English is no more first language in the UK

According to Department for Education in the UK government, one-sixth of children in the UK speak another language than English as mother tongue. In Jan 2013, a total of 612,160 pupils (18.1%) is learning English as the second language in State-funded primary schools.

Gov.UK: Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2013

Their first languages are various, which include Pahari, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Somali, Polish, Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Portuguese, Arabic, Spanish and Pashto. Schools is hiring interpreters and teaching assistants.

RT.com: English no longer first language for 1,700 UK schools – report

It is a challenging situation so that I can hardly imagine the same in Japan. I guess there are lots of troubles among teaching the pupils at the school. The UK has been open to immigrants. Although English skills are required for foreign visitors, children should be given to learn English at the schools.

I think this is one of the symbols of fertility in the UK. Diversity is necessary for innovation. The UK has a long history of relationship with other counties. Its policies are valuable to learn from Japan, which is discussing immigration policy in the near future.


*Sequel