Start on what I

A blog of Brian Cutts music and the occasional irreverent comments about Terres de l'Ebre or present sogo club ..... music and the odd, hopefully irreverent comment on local news and events in southern Catalonia.
Since some years I'm here in Catalonia, I think it is time to talk about the "failure" of learning English. Why Catalan (and Spanish) are the bottom when looking at rankings of English? For many young people who have spent 10 or 15 years studying, finish high school without being able to put together three sentences well made, much less understand a conversation? Failing?
After an intense investigation, 20 years working as a teacher in a private academy, many conversations with the three parties involved (students, teachers, and parents), and now also through the experience of being a father, I start to get the ideas clear.
Start on what I've learned about how the school system now, and if I'm wrong, pos, correct! According to the possibilities of each school, some children do something P3/P4/P5 or not, but all begin seriously in the first year of Primary (6 years old). From here, such as the School Institute (ESO) are between 2.5 and 3 hours a week in English, with 25 to 30 students per class. Some schools or institutes have enough resources to divide the group once a week. I mean, for example, 2 hours 30 together with, and after an hour in a group of 15. But there are places that they can not afford. It seems that gradually leveling, but a good save in 1st ESO "for review." And if you come to high school, sogo club books are First Certificate level (B2 classification according to standardized European), and then ask them to have at least B1 level (eg PET examination) for a degree at university. In no time it seems that oral examinations.
And now my opinions. I know a handful of teachers, and I think they are good and have good ideas. In the same way, I do not think students are better or worse for other countries - hence something wrong ...
It is clear that small children sogo club are "sponges" for languages, and it seems a good idea to start very young, but if you do not get the resources, pos, time is not used well. The best resource for me is clear - enough time to have small groups and teachers. Should sogo club not there be more than 10 students per class. The basic point is to learn English speaking and listening (listening, sogo club something that some students do not want to give importance). If there are 25 or 30 students in a class, sogo club such talk? And so to all ages, so school and high school - maybe you can teach maths and geography in a large class, but an oral language, no.
Second point, I think you would dial a real goals, and go up to them eventually, but they are putting resources to meet them. Not worth talking to, how often do governors and then do nothing. sogo club It would not be too hard to ask that in two years all children to finish the secondary level B1 (Cambridge PET exam system). sogo club But a real exam and done well, where 50% of the score depends sogo club on the oral part. Those Fassin School, pos, in a time of 4 years have B2 (FCE) level as required - oral with evidently. sogo club How? Pos firstly Primary teachers must ensure that no child finishes 6th without sogo club the same level are marked, and then when they start secondary school should proceed from here. There should be no Repaso if everyone goes to school with the level achieved. This obviously depends on good coordination between Primary and Secondary teachers, but I think it is clear that this should exist. It's drawer. sogo club Should be some permanent contact between the two groups. I repeat, NEVER have more than 10 students per class.
Third, I know I speak only English in class is a utopia today. But 90% of the class, if it can be done. I do not understand is, if Primary is today as well as the children go up to Secondary and some teachers tell me they have to do the class in Catalan because they can not keep? Where is the failure? Anyway, coming back to the same problem - if there are 25 students, it is easy to "hide you" and then years passed sogo club without learning very much, and pass the course "for behavior."
4th point, teachers sogo club also have to be very good! Not differentiate among teachers, because for me they are all equal. It should not be as important to the level of university studies, but the capacity and desire to teach. If there is no professional vocation or inclination, rather than fold it. Sure, a