Study title

The research project investigates the question why more and more students or their parents decide to learn an old foreign language, such as Ancient Greek or Latin, although more modern languages, such as English or Spanish, bring more immediate benefits. The aim of this research project is to separate two possible motives for learning an ancient language. According to the first motive (distinction), students (or their parents) choose an old language in order to follow the humanistic educational ideal of purpose-free education. According to the second motive (exclusion), the old language is only accepted in order to get to a school with a good learning environment. Data were collected in selected cities in western Germany and elementary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia (Düsseldorf). A total of 1102 parents of eighth-grade students and 420 parents of fourth-grade students were interviewed. In addition, 554 children´s questionnaires (high school) and 224 children´s questionnaires (primary level) were also completed by parents. Students did not complete the questionnaires. Self-administered paper questionnaires served as the survey instrument. The content of the questions are parents´ views on foreign language teaching, parents´ own foreign language competence as well as their experiences from school and goals and wishes for their own children with regard to foreign language acquisition.Topics (parent questionnaire): Respondent (mother or father); homework done at school; all day school attendance; homework assistance; taught in school: personal independence, order and discipline, knowledge for the profession, enjoyment of life, good manners, judgement, respect for fellow man , self-confidence , versatile knowledge; preferred age of economic independence of the child; intended level of education/training of the child; foreign language education of respondent; foreign language education mother/father of respondent; foreign language hard to learn; which foreign...