XN000022-1975-10-31 — Page 10

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1975

LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, SAID TODAY THAT THE GERMAN SWISS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HAD GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO DISTINGUISH ITSELF IN THE FIELD OF SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING.

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE SCHOOL, MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT IF EFFORTS IN THIS AND OTHER AREAS MATCH THE EFFORTS MADE IN PUTTING UP THE SCHOOL THEN THE RESULTS IN THIS SCHOOL WILL BE OUTSTANDINGLY SUCCESSFUL.+

THE SCHOOL IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND WITH TWO STREAMS ONE LEADING TO THE GCE AND THE OTHER TO THE SCHLUSSPRUEFUNG (THE GERMAN SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION).

THE DIRECTOR EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION AND RESPECT FOR THE COURAGE AND DETERMINATION SHOWN BY A SMALL GROUP OF DEDICATED PEOPLE WHO OVERCAME DIFFICULTIES TO SEE THIS NEW SCHOOL PROJECT THROUGH.

EARLIER, MR. TOPLEY TOUCHED ON LINGUISTIC PROELEMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS. HE SAID THAT IN THE PAST, IN BRITAIN AT LEAST, LEARNING TO SPEAK OTHER PEOPLES' LANGUAGES WAS CONSIDERED UNNATURAL IN SOME CIRCLES.

BUT IN THE PRESENT DAY AND AGE, THE LINGUISTS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS A NORMAL HUMAN BEING AND LINGUISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AS A NATURAL ACCOMPLISHMENT.

+WE SHOULD NOW BE ABLE TO SEE LANGUAGE LEARNING AS LESS OF A BUSINESS FOR SPECIALISTS AND MORE OF A NORMAL HUMAN ACTIVITY. WE ALL OUGHT TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE A GO AT A NEW LANGUAGE WHEN APPROPRIATE,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.

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