ABSTRACT
If one is to hold the generally accepted view that learning a foreign language should not be done without reference to the people who speak it, then the value of cross-national collaborative projects between UK schools and those in other European countries bears some consideration. Whilst different attempts have been made to define the relationship between ‘cultural contact’ and language learning, these remain largely vague, prescriptive or partial in that they fail to situate the relationship within the broad spectrum of priorities and objectives of language learning. Even the National Curriculum for England and Wales is elliptical on the subject. The Modern Foreign Languages programme of study states that all pupils should be given opportunities to ‘come into contact with native speakers in this country and, where possible, abroad’ (DFE, 1995:3) but there is no explanation as to why this is important. It is therefore not surprising that whilst the value of this relationship is generally accepted, its purpose, in the minds of many people, pupils and language teachers included, remains blurred or confused.
