Propaedeutic Value of Esperanto

The propaedeutic value of Esperanto is the benefit that using Esperanto as an introduction to foreign language study has on the teaching of subsequent foreign languages. Several studies, such as that of Helmar Frank at the University of Paderborn and the San Marino International Academy of Sciences, have concluded that one year of Esperanto in school, which produces an ability equivalent to what the average pupil reaches with European national languages after six to seven years of study, improves the ability of the pupil to learn a target language when compared to pupils who spent the entire time learning the target language. In other words, studying Esperanto for one year and then, say, French for three results in greater proficiency in French than studying French for four years. This effect was first described by Antoni Grabowski in 1908.

Springboard… to Languages summarizes the propaedeutic case for Esperanto with these words:

Many schools used to teach children the recorder, not to produce a nation of recorder players, but as a preparation for learning other instruments. Esperanto, not to produce a nation of Esperanto-speakers, but as a preparation for learning other languages.

Read more about Propaedeutic Value Of Esperanto:  Language Teaching Introductory Effect, Examples of Pedagogic Experiments

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