Primary school children in France will be encouraged to watch cartoons in English. Photo: Getty Images

Primary school children in France will be encouraged to watch cartoons in English as the government unveils a drive to improve their ability to speak foreign languages.

It is part of an attempt to improve France's lacklustre linguistic performance.

A recent Europe-wide survey placed the country 15th out of 16 in a ranking of how well it taught a main foreign language, and only slightly higher for a second foreign language.

"We know perfectly well that if our Scandinavian neighbours are so good at English it is because they watch films in their original language," French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said.

Irish Independent