the mother tongue before grade 8: on average, those educated in their own language to the 6th grade level did almost twice as well as those not educated in their own language, and in most cases this was English or Afrikaans. Some research in Latin America with indigenous peoples and in Australia in bilingual schools for Aborigines show similar results, though of course there is a great deal of debate and diversity in the data. But by and large, Aborigines taught in bilingual schools stayed in school longer – and paradoxically learned English better than other Aborigines that went to English only schools. [slide 4] Secondly, for diversity reasons. In 2008, the International Year of Languages, it seems that most of the world’s languages may disappear in the next 100 years – and we will be poorer for it.