Language Education in the US

“The United States may be the only nation in the world where it is possible to complete secondary and postsecondary education without any foreign language study whatsoever.”

(Leon Panetta, Former Secretary of Defense)

About 10 percent of native-born Americans— individuals who went through our education system— speak a language other than English. Many of these people learned their language from immigrant parents or through an avenue other than our public education system. Compare that to the over 60 percent of Europeans that speak a second language.

It’s not all bad news. In colleges and universities, enrollment is increasing, especially in languages like Arabic and Chinese. Increases in less commonly taught languages (e.g. Farsi, Kiswahili) have been particularly impressive at 31.2% between 2002 and 2006. Not bad at all.

Language learning is important. But learning Spanish, French and German is not enough. If we want to prepare our kids to communicate with people from around the world, we need to diversify language learning in this country.

I have just finished my third year at a prestigious American university that prides itself on creating spaces for free inquiry and promoting global learning. Here, I’ve made language learning the centerpiece of my education, studying five languages through theformal curriculum and several more in my free time. I’ve been disappointed to learn, however, that 10 of the 24 most widely spoken languages aren’t part of the 30 languages offered here. More than half of our languages are European, and not a single African language finds itself in our curriculum.

Three years ago, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told us that we need to ramp up our commitment to foreign language education, not just in European languages— 95% of college students are already studying them— but to these underrepresented languages. These languages are integral to our country’s success in our rapidly globalizing society. He challenged us to address “spotty” language education because, “today more than ever a world-class education requires students to be able to speak and read languages in addition to English.” In 2004, the Modern Language Association reported on what they called “the nation’s language deficit”: Students are not learning languages at a rate that supports our global interests. This remains true even for those languages labeled critical languages by our State Department.

Language education is only one part of the equation, but it’s the first step toward building an open, honest, respectful global society. Yes, English is becoming a global language. But language study is still critical. Encouraging language education encourages cultural awareness and appreciation. Learning another’s language can be a symbol of respect, showing people that you value their culture— even if they’ve learned your language, you are still working to meet them partway.

http://www.angelamaiers.com/2013/08/language-education-in-the-us-a-dangerous-deficit.html

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14