ENGLISH AROUND THE WORLD

English is the world’s most important language. One criterion for this is the number of native speakers that it happens to have. A second criterion is the extent to which the language is geographically dispersed:  English is spoken in all continents except for South America. A third is its ‘vehicular load’: it is a lingua franca in science and scholarship and a vehicle for cultural manifestations such as music. A fourth criterion is the economic, cultural  and political influence and dominance of those who speak it as ‘their own’ language; considering the USA at this point will suffice.

    There has been an increasing demand for English, and it now occupies the role of chief foreign language in most countries. Spain has not escaped the influence exerted by the E. language over the last decades. In contemporary society the need to know and be able to use foreign languages –and especially English- whether it be for professional, social or purely personal reasons, has become a pressing one. Developments in communications, the increasing contact between countries and peoples and the integration of Spain into the European Union means that the knowledge of foreign languages, in particular English, is essential to facilitate communication between the members of this community.

    The aim of the teaching of English in secondary education is for pupils to acquire communicative competence. This implies not only the possibility of learning a new system of signs but also understanding other cultures, customs and social peculiarities, whilst at the same time encouraging interpersonal relationships. This fosters an integral education of the individual which leads to a better understanding of the language itself. (Leer más)