New research has found fewer students are studying languages now than in the 1930s - and educators are calling for a solution.

The report, Language Learning for New Zealand’s Future, says second language learning should be a core requirement for students from years seven to ten.

President of the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers, Juliet Kennedy, says it's important for Kiwi students to learn another language.

"It's also really important that students have a chance to learn other languages, including heritage languages which are spoken in our community - but also world stage languages such as Chinese or French or Spanish or German or Japanese."

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