it is possible to divide the class into two groups. At the same time, considering this norm in conjunction with paragraphs 4, 6, 10 of the "Model Regulation", it should be noted that such a division of the class into groups cannot go against the inclinations and interests of students.
At the same time, it (this division) should be based on the principle of free development of the individual, as well as a guaranteed opportunity for a conscious choice and subsequent development of professional educational programs. Therefore, each student, as a freely developing personality, when dividing the class into groups, should be given the right to choose one or another foreign language being studied, provided for by the curriculum of this educational institution.
In addition, this method of dividing a class into groups, enshrined in the legislation of the Russian Federation, is fully consistent with the basic principles of the state educational policy in the field of teaching foreign languages, set out in the letter of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation of November 28, 2000 No. 3131 / 11-13 "On the study of foreign languages in general education institutions." In particular, in paragraphs six and ten of this letter, an explanation is given of what methods the school has the right to achieve the preservation of linguistic pluralism. We are talking about methods based on extensive explanatory work with parents, on proving to them the advantages of learning a particular foreign language in a given region, in a particular school, which cannot but imply the right to choose the foreign language being studied. If only because it makes no sense to attach such importance to explaining and proving something to parents if nothing depends on them. Finally, in the fifth paragraph of the said letter, it is directly indicated that parents and students choose the language they are learning based on their interests and needs.
Thus, the student's right to free choice of the studied foreign language is an integral part of such rights as the right to access to education, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the right to free personal development, as well as the right to acquire knowledge and choose a specialization on the basis of equality of opportunity. It should be especially noted that this right of a student cannot be restricted on the basis of place of residence. According to paragraph 3 of Article 55 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the rights and freedoms of a person and a citizen can be limited only by federal law and only to the extent necessary to protect the foundations of the constitutional order, morality, health, rights and legitimate interests of others, to ensure the defense of the country and state security. On the basis of paragraph 2 of Article 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Article 5 of the Law of the Russian Federation "On Education" (as amended by the Federal Law of January 13, 1996 No. 12-FZ) (hereinafter - the Federal Law "On Education"), citizens of the Russian Federation are guaranteed the opportunity to receive education regardless of their place of residence . At the same time, the federal law restricts only the right of children who do not live near this school to be admitted to it, and only to the extent that this is necessary in order to protect the rights and legitimate interests of other children living near this school (paragraph 1 of Art. 16 of the Federal Law "On Education", paragraph 46 of the "Model Regulation"). The federal law does not say anything about limiting the right to choose a foreign language being studied on the basis of residence or non-residence in a given territory. Thus, by virtue of the law, all children who are already students of this school (both living and not living near it) should be given the right to choose the foreign language they study.
Also, it should be recognized that the school administration's references to the lack of vacant places in the group of the desired foreign language are not based on the law. The decision on whether such a foreign language will be studied in a particular school, in a particular class, and also on whether the class will be divided into groups, is made by the school administration, taking into account the current educational situation in this school, namely, the presence or absence of qualified personnel in a particular foreign language, their own traditions of teaching this subject. In addition, in accordance with the third paragraph of clause 31 of the “Model Regulation”, the division of a class into groups for learning a foreign language at the first stage of general education (and today, as a rule, learning a foreign language begins in elementary school) is possible only if the necessary conditions and means are available . This means that when dividing a class into groups, the school is obliged to ensure such guarantees of public access to education that all students have equal rights to learn the desired foreign language. Therefore, if the school administration for some reason does not have such an opportunity, it should be recognized that the conditions and means necessary for dividing the class into groups are simply not available in this school. In this sense, it must be stated that there are no legal grounds for dividing a class into groups. Otherwise, if the school administration agrees to the indicated division, it no longer has the right to refer to the lack of vacant places, the number of which it itself determines.
Since the right of the administration to divide the class into groups corresponds to its obligation to establish such a number of places in these groups that it ensures, as indicated above, the general accessibility of education, the free development of the individual, as well as equal opportunities for students to acquire knowledge and choose a specialization. In other words, in a situation where there are English teachers at the school, English is taught, some of the students in the class (with whom other students of this class have absolutely equal rights in the learning process) are given the opportunity to learn English; and at the same time there are not enough places for everyone in the English language group, it must be recognized that the school administration itself is primarily to blame for this. In this regard, she is not entitled to refer to the lack of vacancies as the basis for her actions in refusing to allow any of the students in the class to study English.
Thus, it is within the competence of the school administration to determine which foreign languages the class will study and whether it will be divided into two groups, and the number in them, by virtue of the law, including constitutional principles, should be a reflection of the desires of students and their parents to study that or another foreign language. Finally, under the above circumstances, offering a child to study the desired foreign language only on a paid basis is a gross violation of the state-guaranteed right of every citizen to a free education (Article 43 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation).
In conclusion, we can say that the right to receive education on the basis of equality of opportunity is a limiting point in the competence of the school administration to organize the study of foreign languages. At the same time, the limiting mechanism is expressed in the fact that students with the same status (one school, one class) should be given a real opportunity (the implementation of which would depend solely on their desire) to learn any of the foreign languages that are assigned to their class by the curriculum .
See: Clauses 4, 6 of the “Model Regulations on a General Educational Institution”, approved by Government Decree No. 196 of March 19, 2001 (as amended on December 23, 2002) // SZ RF.2001. N 13. Art. 1252.
See: Letter of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation dated November 28, 2000 No. 3131/11-13 “On the study of foreign languages in educational institutions” // Bulletin of Education. 2001. N 1. S. 77.
“Declaration of the Rights of the Child” (proclaimed by Resolution 1386 (XIV) of the UN General Assembly of November 20, 1959) WG. 1993. N 237. 25 Dec.
SZ RF.2001. N 13. Art. 1252.
See: Item 43 of op. "Model Provision".
Bulletin of education. 2001. N 1. S. 77.
See also: Zuevich "Can I choose a foreign language?" // PravdaSevera.ru. 2002. June 20. Published: .
SZ RF. 1996. No. 3. Art. 150.
See: Decree. Letter from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.
See also: "Representation on the elimination of violations of the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation", submitted by the Prosecutor's Office of the Industrial District of Barnaul (ref. No. 216 f/04 dated 06/11/2004). Has not been published.
The second foreign language in Russian schools, lyceums and gymnasiums was introduced at the beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year. Since the decision of the Ministry of Education and Science was advisory in nature, each educational institution had the opportunity to decide on the introduction of another language as a compulsory language at its own discretion, which caused dissatisfaction among many parents.
Some schools working in the mode of implementation of the Federal State Educational Standard in the advanced mode have made the second language a compulsory program without consulting with parents. But there were also those who were dissatisfied with the fact that their children did not get the opportunity to learn an additional language for free as part of the main curriculum.
What's next? What language will schoolchildren study in the 2018-2019 academic year as a second foreign language, and will it be possible to refuse such a load at a school where non-humanitarian subjects are profiled? Let's figure it out.
Mandatory second foreign or not?
Although the idea that a second foreign language must be taught at school has been going on since 2010, the terms for introducing this norm have been constantly pushed back, until the coming year 2018-2019. Although the idea at first glance seemed quite feasible, its implementation faced a number of serious problems, including:
- lack of free hours in the schedule of specialized classes;
- lack of teaching staff;
- unpreparedness of children and parents for increased loads and new requirements.
That is why in 2017-2018 the second foreign language was recommended for study, but was not yet mandatory. Moreover, each school got the opportunity to independently choose the language that high school students will study based on the desire of children and parents or the availability of an appropriately qualified specialist.
Thus, today the second foreign language is mandatory only for classes with a philological bias. But, already in the 2018-2019 academic year, everything can change.
Choice of a second language
In most cases, the decision on what the second foreign language will be is made by the administration of the educational institution. Today in different schools, lyceums and gymnasiums of the Russian Federation, in addition to English, they study:
- Deutsch;
- French;
- Spanish;
- Chinese.
Thanks to the "German - First Second Foreign Language" project, many schools have given preference to Goethe's language.
From what class can two foreigners enter?
Do not be afraid that first-graders will be forced to simultaneously get acquainted with several languages. Learning a foreign language will be phased. From the 1st grade, children will learn the main language (for most it will be English), and from the 5th grade, the second subject will appear in the program. This approach will allow children to easily master the basic concepts.
Thus, if in the new academic year the second foreign language becomes mandatory for all schools, regardless of the profile, then only students of the “starting classes” should worry. For example, if the standard program is designed to study a subject from grades 5 to 11, you can enter it only for 5th graders! Pupils of grades 6-11 in this case should continue their studies according to the old standard (without a second foreign one, if it was not in the plans of the educational institution earlier).
When introducing a second language, a differentiated approach is allowed. This means that each region will be able to decide for itself in which grade and to what extent children will study an additional subject.
So, for the central regions, where Russian is native, the innovation is not a problem, while for some schools from the outback, where children need to first master Russian and English in the right amount, the introduction of another new subject of a philological profile can become a problem.
Opinion of the Minister of Education
On September 27, 2017, as part of an interview for the RT television channel, Olga Vasilyeva stated that she was opposed to a second foreign language in non-core schools.
“We cannot now afford two languages in all schools, we will not learn them! We need to know the Russian language well, which we do not know very well, ”the head of the Ministry of Education and Science explained.
Naturally, such a statement could not but raise a lot of questions about the abolition of the second foreign language in the school curriculum by 2020.
What can students and parents expect? To date, there are no official documents that speak of the upcoming cancellation of the innovation, the discussion about the expediency of which has not ceased for many years. The most obvious is the prospect of giving educational institutions the right to introduce or not introduce a second foreign language for their students. But who and how should make this decision? School administration or parents? These questions are yet to be answered.
Foreign practice
Knowledge of foreign languages is one of the basic requirements for specialists in many areas today. And this norm is relevant not only for Russia. In all EU countries, schoolchildren are required to study foreign languages at different stages of school life. In some countries, exposure to foreign languages begins only in secondary school. At the same time, in many countries, 2-4 hours a week are allotted for learning a second language, and high school students also master a third language, which does not cause any complaints from parents.
The practice has been working in Ukrainian schools for a long time, but officially from 09/01/2018, children will be required to learn 2 foreign languages (the main one from the 1st grade, and the second one from the 5th). The range of languages offered will include: German, Spanish, French, Polish, Russian, as well as minority languages that children can learn as a second foreign language at the request of their parents.
Sometimes even several. English is considered the most popular, although it happens that the main foreign language is French, German or Spanish. But, unfortunately, the true school situation is that, at best, the child will be shown one language, and that one with grief in half, and there is nothing to say about the second and more.
And what is actually a foreign language at school? Imagine a large class, which consists of completely different motivated children, with different speeds of assimilation of the material and different ways of perceiving it. Even simpler objects in such conditions often turn into something obscure and poorly digestible. And what can we say about foreign languages, for better mastery of which constant language practice is required. And, studying a foreign language, at best, they will give you a five-minute recording to listen to, moreover, in a language that was used a hundred years ago. And there is no need to say that "we teach children the classical version of the language." After all, this is, in fact, a dead stock of knowledge, with which in real life we will not go far. Why do we need knowledge of a foreign language? Communication when traveling abroad, reading original literature - these are, perhaps, the main reasons. But today's spoken language, including English, is constantly evolving. And almost all teachers are unlikely to keep up with these innovations. And today's schoolchildren, like fifty years ago, can say what their names are, how old they are. Well, a couple of common phrases. So, the same thing can be learned at home with any simple course in a couple of hours. And why then study a foreign language at school, if it can be easily mastered at home? Even if we touch on the vocabulary, then either it must be really large in order to be easy to read, or minimal, in order to simply copy any text into a translator program and get acquainted with a good translation. The first option requires constant practice, and not a primitive translation of no less primitive texts, replete with little-used ones, in fact, but in the new textbooks there are a lot of pictures, which, apparently, is designed to attract children's attention to the study of the subject. Probably for the same purpose, posters with photographs are hung in many classrooms. And at school in general then it will already be built on recognizing pictures. The best thing a school could do is to ensure that students have at least weekly communication with a native speaker.
Still, it is no secret that the qualifications of many foreign language teachers leave much to be desired. Many of them hardly had the practice of communication. But even if everything is in order with the level of knowledge, how can a class of twenty or more people apply for two lessons a week to submit material, interview and explain something else. After all, children, of course, easily learn new information, but only that which is attractive and interesting. And in order to interest an incomprehensible set of letters, a great pedagogical talent is also definitely required.
Some advanced schools have already begun to practice teaching a foreign language in elementary school. And this is a big step forward. Although, here, of course, the sooner, the more effective. At this age, with the proper approach, children can speak any, even complex foreign languages, almost on a par with their native. Here it would be logical not to start learning a foreign language at school, but to take care of this even in kindergarten. But this also requires both constant practice and an individual training program.
In the most ideal scenario, of course, it would be good for each student to be taught the language individually. And not in the manner of a teacher, but after carefully analyzing the ways in which information is assimilated by this child. Here is the variant of perception (auditory, visual, kinesthetic), and the type of memory and speed of memorization, and many more factors. It would seem that this is obvious, but only a few elite institutions guessed to group into small groups of 5-7 people with similar characteristics and teach them the language of such images. Or even grouping by level of knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, in our schools they always look up not even to the average student, but to the weak one, i.e. motivate children not to reach for the leader, but to loosen up, because such a level is considered quite acceptable. And so it remains at a negligibly low level.
“In the new academic year, a second foreign language will become a compulsory subject of school education,” Dmitry Livanov, head of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta. "From September 1, fifth grades are switching to teaching according to a new standard, where it is fixed: a second foreign language is a mandatory element of the school curriculum," he said. Livanov added that not all schools are yet ready for the new standard of education, so they are given a transition period to adapt. The head of the Ministry of Education and Science stressed the importance of learning foreign languages at school. "This is not just a means of communication, but also a means of developing the memory, intelligence of the child", he noted.
This new initiative of the Minister seems at first sight harmless and even worthy of approval. Indeed, knowledge of two languages corresponds to European standards. And the fact that the study of a language develops the intellect and outlook of a person is an indisputable fact. However, there is something about this initiative that I would like to talk about. I would like to make a reservation right away that in our country there have long been gymnasiums and schools where children voluntarily study two or even three foreign languages, and this is normal. But now we are talking about the mandatory and universal study of two languages, and this is a completely different turn.
Today, the quality of teaching languages in schools is such that it is time to cancel the first foreign language, and not introduce the second one. In general, it makes sense to study a foreign language only if you have a good command of your native language. Is the Russian language taught well in our schools, even in large cities? As a father of two schoolchildren, I can say that languages, be it Russian or foreign, are taught formally and superficially in our metropolitan schools. Not all students have the ability to learn languages, and the teacher has to spend all the time pulling up the lagging behind to the average level, instead of developing the talented ones.
Of the graduates who have completed school, only a few master a foreign language to a sufficient degree in order to use it more or less freely. If you introduce a second foreign language without fail, then there will be twice as much torment for the student than before. And again, hours: the introduction of additional hours for a new subject inevitably leads to a reduction in hours for studying the old one. And what are we going to save on this time: on history, on geography or on mathematics?
Basically, my question is: Does a person need a second-foreign? In my opinion, no. But this is a private opinion of a classical non-humanist. What do you think about this?
Saved
This is not my article, it is the work of my colleague from the site of the newspaper "ZAVTRA". In general, the text is here. For those who just want to understand what and why, I publish here a couple of paragraphs. We are talking about the second compulsory foreign language in our long-suffering general education. So, author Denis...
"/>