The Teaching of Languages in the Early and Primary Education Program of Uruguay

Sabrina Pomies

(Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences, University of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay)

Abstract: In the Eastern Republic of Uruguay there was not a national program for the teaching of second and foreign languages in primary school before 2008. Currently, the teaching of second and foreign languages is neither compulsory, nor offered at all public schools for a number of reasons. The purpose of this article is to compare theoretical basis, objectives and contents for teaching Portuguese as a second language and English as a foreign language in the Early and Primary Education Program of Uruguay, where most children speak Standard
Spanish from the River Plate variety. The analysis of this Program shows significant progress as far as language policies are concerned.

Key words: second (Portuguese) and foreign (English) language teaching, language policies, early and primary education program of Uruguay