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Ways to achieve effective inter-cultural communication
Foreign language teaching method
Ways to achieve effective inter-cultural communication
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According to a well-known biblical story, there was once a universal language that everyone spoke and could understand. One day, the people came together to build a city in honor of themselves. In that city, they decided they would construct a tower that would reach to Heaven. However, when God saw their arrogance, he decided to confuse them by making them speak in different languages. As a consequence, the people were forced to discontinue the tower and tore it down.
In much the same way, language today is just as confusing. There are thousands of languages spoken in thousands of different countries, and sometimes communication is lost in translation. Only 26 percent of American adults can speak a second language fluently (McComb), which is a very distressing statistic in an extremely multilingual world. What is even more worrisome is the fact that in the 2007-08 school year, only 25 percent of primary schools offered classes in foreign language (Rhodes and Pufahl), most of which are merely introductory classes (Edvantia). In addition, according to the Education Commission of the States (ECS), in 2007 the high school graduation requirements for 36 states either did not include foreign language study or the study of foreign language was an option among fine arts and world studies. Only 14 states out of fifty required or were in the process of requiring a foreign language to graduate high school.
It is no wonder that the United States is lagging in the area of foreign languages. Where most European students are required to learn a foreign language at age eight, American students are barely asked to utter a syllable in a non-native tongue until the age of fourteen (Tagliere), and even then it is merely ‘strongly encourag...
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Science Daily. "Children Can Learn a Second Language in Preschool, Study Finds." Science Daily:
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Tagliere, Julia. "Foreign Language Study -- Is Elementary School the Right Time to Start?" Buzzle
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Bilingual education involves teaching material in two languages. In America, this includes ESL (teaching English as a second language) for students whose native language is not English. Bilingual education simply helps those students who would otherwise be helpless in actually learning the material in their English-only classes. It also helps English-speaking Americans learn another language, like Spanish. This is useful to them because America’s demographics are indeed becoming more diverse and thus, better language skills should be employed. Implementing bilingual education in the school curriculum is due to the passing of legislation at the government level. As of now, English immersion programs exist because of the Bilingual Education Act (a.k.a Title VII), which was passed along with the Civil Rights Act in 1964. (Cerda; Hernandez, 2006) At that time, it was expected to change ethnoc...
When visiting just about any school across America, students who attend come from all over the globe. This raises the question across America about bilingual education. This can create many challenges in and out of the classroom. The classroom should be a safe place for all students regardless of what native language they speak. In the essay Lost in translation written by Eva Hoffman, describes a foreign student who tries hard to fit in. Instead, Eva begins to feel angry, hurt and confused because people laugh at her. In Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education by Elizabeth R. Howard, Julie Sugarman, Donna Christian Center for Applied Linguistics Kathryn J. Lindholm-Leary San José State University David Rogers Dual Language Education of New Mexico. Guiding principles gives great ideas to educators to stop kids from making other students feel the way that Eva felt. After reading several articles about bilingual education, it is evident that all children in school should learn English but never lose their native language. When all the students speak one language, students will be less likely to make fun of each other. A good educator should learn enough foreign languages to aid them in effective communication in their classroom although; if an educator does not speak a foreign language, they should recruit within the classroom students to be peer mentors. However, a teacher should be willing to listen and encourage the students. Above all a good educator should be a good role model to their students by respecting their heritage and their language.
Bilingual Education began in the United States in the mid- 60’s. The time that the bilingual movement started coincided with the height of the civil-rights movement for African Americans. During this time there was a great outcry from Latino activist that protested against discrimination that led to a high drop out rate for Spanish speaking students. In 1968 congress approved a bill to aide in equal education opportunities, this was the Bilingual Education Act. Its intentions were merely to help Limited English Proficient (LEP) students become literate in English, today goals of Bilingual education have advanced (Porter 2003). On...
The Web. The Web. 6 Jan. 2014. Smith, Chris.
“Today, in this country an educational sector “Foreign Language” plays a special role along with other humanities in the development of young individuals, especially the role of early foreign language learning is highlighted” (Biletska 33). Biletska states how foreign language has a positive effect on students towards diversity and growth when she writes that “Early foreign language learning also affects the development of cognitive abilities, academic achievements, letting children get acquainted with other cultures, which affects the development of positive attitudes towards diversity” (34). She is proving that when a student takes time to learn a new language, the language can help them become more aware of aspects of non-dominant cultures. This helps society as a whole to become more accustomed to diversity, which is a benefit presented in the of studying foreign language. Biletska quotes Mary Redmond, a foreign language director and Executive Secretary of the National Network of early language learning, when she writes that “children should start learning foreign language in kindergarten and continue during the years of schooling. Language learning helps improve the skills of listening, memory, creativity and critical thinking that comprise and intellectual process that affects learning in general” (34). Redmond emphasizes that the controlled consistency of studying a foreign language, starting in elementary school and continuing throughout high school, can truly help one achieve the greater knowledge of the language and culture presented. Learning a language cannot be perfected within one semester, therefore taking the time to learn a foreign language can help a student better their skills and their creativity
...t. Foreign language is not introduced until the senior high school and is only instructed for two years. The average student is in school for twelve years before entering the university.
Primary schools that introduce language learning at an earlier phase may do so for a number of purposes, but it is because of the benefits of learning a language at a younger age that this paper has chosen Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) as its target scheme of work. For the purpose of this assignment the focus language will be French (but the strategies to be discussed will apply to any MFL). The ideas within the scheme of work will be critically discussed as part of university experience, school practice and relevant research.
Foreign language skills can be useful in promoting American foreign interests. In a global economy, doing business abroad is paramount, but language barriers can be a burden. Opponents of a foreign language requirement in education would argue that most foreign businessmen already speak English. Admittedly, most foreign competitors do speak English, but only out of necessity. They learned to speak English in an effort to better communicate with their American counterparts and take advantage of the money making potential of doing business in America.
Language has pioneered many interracial relationships and historical milestones. Language is a necessity for basic communication and cultural diversity. Being multilingual is a skill proven influential to a successful future. Due to rapid globalization, countries all over the world are stressing the importance of learning a second, or even third, language. With the exception of time and lack of resources, adults have very few widely applicable disadvantages to learning multiple languages. However, language learning as a child presents more complications. Some of those include not having enough funding at the elementary school level to introduce a program for secondary language, academic overload for the youth, stress for both the parent and student parties, and the mixing of languages. Not all of these complications are true in any or all situations, however, and the absence of them provides multitudes of opportunity for future career and academic success. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parents or the education legislation to decide whether they encourage the learning of a secondary language at the young age necessary for retention. “The general consensus is that it takes between five to seven years for an individual to achieve advanced fluency,” therefore the younger a child begins to learn, the more likely they are to benefit to the maximum potential (Robertson). Keeping the language learning in high school or beginning the process earlier is a greatly controversial discussion that is important to address because of the topic’s already lengthy suspension.
In 2009, teachers of a New Jersey school banned foreign languages and stated, “any language other than English will not be tolerated" (Debaron 1). This situation was soon no longer allowed. While over ten percent of the total adolescent education systems contain emergent bilinguals, a whopping sixty percent of those students are educated in only English (Bale). Maria Estela Brisk, a Boston College Education professor, believes, “schools has wasted much energy in the search for a "perfect" model and the best way to learn English” when they could just focus on proving “quality education” to every student in the system (1). Teacher’s main priority should consist of effectively teaching their students to prepare them for the future, but currently there are a lack of certified bilingual education teachers. When students are taught more in different ways, they can educationally benefit their cognitive abilities, involving the brain with “mathematics, problem solving, logic and memory”, can be improved to create an overall better student. Even by learning another language at a earlier age can contribute to __________. Learning another language will be