In one of the debates that I read, "Should Foreign Language Classes Be Mandatory in College" made me think about whether or not being taught a second language is beneficial. We already have to take a foreign language in high school so why do we have to do it again in college. One of the debaters suggest that it is very beneficial to maintain the second language due to how rapidly diverse our country is becoming. In addition to that she also mentions how many careers are in need of bilingual people in order to communicate with more customers/people. However, another debater believes that just learning the language in a class will not be able to teach the depth of the culture. Plus, the best time to learn a second language is at a young age.
In my opinion, it should not be a require by the time you are in college especially if you already took it in high school, but should be an option for people who do want to take it. However, I also believe that it should be taught in elementary since it is easier for younger kids to adapt to learning it. The kids will be able to communicate and understand more at a much younger age instead of in high school. When I was in elementary, we were taught Spanish until my 1st grade year and it was actually enjoyable for me.
-Julissa Mendoza
At first I disagreed with you about not requiring college students to take a foreign language, but after much thought I now agree with you. If the educational system is hoping that extended practice of a foreign language will create an increase in bilingual Americans, they should begin at the elementary level. As you've mentioned, children are able to learn faster, retain better, and have excellent pronunciation of information before the age of 10. Introducing a second language is the most sensible solution.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, high school students, let alone college students, have the time to truly retain this information. With the five other classes aside from their foreign language class, where does that leave time to really learn this language ? Therefore, if we were required to take a foreign language in college, are they expecting us to manage school, a job, clubs, and/or extracurricular activities? That was already stressful enough in high school I'd rather it not carry on to college.
Yes, I agree that a foreign language if taught should be taught in elementary school. By the time someone is in college it will be hard to catch onto another language with a million other things in your head. However, I think learning about other cultures is equally as important as learning their language. I believe if we were to be taught the traditions and customs we are not familiar with we will be able to understand and have empathy with others. Children are more openminded to the foreign ways of life which might lead to a society where people are more understanding. Thus, it would be beneficial to also teach young children about different cultures. As our world continues to mix, it is important to keep the unique lifestyles and learn from the different societies. Do you believe language classes should also teach about their cultures?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your point that it shouldn't be a requirement to take a foreign language class in college but it should be an option. We already have to take one of these classes in high school and most people don't want to keep taking them in college. I also agree that more elementary schools should be teaching another language like Spanish since it can be really useful in the future. In elementary, I only took Spanish in kindergarten and in my home we would only speak Spanish so it really has helped me a lot to be bilingual. However I don't really think the culture should be taught or maybe it should be as an option for those that are interested. Personally I don't really care about the culture of the language since I feel it wouldn't help make my Spanish any better or wouldn't help me write it any better either. But these are just my opinions on the culture and I feel like most other people would also not care for the culture of the language they speak.
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