American students deserve a multilingual education
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As an English teacher at an international elementary school and a language learner myself, I often think of how many K-12 students in the United States have the opportunity to study another language at school. The answer? Not enough.
There are a number of research organizations that collect data on foreign language study and multilingualism in the United States, however, with insufficient and late data from schools, this research has its limitations. Nationwide research is also relatively infrequent – the most recent in-depth study of language education in the United States was published in 2017, with data from less than half of K-12 schools. from the country.
Although our understanding of language instruction is incomplete, we know that most K-12 students in US public schools do not have the opportunity to study an additional language at fluency. With no national standard or requirement, foreign language enrollment and assessment varies widely from state to state, but Edweek reported in 2017 that one in five K-12 students in the United States was studying a world language or American Sign Language.
Although there are a number of strong language programs across the country, a 2016 report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences showed evidence of declining foreign language course offerings across the country. elementary schools and colleges over the years. And only 11 states had foreign language graduation requirements according to a national survey of K-16 foreign language enrollment released in 2017 by the American Councils for International Education. Among the small portion of the United States that identifies as multilingual, only a small percentage report having acquired the additional language in a school setting, highlighting how few students successfully learn another language throughout their education. from kindergarten to 12th grade.
The result is a largely monolingual population, in a largely multilingual world. According to the US Census Bureau, 78% of the American population speaks only English in 2019. This is not surprising, considering that many public school students in the United States do not have the opportunity to learn a new language at school until the middle. or high school.
American students deserve a multilingual education and the multitude of benefits that come from studying an additional language – but many students, especially those in public schools, don’t get the opportunity until late in their schooling, or even no way.
A late departure
Like many students, the opportunity to learn another language did not come to me until my teenage years. My high school offered an introductory French course and I was not thrilled. Not only did learning French seem impossible, it seemed irrelevant. I had no intention of leaving the United States, and in my hometown in southern Virginia, I rarely met people who spoke languages other than English, and I certainly hadn’t met anyone who spoke French.
Two years later, after having taken several courses, I could no longer speak French, nor understand any conversational exchange, however brief. I attributed it to being “too old” to learn a new language (a common misconception, which some research disputes).
In college six years later, with a foreign language requirement to complete my degree, I studied German with a passionate bilingual educator, accomplished polyglot and linguist. I entered the course with a fixed mindset – I had already failed learning a new language at a younger age and had no expectation of success this time around. I feared for my GPA. My teacher, perhaps sensing my discomfort, patiently and painstakingly illustrated the benefits of language learning, as well as the science behind language acquisition, demonstrating daily the extensive links between languages and the many goals of multilingualism.
With a newly developed understanding of the relevance of language learning, I found myself fluent in German in less than a year. Today, more than ten years after my first French course, I am fluent in Mandarin, Chinese and studying a fourth language. This positive experience – and the professor who made it possible – radically changed the course of my studies and my career, inspiring me to study applied linguistics and eventually become a language teacher.
Societal perceptions of foreign languages shape politics and education, perpetuating a cycle of monolingualism that cannot be broken without serious change. National education officials need to reconsider the benefits of foreign language learning if we ever hope to join the multilingual world or access the many benefits of multilingual learning.
The benefits of multilingualism
Motivation is a very influential factor that contributes to a learner’s success in language acquisition – if you don’t see relevance, you probably won’t learn the language. But in my experience, many Americans perceive learning a new language as insignificant or impractical.
There are persistent myths that hinder students’ motivation to learn an additional language. There’s the one about how there’s an ideal age window to learn another language and if you’re not there, you’re out of luck. There’s another that says learning a new language will hinder the acquisition and retention of your first language. But these barriers are just that: myths. In reality, the benefits of a multilingual education go far beyond acquiring a new language, including benefits that completely transcend communication.
Multilingualism has clear links to creativity and cognitive flexibility, and can even shape our thinking, determining how we access and categorize concepts. The study of several languages is also proven to contribute to academic success in linguistic and non-linguistic fields. And research also shows cognitive benefits in areas like working memory and possibly even delaying the onset of dementia through improved executive control.
Here is some good news. Contrary to popular belief, studying another language is not an all or nothing game. The benefits of language learning don’t start or end with fluency. Even children who are simply exposed to another language have communicative benefits, because actively learning or listening to another language can make us more effective communicators and more able to see other perspectives.
You don’t necessarily have to leave the United States to enjoy the benefits of multilingualism. While the majority of the population is monolingual, America is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 350 languages spoken within its borders, including a multitude of indigenous and heritage languages.
English speakers are at an advantage as English is used as the lingua franca in countries all over the world and it is amazing to have the ability to communicate with people all over the world through English. But it is also important to recognize that communication only in English is limited. Monolingual English speakers miss out on many economic and cultural opportunities, such as developing a deeper understanding of cross-cultural communication, opportunities to work or study abroad, or find employment in international companies.
The change we need
One of the main goals of education is to prepare young people with the skills they will need in the future, whether to further their education or find a job, but it is difficult to predict which skills will be most beneficial. . One thing is certain: there is an unmet demand for multilingual employees in all fields, including business, national defense, science, and more. Providing more language instruction in US public schools — especially in elementary and middle school — will prepare our students for a host of opportunities today, as well as those we cannot yet anticipate.
Language education is already a global priority, but remains inaccessible to most students and teachers in the United States. Foreign language courses are often interrupted due to budget constraints or lack of interest, leading to a reduction in the diversity of languages taught and the extent of study available or required. Some universities have completely eliminated prerequisites for studying foreign languages, reinforcing the idea that language skills are durable.
As an English teacher, it’s easy to see the benefits of language learning, whether it’s helping students develop communication and creative problem-solving skills or developing ability to consider multiple perspectives. The students I teach have the opportunity to acquire knowledge in two or more languages, and as a result, they are deeply curious about the world outside of their personal experiences.
Beyond learning to communicate with an exponential number of people around the world, learning new languages expands my students’ access to countless other cultures and backgrounds. Countries and cultures around the world become intriguing rather than intimidating, and my students want to know more. Multilingual students can consume media from places they’ve never been and communicate with people they wouldn’t otherwise understand, with a level of comfort and awareness that transcends translation and helps them begin to understand how not the world is vast.
Language learning goes beyond advancing what a student already knows. Invaluably, it opens doors, expanding their understanding of what they don’t yet know. Language shapes how we see others and how we see ourselves. In an increasingly globalized world, multilingualism in education is more valuable than ever.
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