How many compulsory foreign languages ​​are there in the school. The second compulsory foreign language at school: how it will be and whether it will be at all

The standard of general education, developed by the Ministry of Education and Science, involves the study of a second foreign language - French, German, Spanish or Chinese - by students in grades 5-9. However, not all educational institutions introduced a second foreign language at school in 2019. What changes should schoolchildren and their parents expect in 2019-2020?

Current situation

Talks about the introduction of a second foreign language in schools have been going on for a long time, since 2010. Therefore, employees of the Ministry of Education in their Letter No. 08-1214 dated May 17, 2018 explained that the content of the educational program is developed and agreed upon by each individual educational institution independently, in accordance with Federal State Educational Standard No. 412 dated May 17, 2012, approved by Orders of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 373 dated October 06, 2009 and No. 1897 dated May 17, 2012

When drawing up the curriculum, employees of general education institutions are required to take into account the list of disciplines that are mandatory for students to study in accordance with the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard. The academic minimum for educational programs in Russia is established by Art. 12 and 28 of the Federal Law No. 273 of December 29, 2012 “On Education”.

In accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard, the list of compulsory disciplines that must be taught in all schools includes:

• Russian;
• native language;
• literature;
• foreign;
• second foreign language;
• history - general and Russia;
• mathematics - geometry and algebra;
• social science;
• geography;
• foundations of spiritual and moral culture;
• music;
• technology;
• Physical Culture;
• Informatics;
• physics;
• biology;
• chemistry.

If we refer to clause 9.3. Federal State Educational Standard No. 413 dated May 17, 2012 with current adjustments dated June 29, 2017, it can be noted that the section "Foreign Languages" includes such subject results of mastering school disciplines as:

• foreign;
• the second foreign - the basic level.

Compulsory study of a foreign language is also spelled out in Part 1 of Section V of the Strategy for Innovative Development of the Russian Federation. Based on the results of mastering the program, the student should have the following skills:

• ability to communicate;
• primary knowledge about the cultural characteristics of the countries of the languages ​​being studied and the ability to build one's behavior in accordance with the norms adopted in a foreign state;
• be able to communicate with carriers at a threshold level;
• use the skills of searching for information on English-language (or other - depending on the program being studied) resources for educational purposes.

Despite the above circumstances, until 2019, the standards of the Federal State Educational Standard of the Ministry of Education and Science were considered by educational institutions as an act of a purely advisory nature. Directors of lyceums, gymnasiums and schools independently made decisions on the need to add a particular program to the curriculum.

What changes to expect in 2019

Whether a second language will be introduced on a mandatory basis in Russian educational institutions is a rather controversial issue. Based on the letter of the Ministry of Education and Science No. 08-1214 dated May 17, 2018, it can be judged that the second foreign language should be included in the standards of general education and apply to students in grades 5-9. However, in practice there are a number of difficulties that hinder the fulfillment of the requirements of the Ministry.

The main problems due to which many schools still do not comply with the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standards are:

• lack of professional staff;
• parents' disagreement with the increase in the burden on children;
• lack of teaching materials and programs for mastering a new discipline;
• lack of free time in the approved staffing table.

Due to the above circumstances, the letter is still advisory in nature and, as of the beginning of 2019, the second foreign language has not become a mandatory element of the curriculum. Officials from the Ministry of Education soberly assess the current situation and realize that Russian schools today do not have a staff of competent teachers, and there is also no methodological readiness to comply with the GEF standard. This means that parents have a whole year to prepare their children for learning a second language in 2020.

Today, the decision on which foreign language will become mandatory for study is made exclusively by the Administration of the educational institution. German remains the most popular, mainly due to the recommendation of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and the program "German - the first second foreign language" initiated by the Goethe Institute (at the German Embassy) and MAUPN.

If the changes are introduced in 2020, parents of first-graders should not worry about increasing the educational burden on their children. The fact is that the changes will be implemented in stages. From the 1st grade, children, as before, will study only English or German as the main one, and from the 5th grade they will start learning a second language. We are talking about general education schools, without in-depth study of languages.

If a child goes to the 6th grade in 2020, then even with the introduction of a new educational standard, the changes will not affect him, since the second foreign language training program is designed for 6 years, i.e. for children from 5th to 11th grade inclusive. At the same time, it should be understood that according to the “differentiated approach”, each region can independently decide on the volume of subjects studied: everything will depend on the place of residence of the family.

In fact, the decision to introduce a second compulsory foreign language in Russian schools from the 5th grade was made a long time ago. The Federal State Educational Standard (FSES) legalized it five years ago. The new standard was simply introduced in stages, capturing only one class a year and, having only reached the middle school this September, brought the students a new subject.

However, it's not that new. So, in gymnasiums, lyceums and special schools with in-depth study of foreign languages, a second (or even third) foreign language has long become a reality. And we already have almost half of such educational institutions, especially in capital cities.

As for the rest of Russian schools, a second compulsory foreign language will also be introduced in stages and, moreover, with a five-year transitional period, MK explained in: “It is clear that it cannot be introduced immediately in the 11th grade. The guys have never studied this subject before, and asking them for knowledge, if we do not want to turn everything into a profanity, would be useless and unfair. In accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard, study begins in the 5th grade. We'll start from the 5th grade."

True, even the 5th grades are not completely ready for the introduction of a new subject, officials later admitted: “There is neither complete methodological nor pedagogical readiness; teachers should be formed. So, for example, the decision what will be the second foreign language depends to a large extent on the parent community. And if, until now, English and German have been taught at school, and parents want French or Chinese to become the second foreign language, then you may have to look for an additional teacher. Today, having a certain degree of autonomy, the school has every right to make such a decision.”

The press service of the ministry also specifically assured MK that “educational institutions that are not yet ready to introduce an additional language are given time to adapt to the Federal State Educational Standard. Each region will be able to differentially introduce a new standard of basic general education for grades 5–9. For example, schools in Central Russia with the most developed infrastructure and a high level of demand for teaching a second foreign language will include it in their programs in the near future, when some rural schools will need more time for this. The Ministry of Education and Science does not limit the period of adaptation.

Moreover: “Schools now have the right to independently choose the year of study in which a new subject will appear, and the number of hours allotted for its teaching. At the same time, the load on children will remain at the level of the federal standard, that is, the number of general study hours will not increase.”

The innovation, the ministry assures, will benefit children not only from a purely utilitarian point of view, but as an additional means of communication. “This is not just a means of communication, but also a means of developing the memory and intelligence of a child,” said the head of the department, Dmitry Livanov, referring to the study of dead languages ​​- Latin and ancient Greek - in the gymnasiums of Tsarist Russia. No one, he stressed, even thought then to speak in everyday life in the language of Cicero and Aeschylus. However, mastery of these languages ​​provided a powerful stimulus for the development of the child's intellect. The same, according to the minister, will happen now.

However, experts do not look at the situation so rosy.

The general trend of strengthening foreign languages ​​at school is certainly correct, - Evgeny Bunimovich, Commissioner for Children's Rights in Moscow, explained to MK. - But here's the problem: in 2020, a third mandatory USE will be introduced - in foreign languages. And this subject is still poorly taught in our school: you can prepare well for exams only by contacting the services of tutors. So how to introduce a second foreign language if the issue with the first one is not resolved?! And who will lead it? We still have English teachers. But teachers of other languages ​​- French, German, not to mention the extremely popular Chinese - have practically disappeared. Shall we create fertile ground for hacks?

The second key problem, according to the children's ombudsman, is the increase in the teaching load:

Theoretically, you can enter anything, be it financial literacy or law. But kids can't take it all. And the very first test will easily reveal this: in order to properly pass a foreign language, real results are needed. So, I think, the introduction of a second foreign language would be advisable only as an experiment, where the school is ready for this. But in order to do this without fail and everywhere, there are no practical possibilities. Is it possible to take Belarusian or Ukrainian as a second foreign language ...

However, it is much more attractive and relevant, from the point of view of the deputy chairman of the Duma Committee on Education Mikhail Berulava, to form a tandem, where the first language will be English, and the second - Chinese:

China is a rapidly developing economy. And in general, 2 billion people live there, - he told MK. - So in our school it is worth studying not only English, but also Chinese. And in this, I think, the Chinese themselves will agree to help us: it is better when native speakers teach. We are actively integrating into the world community, the global education system. In Europe, everyone knows several languages, so our children must master at least two. True, for this it will be necessary to unload the school curriculum: the main emphasis should be placed on the study of the Russian language, literature, history, mathematics and foreign languages, and the program for other subjects should be made more compact.

Line UMK Shatsky. French as a second foreign language (5-9)

Psychology and pedagogy

Second foreign language at school. When to expect?

However, denials immediately appear that, on the contrary, the second language will not be added, but excluded from the program. What information to believe, what changes to expect in the new academic year - we figure it out together.

Charles I the Great:“To own a second language means to own a second soul”

The appearance of a second language in the curriculum is not new. Educational institutions with a humanitarian bias have long practiced the study of several languages. The only difference is that both students and teachers know in advance about this state of affairs.

Also, three years ago, when the Ministry of Education expanded the practice of learning foreign languages, most of the elite gymnasiums and lyceums happily took up this initiative. However, at that time the "decision on languages" was exclusively advisory in nature and left the right of choice to each educational institution.

As with any innovation, the introduction of a second language into the program was reacted differently. Some parents were delighted to learn an additional language, while others felt that the children were being overburdened. Among the dissatisfied were also, for example, parents of students studying in classes with a mathematical bias - they say that an additional language is distracting and to some extent destroys the very idea of ​​​​specialized classes.

It should be borne in mind that it is impossible to add classes to students' schedules for no reason. There are student workload norms (23 class hours per week for a five-day/26 hours per week for a six-day class), and it is impossible to squeeze a subject into the schedule without violating them or without "sacrificing" another subject. If we are talking about classes with a focus on a specific subject, then such a loss of a core subject leads to the destruction of the essence of in-depth study.

Another problem in this matter was the obvious shortage of teachers. Not all schools have properly qualified English teachers, and teachers of other foreign languages ​​are even more difficult to find. In this case, it will be difficult for small cities. After all, if the introduction of a second language "passes" through all educational institutions, then the innovation will affect all "cities and villages".

Introduction of a second language

At the moment, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation has postponed the transition of the "bilingual" program to the 2019/2020 academic year. In the 2018/2019 academic year, the introduction of a second language became mandatory for educational institutions and classes with an appropriate philological bias. The school management discusses this issue together with the parents, and it is recommended to introduce the language according to the interests of the students, having found out the general opinion through a survey.

The new program will only affect students under sixth grade. Schoolchildren who, at the time of the introduction of the second language, will be transferred to the 6th grade, will study according to the former monolingual system. For elementary grades, the following principle applies: in the first grade, students learn one foreign language, while the second one will appear in the fifth grade. Such a distribution will help to master the first foreign language well and, using the knowledge gleaned from it, begin to study the second one.

The workbook is an integral part of the teaching and methodological kit (TMK) in French, intended for students in the 7th grade of educational institutions, where French is studied as a second foreign language. The workbook contains tasks for consolidating, practicing and systematizing the studied educational material, as well as for developing the skills and abilities of reading, speaking and writing. Includes tests and reading texts.

Moreover, despite all the arguments and orders, the situation regarding the mandatory introduction of two languages ​​remained vague. For example, recently the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Olga Vasilyeva said that the widespread introduction of a second language in schools is undesirable. The indicators even in the Russian language leave much to be desired, to say nothing of a few additional foreign ones. Thus, at the moment, the decision on the subjects taught falls on the shoulders of the school management, teachers and parents of students.

What about teachers?

And how do teachers feel about the proposed innovation? Among the noted positive aspects, the prospect of greater opportunities (thanks to the study of several languages) for the schoolchildren themselves stands out. New languages ​​are an opportunity not just to visit other countries and feel free there, but also an opportunity to study and work abroad. A special advantage is free education in European countries, if the teaching takes place in the state language. It is an excellent motivator for learning German, French, Spanish and other languages. Learning less popular (in school teaching) languages ​​also leads to excellent results. The combination of proficiency in languages ​​"English + "exotic" is very successful, since specialists with such a "set" are still rare. Although today more than two thousand Far Eastern schoolchildren are studying Chinese (and in the Russian capital, Chinese is taught in 75 schools), students from Kazan practice studying Turkish, and Tatar schoolchildren have opted for Arabic.

It is also useful to study a second language for the general situation in relation to the Russian linguodidactic school. Once upon a time, our German studies were one of the strongest in the world, but today it has practically ceased to exist. This is due to the fact that in schools the main attention in learning a foreign language falls on English.

In addition, educational practice around the world shows that the study of only one foreign language is not practiced in the developed countries of the world. In many schools in Europe, three languages ​​are taught: English is taught mandatory, a second language is added in high school, and a third foreign language is also introduced in senior schools. Since 2018, a similar innovation has been introduced in Ukraine - now first-graders will learn one foreign language, and from the fifth grade, schoolchildren will overtake a second additional one.

To console panicked parents, here are a few arguments “for” learning several foreign languages. For example, it has long been proven that learning any "foreign" language is an excellent task that trains our brain. Stimulation of memory, broadening one's horizons (after all, learning another language is a way to know another world), "charging" for the intellect in general - all this allows achieve learning other languages.

It is also worth mentioning that the second language is learned much easier and faster than the first. It has been empirically proven that translators who translate from one language to another (both languages ​​are foreign) do not experience overload, their brain already works differently, allowing them to think differently and more quickly.

Cons of a second foreign

However, we also note the negative aspects of the introduction of a second foreign language. In addition to the logical increase in the load (from which schoolchildren and their parents are already sighing sadly), for all students there is such a thing as an individual inclination to a certain kind of discipline. For example, if a child fails in the humanities, then the second foreign language for him is additional costs, both mental and material (in case of extreme failure with the language, parents will have to hire a tutor), extra time and stress. The question of the relevance of a second language for students of special schools who choose a non-humanitarian education is raised again.

The additional burden will affect not only students, but also teachers. It should be borne in mind that the lack of staff will necessarily affect the quality of teaching. Even in large cities, a person with a decent level of proficiency in a foreign language would rather agree to work as a translator than go to a school where wages are several times lower. There is no need to even talk about villages and villages.

In addition, foreign language textbooks also become a fly in the ointment. There are many adapted textbooks, according to which schoolchildren can even prepare for the unified state exam. However, such books, adapted or aimed at passing the exam, are not the best choice for learning the language. It has long been recognized that the best material is presented in the books of foreign publishers. Here comes a vicious circle: it is better to choose foreign books for studying, but it is difficult to prepare for the exam using them. Adapted textbooks will allow you to pass the exam, but the quality of grammar and speaking will suffer.

A separate problem will be the introduction of a second foreign language in regional educational institutions. Where schoolchildren are already learning Russian, their national and English languages, the addition of one more foreign language will be like such a "granite of science" about which all teeth can be broken. Many teachers note that even at the present stage with three languages, many children find it difficult to learn. A small group of students receive high scores, so it is definitely too early to talk about the introduction of an additional foreign language in the regions.

So, the introduction of a second foreign language in the 2018/2019 academic year in all educational institutions on a mandatory basis will not be. Therefore, we can only keep a "hand on the pulse" of the innovations that the Ministry of Education and Science is preparing for us, and hope that all the proposed initiatives lead to the best.

The workbook is an integral part of the EMC and is designed for both independent work at home and for work in the classroom. Sections of the workbook are interconnected with the corresponding sections of the textbook. The workbook contains training exercises to consolidate the material covered and a set of control tasks.

1. In the Russian Federation, education is guaranteed in the state language of the Russian Federation, as well as the choice of the language of instruction and education within the limits of the possibilities provided by the education system.

2. In educational organizations, educational activities are carried out in the state language of the Russian Federation, unless otherwise provided by this article. Teaching and learning the state language of the Russian Federation within the framework of state-accredited educational programs are carried out in accordance with federal state educational standards, educational standards.

3. In state and municipal educational organizations located on the territory of a republic of the Russian Federation, teaching and learning of the state languages ​​of the republics of the Russian Federation may be introduced in accordance with the legislation of the republics of the Russian Federation. Teaching and learning of the state languages ​​of the republics of the Russian Federation within the framework of state-accredited educational programs are carried out in accordance with federal state educational standards, educational standards. Teaching and learning the state languages ​​of the republics of the Russian Federation should not be carried out to the detriment of teaching and learning the state language of the Russian Federation.

4. Citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to receive pre-school, primary general and basic general education in their native language from among the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, as well as the right to study their native language from among the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, including Russian as a native language, within the limits of the opportunities provided by the education system, in the manner prescribed by the legislation on education. The implementation of these rights is ensured by the creation of the necessary number of relevant educational organizations, classes, groups, as well as the conditions for their functioning. Teaching and learning of a native language from among the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, including Russian as a native language, within the framework of state-accredited educational programs, is carried out in accordance with federal state educational standards, educational standards.

5. Education can be obtained in a foreign language in accordance with the educational program and in the manner prescribed by the legislation on education and local regulations of the organization carrying out educational activities.

6. The language, languages ​​of education are determined by the local regulations of the organization carrying out educational activities on the educational programs it implements, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation. The free choice of the language of education, the studied native language from among the languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, including the Russian language as a native language, the state languages ​​of the republics of the Russian Federation, is carried out at the request of the parents (legal representatives) of underage students upon admission (transfer) to study in educational programs of preschool education, state-accredited educational programs of primary general and basic general education.

(see text in previous edition)

It is possible to educate future active members of society who are capable of a conscious choice of a profession, to help them develop and correctly apply their abilities to the maximum only in an atmosphere of free development of the individual, general access to education and respect for human rights and freedoms. First of all, the rights and freedoms of the students themselves, who are being educated, who are being prepared. At the same time, in the context of the practical organization of the activities of a general education institution, when it is necessary to find the optimal combination of various pedagogical, psychological, economic and other aspects, it is often very difficult to stay within the required framework. Therefore, the legal guideline along this path should be the right of students to receive education on the basis of equal opportunities.
In this sense, the issue of choosing a foreign language to be studied is today one of the most subtle and at the same time significant moments in the field of primary and basic general education. Since it reflects not only really available opportunities for students to develop abilities based on their own ideas and needs, but also a latent, not formulated for various reasons, conflict of interest on this issue between education authorities, school administrations, on the one hand, and students and their parents, on the other hand.
In the practice of a general education institution (school, gymnasium, lyceum, hereinafter referred to as a school), there are often cases when the administration, in order to preserve linguistic pluralism, considers it acceptable to refuse admission to school for children who do not live in a nearby microdistrict if they do not agree to study a certain foreign language. Moreover, already in the learning process for this category of children there is also no right to choose the foreign language being studied. In this connection, if there are no free places for them in the group of the desired foreign language, the number of which the administration determines at its own discretion, they will be able to study this language only on a paid basis.
It should be noted that at the moment, when resolving the issue of which of the foreign languages ​​is the most attractive for learning, the objective trend in favor of the English language is typical for many countries of the world. This is due to geopolitical and socio-economic factors, including its widespread use in computer technology and the Internet. Therefore, in this article, the “desired foreign language” primarily means English.
At the same time, according to the current legislation, the division of a class into groups of a foreign language is possible only in accordance with the free choice of the student to study one or another foreign language, provided for by the curriculum. So, on the basis of principle 7 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, art. 43 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, every child has the right to receive education on the basis of equality of opportunity, the general availability of basic general education in state or municipal educational institutions is guaranteed. As follows from the “Model Regulations on a General Educational Institution” (paragraphs 2, 3, and 5), approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 19, 2001 No. 196 (hereinafter referred to as the “Model Regulations”), the general educational institution creates the conditions for the citizens of the Russian Federation to exercise the right to public education , which in its activities is guided by federal laws, decrees of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Model Regulations, as well as the charter of a general education institution developed on its basis. According to paragraph 31 of the Model Regulations, when conducting classes in a foreign language, it is possible to divide the class into two groups. At the same time, considering this norm in conjunction with paragraphs 4, 6, 10 of the "Model Regulation", it should be noted that such a division of the class into groups cannot go against the inclinations and interests of students.
At the same time, it (this division) should be based on the principle of free development of the individual, as well as a guaranteed opportunity for a conscious choice and subsequent development of professional educational programs. Therefore, each student, as a freely developing personality, when dividing the class into groups, should be given the right to choose one or another foreign language being studied, provided for by the curriculum of this educational institution.
In addition, this method of dividing a class into groups, enshrined in the legislation of the Russian Federation, is fully consistent with the basic principles of the state educational policy in the field of teaching foreign languages, set out in the letter of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation of November 28, 2000 No. 3131 / 11-13 "On the study of foreign languages ​​in general education institutions." In particular, in paragraphs six and ten of this letter, an explanation is given of what methods the school has the right to achieve the preservation of linguistic pluralism. We are talking about methods based on extensive explanatory work with parents, on proving to them the advantages of learning a particular foreign language in a given region, in a particular school, which cannot but imply the right to choose the foreign language being studied. If only because it makes no sense to attach such importance to explaining and proving something to parents if nothing depends on them. Finally, in the fifth paragraph of the said letter, it is directly indicated that parents and students choose the language they are learning based on their interests and needs.
Thus, the student's right to free choice of the studied foreign language is an integral part of such rights as the right to access to education, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the right to free personal development, as well as the right to acquire knowledge and choose a specialization on the basis of equality of opportunity. It should be especially noted that this right of a student cannot be restricted on the basis of place of residence. According to paragraph 3 of Article 55 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the rights and freedoms of a person and a citizen can be limited only by federal law and only to the extent necessary to protect the foundations of the constitutional order, morality, health, rights and legitimate interests of others, to ensure the defense of the country and state security. On the basis of paragraph 2 of Article 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Article 5 of the Law of the Russian Federation "On Education" (as amended by the Federal Law of January 13, 1996 No. 12-FZ) (hereinafter - the Federal Law "On Education"), citizens of the Russian Federation are guaranteed the opportunity to receive education regardless of their place of residence . At the same time, the federal law restricts only the right of children who do not live near this school to be admitted to it, and only to the extent that this is necessary in order to protect the rights and legitimate interests of other children living near this school (paragraph 1 of Art. 16 of the Federal Law "On Education", paragraph 46 of the "Model Regulation"). The federal law does not say anything about limiting the right to choose a foreign language being studied on the basis of residence or non-residence in a given territory. Thus, by virtue of the law, all children who are already students of this school (both living and not living near it) should be given the right to choose the foreign language they study.
Also, it should be recognized that the school administration's references to the lack of vacant places in the group of the desired foreign language are not based on the law. The decision on whether such a foreign language will be studied in a particular school, in a particular class, and also on whether the class will be divided into groups, is made by the school administration, taking into account the current educational situation in this school, namely, the presence or absence of qualified personnel in a particular foreign language, their own traditions of teaching this subject. In addition, in accordance with the third paragraph of clause 31 of the “Model Regulation”, the division of a class into groups for learning a foreign language at the first stage of general education (and today, as a rule, learning a foreign language begins in elementary school) is possible only if the necessary conditions and means are available . This means that when dividing a class into groups, the school is obliged to ensure such guarantees of public access to education that all students have equal rights to learn the desired foreign language. Therefore, if the school administration for some reason does not have such an opportunity, it should be recognized that the conditions and means necessary for dividing the class into groups are simply not available in this school. In this sense, it must be stated that there are no legal grounds for dividing a class into groups. Otherwise, if the school administration agrees to the indicated division, it no longer has the right to refer to the lack of vacant places, the number of which it itself determines.
Since the right of the administration to divide the class into groups corresponds to its obligation to establish such a number of places in these groups that it ensures, as indicated above, the general accessibility of education, the free development of the individual, as well as equal opportunities for students to acquire knowledge and choose a specialization. In other words, in a situation where there are English teachers at the school, English is taught, some of the students in the class (with whom other students of this class have absolutely equal rights in the learning process) are given the opportunity to learn English; and at the same time there are not enough places for everyone in the English language group, it must be recognized that the school administration itself is primarily to blame for this. In this regard, she is not entitled to refer to the lack of vacancies as the basis for her actions in refusing to allow any of the students in the class to study English.
Thus, it is within the competence of the school administration to determine which foreign languages ​​the class will study and whether it will be divided into two groups, and the number in them, by virtue of the law, including constitutional principles, should be a reflection of the desires of students and their parents to study that or another foreign language. Finally, under the above circumstances, offering a child to study the desired foreign language only on a paid basis is a gross violation of the state-guaranteed right of every citizen to a free education (Article 43 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation).
In conclusion, we can say that the right to receive education on the basis of equality of opportunity is a limiting point in the competence of the school administration to organize the study of foreign languages. At the same time, the limiting mechanism is expressed in the fact that students with the same status (one school, one class) should be given a real opportunity (the implementation of which would depend solely on their desire) to learn any of the foreign languages ​​​​that are assigned to their class by the curriculum .

See: Clauses 4, 6 of the “Model Regulations on a General Educational Institution”, approved by Government Decree No. 196 of March 19, 2001 (as amended on December 23, 2002) // SZ RF.2001. N 13. Art. 1252.
See: Letter of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation dated November 28, 2000 No. 3131/11-13 “On the study of foreign languages ​​in educational institutions” // Bulletin of Education. 2001. N 1. S. 77.
“Declaration of the Rights of the Child” (proclaimed by Resolution 1386 (XIV) of the UN General Assembly of November 20, 1959) WG. 1993. N 237. 25 Dec.
SZ RF.2001. N 13. Art. 1252.
See: Item 43 of op. "Model Provision".
Bulletin of education. 2001. N 1. S. 77.
See also: Zuevich "Can I choose a foreign language?" // PravdaSevera.ru. 2002. June 20. Published: .
SZ RF. 1996. No. 3. Art. 150.
See: Decree. Letter from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.
See also: "Representation on the elimination of violations of the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation", submitted by the Prosecutor's Office of the Industrial District of Barnaul (ref. No. 216 f/04 dated 06/11/2004). Has not been published.