Get Schooled

By Ernest

January 31, 2007 08:11 AM | Link to this

Without question, our children need exposure to other languages so they can be prepared to communicate with others in this growing, global economy. The key statement in this article is this program is a pilot that is available to a few schools thus considered inequitable.

The obvious remedy is to spend more money on language classes. The obvious question is how do we pay for it. Do we cut an existing program? Raise taxes? Eliminate positions? Hard decisions would need to be made.

By KA

January 31, 2007 08:53 AM | Link to this

In a state as diverse as Georgia, we should be taking the national lead in teaching many languages, and Mexican Spanish, Mandarin and Arabic would be the most useful. There is a national need for multi-language speakers. No funds? Make it a pay as you go venture, and plenty of parents will pay. I can understand the reluctance of schools to fund foreign languages because they can’t even teach English to all of their students. They have failed to identify and help the illiterate and poor readers to get their reading skills up to grade level. My advice is to group the students by ability, not age. Provide remedial help in reading and math for the low performers. Offer accelerated classes and foreign languages for those who perform well. The best solution is usually the simplest one. However, when you instituionalize an industry, your priorities shift from serving the end users (students) and instead serve the institution and its administrators. We need to simplify the delivery of education in Georgia. Get rid of the institutions, the adminsitrative middle managers, and let the teachers teach so that the students can be educated instead of manipuilated. We’ll save money and produce better educated students.

By KA

January 31, 2007 09:00 AM | Link to this

Please excuse my typos, as I posted before proofing! Mea culpa.

By parentof3

January 31, 2007 09:04 AM | Link to this

I want my children to speak a second language so I pay for a tutor to teach them, the same way that I pay for piano lessons, swim lessons, baseball, and softball.

It would be lovely to have the govt pay for all these lessons and activities for my children, but I’m not waiting for that to happen. And I’m not willing to give up any of the few extras my school district provides in exchange. I don’t see how they can ever afford everything I want for my kids.

A couple of years ago, when we lived in California, our local school district hired a tutor to come to the school and teach Spanish after school to students in a classroom setting by age group. The fee was nominal. My children participated one year. The next year the program was cancelled due to lack of participation. Parents didn’t think it was a enough of a priority to pay the fee. Though they certainly paid willingly for lots of other things that seemed frivolous to me.

If parents really want language lessons for their children, there are alternatives to having a tax payer funded program mandated by the state. I’ve lived lots of places and sent my children to many different kinds of schools and I’ve rarely seen an elementary language program. Though I agree, that is the ideal.

I’ve always found like minded parents willing to join with me in hiring language tutors. A good place to start is a local university. Call the language department.

By mo

January 31, 2007 09:51 AM | Link to this

I am glad that there are some people who can afford language lessons.

Now, what about those children who will be competing in a global marketplace in the future… can they get some lessons too?

Now, this truly is serious. Within 4 years, the US will have to suffer something that will hurt our ecomony very badly… a labor force shortage. The baby-boomers are all retiring within a few years and the US will reduce manpower substantially. What that will do is drive the price of goods and services up, due to increased demand and limited supply of an American workforce.

Now, off-shoring is a great tool to keep comsumer goods and services low. Our manufacturing and services industries will predominantly by run via off-shoring, or by Spanish-speaking Latino workers. And the political structure will be changed due to increased Latino influence (along with the fact that the Latino population is growing at such a rate that they will be the majority within 15 years in the US.)

In order for our children to stay competitive, and for the US to maintain a strong economy, I believe that EVERY child needs to become bi-lingual… albeit Spanish, Hindi, Tamil, Mandarin, something! If not, the US workforce will not reflect the overall economic goals of this nation, and many may become unemployable.

My view is this: the LARGEST expenditure of any state, local, or national fiscal budget should go to education. I live in a school district that has a high tax rate, yet my school is always asking us to additional funds for this and that. And they get that money. Why? Because all of our kids’ future is important to me, not just my own children.

By Jonathan

January 31, 2007 09:56 AM | Link to this

I think the issue will become one of equity. Are students being provided an equitable education? Is foreign language an extracurricular or an essential? I would contend that the benefits and cross curricular gains from foreign language exposure make this a necessity. I would not expect fluency from any of these programs, however, an exposure provides a well roundedness to a student that is critical to functioning and succeeding in our world. It is only within the last few decades that foreign language disappeared from school curricula, we have allowed too many “mandated” programs to supplement basic, critical learning.

By ECLB

January 31, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this

Absolutely foreign language should be taught at the elementary level. How many studies need to be done showing the positive benefits of such instruction beginning at an early age? While there will never be enough money to make everyone happy in education, being able to compete on a global scale is important enough for me to make sure my kids have at least some exposure and direction in a foreign language. I don’t like the idea that only wealthy school districts/parents will be able to provide this important skill to their kids. Every child should be able to speak at least one foreign language by the time they graduate high school. If I look to my kids’ counterparts in other countries, by age 10 they have been receiving instruction in other languages already and I know of several children who graduated from their version of high school fluent in 2 foreign languages. Which child will be better able to compete on the global market—one who can only speak English, or one who is fluent in English and at least 1 other language? With all the political discussion about preparing the nation’s children for a global economy, doing away with foreign language is abominable.

By Stacey

January 31, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this

I think foreign language is a good idea for elementary school students but I understand the argument that there is just not enough time in the school day to cover everything. My son is in ASP at his school and they offer a variety of tutoring and classes at no additional cost. The ESOL teacher gives Spanish lessons once a week and my son loves it! There are a couple of kids in his class who primarily speak Spanish and he likes to try to chat with them.

By magyar-paprika

January 31, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this

Being 1st generation myself (my family is from Europe) I am very sensitive to cultural issues that separate new vs. older imigrants. Although English is my mother language, I have taken extraordinary efforts in learning several European languages (French, Italian, Hungarian) and it is surprising to see how well I am appreciated in my travels abroad. I have often heard comments such as “I didn’t know that Americans could speak our language that well”. Why should we force English on them so that they can “compete” in the global marketplace? Shouldn’t we encourage an element of linguistic competance? And there is no better time than in early childhood to teach and encourage second languge learning.

By decaturparent

January 31, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

OK, this is going to be harsh because I am firey mad about this issue.

I am completely baffled by Perdue’s idiocy. After all these years, I really just can’t understand how a guy that made it through vet school could be so stupid. Between him and Bush, they have managed to change me from being a diehard Republican to becoming a diehard Democrat. I am not the only one either!

Now, re foreigh language, anyone who researches the issue at all knows that instruction in foreign language improves achievement in all subjects. Such instruction also broadens children’s horizons and makes them more curious about and accepting of other cultures. That should be very important to all of us white folk since our precious middle class lily white children will be minorities in their adulthood. It would behoove them to be a little more accepting or else they are going to have to build their subdivision gates very high.

Also, anyone who spends a little time looking around would see that the U.S. is the only country that is not at least bilingual. Many countries are multilingual, such as Belguim, a country that kicks out behinds all over the place educationally.

My 4th grader has had Spanish everyday since kindergarten. It is by far her favorite subject. She hears Spanish nearly fluently and speaks fairly well, though she is a bit shy about it. In her class, her homeroom teacher goes on and on about how much Spanish instruction is helping them with Language Arts (in English.

Fortunately, our district will continue elementary Spanish instruction despite the folly of our governor because we fund the vast majority of it ourselves anyway. Also, we have to include foreigh language because it is required in our elementary Internaitonal Baccalaureate program. It just pains me to see that so many children will be denied this chance to expand their world.

Perhaps Sonny is smarter than I give him credit for. Perhaps he is taking foreign language away rather than expanding it because he doesn’t want any of our kids to be able to leave Georgia when they grow up. If he keeps our kids stupid, they have to stay here with their stupid peers because they can’t compete anywhere else.

By Truth Filter

January 31, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

Ernest raises a good point: If foreign language is required in ALL elementary school, what else gives? Science? Art? Music?

I made a couple of calls and one thing to keep in mind is that this was a pilot program, which apparently was never inteded to last this long. It was only helping a handful of schools.

I was also told that the task force that’s looking at the funding formula is including foreign language. But I don’t know where that is in the process.

I wonder if there is a way foreign language could be taught on-line or in a video-conference way. Just a thought at how it could work without huge costs.

By Jeff

January 31, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

If I could design P-16 education:

P: ABC’s, counting, BASIC reading and math (“The cat sleeps”, addition and subctraction of numbers 0 - 10), recess and “play/nap” time (no more than one hour per day, but no less than 45 min)

Elementary school: Grades 1 and 2: Writing, Reading, Math, and structured Physical Education classes (individual sports only at this point, mostly strength, cardio, and balance building excercises with a few competitions such as “who can do the most pushups” through in) Grades 3 - 5: Continue building on writing, reading and math. Students should be able to write a well reasoned two page paper before leaving elementary school. They need to be reading 200+ page books before leaving elementary school and doing basic pre-algebra in math (up through Order of Operations, with all number sets - including fractions and decimals). Add in basic science and social studies at this point. (45 min - 1 hr each per day) Students should understand basic science concepts, how a law is passed, and basic “civics/ government” type concepts before leaving elementary school. PE should still be structured, but should now focus on team sports (with continued use of individual excercises).

Middle School: Art and Music are introduced at this level. All four core subjects are now given equal time and effort. (Minimum 1 hour each per day). PE now also contains health information on sex ed, drug and alcohol abuse, and stress management. Students should begin to be allowed to decide what post-middle school track they want to be on, with them having the ultimate decision but with counselor and parent input.

High school: All students should complete basic courses in history, geography, algebra, geometry, eath science, physics, chemistry, US Government, and writing. Beyond this, specialization should be allowed depending on what the student wants to do post-HS. Tracks should be offered in as many areas as possible, with distance education utilized for schools that do not have enough individual students to feasibly offer the requested track.

Foreign language should not be offered until the HS level, and then only if the student selects it.

By Eric

January 31, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this

decaturparent:

Since you are so “firey mad about this issue” what in the bloody h#ll is your solution??

You don’t have to convince me that foreign language education in public schools is a good thing. Of course it is. But this is nothing more than Economics 101 - a resource allocation issue. There is a limited amount of funding avaliable and if you want one thing, you either must give something up or pay more. Which is it?

By catlady

January 31, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this

It isn’t just economics. It is also TIME during the school day.

By mmm

January 31, 2007 11:44 AM | Link to this

When will the priority be to increase the size of the pie for EVERYONE? Both the equity and the desirability of foreign language instruction in elementary school are valid concerns. The bottom line is that funding education is not a concern for our elected officials because the electorate in Georgia has ignorantly allowed tax breaks for every special interest to come before funding education.

As long as we blog against each other and only get excited if we are told our preferred program is to be dropped without noticing that the state only intends to partially meet it’s basic obligations to fund buildings (at 40% of need this year—an all-time low) or hasn’t restored the 2.5% cut they took as and “emergency” measure 7 years ago on EVERYTHING—-then we are as dumb as those national tests say we are.

By MrLiberty

January 31, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Hey Ernest,

Whatever happened to charging parents more for their kiids schoola? Why can’t parents just pay for outside foreign language training? Why do we keep giving more money to a system that is a complete failure?

By JustMe

January 31, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this

My dear Georgia citizens:

You all voted for this republican governor, so you must reap what you sow. It has never been a secret that repbulicans and perdue want to slash education budgets. I really hope that what is happening is not shocking to any one.

Perdue/republicans will continue to chip away at education from all fronts. In the meantime, they will continue to blame others for education’s failures.

Today, foreign language. Tomorrow, special education vouchers. After that, teacher health care and retirement. Who knows what will be next?

Mark my words! And, please, wise up before the next election!!!

By Lisa B.

January 31, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this

I love the idea of foreign language in elementary school, but have no idea how rural Georgia schools would find teachers. Also, what would we cut out of the currently jam-packed day to add foreign language? Already Middle and High school teacher decry the fact that so few elementary students have both Science and Social Studies every day. We only have PE twice per week, art once per week, and no music. Should we get rid of art and PE to make room for foreign language classes? We currently need MORE time for Language, Reading and Math, so I think it would be disasterous to cut down on those subjects. We’ve already gotten rid of recess.

I just don’t see the time. Legislation keeps adding things to our day, but never takes anything away.

By Jonathan

January 31, 2007 12:24 PM | Link to this

Two words - classroom management. In my obvservations of the operation of public middle and elementary schools, classroom management takes far too much time from traditional education.

The advantage of a one room school house concept is that students obtained all their education in one setting with little logistical issue. No moving to another class for specials, no traipsing to the cafeteria for lunch.

The principal at my son’s school was under the impression that the “pilot” was actually a “model” and would be expanded. In truth the resources required amount to a teacher, some texts and a rolling cart. As parents, we need to critically examine the merits of our curricula and demand performance. Students can and should be challenged more at every grade level.

By JustMe

January 31, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this

Mr. Liberty,

You are at it again and again. You come off as a complete loser when you blanket categorize education as a complete failure.

For many, many students, the current educational system is very much a success.

Get a clue!

By JustMe

January 31, 2007 12:26 PM | Link to this

Everyone, keep in mind that most colleges have a foreign language requirement. What are we doing to our children in GA if we proceed to eliminate all foreign language from our schools?

Has Purdue thought of that?

By amazed

January 31, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this

como se dice en espanol, “go fish georgia”? think sonny believes the bible was originally written in english?

By MrLiberty

January 31, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this

mmm,

Pretty free and loose with other people’s money aren’t you? So how much do you pay in school taxes per year? Now how many kids do expect the rest of society to pay for educating?

The state currently is wasting anywhere from $7500 to $9000 per child for education. I say wasting for 2 reasons. 1, the education they get is a waste, and 2, it could be done for a whole lot less per student if there were a free and private market for education in this country.

So for every kid you expect society to educate for you the rest of us need to come up with an additional $6500-$8000. Realistically most folks pay in the $1000 per year range. Even if you pay more, you darn well know it doesn’t even come close to what the state steals from the rest of us on your kids’ behalf. This money comes from business and commercial property taxes, income taxes, and the federal government (more income taxes). We all pay more for goods and services as a result, plus the additional amount we must all pay in taxes.

So why is it you can’t pay for your own kid’s education? And even if you don’t have kids, why do you think that it is morally ok to use the guns of government to steal on behalf of your desires?

People fight on this blog because education has been socialized. We are all forced to pay and yet we have no say whatsoever in the product, the quality, or how our money is spent.

Want to change the scenario from hatred and failure to success? Then change the system from government run charity schools to a system of private, voluntary charity supported schools for the poor and privately funded, privately run schools for the rest of society.

By lovelyliz

January 31, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this

The United States is the only industrialized country that doesn’t support learning at least a second language. I’ve lived all over the world and in many other Western, even in some third world countries, speaking only one language is looked down upon.

By HB

January 31, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

The idea that foreign language should wait until high school is absolutely wrong. The human brain’s ability to acquire language is far greater in childhood than later years. Knowing a specific foreign language, while definitely a good thing, is not the greatest benefit of teaching. As someone stated earlier, it improves performance in other subjects as well. It deepens the way a child learns and improves critical thinking. Math, for instance, is not just about learning to add and memorizing formulas. I rarely use geometry in my day to day life, but I have no doubt that learning to work through proofs in 9th grade improved my critical thinking skills and helps me to solve problems that seem totally unrelated to math. Knowing a second language also makes picking up additional languages easier because kids don’t just learn the language — they learn how to learn the language. I actually don’t know many people who are bilingual because the many people I know who have mastered a second language, are proficient in at least a third language as well.

By jim d

January 31, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

I truly fear many of you are failing to see the learger picture here.

Sonny is marching lock-step with Bush II and our wonderful Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle to pass laws and funding bills to dismantle public education not only in Georgia but the entire nation. And THAT my friends is all this is—A frontal attack on our public education system. Throw Sen. Eric Johnson’s sponsored SB 10 (voucher legislation) that passed the Senate education committee last week by a 5-4 vote, and we’ve got trouble folks, Yes indeed we have Trouble right here in River City. Spell that T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

By decaturparent

January 31, 2007 01:44 PM | Link to this

Eric, actally, in all honesty, I’m not firey mad anymore - actually it’s sort of comical now the the morning caffiene has worn off. My kids’ district will maintain foreign language instruction because we funded most of it anyway and because IB requires it. It just irritates the heck out of me that our government is too shortsighted to see that foreign language instruction is just as important as other subjects in the so called “global economy.” It’s a philosophical issue. Perhaps the reason that I am so bugged is that I attended grade school outside of Georgia, so I’m used to having leaders who give a rip about having educated citizens. I just can’t get used to the Georgia mentality. Foreign language was a given when I was growing up and in public school. So was art, music, p.e. and Heaven forbid… even recess.

Either we want to be part of the global economy or we don’t…. apparently we don’t.

By decaturparent

January 31, 2007 02:04 PM | Link to this

Mr. Liberty,

I am not sure how old you are, but I get the impression that you are older than me That means that for years my family has paid a handsome sum for YOUR future Social Security, YOUR Medicare and YOUR prescriptions. My children that you are so loathe to educate will also soon be paying for your retirement, healthcare and medicine, yet I doubt that I or much less they will see any benefit at all when they retire.

For the sake of argument, if you proudly state that you do not need SS or prescription drug benefits or Medicaid… well, someone needs to drive the economy that provides the investment profit that supports your retirement. That someone would be my kids and their peers.

Perhaps it would behoove you to be a bit more interested in their education.

Also, I calculate that our family will have paid at least $500,000 (present value) in property taxes alone over our lifetimes. That more than pays for my children’s public or private school education so you can rest assured that we have covered ourselves and are in no way indebted to you and your forced generosity.

By IC

January 31, 2007 02:05 PM | Link to this

y’alls alredy speekin a forin languge.

i’s jus whesen y’alld lern da ta talk amerikin.

By mmm

January 31, 2007 04:02 PM | Link to this

Thank you for defending me Decaturparent.

Mr.Liberty—-you are advocating that there is no collective interest in educating our population—are you not?

Go read some quotes from our founding fathers about how important an educated citizenry is if this countries experiment in democracy is to succeed. It is precisely because people saw a danger in having only “charity” workhouse schools and private tutors for the affluent that the “common school” movement gained traction in the early 1800’s.

Would you also presume to stop funding prisons—-they cost $60,000 per year. Why don’t you read today’s editorial about. Opps! I forgot—-taking care of children doesn’t seem to rate very high in your value system.

By Jim Ragan

January 31, 2007 04:26 PM | Link to this

Right now, Governor Sonny “Do-Nothing” Perdue is now 0 for 2 since his re-election (which, face it people, was nothing but a “lesser of the two evils race”). First, he opposes giving counties and their residents a right to vote on store alcohol sales on Sundays (Note Mr. Perdue: The Puritan Age is LONG OVER!!) and now he wants to cut funding to elem. schools for foreign language studies. While I am certainly in favor of English being spoken in our country first, at the same time, our young children should have the opportunity to learn a vast number of other languages at their choosing. For example, with China becoming a major economic power in the coming years, learning Mandarin Chinese would be an asset, in addition to learning other languages such as Japanese (another economic reason), and languages such as French and Spanish for conversational purposes. Mr. Perdue needs to realize that this is not a 1960’s or 1970’s Georgia anymore-this is 2007, we have hosted a Summer Olympics (1996), two Super Bowls, and if we were a country, Georgia would be the 17th ranked economy in the world.

By JustMe

January 31, 2007 04:46 PM | Link to this

I am sure that Perdue has nothing really against learning foreign languages. He simply wants to find a way to axe away at the education budget. He will continue to do this, along with any and all republicans, until we Georgians wise up and elect ANYONE else.

He has to reduce education spending so that he can continue to give tax breaks to the wealthy. After all, those are the ones that bought his election for him!

By kris

January 31, 2007 05:00 PM | Link to this

I think it would be a shame to take away our childrens learning potential.

By decaturparent

January 31, 2007 05:11 PM | Link to this

Well, my understanding is that virtually every school district in the state plans on joining the school funding lawsuit within the next year.. even the metro area districts.

Every single school district suing the pants off of Sonny. Kinda warms my lawyer heart!

I guess we can call these plaintiffs the Sonny Sue list!

It’s a shame that school districts have to bring a lawsuit to get a fair shake… but afterall it is Georgia. I can bet it wins too. Over two thirds of such lawsuits have been successful when they based the suit on an “adequate education” argument.

So go on Sonny - keep cutting funding .. it just helps the plaintiff’s case.

By teach overseas

January 31, 2007 05:15 PM | Link to this

Decaturparent-

As I teach overseas, all the schools I have worked in have been IB world schools, meaning they offer the IB programs throughout the schools.

While I think the PYP is great and especially so for the foreign language requirement, keep in mind that the IB programs were designed for kids primarily from middle and upper middle class backgrounds. The program works great with kids who come to school reading and ready to learn. It works great with parents who actively suport the learning environment and take an active interest and who, by and large, by into the program’s philosophy.

This is does not describe the vast majority of public school children in Georgia today. And as long as special needs (ESOL included) are federally mandated, they will have to be funded at all costs.

I agree with everyone here, foreign languages are important, but also with everyone else, what do you cut in the budget and time in the school day for it? I don’t think it’s about a Republican or a Democrat or any crap educrat. There are only so many hours in the day and so many dollars to be spent.

By Lisa B.

January 31, 2007 05:24 PM | Link to this

KA,

When most of us were in elementary school, we didn’t spend an hour everyday on Writer’s Workshop. The America’s Choice program mandated an hour of writing per day in addition to an hour of reading and a half hour of language skills. When America’s Choice went by the wayside, the Georgia Performance Standards mimicked the standards of America’s Choice, including the hour of daily writing. While I agree that writing skills are extremely important, I also worry about what we gave up to get that hour. I am not sure we need the entire hour, every single day, to achieve our objectives. Many students waste quite a bit of time during that hour. Some days are more productive than others.

By CBL

January 31, 2007 05:28 PM | Link to this

American students today are at a disadvantage compared to students from the rest of the world when it comes to graduating and gaining employment with an international company. I have friends from all over Europe who speak at least two languages, sometimes three or four. Bi-lingualism is praised immensely here, but abroad, it’s just the norm.

Georgia’s kids need language education if Georgia schools are to continue to rise from the bottom of the heap of American public schools.

By Taylor

January 31, 2007 05:34 PM | Link to this

I agree that the state should continue funding foreign language studies in elementary school. I am now fluent in Spanish mainly due to my education in the primary grades. In order for us to become true global citizens, I believe that we need to be familiar with languages other than our own.

By Tom Buffer

January 31, 2007 06:08 PM | Link to this

Knowledge of a foreign language(s) for an individual is a good thing in more ways than one. The person can benefit in the business world, appreciate other cultures, benefit when traveling or even better understand his or her own native tongue. Foreign language, like history, arts, social sciences, or athletics, should be part of a school curriculum and should be taught at an early age. However I am against using American tax payer dollars to fund unilingual or full immersion language programs that discourage or prevent a person from learning or using English in America. Every person attending an American school should be required to properly learn the English language. Every person living in a country should be required to learn the host country’s language after a couple of years - no exceptions.

By KA

February 1, 2007 09:34 AM | Link to this

Lisa, I am not sure which of my comments you were commenting on. My point is that we need to educate our kids in foreign languages. Let the kids who master the basic material move onto accelerated classes and foreign language instruction. Take the time to help the poorly performing students up to grade level. Why can’t elementary schools have menu options that allow the best students to move ahead?

By thomas

February 1, 2007 04:55 PM | Link to this

I have to say I agree with Lisa B. on America’s Choice. America Choice is insulting and ridicuous to any real, competent teacher. America’s Choice was designed to hamstring and bind people who were assumed to be morons. A competent teacher knows how to plan their lessons, using the state curriculum. A competent teacher knows basic classroom management and the instructional skills necessary to provide quality lessons to their students. Requiring teachers to have “standards boards”, write lesson notes on big pads to serve as “artifacts” to be posted around the room, and all of the myriad of other silly requirements such as “reading reflection logs”, “math journals”, folders for “work in progress”, “unfinished work”, and “published work” are asinine.

The whole thing is sickening.

By thomas

February 1, 2007 05:25 PM | Link to this

I think the issue of foreign language in ALL schools is pointless. This is from a man who is learning REAL spanish— the ability to communicate in a foreign language via oral and written means.

The way foreign language is taught in American schools is like any other subject. Students listen to lectures, read textbooks, solve problems at the end of the chapter, complete reams of worksheets, take quizzes and tests, and watch an occasional video.

Even after years of attending Spanish, French, German, etc. classes MOST students are totally unable to have a basic conversation with a native speaker.

So, what is the point of taking foregin language classes? To learn the names of some colors and a few basic items, such as pencil, book, or cat? It seems to me that foreign language requirements in hign school and college are just additional hoops and extra work designed to make it more difficult to succeed in those environments. At the elementary level, foreign language is just a cutesy gimmick with no real lasting value to the students who take the classes. The students soon forget the meaningless, disjointed phrases they “learned.”

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT VERY PEOPLE EVER TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE UNLIKE THEMSELVES. If you do not speak the language, regardless of your studies (that’s all that really is, study), you will “lose” it.

By Marge

February 2, 2007 09:33 AM | Link to this

Comments: As a high-school teacher of foreign languages (specifically, German), I have taught some students who received the benefit of the elementary immersion programs, as well as many who have not. The difference in performance between the two groups is undeniable. Those with the elementary background come with a basic fluency and are ready to learn higher-level concepts in the target language, and grammar is contextualized within a communicative framework that fosters critical thinking. In many cases, their peers will never develop the same level of communicative proficiency. In addition, young multilinguals show flexibility in their thinking that is rare among the general populace; presumably, proficiency in more than one system of communication enhances brain development.

Gone are the days when this type of development is a frill; in a global, post-9-11 existence, we will need students with proficiency in multiple languages if we are to remain competitive. In any setting involving the global society, monolingualism is a decided disadvantage; business deals have been lost because the bilingual and trilingual have unwittingly favored each other over the monolingual, and monolingual anglophones have found themselves lost when the people with whom they were negotiating began to converse in some other tongue. And every language is valuable in some setting or other! Therefore, students should be exposed to a palette of languages from which to choose, and serious linguists should attempt eventually to master at least three languages.

I rarely hear people questioning the value of encouraging, even expecting, our students to complete courses in the higher mathematics. Of course, higher math skills are vital for some people; but let’s consider the fact that many will not find them useful. Foreign-language skills, on the other hand, most likely will prove at least as essential for at least as many people in various walks of life. Isn’t it time we took a critical look at our current priorities and matched them against the needs of our nation?