<Li> In Iceland, Icelandic is used at all levels of education . English is the first secondary language to be taught (even starting a bit as early as kindergarten), with Danish also required later . Some universities teach in part in English in topics popular with foreigners (and "Icelandic for foreign students" is also offered). </Li> <Li> In Ireland, English is used in most schools with a growing number of gaelscoileanna (10%) using Irish . </Li> <Li> In Italy, while Italian is official language throughout the territory, also French is official in Valle D'Aosta, German in South Tirol . </Li> <Li> In Latvia, Latvian is used in most schools . According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, education is available in eight national minority languages: Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Lithuanian, Estonian, Hebrew and Romani . Boriss Cilevičs, former chair of PACE sub-commission on minorities, notes that all minority schools (except the Russian and Polish ones) offer education in either Latvian or Russian, with corresponding minority language and culture taught as subjects . The network of Russian - language schools is being reduced . Some Polish - language schools were created after restoration of independence . Education in public minority high schools is conducted mostly in Latvian since 2004 despite wide protests (Russian School Defense Staff). </Li>

Mother tongue is the best medium of instruction