• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Business and Economics Business

Little Englander mentality still exists

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor In the UK we may live in a more multi-cultural society but according to one academic a “little Englander mentality” still exists, harming the British economy. Dr Steve McCabe, Business expert at Birmingham City University made the statement following calls from MPs to improve the teaching of modern languages. An […]

Joe Mellor by Joe Mellor
2014-07-14 14:11
in Business
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor

In the UK we may live in a more multi-cultural society but according to one academic a “little Englander mentality” still exists, harming the British economy.

Dr Steve McCabe, Business expert at Birmingham City University made the statement following calls from MPs to improve the teaching of modern languages.

An All-Party Parliamentary Group on modern languages wants to see a “national recovery programme” to improve language skills. They urged all parties to make an election pledge to improve teaching and learning of modern languages in the UK.

The group claims the UK is already losing £50bn a year over poor language skills. It is the effect on the economy that is bothering Dr McCabe.

Steve argues: “In the almost 40 years since joining the EU the world now seems like a much smaller place and we are expected to do business across Europe, still our largest market, and, of course, the emerging economies such as China and India. However, my own view is that the ‘Little Englander’ mentality still exists. You only have to go on holiday to see that the British make little or no effort to learn the language.”

The stereotype of the ignorant Brit abroad may still have some basis in fact, especially in emerging economies, which are markets the UK should be keen to exploit.

Steve continues: “As today’s report shows, the refusal to make so called ‘modern’ languages – should we include Mandarin, Russian and Portuguese, the national language of Brazil – an integral part of schooling and societal values makes us poorer; not just culturally but economically. The estimated loss of £50 billion by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on modern languages is as staggering as it is an indictment of past failure. Do I see anything changing soon? Quite frankly the answer is no. That said we should keep hammering at this problem in the hope that change is urgently required.”

Urgent action is needed to tackle this issue, as Baroness Coussins, chairman of the APPG, said: “The next government will need to take clear, urgent and coherent action to upgrade the UK’s foreign language skills.

RelatedPosts

How to Promote a Business Online: Strategies That Work

The future of e-commerce: an interview with James Pitts-Drake 

Wetherspoon sales under pressure with costs ‘substantially higher’

Billionaire fashion ower gives company away to ‘Earth’ as rocketman Bezos sees Amazon workers vote on strike

“Otherwise our young people will continue to fall behind their European and global peers in education and employability; our export growth will be stunted; our international reputation will suffer and our security, defence and diplomacy needs will be compromised.”

The Department for Education said £350,000 was being spent in England in the next year to help primary and secondary teachers improve their teaching of languages.

Content Protection by DMCA.com
Please login to join discussion

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending

Elevenses: Exposing the Tories’ Deepfake Illegal Immigration Bill

Elevenses: Rishi’s Finest Hour

Elevenses: Fear and Loathing in the New Conservatives

More from TLE

‘A lie:’ Thunberg rubbishes claims that UK is a climate leader as she shares sobering Tweet from 3 years ago

Lucky Numbers and Horoscopes for today, 2 February 2022

EU says second referendum could be an ‘important democratic safeguard’

Boris Johnson’s new chair for crucial climate conference took donations from energy interests

Intimidating posters in UK airports threaten to “keep out people who have no right to enter”

Multi-millionaire Duke employing security guards to prevent cyclists from riding on his vast estate

Dan Wootton trolled climate researcher and ended up getting schooled

‘Not good enough’ – anger over decision not to prioritise teachers for vaccine

Promising Palestinian footballer shot dead by Israeli forces in West Bank

Kickstart youth jobs scheme ‘is not going to avert the looming jobs crisis’

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.