Reading the article "U.S. Students Hurting in Foreign Languages" made me realize how small of an emphasis United States schools collectively place on learning foreign languages. Because I had the privilege to attend schools with strong language programs I was not aware of the lack of attention that foreign languages had in the general sphere of United States schools. The article talks of how schools consider language programs a first resort when it comes to dealing with budget cuts. Because learning a foreign language is seen as optional, schools consider it of less importance or carrying less academic weight than other subjects. However, I believe that is not the case because as both the world and our own country are constantly affected by foreign languages. It is rapidly becoming necessary to learn another language in order to adequately communicate with people in both casual and work settings.
I liked how the article described many people's attitude towards learning foreign languages in the United States. It states that because we are isolated geographically we historically have not had to deal with other foreign languages unlike those living in Europe. However, due to constantly increasing globalization and immigration this notion is not quite so appropriate. We cannot simply say that we do not have to deal with other languages because it is also necessary to accommodate the needs of a world that does not solely speak English. It seems self-centered to think that the rest of the world must conform to speaking English and not make any effort to participate with others within their comfort zones.
Furthermore, it was interesting how the article described the U.S. attitude towards learning foreign languages as a "double-edged sword." There is a lot to lose if we choose to exclusively communicate in English. We lose access to valuable resources that would not otherwise be available to us if we did not speak other languages. Thus, the article successfully asserts that "language is a force, not a choice." And if this is true, it is imperative that schools reconsider the amount of importance they attribute to foreign languages.
Julian, your comment about the US's geographical isolation helped me make the connection that this is surely no longer the case. Rather, we are constantly in contact with everyone else in the world, so it is so much more important to understand other languages and cultures!
ReplyDeleteI feel like the US is setting itself up for problems in the future. Whilst we are the supreme power at this time, that isn't guaranteed to last forever, so to think that language is all our children will ever need would be presumptuous of us. The cultural and social benefits aside, by slowly eliminating language problems from schools makes future generations vulnerable, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI find it so surprising that schools are more willing to cut funding for foreign languages programs than funding for sports teams or extracurricular activities. The United States is already behind other countries in terms of educating its students, and cutting foreign language programs is not going to help the problem. We live in a world where countries are strongly connected because of the technological resources we now have. If we want to continue having a strong presence in the world, the education system needs to keep up with the changing times.
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