Schools in Wales could have fewer than 100 French and German GCSE entries by 2030, a report has found.
The Language Trends Wales report, which reviews foreign language teaching, called for a national strategy on languages amid a drop in GCSE entries.
The report found GCSE entries for French and German had almost halved between 2015 and 2021.
The Welsh government said the new curriculum would help expand international language teaching.
Entries for GCSE French and German declined by 11% and 12% in the past year alone, and while GCSE Spanish saw a noticeable increase over the period, numbers have “see-sawed” recently, the report said.
More than one in five of the 52 schools which responded to the survey said they had no students studying international languages in Year 10.
Meanwhile, 78% of schools reported a negative impact from the Covid pandemic on language learning, with pupils in more deprived areas particularly affected.
A significant majority of teachers are in favour of reviewing and reforming GCSEs in French, German and Spanish, the report found.
Trish Menhenitt, head of modern foreign language at Stanwell Comprehensive School, in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, said she had been aware for some time that numbers were in decline, and was extremely worried.
“I think attitudes to learning languages are poor – people here assume that everybody speaks English, so there is not a need to learn how to speak another language,” she said.
“As far as reversing the decline, I think within schools we are trying to address the curriculum, to make it more accessible and fun.
“I think there are many positives and benefits of learning modern languages. Travelling is such a better experience if you can learn to communicate with people.’
“As far as business is concerned, it will improve communication, and with the students, it will make so many opportunities for them, and it opens up their minds, and makes them more aware of other cultures.”
This article was first published on the BBC News website on December 9th, you can read the article in full here.