Should Foreign Languages be Taught in School?
Frank Smith once said, “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.” Most primary through high schools in the US only require for students to learn English, and like Smith said, those students will have less opportunities in the future. If schools required a second language to be taught to students, there would be more possibilities for them to succeed later in life. When a child is exposed to a new language, their view on other countries and their cultures will broaden. Also, studying a foreign language can make a child smarter. Grasping a new language will make communication with people from other countries easier in the future. However, incorporating
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This is not intended to be racist, but spending a school year in China with the students, who were taught two languages, showed that there is definitely a big cognitive difference between the children in China and the children in the US. If the schools in the US added a second language to their studies, students will become more intelligent because they will become more prone to picking up new things. Many English words originate from other languages, so once students learn them, their English will also improve due to more understanding of their roots. Additionally, many well-known colleges such as Ivy League colleges will not accept a student into their school unless they have at least four years of experience with a foreign language. Quite a bit of people would be thrilled to go to an Ivy League college or a similar type of college, so picking up a new language is a rather beneficial opportunity to take up. But, if all schools provided the opportunity of learning a new language, then all students can have a good shot for their future. All in all, studying other languages can improve one’s brain performance and their performance in other
Exposing children to different cultures is necessary, and our culture needs to face that soon. It is proven that foreign language study can create more positive attitudes and less prejudice toward different cultures, which shows just how important foreign language really is (Latimer). Additionally, international travel is made a lot simpler (Latimer). Not to mention, speaking a foreign language can help to save money and improve a person's overall experience during their travels. Plus, foreign language can lead to appreciation of cultural diversity, which is much needed in
It has become common knowledge that the United States is falling behind the rest of the world. Economically, Industrially, and educationally, the rest of the world pushes forward and welcomes change while the United States clings to what it has known for decades. One of the largest gaps between the US and the rest of the world is its policy about second languages, and it puts the US at a disadvantage. Those who oppose change believe the US can better itself without making secondary language learning mandatory; they argue that it will cost more money, “turn students off” to learning a second language entirely, and that the benefits are not worth the costs. Unless a change is made in the United States’ language education, the country will continue to fall behind. Making learning a second language mandatory not only helps students, but the country as a whole by “raising the bar” and improving the country’s competitiveness with the rest of the world.
The Aviator has many in depth social psychological principles throughout. With young and upcoming actor Howard Hughes displaying many difficulties with rising to the top of his movie making career. In the movie Hughes has many commonly bunched psychological tendencies that keep him distanced from his relationships in his career. Hughes shows his issues with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder(OCD) with him constantly washing his hands to the point of bleeding knuckles. Hughes shows a phobia as well with his fear of crowds and attention, which is shown every time a flash goes off or a crowd of people gather to see Howard. Also Howard is suffering from Catatonic Schizophrenia, this is shown when Howard repeats what someone is saying multiple times
Spanish should not be a language American schools require because as many know, Spanish is not the only other language; yet we have all been told we are required to take Spanish as our foreign language. Well, there are a lot of faults with what we have been told. We have also been deprived of some information about why we have to learn Spanish. There are so many other languages to learn, others more important and useful. Not only more important and useful, but also with not learning Spanish, it will make life easier and not as stressful.
I have a nice little list of benefits you could be taking advantage that a couple of us here are already taking advantage even if we know it or not. Let's start with something a little more obvious. Psychological studies found that knowing more languages is a great asset. The benefits are usually only noticeable on those who speak other languages more frequently. Naturally younger kids can learn languages faster than older folk like us that's one reason why some of you probably dropped spanish. Good news is we can still reach same level of fluency just with a thicker accent. Speaking a foreign language also improves your brain power and problem solving skills in which allows you to score better on standardized tests. For those who love being on your phone during class you can also upgrade your multi tasking skill so think about it. For you health nerds… haha just playing. Bilingualism can help you delay alzheimer's and dementia, monolinguals average out at 71.4 bilinguals at 75.5(telegraph.Co.UK) . Probably should've said this first but it being bilingual vastly improves memory which makes sense since it holds back alzheimers. Another great benefit which is something us teens need, better decision making. For those who travel or want to travel outside the U.S knowing the language of where you're wanting to go could significantly improve your stay. Not everyone may like to admit to
Language is an important part of our lives. I remember when I arrived to USA I could speak a little English. I went to school to improve my language, reading and writing skills; even now I am learning my second language, without English I cannot survive in this new environment. Now I am raising my own kids and I want them to have this important skill, this privilege of knowing a second language, language of their parents and grandparents. By looking at studies of bilingual children, research shows how important it is for a child to learn a second language. Raising a bilingual child is a benefit because it improves social skills, academic proficiency, introduces child to a different culture, and prepares for the future.
Speaking a language other than your mother tongue opens a door onto the world. Becoming proficient in a foreign tongue equates to a wider range of options in love, career, and friendships.
Of course, opponents of mandatory foreign language courses will say that immigrants and naturalized citizens should learn and speak the "de facto" official language of the United States--English. It is a valid point, but misses the bigger picture. People who speak English as a second language are already bilingual, while American-born students typically are not. Language is the most fundamental aspect of a culture. Students who learn the not-so-foreign language of the predominant minority group in their region of the country will gain at least some insight into the different cultures of their neighbors and perhaps have a better understanding of them at the personal level.
I found an article written by David Skorton and Glenn Altschuler for the Forbes entitled “America’s Foreign Language Deficit”. The authors agree with the U.S. Secretary of Education A. Duncan that Americans need to read, speak and understand other languages in order to grow economically and improve relations with countries all over the world. However, Skorton and Altschuler pointed out some facts about foreign language education in U.S. schools, saying “The percentage of all middle schools offering foreign language instruction decreased from 75 to 58 percent. In 2009-2010, only 50.7 percent of higher education institutions required foreign language study for a baccalaureate, compared to 67.5 percent in 1994-1995. Many colleges and universities have reduced or eliminated instructional offerings in “less popular” languages.”
Learning in different languages or about different cultures would be beneficial to their brains, for it
According to Merritt, 2013 you will become smarter, speaking a foreign language improves working of your brain by challenging it to learn, changing meaning, and communicate in different language systems. This skill improves your ability to change meaning in other problem-solving work as well and then when we become smarter the most important effect to us about our life is can get a good
Research also confirms that children learn best in their mother tongue as a prelude to and complement of bilingual and multilingual education. Whether children successfully retain their mother tongue while acquiring additional languages, depends on several interacting factors.
Learning a new language may take its own time and dedication. Once if you learn second language and being fluent in second language offers numerous benefits and opportunities. Second language learning is exciting and benefit in all ages. It can surely provide practical, intellectual and many aspiration
As time goes by and as the global community develops, the world grows more and more international, making second or third language acquisition become necessary to the majority. With the growing importance of multiple language ability, more and more parents think of bilingual or multilingual education, which means acquisitions of two or more languages, for their kids. In fact, we do have many reasons showing why multilingual education is important and beneficial, such as aspects of interpersonal relationship, employment, brain health, and so on.
() Moreover, people who are learning foreign languages develop self-confidence. Multilingual people tend to attract people because of their skills. You can overcome your fears and doubts, become more intelligent, meet new interesting people and travel to places you would have never dared to visit before. This means that if you learn foreign languages, this is likely to improve your ability to solve financial difficulties, for example.