Esperanto as a starter language for child second-language learners in the primary school

This publication presents the theory and research behind the claim that a starter language such as Esperanto may have a positive and lasting effect on language learning. Esperanto is a regular and easily accessible language, which encourages children to analyse words and manipulate them creatively. It makes the functions of words in sentences clear, and invites comparisons with the languages from which its international roots are drawn. Essentially, it is a deluxe construction kit for language learning. Chapters include summaries of findings from the five-year Springboard to Languages case study and the Springboard to Languages Comenius project.