While many Americans remain oblivious, countries around the world have been taking advantage of the opportunities from teaching their children a second language. If most European countries require children to start learning a second language at age 6, and over 20 of those countries start teaching a third at age 9, why does America remain stagnant? As a country, we are not providing our children with the best opportunities going into adulthood. Therefore, schools in the U.S. should teach their children a second language because it grants more opportunities when they reach adulthood.
Unbeknownst to most Americans–and policy makers who believed teaching American children a second language would confuse and hinder learning–learning a second language grants opportunities that cannot be developed by monolinguals, and older second language learners. “In most European countries,” says Devlin Kat from Pew Research Center, “students begin studying their first foreign language as a compulsory school subject between the ages of 6 and 9” [http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/13/learning-a-foreign-language-a-must-in-europe-not-so-in-america/ page 1]. Schools in the U.S. do not prioritize teaching their children a second language. And in many U.S. school districts, teaching a second language is not a compulsory discipline; moreover, high school students often substitute second language studies. Researchers indicate that with puberty comes increased difficulty in learning languages. To elaborate, children soak in information like a sponge. And the mechanisms that operate unconsciously as children learn new information, are used similarly when learning a new language. Furthermore, early second language learners are more likely to develop perfect pronunciation. According to Martha Abbott, Director of Education for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, “The advantage for younger learners is that they have the ability to closely mimic the native pronunciation and intonation of a new language. In addition, literacy skills that are being developed in the native language transfer to the learning of the new language” [http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4724 page 3]. In their attempt, later language learners will find that close to perfect pronunciation becomes nearly impossible to acquire. Children taught in the U.S. who do not learn a second language grow into adults with less opportunities; such as placement in the global job market.
While searching for jobs online it’s not uncommon to see bilingual candidates preferred. The global job market has changed and countries who teach their children a second language have a notable advantage they can offer to the global job market. Going back to adopting an almost perfect pronunciation–nearly impossible to acquire in older second language learners–this tool becomes a desired strength in the global job market. Striving for better interactions between clients, companies are more likely to hire candidates with strong pronunciation. In a personal interview with Laurie Lomask, Assistant Professor of the Department of Modern Language at BMCC, Lomask explains how she feels about learning a second language to compete in the global job market, “The world is becoming more global and we’re interacting more. We all need to know more languages, you cannot just have English. Not as many people speak English as we think.”[2min-3:30min]. Many non-americans are learning English, along with having established another language of their own. American children cannot compete in the global job market. The global job market will never be satisfied with candidates fluent only in English.
Today schools in Europe start teaching their children a second language as early as age 6. Early second language learners have certain advantages over mono-linguists and later learners. The children in American schools are at a great disadvantage. Moreover, the number of high schools in America that teach a second language remain under half nationwide. Based on the collective evidence, the US needs to prioritize teaching their children a second language, and take advantage of the opportunities into adulthood.
What good parent would knowingly accept that their child’s education will hinder their growth to adulthood? Learning a second language early enables benefits that cannot be developed by monolinguals, and older second language learners. Children soak in information like a sponge; the same can be said when we attempt to teach our children a second language. The mechanisms that operate unconsciously as children learn new information, are used similarly when learning a new language. Yet adults and late language learners have to consciously learn the information. These two separate engines differ significantly. Similar to the way we breathe–it is not a thinking mechanism–conscious learning makes internalizing information and skills harder than unconscious learning. Because of this, as we age, information is more likely to get lost or disassociated. Researchers indicate that with puberty comes increased difficulty in learning languages. “In most European countries,” says Devlin Kat from Pew Research Center, “students begin studying their first foreign language as a compulsory school subject between the ages of 6 and 9” (http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/13/learning-a-foreign-language-a-must-in-europe-not-so-in-america/ page 1). Schools in the U.S. do not prioritize teaching a second language this early, essentially they wait too long. In most districts teaching a second language in early elementary is not a compulsory discipline. Moreover, students entering American high schools are supposed to take a mandatory second language. Ignoring the need for fluency in a foreign language, most districts allow their students to substitute second language studies for another class. Furthermore, children find learning languages easier because they are not as self-consciousness as adults. They aren’t afraid to speak aloud and make mistakes. Children pride themselves in practicing out loud, which proves beneficial in helping the brain absorb information. Early second language learners are more likely to have perfect pronunciation. According to Martha Abbott, Director of Education for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, “The advantage for younger learners is that they have the ability to mimic closely the native pronunciation and intonation of a new language. In addition, literacy skills that are being developed in the native language transfer to the learning of the new language”(http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4724 page 3). In their attempt, later language learners will find that close to perfect pronunciation becomes difficult to acquire. The powers in America think teaching children a second language at a young age will confuse and hindering their performance. That’s just not the case. With the increased brain activity from learning a different form(s) of communication and customs children can think on a higher level.
As an illustration, while searching for jobs online it’s not uncommon to see bilingual candidates preferred. The global job market has changed. Early second language learners have a notable advantage they can offer to the global job market that monolinguist and later language learners cannot. Going back to adopting an almost perfect pronunciation, nearly impossible to acquire in older second language learners, becomes a desired strength in the global job market. Striving for better interactions between clients, companies are more likely to hire candidates with a strong pronunciation. In a personal interview with Laurie Lomask, Assistant Professor of the Department of Modern Language at BMCC, Lomask explains how she feels about learning a second language to compete in the global job market, “The world is becoming more global and we’re interacting more. We all need to know more languages, you cannot just have English. Not as many people speak English as we think.”. Because non-English speakers are learning English, along with having established another language of their own, they are ahead of the game. US policy makers, researchers, and educators are not getting the picture. The global job market will never be satisfied with candidates fluent only in English. As the obvious limitations are made clear, qualified monolingual candidates ought not to count themselves out. However, if the skills needed to efficiently get the done qualified or not the bilingual candidate is almost always likely to get the job. Teaching a second language at a young age, previously noted to confuse and hindering performance, is made apparent to be a case of willful ignorance. Early second language learners–turned polyglots and bilingualist–have strength that directly affect their job performance, and grants an advantage in the global job market.
Another key point is early second language learners cognitive functions are more enhanced than mono-linguists. These early learners have greater mental flexibility, a superior grasp of abstract concepts and better working memory as they age. Another consideration is that early second language learners develop awareness of other cultures, such as words or phrases that have no direct translation in other languages. As a result, these learners are often flexing their mental muscles more often. According to Therese Sullivan Caccavale, president of the National Network for Early Language Learning,
“Additionally, foreign language learning is much more a cognitive problem solving activity than a linguistic activity, overall. Studies have shown repeatedly that foreign language learning increases critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children. Students who are learning a foreign language out-score their non-foreign language learning peers in the verbal and, surprisingly to some, the math sections of standardized tests. This relationship between foreign language study and increased mathematical skill development, particularly in the area of problem solving, points once again to the fact that second language learning is more of a cognitive than linguistic activity” (http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4724 page 1).
Learning a second language at a young age not only improves cognitive functions it increases creativity and flexibility of the mind. If teaching a second language at a young age could complicate the cognitive functions, how are second language learners–turned bilingualist and polyglots–performing at higher levels in both creative and critical thinking?
To summarize, throughout the 20th century American researchers, educators, and policy makers have considered a second language to be a cognitive hindrance on a child’s academic and intellectual development. Today schools in Europe start teaching second languages as early as age 6, taking advantage of the benefits. Early second language learners have certain advantages over mono-linguists, for example rich pronunciation, advantages in the global job market, enhanced cognitive function, and better critical thinking skills. The monolingual children in American schools are at a great disadvantage to the other countries of the world. The number of high schools in America that teach a second language remain under half nationwide, and show no signs of building. Early second language learners are beating monolingual Americans in so many aspects. Based on the collective evidence, the US needs to prioritize teaching a second language in early elementary school and take advantage of early second language learning benefits.
Photo by Elliana Esquivel
Works Cited
Abbott, Martha and Caccavale, Therese “Cognitive Benefits of Learning Language.” Duke
University. Fall 2007. (June 1, 2010)
http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4724 (PDF)
Devlin, Kat. “Learning a foreign language a ‘must’ in Europe, not so in America”,
Pew Research Center. 13 July, 2015, http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/13/learning-a-foreign-language-a-must-in-europe-not-so-in-america/. Accessed 24 May, 2020 (Article)
Lomask, Laurie. Personal interview. Conducted by Matthew Boyd. 9 November 2018
Borough of Manhattan Community College, Modern Language Department.
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