Schools serving disadvantaged areas of Glasgow are more likely not to offer languages, an expert has said.

Francisco Valdera-Gil, from the Scottish Council of Deans of Education, told MSPs the issue stemmed from a lack of understanding of the wider benefits of languages.

And he said there was still a false perception that languages were "harder" than other subjects.

The Scottish Parliament's education committee has been holding an inquiry into declining subject choice in Scottish secondary schools.

It has previously been suggested pupils at schools in areas of higher deprivation are being offered fewer subjects to choose from.

The committee also heard from Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland, on the rise of multi-level teaching - where pupils studying different courses are taught in the same class.

Mr Flanagan said there had been an “explosion” in cases of children being taught in the same classroom despite being different ages and studying different qualifications.

He said: “If I was to cite one of the single-biggest complaints that we’ve had from members ... it’s been the explosion in multi-level classes with all the attendant problems that brings.

"A lot of it workload, but a lot of it surrounding manageability of the class and the fact that, by and large, it is a poor experience for all of the students in the classroom.”

His concerns were backed up by Marjorie Kerr, president of the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers, who said: “We find particularly that our National 5 pupils are definitely disadvantaged if they end up in a Higher class because the courses do not match up.”

Tess Watson, of the Association for Science Education, said multi-level classes were like “spinning two plates at one time”, adding: “I don’t know how you deal with that other than recruit more teachers.”

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Commenting on the issue of languages, Mr Valdera-Gil, a lecturer in modern languages, said: "There's a lack of understanding, although it's very clear in policy, of the role modern languages play in literacy. To me, that is not totally understood by the profession.

"I work in teacher education, I also work with teachers ... and I can see that ... schools in Glasgow that are most deprived ... are the ones that tend not to do the modern languages."

Mr Valdera-Gil said there were 4,000 words in English that came from French and learning a language exposed pupils to this richness.

He also suggested languages could be offered in conjunction with other subjects.

He said: "There's no reason why modern language could not be part of another qualification - there's no reason why it cannot be part of science, of geography, of art, of any other subject.

"I think there is a notion in the four nations of the UK that people are just bad at languages, the thought that a language is more difficult than another subject, it is not.

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"But whether we like it or not, that is a myth that people live with and that makes them not take the subject.

"There is work to be done in schools to convince the population, to manage their expectations, that languages can be done."

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: “Glasgow schools are very much committed to offering a range of modern language learning opportunities and we’ve led the way in piloting, delivering and advocating the national one plus two language standards. Languages are also available in all of our secondary schools.

“We are very surprised and disappointed by the comments made today and would happily invite anyone interested in this subject to visit any one of our schools to witness the great learning taking place.”

Meanwhile, Catriona MacPhee, of the Gaelic Secondary Teachers Association Comann Luchd-Teagaisg Ard Sgoiltean, warned reduced subject choice is affecting Gaelic learning.

She said: "The narrowing of subject choices in many Scottish schools has had a profoundly negative effect on the uptake of Gaelic - especially, but not exclusively, that of Gaelic learners.

"It does need urgent intervention to protect Gaelic itself, Gaelic education and most relevant today, the right of Scotland's young people to learn Gaelic in their schools."