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In Europe it's already done: the results? Multilingual children who are much more marketable on the work's market and much more versatile than their American counterpart.
Yes English is the worldwide language: Yet there are many who don't speak it, by speaking some very important language (French,German,Russian,Spanish, Japanese,Chinese,Portuguese,Arabic) you can interact much better and much more fruitfully than any English monolingual.
Learning languages makes your brain faster, more logic and much more versatile.
Most people don't deal in foreign markets so I stand by what I said in my prior post. Learning a foreign language doesn't do anything more for the brain than learning anything else. I'd rather our kids learn something that they know they will use when they are adults out in the job market.
Most people don't deal in foreign markets so I stand by what I said in my prior post. Learning a foreign language doesn't do anything more for the brain than learning anything else. I'd rather our kids learn something that they know they will use when they are adults out in the job market.
Obviously nowhere everybody is bilingual (aside from really bi- or more lingual countries like India or Switzerland) but those educated: a plumber in Netherlands might be able to speak English but he might not be.
However an educated Dutchman (someone who exited from university) is likely to speak English (sometimes even knowing the grammar better than natives): this makes him much more versatile, much cleverer, much useful and versatile.
The "problem" (it's not a problem for me, you don't want it's your business, it's just a point in the debate) is that many English speaking people are less competitive than others in this field.
Yes, it's a generalization, yes English is the lingua franca in the world, yes the Anglophone countries economically do well, it remains that when dealing with a German: if I can speak German and the Briton/American/Canadian/Australian etc can't, I have a big advantage even if the German guy can speak English.
Plus, learning foreign languages is indeed useful: it helps in your own language, it enlarges your horizons, it makes your brain faster,more logical and much more versatile at situations.
The final point isn't that Americans (or other Anglophones) MUST learn another language or that they SHOULD do that, otherwise they are stupid ignorant and brainless people.
It's NOT that, the fact itself that Anglophones countries provide with so many excellent minds every year should prove this.
My point is that learning languages is ALWAYS useful, no matter when,where or how, it will always make you better, always.
I don't know how American (or other Anglophone countries') educational system work, I have just broad and superficial knowledge which doesn't entitle me to an opinion, but I do feel that a country which has a large pool of foreign-languages' speakers in its youth has an enormous advantage.
This doesn't mean that now Americans should forsake math/sciences etc but learning languages doesn't necessarily equate with forgetting the rest: Europe is a scientifically,economically and administratively advanced continent, as much as the US, yet many Europeans can at least speak two foreign languages.
I do understand that Americans/Britons/Canadians etc by speaking English as their native language (and hence better than what I will ever able to) are greatly advantaged over foreigners and, seeing English status as lingua franca, they might get by for their entire lives without even knowing how to say "Hello" in a foreign languages.
It's likely you will never have to use foreign language in your whole life, good for you, but this doesn't mean that learning languages harms you.
Learning languages is an enormously useful skill, especially because it's much harder than many other skill to acquire.
PS. NEVER make the mistake of equating: People who suggest to learn languages= Feeling superiour in any way.
I don't feel superiour to anyone because of my linguistic skills, because I tremendously lack in others.
What I mean is: don't take this issue defensively, I don't believe in the stereotype of ignorant and stupid Americans who can't place UK on a map, only morons do.
Most people don't deal in foreign markets so I stand by what I said in my prior post. Learning a foreign language doesn't do anything more for the brain than learning anything else. I'd rather our kids learn something that they know they will use when they are adults out in the job market.
Our kids will require foreign languages in a global economy, unless you want them trained for McJobs only.
I think Xander stated it very well. Personally, I feel like I would have had a lot more confidence to learn a third language and/or travel when I was a young adult if I had learn a second language in elementary. I can't but think that I am the only one.
Also, I don't know that it is a given that America will continue to be the world leader. Before WWII, we had undeveloped land and unexplored resources to propel our position in the world. After WWII we had the benefit of being one of the few developed nations without war-ruined infrastructure and manufacturing. We have kept it up with being an epicenter for developing technology. What will keep us in first in the future? Nothing is guaranteed. We need to make sure our children are competitive for any foreseeable future. For me, that includes making sure they can speak more than one language. Sure, many of them won't use it, but can you pick out which ones will from a 1st grade line up? And what confidence will it bring to those, even though they won't use it much?
It's not a question of mere disagreement: your point is that by focusing on languages kids would lose the train of other subjects.
This is false: I can speak some languages fluently, yet I have an good/average level in History, Geography, Math and other subjects.
If learning foreign languages would imply being backwards in other subjects, then most Scandinavians would be stupid.
It's not a question of mere disagreement: your point is that by focusing on languages kids would lose the train of other subjects.
This is false: I can speak some languages fluently, yet I have an good/average level in History, Geography, Math and other subjects.
If learning foreign languages would imply being backwards in other subjects, then most Scandinavians would be stupid.
I never said that. What I said is that for the most part here in the U.S. kids learning a foreign language is just a waste of time. Even if they did learn it unless they use it on a daily basis they would just lose it.
I never said that. What I said is that for the most part here in the U.S. kids learning a foreign language is just a waste of time. Even if they did learn it unless they use it on a daily basis they would just lose it.
Well, it's possible sure.
However, two things should be known:
1) Learning language does indeed make you better as several studies confirm.
Beware, it doesn't mean you become a genius, but you are very likely to improve much more in your own language and your reasoning gets much quicker and sharper.
2) Americans kids, despite the supposed time spared, aren't better than most of European/Asian kids in developed countries.
Hence, it comes that American Educational system isn't exploiting the "advantage" of not being forced to learn foreign languages.
Well, it's possible sure.
However, two things should be known:
1) Learning language does indeed make you better as several studies confirm.
Beware, it doesn't mean you become a genius, but you are very likely to improve much more in your own language and your reasoning gets much quicker and sharper.
2) Americans kids, despite the supposed time spared, aren't better than most of European/Asian kids in developed countries.
Hence, it comes that American Educational system isn't exploiting the "advantage" of not being forced to learn foreign languages.
And I don't think learning a foreign language does any more of the above than learning something that is truly beneficial. For example learning a trade is much more beneficial than learning a foreign language in most cases. Learning a trade stimulates the brain also.
And I don't think learning a foreign language does any more of the above than learning something that is truly beneficial. For example learning a trade is much more beneficial than learning a foreign language in most cases. Learning a trade stimulates the brain also.
Learning a trade (not that grade school kids are learning trades, anyway) does not enrich the brain in the same way that language learning does. Learning a foreign language also really enhances one's understanding of the operation of the English language, as well. Finally, markets are global today--being able to operate in other environments will open doors for Americans. The risk that a student will not wind up using a language is no different than the risk that a student will not use trigonometry, physics, American History, or literature--except that it has a distinct impact on mental development: http://www.ncssfl.org/papers/Benefit...geStudyNEA.pdf
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