In today’s New York Times, Joseph Burger writes about a new turn in American education: an increase of foreign language programs starting as early as kindergarten. Fairfax and Loudon counties in VA, cities in New York and a slew of others are increasing foreign language skills among their students. It is evident that younger children are able to learn a second language quicker and easier compared to high school students, even though high school, until recently, was the first opportunity to learn a second language.
I applaud these school program efforts as it is undeniable that we are moving towards a globally integrated world. For far too long, America has been known for the monolingualism of its education system. Most other countries around the world have been teaching their children dual or multiple languages, but we have chosen to teach English only until students are in high school. This misses a critical opportunity to exploit the natural spongelike ability of younger students to soak everything up – therefore it is essential to start teaching at an early age.
The fact is that we need to be able to communicate, to understand languages and cultures of the world around us. We are no longer closed off to other countries but are integrated economically and socially. It is important that we make sincere efforts to close the language gap and learn in a style that will not only keep us integrated but also competitive for the global world we live in today.
-Courtney Haynes | Fellow
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