On the subject of teaching children a second language and with reference to Dr Johnson's letter (The Argus, June 13), I take the view that provided children are taught to speak and write another language, it really doesn't matter what that language is.

Initially it simply opens the child's mind to the fact their own language is not the only means of communicating and later thought comparison helps them to grasp the basics of English grammar.

I quite happily studied German and French despite their very different structure and through them learnt to conjugate an English verb.

In my working life, it so happened that Latin, as the basis of the Romance languages, proved more useful.

My need for German came much later in life on a golf course in Tenerife.

-SM Barkley (Mrs), Hove