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I'm not sure they should be taught a foreign language even in high school. Why? Spanish I can see because the US is becoming a bi-lingual country. I might have benefited by learning French since I had to work sometimes with French speakers. But I could never have known that in HS, not go mention grade school.
And what language? A grade schooler can't possibly know and his parents probably don't know beyond whatever they heard on the news. Russian, maybe because it's invading Ukraine? In the 80's they would have thought Japanese was the language to of the future. German in the 1890's. Teachers have no better idea than their pupils.
I'd rather see the effort put into mastering English. It is and will be for a long time the most international of languages, thanks to the former British Empire. Even now, it is the language of much of educated South Asia and Africa.
Mastering english? Are they to become grammatical professors? I don't understand your argument. They already know english, why keep studying a language they already know when they could also be bringing in a foreign language into their repertoire?
Mastering english? Are they to become grammatical professors? I don't understand your argument. They already know english, why keep studying a language they already know when they could also be bringing in a foreign language into their repertoire?
I don't know, Fragile, but a lot of the kids I encounter can hardly get an intelligible sentence out of their mouths. Or write well enough for simple business needs. I mean, I'm not perfect or anything, but a lot of young peoples' English is just awful.
I'm not sure they should be taught a foreign language even in high school. Why? Spanish I can see because the US is becoming a bi-lingual country. I might have benefited by learning French since I had to work sometimes with French speakers. But I could never have known that in HS, not go mention grade school.
And what language? A grade schooler can't possibly know and his parents probably don't know beyond whatever they heard on the news. Russian, maybe because it's invading Ukraine? In the 80's they would have thought Japanese was the language to of the future. German in the 1890's. Teachers have no better idea than their pupils.
I'd rather see the effort put into mastering English. It is and will be for a long time the most international of languages, thanks to the former British Empire. Even now, it is the language of much of educated South Asia and Africa.
There is nothing to stop children from learning both English and a foreign language. Someone who learned Japanese or German would still be well-served by knowing those languages (both countries are industrial powerhouses with diversified economies). The languages we teach in schools don't disappear (French, Spanish, German, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, etc. are not going anywhere). While one may not end up "using" the learned language, the option to use it is valuable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Troyfan
I don't know, Fragile, but a lot of the kids I encounter can hardly get an intelligible sentence out of their mouths. Or write well enough for simple business needs. I mean, I'm not perfect or anything, but a lot of young peoples' English is just awful.
I learned more about the rules of English grammar by studying French than in English courses. We learn English not in classes, but through immersion in the language--a method that does not require detailed knowledge of the structures, functions, and formal rules of grammar. Learning a foreign language can build that foundation while also learning a skill--namely the rudiments of the foreign language.
I'm not sure they should be taught a foreign language even in high school. Why? Spanish I can see because the US is becoming a bi-lingual country. I might have benefited by learning French since I had to work sometimes with French speakers. But I could never have known that in HS, not go mention grade school.
And what language? A grade schooler can't possibly know and his parents probably don't know beyond whatever they heard on the news. Russian, maybe because it's invading Ukraine? In the 80's they would have thought Japanese was the language to of the future. German in the 1890's. Teachers have no better idea than their pupils.
I'd rather see the effort put into mastering English. It is and will be for a long time the most international of languages, thanks to the former British Empire. Even now, it is the language of much of educated South Asia and Africa.
Just as you said about German, Japanese and Russian, there's no way to say that English will be the most useful of foreign languages into the future. Most of the emerging economies are not English-speaking, and as their importance and influence increases, there will be less need to rely on English. If anything, considering the waning influence of the West and the US in particular, it is MORE important for Americans to become bilingual in order to remain competitive. With the British Empire already fallen and US rapidly being overtaken by China as dominant superpower, what incentive will the rest of the world have to learn English?
Most Hispanic citizens are bi-lingual so they know English. So why should non-Hispanic Americans learn Spanish when we already have the common language of English to communicate in? As for immigrants they should be learning English rather than Americans learning a dozen different foreign languages to accommodate them all. English is the de facto language of this country.
Most Hispanic citizens are bi-lingual so they know English. So why should non-Hispanic Americans learn Spanish when we already have the common language of English to communicate in? As for immigrants they should be learning English rather than Americans learning a dozen different foreign languages to accommodate them all. English is the de facto language of this country.
Yes, but languages fade over time if they're not maintained. Maintaining a language/culture means putting effort into it - for the US, it's easy enough to keep Spanish-language TV, radio, print & other outlets going. Official support will be needed to keep the higher-level culture going, although it can struggle along.
Yah, English is the de facto language here. & Guantanamo was/is (still?) full of people who were simply standing in the wrong place @ the wrong time - our language handlers in Iraq & Afghanistan sometimes needed a body to sell to us (like a scalp in the bad old days), or needed to settle some old tribal score - & voila! We got a traitor/spy/Talib/Mujahadeen - & they got the cash. We don't want to be at the mercy of local interpreters any more than absolutely necessary.
There was a time when Yankee clippers & captains sailed everywhere, traded everywhere, & talked to everyone. Communication is the beginning of intelligence, financial, trade, diplomatic & military. A military force that can't deploy outside the wire without tons of armor, local translators, handlers, drivers, cooks, dishwashers, waiters, cashiers, stevedores, etc., etc. - see our experience in Vietnam - is hamstrung & deserves to fail.
As long as we commit armed forces overseas - we need at least a skeleton proficiency in any likely language/culture we'll deploy to. In the case of Afghanistan & Iraq, we had such a population in Detroit & other Arabic population centers in the US. But AG Ashford's first move post-09/11 was to round up & hold incommunicado every young man of obvious Arabic appearance that we could ID & detain. & then we denied them counsel, shifted them from place to place, refused to allow them to communicate with family. @ a stroke we went from a pool of potential translators & cultural guides to pretty much offended people, with deep-seated grudges.
Clearly we hadn't even considered the length of an intelligence war against political terrorism masquerading behind Islamic radicalism. & it showed. All these years later, & here we are still debating how to approach the issues.
Yes, but languages fade over time if they're not maintained. Maintaining a language/culture means putting effort into it - for the US, it's easy enough to keep Spanish-language TV, radio, print & other outlets going. Official support will be needed to keep the higher-level culture going, although it can struggle along.
Yah, English is the de facto language here. & Guantanamo was/is (still?) full of people who were simply standing in the wrong place @ the wrong time - our language handlers in Iraq & Afghanistan sometimes needed a body to sell to us (like a scalp in the bad old days), or needed to settle some old tribal score - & voila! We got a traitor/spy/Talib/Mujahadeen - & they got the cash. We don't want to be at the mercy of local interpreters any more than absolutely necessary.
There was a time when Yankee clippers & captains sailed everywhere, traded everywhere, & talked to everyone. Communication is the beginning of intelligence, financial, trade, diplomatic & military. A military force that can't deploy outside the wire without tons of armor, local translators, handlers, drivers, cooks, dishwashers, waiters, cashiers, stevedores, etc., etc. - see our experience in Vietnam - is hamstrung & deserves to fail.
As long as we commit armed forces overseas - we need at least a skeleton proficiency in any likely language/culture we'll deploy to. In the case of Afghanistan & Iraq, we had such a population in Detroit & other Arabic population centers in the US. But AG Ashford's first move post-09/11 was to round up & hold incommunicado every young man of obvious Arabic appearance that we could ID & detain. & then we denied them counsel, shifted them from place to place, refused to allow them to communicate with family. @ a stroke we went from a pool of potential translators & cultural guides to pretty much offended people, with deep-seated grudges.
Clearly we hadn't even considered the length of an intelligence war against political terrorism masquerading behind Islamic radicalism. & it showed. All these years later, & here we are still debating how to approach the issues.
Hispanics will always pass down the Spanish language thru the generations but when the kids enter school they will also learn our national language of English so I don't see why non-Spanish speakers should have to learn Spanish. As for learning other languages, I mean come on as long as Americans plan on living here all their lives and don't have a job dealing with foreign countries it's a complete waste of time. If you don't use it, you lose it. Those who push learning other languages are usually progressive liberals or ethnocentrics who want to balkanize our country or change it to a Hispanic one in identity. The agendas are quite clear.
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.
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Maybe it is rocket science
