Opinion: Language learning in the US

Learning languages needs to be higher up in priority for schools in the United States. I’m always shocked when I compare the language skills of people in the U.S. to most other countries. The only countries that are at generally the same level as the U.S. in lack of language skills are the other English-speaking countries: England, Australia, most of Canada. English is such a prominent language in business and media that native English speakers barely even try.

Some people might say, “Erin, why should I bother learning another language? You just said English is the language of business and media. If other people have to learn English, why should I bother learning another language?”

The reasons for learning another language is endless, in my opinion. Let’s start with the most basic and self-centered reasons. Many people like to travel. If you want to travel to other countries, it will be so much easier if you can speak the native language there. Sure, some people are bound to speak English, but you’ll be able to have a much fuller and more enjoyable experience if you don’t have to depend on a translator.

What about TV and film? Foreign media has become much more popular for the general public in the last decade or so. The South Korean film “Parasite” won four Oscars in 2020, despite not being in English. The Mexican film “Roma” won three Oscars in 2019 despite being in Spanish. The German film “All Quiet on the Western Front” won four Oscars in 2023 despite being in German. Sure, all these films can be found with English dubs or subtitles. However, much is lost in translation. Emotions, true meanings, these can be hard to portray in the same way when forced into a different language.

Maybe you want to seem smarter. Cambridge University explains it in a much more scientific way in their April 2022 article “How learning a new language changes your brain.” In basic terms, learning a new language strengthens the brain, leading to improved concentration and memory and protection against dementia and other similar issues.

Let’s say brain health, better travel and more media aren’t good enough reasons for you. How about a boost in the workplace? No matter what your job is, I guarantee learning another language would help you.

Do you work in a customer-facing job, where you constantly work with people? Depending on where you live, certain languages may help you talk with a new customer base.

Are you a teacher? Outside of teaching language, knowing another language can be helpful in connecting with various students, whether they speak English as a second language or they are an international student.

Even dead languages can help if you’re aiming for simple brain health rather than communication. Medical professionals and lawyers will often do well in learning Latin to help with some of the more unusual terms in their profession.

So with all the positives, why is it that language learning plays such a minor role in U.S. education? While some schools may offer language classes in middle school and high school, many only require two years of a language, or even none. Older students will often shy away from foreign language classes, partly because it can be difficult to learn a new language. The U.S. school system certainly doesn’t encourage learning languages this way.

For many countries around the world, language learning is just as important as math, science and literature. Students start the language-learning process at a very early age. Many European countries require students begin learning a second language at age seven.

As most parents are aware, younger children have very malleable and spongy brains, picking things up quickly and easily. The younger a person is when they start learning a new language, the easier it will be for them to retain that language and continue learning new languages.

I started learning Spanish as a freshman in high school. While I might have eventually majored in it in college, it takes a lot of work to even keep the skills that I have. I wonder if it would be easier for me to keep these skills, or if I might even know another language, if I had started my journey much earlier.