Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?Writing Task 2, Cambridge 9 Test 1.

One of the highly controversial issue today relates to whether to begin learning a foreign language at primary school or at secondary school. In this essay, I am going to examine this question from both point of views and then give my own perspective on the matter.

On one side of the argument there are people who argue that the benefits of practicing foreign language at primary school considerably outweigh its disadvantages. The main reason for believing this is that the children have the golden age period when they are at elementary school. It is also possible to say that there is a significant increase of not only motor ability but also verbal ability in the period. One good illustration of this is some developed countries have been implementing the bilingual language in the primary school's curriculum for decades, and most of children can speak the second language as well as their native language.

On the other hand, it is also possible to make the opposing case. It is often argued that in fact it is better to begin learning second language at secondary school. People often have this opinion because they think that the student at secondary school more prepared than at primary school for acquiring new skills. A particularly good example here is from recent studies, which show that teens can focus on their adaptation skill in culture and social life.

In my opinion, both arguments have their merits. On balance, however, I tend to believe that learning second language in earlier age period will have more positive impact. And then, pupils at secondary school can expand wider horizon about the second language and its culture.