Languages, Education and Industry: A Summary of Reports and Conferences.

This report examines attitudes toward and developments in foreign languages in British industry and education during the past ten years. It reviews the following reports: (1) the York Report published in 1974; (2) surveys of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry; (3) surveys in industry, such as that by British Leyland in 1976; (4) a 1979 government report on local authority arrangements for the curriculum, in which the need for clear policies on foreign language education in the schools was discussed; (5) the report by Barclays Bank in 1979, which compared attitudes, procedure, and export performance in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, and which highlighted the need for personnel with foreign language skills; (6) the Duke of Kent report, a broad survey and summary of the foreign language situation in industry and commerce; and (7) the Betro Report in which statistical evidence is provided. The study concludes with a review of language and industry conferences and local surveys on the question, a summary of the positive developments within the past five years, and a list of 11 recommendations for action. (AMH)