Think back to your childhood and early adulthood. What did a “normal” or typical day in elementary, middle or high-school consist of? For most elementary school students, one educator was provided for daily instruction in regards to the core subjects: language arts, reading, social studies and science. For most middle school students, upon changing classes, a separate educator was provided for daily instruction in regards to their mastered topic/subject: language arts, reading, social studies and science. In high school, however, things seemed to change. Well, at least it did for me! In high school, I found myself still switching classes and having separate educators for each subject, however, my classes were not limited to language arts, reading, social studies and science. I was provided the opportunity to take classes such as psychology, sociology, anatomy, Spanish and etc. The most rewarding class I took throughout my pre-collegiate educational experience, was a foreign language class. For a native English speaker and an individual who did not encounter foreign language outside of the educational setting, it may seem surprising that a foreign language such as Spanish grabbed my attention; but it did! For those who have neglected to explore/learn a foreign language throughout their lifetime, I offer you a piece of information: there is much importance behind learning a foreign language as it can benefit many other aspects/areas of your life.
So, you enroll in a foreign language course during your collegiate years in the hopes of enhancing your skills and competence in a language, such as: Spanish, French, Italian, Irish and etc. You are a part of the seven percent of college or university students in America who are enrolled in a language course, according to an article published by
The Atlantic. It is evident, as the
The Atlantic illustrates in this small percentage, that many individuals have negative feelings toward learning a foreign language, due to the “fear of the unknown, unfamiliar”. These negative feelings may be as a result of the debated importance of learning language. According to the Atlantic, language is a subject area whose importance is greatly debated, as many advocates and educators disagree about whether investing in language and foreign language classes are "worthwhile" investments. However,
NEA Research argues that investing in language and foreign language classes are a worthwhile investment.
According to “Regarding World Language Education” providing
NEA Research in 2007, a study found that there are numerous benefits to second language study such as: “academic progress in other subjects, narrows achievement gaps, basic skills development, high order/abstract and creative thinking, cognitive development, a student's sense of achievement, higher test scores on standardized tests, cultural awareness and competency, chances of college acceptance/achievement/ attainment, career opportunities, understanding and security in community and society, and etc. Learning a foreign language can help foster an individual's development in educational, cognitive, social and emotional ways. As stated by NEA Research and supported by
The Guardian, there are many cognitive benefits of language learning, as well as the benefit of performing better than others across school subjects. I hope that individuals may be more open-minded to learning a foreign language; something that will benefit them in numerous ways, such as the ways it has profited me.
