Tasks

Task 1

Cyprus: According to the Language Education Policy Profile by the Ministry of Education and Culture in Cyprus, the learning of a foreigh language, and especially English, is part of the education of every child.For the three grades of Gymnasium and the first of Eniaio Likeio, students are forced in a way to have English and French classes, but later on when they move on to the second and third grade of the Eniaio Likeio, they choose 2 foreign languages out of a group of languages. According to the report, in Cyprus there are now 34 Lyceums and they all have Language Rooms which are eqquiped with all the necessary technological means such as: computers, cd players, dvd players etc. Having all these for a language lesson, the lesson itself can be more interesting and can be acquired more easily since students can meet language from its different percpectives. That's why students have the opportunity to choose later on at the second grade of lyceum two languages of theis interest. In that way, they can develop their linguistic, pragmatic, sociolinguistic and intercultural competence more easily like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages wished and suggests. Moreover, in primary education, children are taught english as well in order to become familiar with the language and be more acceptable towards it since is something new fo them. They just learn some basic things in order to be able to communicate and they try to unfold their listening, reading, writing and speaking abilities in English language. The teacher, then, has to make sure that all the students make progress and are all able to understand what is going on in the class, so, various of exercises and test are given. Today in Cyprus, English are spoken and heard all the time (television, foreigners, dvds, relatives living abroad etc.) and even legal papers are written in English. Thus, for Cypriots, it is essential to learn English in order to communicate and because it is the mean for the teenagers to enhance their entrance to UK universities or anywhere else. For them, may be it will be easier to acquire the language than any other nation since they have the chance to practise the language and be familiarised with it in any position.

Europe: According to the Council of Europe, Europe promotes the language learning of all the languages that consists the union. Plurilingualism, linguistic diversity, mutual understanding, democratic citizenship and social cohension are the ideas that Europe seeks to serve to its citizenships. Every europian citizen has the right to acquire a new language but at the same time to protect his or her own language and culture. Due to the life-style of Europe, plurilingualism is one of the main characteristics of every society today and thus, education has to ensure that this plurilingualism won't affect children's development but rather will help them develop their competence of learning a foreigh language.