On April 6th, I’ll be doing a book signing at the Habsheim Easter Market in Alsace, France. I’ve been invited by APEPA, which is an association for parents of students in the public education system in the Alsace region of France. Founded in 1955, APEPA now represents 1,100 members in Alsace.
As Alsace borders Switzerland and Germany, APEPA have been promoting an option for students to have bilingual education – in both French and German. Some of my books have been translated into foreign languages, including French and German, so I am very supportive of their goals. I think that it is never too early for children to learn a foreign language. It is quite incredible to see how small children pick up foreign languages and how at ease they are at switching between them!
One of the worries for some French parents is that if children are introduced to a foreign language early on they will somehow suffer with their native language. However, this has not been the case at all. In Alsace, the bilingual programme has shown that not only do school children enjoy the experience, but that they turn out to be equally skilled in both French and German. In the long run this can only help them in their further education and future careers!
