Take a look around in any instruction manual, what do you notice besides the instructions? The fact that it is printed in at least two different languages, sometimes even more than that. The United States is often referred to as the melting pot of many cultures. This is shown in everyday life from an instruction manual for new products to having alternate language television channels. The use of a second language is becoming a necessity of life. Second language acquisition (SLA) is the acquiring of a language that is not the native language spoken by an individual. It is often referred to as speaking a foreign language, but it is more than just speaking, it is a complete learning process (Troike, 2012). Acquiring a second language is only part of the situation; when should it be taught is the question more people are asking. A second language is necessary and should be taught in elementary school because of the nation’s need for multilingualism, the early learning of a language is easier, the creativity of diversity is enhanced, and it can have a social impact on our changing society.
The need for multilingualism and second language acquisition is growing. Rowena Alegria is a subject editor for the Spanish-language weekly Viva Colorado, and explains that this is not a new topic, but one that has gone on for years with different speaking immigrants (2011). Many countries have more the one national language. Worldwide communications that are done are not just in English. He
The United States is becoming more and more bilingual every day. It is important for students of the United States of America to keep up with the advancing world. The easiest way to learn a second language is when a person is young. This is why it would be beneficial for schools to start teaching a foreign language in kindergarten and continuing it through twelfth grade. Students are more likely to learn and remember a foreign language if they are introduced to it at a young age. A majority of other countries teach foreign languages to their students throughout their school lives. Most students coming out of high school in other countries are totally
Everyone in America has had to learn a second language in order to obtain a high school diploma, however this ‘learning’ of a language is merely a short class that does little to tie one down to a second language. There are few students who continue to seek more and more knowledge about their intended language. Some lose interest, while others make excuses by saying that it is too hard. However, learning more than one language has so many benefits that it is mind boggling to me that more people like to remain monolingual. Obviously time and resources are a concern, but there are so many ways to learn a language that can be catered to one’s individual needs. Think about all of the people in our nation whose first language is not English.
Second languages are vital. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have the ability to speak ten out of the near seven thousand languages that are spoken in the world today? It is certainly evident that it would be pretty astonishing but also undoubtedly complex and mind-boggling. From Afrikaans and French, to German and Swahili, foreign languages are responsible for one thing; enabling easy communication and the ability to interact with others in whatever language you may speak. In today’s society, approximately one fifth of the global population speaks English. So, learning another language is inevitably crucial for education, work and travel. It is also important for making real connections with others, broadening your horizons and can even give you an even more in-depth understanding of your own native language. But what advantages do foreign languages have?
“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.
One of the most common things that America is known for is having a combination of so many cultures and languages. Although spanish is the second language people think of being spoken in the United States, languages such as german, chinese, japanese, french, and russian are commonly spoken as well. It is important that all US high school and college students are required to learn at least two years of a foreign language so that teens can be more open to travel, can compete for jobs, and are able to expand their knowledge about the world.
In “language study as a National Imperative, “Colleen Flaherty writes about the language education of the in the U.S. She explains the report, which was written by the American Academy of Arts and sciences (AAAS). The Article was published in Inside Higher Education on February. The Reports explain that foreign language must be required in the school system starting in kindergarten. The Academy of Arts and Sciences or the AAAS believes that Second languages should be required it opens up more opportunities for getting a better job in the future. And also understand the other better like none English Speakers. AAAS also believes it could help economic growth and competitiveness. Flaherty also says the language learner will build a good Skill and improvement with other people around them. According to AAAS Report strongly emphasizes work with schools to promote language classes. Also In the report it says that the government should help teacher’s education and increase the more opportunities.
The benefits of learning a foreign language go beyond learning a different culture or being able to communicate with people of different backgrounds. It is essential that Americans speak languages other than English in order to compete internationally, keep the country safe, and prepare children to be world citizens. Several language organizations, educators, and policy makers have recommended the introduction of a second language at the elementary school level as a way of assuring a high level of language proficiency (Pufahl and Rhodes 273).
The continued growth of speakers of languages other than English is reflected in the rapidly increasing students in U.S. schools for whom English is a second language. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (2005) show that the number of school-age children who spoke a language other than English reached almost 10 million in 2004. Such a dramatic increase continually challenges educators to provide effective language programs with quality instruction for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Some educators choose to view these challenges as opportunities by offering a dual bilingual program as an educational option for meeting the needs of monolingual speakers.
Learning these languages early will prepare them for a better future, dual language programs show students a broader world view, whatever the foreign language of the student, and lead to greater opportunities for collaborative learning. Some jobs require a second language such as: Business Executives, Stenography Banking, and Finance International Operator Translator, Publishing, Teacher (K-12), Study Abroad, Coordinator, Textbook Author/Editor, Hotel and Restaurant Staff / Management Publisher of Tourist Literature Visitor, and Convention Bureaus. I believe that American students should be required to learn a second language. Learning a second language will enable American students an opportunity to better understand other cultures and languages this will result in our generation being better world citizens and continue our role as a global leader. 96% of the world's population lives outside of the United States. Countries that border our nation speak a language other than English; by learning a second language we will more effectively communicate with our neighbors. Employees of this new era must have the skills and ability to communicate fluently in several
In “Why Foreign Language Education Matters” Representative Rush Holt expresses the idea that the average American is generally deprived of what is known as cultural enrichment in their day-to-day lives, even though others believe that English should be the primary and only language Americans should speak. Holt conveys the overall concept that being bilingual, trilingual, or multilingual is a benefit not just for oneself but for our society. Rush Holt presents the argument with extreme concern for our upcoming generations and the consequences it may cause our nation’s economy to decrease in federal funding’s for education programs, as well as our global marketplace and national security who is highly dependent of translators, specialist, and
In most other countries, children begin learning a second language very early in their schooling. Most American schools, however, do not begin foreign language instruction until middle or high school. It is clear to see the detrimental effects of this. If you ask anyone who took a foreign language class in high school, chances are that they have retained none of it, unless they continued to study it in college. This is because by the teenage years, it is much harder for the human brain to learn a second language. If more schools began teaching a second language in elementary schools, it is more likely that students will retain more language skills. As a result, more individuals will have the language skills required in this global market to succeed with international relations and
According to a study by the University of Phoenix Research Institute, “demand for American workers who speak foreign languages- particularly Spanish and Chinese- will rise over the next decade”(“Rising Demand for Bilingual Workers among Employers”). As the United States continues to diversify, being bilingual or multilingual is becoming a key part to be successful in life. A student’s school education, beginning at the first day of kindergarten, is supposed to build and prepare a student for the future, so why is properly learning a new language not a priority from the start? The teaching of a foreign language should begin elementary school because learning at an earlier age is optimum for an easier and effective learning process and provides significant benefits that can last a lifetime.
Around 6,000 to 7,000 languages are spoken daily around the world, but as time goes on the amount of people that know each language is decreasing. Schools should have foreign language class. Initially, students who are bilingual have a brighter future. At the same time, language class helps students overall in school. Following this, being fluent in more than one language may improve one’s appreciation and respect for others. At the same time, when considering learning a second language one may want to consider the few cons. Undeniably, if students study a foreign language,they will be better
As stated in David Skorton and Glenn Altschuler’s article entitled “America’s Foreign Language Deficit”, learning a foreign language is necessary...
A survey done by the Center for Applied Linguistics in 2008 found that "The findings indicate a serious disconnect between the national call to educate world citizens with high-level language skills and the current state of foreign language instruction in schools across the country"(Cal:Research). This is concerning as all of the competition for the U.S. is gaining a step and we 're doing nothing . If the U.S. expects to continue to be competitive in the global market we need to have bilingual citizens. In order to ensure this, we must require a foreign language be learned in high school.