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Bruna Costa Megan Keaton English 112 22 April 2012 Foreign Language in School As we turn the TV on the news we can hardly get through without hearing how globalization is everywhere. The world is growing more crowded and interconnected pushing competitions to the next level between super economies of countries (Berdan). Why should we keep foreign language in school? We might ask ourselves. Thinking ahead our children and their future we all understand that speaking more than one language is a powerful tool for school, business and social life. And because children are at a special window of opportunity in which language learning is intuitive and natural, the ease and pleasure of the experience may boost their confidence and their desire for new discoveries (Dinay). Language education is a great part of a childs early stages of life, as they learn how to communicate they also develop their brain, confidence and education followed up by better opportunities and advantages over those who do not speak a second language later on their teen and adult life. Language learning comes more easily to those whose brains are still in development phase (Berdan). Considering most of us will have children, I would like to point out a few reasons why I think foreign language should be strongly supported and continued being taught in school. The quickness with which children pick up their first language is nearly miraculous and such a joy to watch as a parent. As children grow, parents can attest to how much fun their

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children have as they sing new words they hear and even invent new ones with a huge, bright smile. There are many reasons why foreign language should be taught in school and best if started early as a child can learn much faster as the formation of the grey matter of the brain is still being built. Recent studies have proven that children that are exposed to more than one language improve their brains ability to learn and flex its muscles building them up too. Dinay states that, Bilingual children in one study reported in Nature showed a significantly larger density of grey matter in their brains. And those who had been exposed to a second language from an early age proved to have the most grey matter of all. By flexing those brain muscles we build a greater density of grey matter which helps on learning, processing information, speech, memory and perception. Students that were on a foreign language program scored significantly higher on reading, writing and math than average students who did not take language classes. Most of the time we use our first language with little thought to grammatical rules or constructions. This is perfectly natural, but the experience of learning a new language can bring greater understanding and perhaps even better grammar to our first language. Knowing the way another language works encourages us to examine our own language's mechanics in a positive way. The ability to use a second language insights and experience from one language to another gives them a big advantage on writing. Knowing the way another language works encourages us to examine our own language's mechanics in a positive way. By being able to compare the two, we learn more than we ever would as a monolingual. So by taking foreign language class students can boost their overall performance in school (Dinay). Colleges now place an increasingly high value on knowledge of more than one language. I do think offering foreign language is a big plus for those interested in expanding their

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knowledge in anything related to communication, different cultures, or jobs in the United States and mostly outside of country where speaking a second language would come into play. Not to mention how much that can make things easier when dealing with foreigners and make one stand out when applying for colleges and jobs. It enhances academic skills, encourages a sense of the wider world and looks good to colleges. A good example of how foreign language is good for business is displayed in a government survey suggest that perhaps 1,600 American public and private schools are teaching Chinese, up from 300 or so a decade ago. And the numbers are growing exponentially. That shows how much people are becoming more interested on learning the language as China emerges economically. There are definitely more jobs opportunities for those who can speak a second language (Dillon). When applying for a job it will help to standout and may put the person in priority over the next person that does not have a degree or doesnt speak a foreign language. While many people believe foreign language in school is somewhat beneficial for students but still do not support it, there is a long list that proves them wrong on the outcomes for those that are not in the language program. Most high schools, including those in the Washington area, do not require foreign language study for graduation. Virginia students need it only if they want to earn an advanced diploma. Maryland requires foreign language classes, but students can substitute technology courses if they want. The reason why a majority of Washington area high school students take foreign languages is that selective colleges often require them. And otherwise foreign language education is a waste of time and money since many states do not require a second language to graduate, leaving foreign language classes empty. Instead of keeping foreign language education in schools which has a high cost, we should consider making

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a cut back and offering fewer classes to avoid empty language labs and money being wasted (Matthews). Those opposed to the idea say the country could save money if language education is cut from schools, but at the same time we would be taking the opportunity of our rising children to achieve and retain a higher level communication skill. A survey of nineteen countries completed by the Center for Applied Linguistics proved that most of them required at least one foreign language. Some countries require two languages courses of school, in Europe foreign language is moving earlier and earlier in the curriculum and many countries begin in the first grade. In many of the countries surveyed foreign languages are considered to be core subjects. In Germany for example, languages command the same status and time commitment as mathematics, reading and social studies. The influence of immersion education is notable in Europe and Australia, as increasing numbers of programs use the target language as a tool. Canada continues to show leadership in the development of a research into immersion programs mainly for English speaking learners of French (Dahlberg). In order to compete globally, students in the United States need to be prepared and fluent in another language. We must fight for the need to keep foreign language in the budget as a critical component to our childrens success. Learning another language help our children grow up read y for a complex and multicultural global economy. If we want to prosper as a country our children must become global citizens with open mind, bilingual kids ready to see global interconnection as both opportunity and welcome challenge (Berdan). Learning a second language is a integral part of this cross cultural sophistication. Learning the language brings much more than just communication, but we can also learn interesting facts about the history of the country, economy and culture. There are plenty on evidence that offering foreign education throughout the early

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ages of children can bring many advantages on their social, school and business life. Foreign language should be required until high school and be optional from there on. That way the country can save money, and still educate the rising children. Younger students learn faster because their brain is still in development and they also retain the information longer. High school students have many classes to take and a lot more going on, making it difficult to focus on learning a second language. By making foreign language optional in high schools we could save money and those interested in learning would have the opportunity to take classes.

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Work Cited Berdan, Stacie N. No More Cuts! Keep Foreign Language in Schools. The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 15 Sept. 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. Dahlberg, Carol Ann. "Foreign Language Education." Encyclopedia of Education. ED. James W. Guthrie. 2nd ed. Vol. 3 New York: Macmillan USA, 2002. Web. 28 Mar. 2013 Dinay, Turgay. Advantages of learning a foreign language at an early age. Todays Zaman. 25 Nov. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. Dillon, Sam. Foreign Language Fade in Class. The New York Times. 20 Jan. 2010. Web. 19 Mar. 2013. Matthews, Jay. Why waste time on a foreign language? The Washington Post 22 Apr. 2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.