Should Spanish Be Required In School

What is your first language? Do you remember your first words? How about learning to pronounce or spell words of your first language? Would you ever learn a foreign language because it sounds like a lot of work. Today some students are required to learn another language. However all students in the US shouldn't have to be required. Some reasons may include students never using the language, not learning another language would free up time, and students may not learn as much as people think. This is why students in the US shouldn't have to be required to learn another language.

One day when I was in high school they forced me to take a Spanish 1 and 2 to graduate. Having these two classes to pass and graduate was smart. Doing these two classes gave me some Spanish knowledge which I have benefited a lot from. I have wished they have forced Spanish on us to learn at a younger age so I could be more fluent and bilingual. Not realizing it, but Spanish gave me a whole new aspect on how much we use Spanish today. I always hoped if we could have a Spanish STAAR test to give us all motivation to learn Spanish. Recently I have applied for a job where they asked if I am bilingual with Spanish. I ended up losing the job to someone else who was bilingual. Having a STAAR in Spanish will give people a high advantage in the real

It seems like it is the “normal” language for most people, but, there are many who think differently. To these people Spanish is the “normal” language. Even though this language is difficult, the need to learn it to be successful in America. As it has been shown, learning how to understand, speak, read and write English is an essential thing today in the United States. If these people get a hand from another Hispanic, they could receive the motivation they need to want to learn this foreign language. Maybe all they need is someone to help them study weekly, somebody who is determined to teach them little by little. It will not be an easy task, but it will be worth the hard work and effort to help these people learn English. It will change their social life, it will help their children receive a better education, and will make them mentally feel good about themselves. There is a duty for every bilingual Hispanic to help the other out. To support each other like a

“No Habla English”. “21 million people living in the United States cannot speak English. Citizens are not just speaking Spanish, but Chinese and Russian are rising fast.” (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2009) To force a citizen to speak a new language is discrimination. Non-English speaking citizens and immigrants that are without good English skills will fall academically, in the judicial system and when receiving proper medical care.

In the article, Speak Spanish, You’re in America!: El Huracan over language and Culture, Juan Gonzalez, a journalist and broadcaster of the daily show, Democracy Now, describes how bilingualism has impacted the United States’ modern education system. He describes an amendment that would constitute English as the official in the United States, which he believes can be a potential threat to the educational system. Gonzalez suggests that instead of having an amendment that constitutes English as the national language, American schools should implement Spanish to highlight the importance of being bilingualism in the American educational system. A constitutional amendment declaring English as the national language would be damaging to bilingual students because it would limit their capability of communicating in English or their native language, and therefore they have would fall behind in classes and will not succeed in the American educational system. To highlight the importance of bilingualism, even more the educational system should implement a variety of languages.

“Language is power. If you cannot understand or be understood you have no power. You are at the mercy of everyone.” – (Rudat, 1994, Stow, Dodd 356) Should Americans be required to learn Spanish as a second language? The construction of our nation stands on documents written in English, however English is not our official language nor has it ever been. America is a “melting pot” in which English is the most prominent language, followed closely by Spanish. Requiring Americans to learn Spanish is a great controversy; I strongly believe that it should be a requirement, because it improves academic achievements, career success, and cultural and social understanding. The controversy has great counter arguments such as the double standard Americans are held to, and further division of the country. Regarding the counterarguments, I still firmly believe that it should be a requirement because the integration of a second language in our schools is more beneficial to our country’s success as a whole.

If foreign language was not a required class, this individual may have never realized becoming a Spanish major was a more suitable fit. Going into the field that fits an individual best is extremely important for their future happiness and success.

Congress should make Spanish the second official language of America. Allow other to be bilingual and have equal rights.

In her article, “Teach Them Spanish Early, Too”, Carlene Carmichael argues that in California young Americans are not being taught Spanish as their second language. Carmichael supports her argument by saying that young Americans should have the chance to learn the basic Spanish language, learn together with other children that speak Spanish as their first language, and have the opportunity to apply for jobs that need both languages. Her purpose is to tell people that young Americans should learn Spanish in order to have the opportunity to apply for jobs that require people to speak English and Spanish.

One reason why Spanish should be a necessity in schools, is that many schools require students to take a language already. Saying this, throughout the entire country, budgets are being cut in the language departments in schools. Many schools do not even have a German, or a French program accessible to children as an option. “Most high schools offer several years of foreign language– most are typically Spanish, Sometimes Spanish classes are mandatory, other times they are electives–but you should take advantage of these courses” (Fernandez.) Furthermore, requirement is so incredibly vital to college applications these days “Many colleges require a certain number of years of a foreign language before you can be admitted–or if you lack that, you’ll be required to take several foreign language courses once you attend their

English isn't their first language but they are in the process of learning it. These tests aren't always provided in Spanish or any other language other than English. “ESL students have a hard time with standardized tests, and that hurts their school's overall scores”(US News). Students take these tests but they don't understand ¾ of the material they are being tested in. It affects their grades and opportunities of being successful later on in life. For this reason, test should be banned because it makes students feel different and feels like they are being treated

Children gain great academics from learning Spanish in school. Many people are to limit what young non graduated students learn and impede them from being capable of learning Spanish. Why would they stop them from learning? Parents think that America should be an English only speaking country and wouldn’t appreciate a foreign language to be involved. I believe it makes you more intelligent in various ways. I say that for the sake of children learning Spanish at such a young age gives them a huge advantage in college. “ Studies on language development, however, show that the more exposure young children have to all languages actually gives them a distinct

Are you bilingual? Well, if you are not you might not be able to understand the statement above. Currently, Vashon freshman can not take spanish courses, but at my old school district they start teaching in the seventh grade. The country is changing and we need more bilingual people to work jobs. I believe the Vashon 9th grade academy should offer spanish because it creates responsibility, gives us various oppurtunities jobs and fields trips, and it impresses colleges.

The opposition to requiring a foreign language in High School argue that it violates the right of students to choose some classes. They say it restricts the number of electives a student can take but a foreign language is far more important than some elective. A foreign language class is something that will benefit the student for the rest of their life. Students already have required classes for math, science, English, history, and a fine art, but a language is a fine art. In a foreign

A foreign language is required for many colleges. Most colleges in Iowa, along with many more states, all across America, require that college students have at least two years of a foreign language before they graduate, so if students do not take a foreign language in high school they will have to take it in college. According to the 2017 College Board for the United States of America, many colleges require a minimum of two years of study of a single foreign language; also many colleges see that a foreign language shows that the students is stretching beyond the basics of high school (“High School Classes Colleges Look For”). With the requirement to have a foreign language both required by the state and by the college it is getting harder and harder for college students not to have a