11 June 2012 Last updated at 13:04

Kids to learn languages from aged seven under new plans

All school children in England will have to learn a foreign language from the age of seven, under new government plans.

A review of what should be in the national curriculum is taking place at the moment.

Can you spell these?

• Equator
• Inhabitant
• Recommend

Some of the words the government wants you to be able to spell before leaving primary school

Other ideas include making kids recite poetry from the age of five.

Education Secretary Michael Gove also wants a bigger focus on spelling and grammar, with lists of words you should be able to spell.

Kids will be expected to know their times tables up to 12x12 by the age of nine, while science lessons will teach things like the solar system and static electricity.

The changes will be introduced in 2014 if approved.

Parlez-Vous Français?

There are worries that fewer and fewer pupils are choosing to do study a foreign language at GCSE level, and that's one of the reasons for the new rules.

The plans mean that primary schools could offer Mandarin, Latin and Greek, as well as French, German and Spanish.

Politicians say it's easier to learn a foreign language when we're younger and it's a useful skill for work.