The importance of multilingualism – and why Latin is compulsory

Guy Sanderson, Headmaster of Eltham College, explains why modern language learning should not be sidelined...

Eltham College is in an enviable position, close enough to London to take advantage of all that the bustling metropolis has to offer yet set in 70 acres of grounds a mere 10 minute drive out to the rolling Kent countryside. An obvious advantage of studying in London is that museums, galleries, libraries, theatres, universities and many other wonderful resources are on our doorstep, bringing learning to life. In addition, London’s multi-cultural environment adds a positive contribution towards school life as children learn about different cultures and languages other than their own.

In the modern world language skills help to build bridges and bring down walls yet over the past five years research from the British Council shows that there has been a near 20% reduction in entries for GCSE languages. A similar trend occurs for A level entries which have seen substantial ongoing declines in take-up since the mid 1990s.

The importance of learning a modern foreign language has been widely discussed and accepted. There are, of course, people who are not concerned as they feel English dominates in the world, others see it as vital for business and job opportunities in the future. However, beyond enhanced cultural awareness and increased professional opportunities, learning a foreign language helps children begin to establish links between subjects which would not otherwise be evident. For example, the word ‘money’ in French is ‘argent’ which literally means silver, and the chemical element for silver is Ag which is an abbreviation of the word ‘Argento’ which is Latin for silver.

At Eltham College Senior School, we recognise the many advantages of being multilingual and have recently amended our language curriculum requirements for students entering Year 7. Latin is now a compulsory language, with students then choosing another two languages to study from French, German, Mandarin and Spanish. In Year 9 two languages are chosen from the three they are studying and we are bucking the trend at GCSE when every student studies a language for GCSE.

But why insist on teaching a ‘dead language’ like Latin? Latin never truly died, but rather evolved into French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian (the Romance languages). About 90 percent of the vocabulary of these languages comes from Latin. To learn Latin is therefore to begin a study of six languages at once. It also aids students in mastering English since 50 percent of all English words are derived from Latin. The increased vocabulary and understanding of grammar gained by studying Latin enable students to write and read English with greater ease and clarity.

Latin prepares students for many professions that are full of Latin terms and phrases or in English words derived from Latin including law, medicine, science, music, theology, philosophy, art, and literature. The study of Latin and its history and influence helps students to more fully understand and appreciate the Roman Empire, which has had profound and continuing effects on Western civilisation. Studying Latin is a way of performing advanced study in multiple subject areas simultaneously, through mastering Latin it enables students to in turn master other skills and other subjects.

Language learning doesn’t just begin in Year 7 at Eltham College; it starts in the Junior School with both French and Mandarin timetabled into the curriculum. In addition, we have active language societies who meet regularly to listen to talks by external speakers or to discuss film, art, literature and current affairs. We believe that what students learn in the classroom and through additional co-curricular opportunities will help them succeed across multiple areas of study.

As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe proclaimed “Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.”

This article first appeared in the 2020/21 edition of Which London School? & the South-East, which you can view in full here: