The American education system robs its students of learning a foreign language until high school. This disadvantages our youth and provides them obstacles that makes them ignorant to other languages and cultures.
Waiting until high school to teach foreign language places American students behind the students of other countries. The average European country begins teaching one or more languages early in a student’s educational career. Unlike the United States, European countries are actively trying to broaden their pupils' education by introducing at least one foreign language besides their national or native language at a young age. This is widespread and many countries view fluency in upwards of one language a necessity to function more properly in society. For example, when I was touring New York City with my family, my mother and I ran into a French couple on the ferry ride to Ellis Island that spoke French, English, and Spanish. The woman explained to me that it is required of children in France …show more content…
Multilingual Americans earn more than monolingual Americans and can compete better in the workforce. If applying at an American business and the applicant speaks more than one language, they already have a leg up on all their competition. Due to the fact that a second language is not strictly taught in American schooling, multilingualism is getting harder to find and American businesses welcome applicants who are fluent in two or more languages. Especially in the business world, multilingualism is a much needed skill. If an American is multilingual, they can work more easily abroad. If a woman who spoke both English and Spanish wanted to work as a teacher in Spain, she could. Just by knowing a secondary language she is ahead of the game and able to travel. Multilingualism easily allows people to move abroad, something not as commonly seen amongst Americans. This all ties back to our education
Waiting until high school to teach foreign language places American students behind the students of other countries. The average European country begins teaching one or more languages early in a student’s educational career. Unlike the United States, European countries are actively trying to broaden their pupils' education by introducing at least one foreign language besides their national or native language at a young age. This is widespread and many countries view fluency in upwards of one language a necessity to function more properly in society. For example, when I was touring New York City with my family, my mother and I ran into a French couple on the ferry ride to Ellis Island that spoke French, English, and Spanish. The woman explained to me that it is required of children in France …show more content…
Multilingual Americans earn more than monolingual Americans and can compete better in the workforce. If applying at an American business and the applicant speaks more than one language, they already have a leg up on all their competition. Due to the fact that a second language is not strictly taught in American schooling, multilingualism is getting harder to find and American businesses welcome applicants who are fluent in two or more languages. Especially in the business world, multilingualism is a much needed skill. If an American is multilingual, they can work more easily abroad. If a woman who spoke both English and Spanish wanted to work as a teacher in Spain, she could. Just by knowing a secondary language she is ahead of the game and able to travel. Multilingualism easily allows people to move abroad, something not as commonly seen amongst Americans. This all ties back to our education