Speaking your language

Today, I attended the Calvia council meeting in which the motion calling for the return of our old-style residence cards was approved. The other half of the Council meeting was dominated by the teacher´s strike and the dispute over teaching English in schools. A striking teacher actually spoke during the council meeting and the opposition socialist group said that teachers did not have the necessary resources or skills at the moment to teach English on a big scale. Now, Calvia has a British resident community of 6,000 people, almost 10 percent of the population. So why aren´t members of the British community enlisted on a voluntary basis to help teachers and students learn English? It could be the ultimate community project. I am not saying that they could give lessons but I am sure that their support would be welcomed at a time when teacher´s are fighting plans by the government to introduce the new three language teaching system. Teaching volunteers have been used in other countries quite successfully. Calvia councillor Angela Guerrero said that while the area´s foreign community may have been born outside the municipality they were still very proud of the fact that they lived in Calvia. This community teaching plan would be a way for the British community to put something back into Calvia and help future generations master English in school. Politics and language aside teachers need all the help they can get, even if it is on a small scale.