ABSTRACT
The Fourth General Objective of the European Commission (EC) White Paper (1995) advocates that school systems should aim to help all learners develop proficiency in three Community languages, which for many though not all pupils would be national languages of member states of the European Union. Where possible a start should be made with the second language during pre-school education, so that this may be developed throughout the primary period and a third introduced at secondary. The White Paper indeed implies that much more than language competence is required: personal development, intercultural learning and the cultivation of a European identity to complement children’s existing local and national identities will also be at stake. This overarching policy objective sets the scene for a rich and varied research agenda in relation to languages in primary education.
