WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has urged constituents to start the new year with a pledge to learn a new language.
The MP has offered her support to a campaign to improve the teaching of languages in schools and to encourage more people to learn a foreign language.
A report published this week shows that teaching of languages in schools continues to decline and there is a national shortage of specialist language teachers.
“As someone who studied languages to degree level, I have always felt it helped me both in my career and in my leisure time and I wholeheartedly support any initiative which helps more people to study a foreign language at school or university.
“It is worrying to hear that the number of people learning languages is in decline and I feel that young people would be able to enhance their career opportunities with a second language,” she said.
She added that she was not aware of specific challenges facing pupils wanting to learn a language in her constituency covering Malvern and the Pershore area, but it was something that Dame Harriett would be checking on when meeting head teachers.
She revealed she has signed up for a Parliamentary challenge sponsored by Duolingo to learn Spanish this month and to share any prize fund amongst local charities.
