A study in attitudes to languages in England and Wales:

A study in attitudes to languages in England and Wales: Who needs the languages of immigrants?Working and engagement with bilingual young people who are unable to see the value of languages other than English in a global city such as London has been the driving force of this research. As a part of a cycle of several studies in attitudes to bilingualism of different sections of society in England and Wales it contributes to a wider search for factors that create perceptions like the one chosen as the title quote. This study, which is a doctoral thesis, seeks to gain insights into attitudes that politicians, policy makers and key professionals have in regards to bilingualism, as evidenced in the collected data. As a small-scale qualitative study it focuses on the context of England and Wales. The main body of the data is collected in interviews, while a search of the Hansard Parliamentary debates records provided the additional data.The author also provides a set of recommendations for policy development, school practice and teacher training based on her findings and experience in the field. Her concept of a healthy linguistic diet captures the essence of her innovative thinking.