'Am I wrong to be disgusted that my 5yo is learning Lithuanian?'

[scentednappyhag]

This is a status on my Facebook newsfeed this morning.
She goes on to say there's nothing wrong with learning French or Spanish, but she's 'notimpressed.com'.

AIBU to delete this person on the grounds that their inner arsehole is hanging out?

Why would anyone be disgusted at their children learning a new language?!
I love anything to do with learning languages. Surely learning any new language is an asset and beneficial to a child?
Yes, learning French and German, or Spanish or whatever might be seen as 'being more useful.'
Yes, in every day holiday destinations and if you're going on holiday. I bet interpretors of those languages are ten a penny though.
Bet you'd be a lot more valuable in jobs having a random language that not everyone knows!
ALL languages are useful, in my opinion.
The FB poster is a berk.

Nige sorry but teaching 5YO Lithuanian has fuck all to do with them maybe becoming translators

Where do you think most translators & interpreters start ? They don't just magically know their second/third/fourth language

Its got nothing to do with what language is useful when they are older surely? At 5 they are not going to be learning conversations but a few words. Which ever language it is they will have forgotten it very soon anyway, but it at least introduces them to the idea of learning another language.

EFL - English as a foreign language
EAL - English as an additional language (to the mother tongue)

EAL and EFL are the same.

I never said it should be "learnt" I said that the word "learned" is incorrect in the sentence you posted. Clearly you are gunning for some sort of argument on that topic... I only mentioned it because you were rude about another posters comment.

Accuracy, it pisses me off that so many people imply that Literacy isn't taught "properly". What is evident is that many parents leave all education up to the school. Most schools have speaking and listening focuses where they are trying to tackle the colloquial language in common use that is currently hindering lots of peoples literacy skills. Perhaps if more parents made an effort to speak "properly" children would be able to speak and write "properly".

I sincerely, truly doubt the child is being formally taught Lithuanian. Shame she can't take enough of an interest in her child's education to see the difference between formal teaching, and a few fun phrases, eh?

I'd guess she's monolingual, too.

sorry i thought EFL was english as a first language

Too many children are leaving school with poor literacy. They're there for six hours a day, or more, for six years, or more. They are often tired and scratchy after school, obviously. I'm not surprised parents leave it up to the school - perhaps they're under the obviously wrong impression that's what school is for.

can you explain why learned is incorrect btw

Gah, wonder what she would think of my Yiddish speaking 4 year old...

actually i've been asked many times not to "interfere" by teaching my children various things, and discovered that it can be a waste of time and counterproductive teaching a child to read before reception, as they always go back to the start and the child gets bored

earlier post sounded unpleasant

the speaking and listening and tackling colloquial language sounds like a good idea and a much better way to spend time than learning Lithuanian

remember education has been downgraded for years - many of these parents are poorly educated themselves and they simply can't help, no clue

i mean my earlier post sounded unpleasant, not yours