Walter Finch
PLANS are afoot to raise the level of Spanish among primary school starters in Gibraltar now that the language is no longer ‘taboo’.
It is part of an effort to boost bilingual development after concerns have grown that children are arriving at entry to Lower Primary with a lower level of communication skills than in the past.
This gap in early communication skills has created a ripple effect, with impacts visible even as students progress to Upper Primary level.
Gibraltar’s Minister for Education, John Cortes, held a meeting with education leaders at Governor’s Meadow School to discuss the topic.
He brought together Head Teachers and language specialists from across Lower Primary, Upper Primary, and Secondary sectors, alongside the Director of Education and Senior Education Adviser.
The meeting also highlighted a positive shift in attitudes toward Spanish language education.
One conclusion from the meeting is that what was once considered taboo in schools is now being embraced as an essential component of students’ bilingual development.
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Educators explored various approaches to enhance Spanish language proficiency, both in academic settings and conversational use, including its role in Llanito – Gibraltar’s unique blend of English and Spanish.
The Education Ministry has already announced plans for sector-specific focus groups to develop and implement targeted strategies addressing these linguistic challenges.
These working groups will build upon the foundation laid during this initial discussion.
