Maybe we don’t need to speak other languages as much as the rest of the world needs to speak English, but Alan Bright misses a crucial benefit of mastering (or even just attempting) a foreign language. Indeed, I would suggest that for courses such as English literature or drama, it would be kinder to the students to require a score of 7.5 or 8.0.There are other tests, such as the Princeton Test of English as a Foreign Language where a score of 620 (or the equivalent in the computer based version) might be considered equal to 7.0 in IELTS.The universities should easily be able to disprove my allegations that they are exploiting students for financial reasons, by publishing the scores achieved by their intakes to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the beginning of this academic year.I suggest that there could only be one reason for a refusal to make this information available.ROBERT WALLS,former head of schools and international liaison, Royal Holloway, University of London,Camberley,Surrey. The academic parts of those qualifications are varied and complex but, as far as English language is concerned, there is a very simple way to establish whether or not universities are being honest in the admission of such students. The British Council advises that a score of 7.0 in the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) examination is “probably acceptable” for admission to “linguistically demanding academic courses, such as medicine, law, linguistics, journalism, library studies”.
For “linguistically less demanding academic courses such as mathematics, technology and computer-based work”, it suggests a minimum score of 6.5.I do not know anyone who would argue that these scores are unreasonably high.

I am pleased to have stimulated debate in your columns on the topic of the entry qualifications of students who pay the overseas rate of tuition fee. “Golden hellos” for a few do not solve the teacher shortages in nearly all subjects. The new numeracy test is an irrelevant disincentive to most trainees. Why should pupils be deprived of potentially excellent arts or humanities teachers because those trainees are not mathematicians?
We must make teaching an attractive profession for new graduates and serving teachers. The time has indeed come for “a training salary for student teachers”.We also need to compare teachers with other professionals like chartered accountants, who earn more, have better employment conditions and enjoy greater professional status.KAY DRIVERGeneral Secretary, Professional Association of Teachers. Ostensibly, while I am at the age where I can decide my country’s future (by voting), can control myself under the influence of alcohol and marry and bear responsibility for children, the ability to control a lit candle still eludes me.JOHN ATKINLoughborough, Leicestershire. Maureen O’Connor identifies many of the reasons why fewer graduates are attracted to teaching (“Where have all the teachers gone?” EDUCATION, 2 December).

As I live in a hall containing 169 students, I can only assume that the television licences in Leicestershire cost something in the region of pounds 5,000 per annum.My remark concerning the halls dictatorship is simply this; apparently the warden has the authority to marshal pogroms and purge unopposed by we, lowly students, and then fine us if he finds us breaking his petty rules.I have been accused of the dastardly crime of candle ownership. With reference to the news of high drop-out rates at universities nationwide, I would like to offer a partial explanation. I began university in October, with the naive notion that I would be receiving access to an excellent education which would aid my future job prospects. This vision has been somewhat hazed by the constant leaching of money and the dictatorial aspect of my “halls” accommodation.
Not only do I pay for the basics of tuition and lodgings, but I also have to fork out for course subscription, which apparently covers the cost of photocopies (75p a sheet by my calculations) and hall “subs” (pounds 35 per year).This latter payment covers the cost of the pool table’s maintenance (a brush) and the television licence. Fortunately, he was able to fund himself with an interest-free loan from a Law Society charity, largely because his late father was a solicitor.”I think the banks are far too ready to lend money and then far too harsh when young people run into difficulties,” Mark says.”One minute they’re handing out large loans and the next they’re treating you like a criminal.”. There was no personal contact with my own branch, and they turned me down,” he said.Thanks to his multi-media course he has landed himself a job in the IT industry The fees for this course were pounds 4,000. But when he needed finance to do a post-graduate course, Lloyds TSB was very unhelpful.”I found it difficult to find out about what a Government-supported loan scheme is.