Should foreign language be a required to graduate high school?

[Epsilon Delta]

I say: Of course. In fact, at one of my schools one was REQUIRED to take THREE languages, english, a 2nd one (Spanish or French) and a third (they offered like 12, I took Japanese) from 7th to 10th grade. And then in Costa Rica, English is a required course all through school as well (obviously alongside Spanish).

The way I see it: Fuck, if GYM class is mandatory, you might as well stick a foreign language in there.

 

[Epsilon Delta]

Exactly, and learning another language in schools helps you learn more about our language. For example, double negatives and never done in English, but they are done in Spanish all the time. English is one of the most difficult languages to learn, in Japanese, a chicken is a chicken, not a hen or a rooster. If it weren't for their 3 written languages, Japanese would be one of the easiest languages to learn.

Another awesome thing about Japanese: its a lot like Spanish in that vowels actually have standarized sounds!!! Oh my god!! Its so great! an "O" is always an "O" and an "A" is always an "A", and "E" is never an "I" or an "AY" or an "EE"- English is made ridiculously hard by the fact that any given letter in the alphabet has some 5 different ways it can sound. I mean "Enough"!? "OUGH" = "UF"?! What the HELL is that!? Oprah and Opera? Oupra and Auhhhpera? It's so annoying!

 

[Againsheila]

Exactly, and learning another language in schools helps you learn more about our language. For example, double negatives and never done in English, but they are done in Spanish all the time. English is one of the most difficult languages to learn, in Japanese, a chicken is a chicken, not a hen or a rooster. If it weren't for their 3 written languages, Japanese would be one of the easiest languages to learn.

Another awesome thing about Japanese: its a lot like Spanish in that vowels actually have standarized sounds!!! Oh my god!! Its so great! an "O" is always an "O" and an "A" is always an "A", and "E" is never an "I" or an "AY" or an "EE"- English is made ridiculously hard by the fact that any given letter in the alphabet has some 5 different ways it can sound. I mean "Enough"!? "OUGH" = "UF"?! What the HELL is that!? Oprah and Opera? Oupra and Auhhhpera? It's so annoying!

I saw a comedienne once that said, you know that little word next to the word in the dictionary? The phonetic spelling of the word? That's how we should spell the word!

 

[N4mddissent]

I a global marketplace, knowing at least one foreign language is a virtue, as it smoothes relations with foreign clients. Learning another language also helps to understand your own. The problem is not that it's required, but when it's taught. By high school, most people have firmly rooted themselves in their primary language.

Yes, on the contary although if you are working at an inner country job that doesnt require foreign language, then thats the whole point of not wasting a whole year or maybe two years when it could help us academically in another area.

However, younger brains are more...malleable in the ways of language. If foreign languages were taught in elementary school, they could be taught faster and more thoroughly, and they would be more likely to retain that knowledge, with high school level courses being more like high school level English courses, concentrating on the subtleties of the language rather than basic syntax and vocabulary.

Thats true as well, but why prepare for something that may not happen in the future. So its like preparing ourselves for a nuclear attack from anywhere, possibly al-quadea, in the end the u.s. government will stop and protect us and so its like a waste of time...

But of course, it is not unusual for people to have no idea what they will be doing or will want to be doing before they graduate high school. If they have a second language and never use it, perhaps it was a waste. However, if they do not have a second language, it may result in lost opportunities. Perhaps a job they never considered could appear but requires a second language (not unusual in a global marketplace). Maybe speaking a second language leads them find the love of their life who happens to live elsewhere. Maybe it allows them to read non-English websites and get early news that allows them to make wiser investments. Maybe it saves their life on vacation or just helps them find that off the map place that makes the trip memorable.

I think the risk of wasting 2 high school credits for foreign language is a net plus when weighing potential waste vs. potential opportunity. And let's be a little more grounded. Seriously, comparing 2 high school credits to preparing the entire nation for a nuclear attack by terrorists in terms of potential wasted effort?

 

[editec]

Should foreign language be a required to graduate high school?

No.

It should be required to graduate from elementary school.

THAT'S where we should be teaching our kids foreign languages.

By the time kids are entering high school, they're forgetting how to speak their mother tongue and inventing their own language.

 

[Epsilon Delta]

Exactly, and learning another language in schools helps you learn more about our language. For example, double negatives and never done in English, but they are done in Spanish all the time. English is one of the most difficult languages to learn, in Japanese, a chicken is a chicken, not a hen or a rooster. If it weren't for their 3 written languages, Japanese would be one of the easiest languages to learn.

Another awesome thing about Japanese: its a lot like Spanish in that vowels actually have standarized sounds!!! Oh my god!! Its so great! an "O" is always an "O" and an "A" is always an "A", and "E" is never an "I" or an "AY" or an "EE"- English is made ridiculously hard by the fact that any given letter in the alphabet has some 5 different ways it can sound. I mean "Enough"!? "OUGH" = "UF"?! What the HELL is that!? Oprah and Opera? Oupra and Auhhhpera? It's so annoying!

I saw a comedienne once that said, you know that little word next to the word in the dictionary? The phonetic spelling of the word? That's how we should spell the word!

Hahaha, and he's totally right. Seriously... Cost but lost but Host or Coast? You take a vow but wield a bow? How cow now or low... dough? Why not DOW?!? Frustrating.

Ok, I'll shut it now.

 

[Againsheila]

Should foreign language be a required to graduate high school?

No.

It should be required to graduate from elementary school.

THAT'S where we should be teaching our kids foreign languages.

By the time kids are entering high school, they're forgetting how to speak their mother tongue and inventing their own language.

Amen to that!

 

[Againsheila]

Another awesome thing about Japanese: its a lot like Spanish in that vowels actually have standarized sounds!!! Oh my god!! Its so great! an "O" is always an "O" and an "A" is always an "A", and "E" is never an "I" or an "AY" or an "EE"- English is made ridiculously hard by the fact that any given letter in the alphabet has some 5 different ways it can sound. I mean "Enough"!? "OUGH" = "UF"?! What the HELL is that!? Oprah and Opera? Oupra and Auhhhpera? It's so annoying!

I saw a comedienne once that said, you know that little word next to the word in the dictionary? The phonetic spelling of the word? That's how we should spell the word!

Hahaha, and he's totally right. Seriously... Cost but lost but Host or Coast? You take a vow but wield a bow? How cow now or low... dough? Why not DOW?!? Frustrating.

Ok, I'll shut it now.

If the plural of goose is geese, why isn't the plural of moose, meese? If the plural of mouse is mice, how come the plural of house isn't hice?

What, when where, why, who....where is the h sound in who?

 

[elvis]

If it WERE required, they should require at least four years. Two years of foreign language does almost nothing.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I a global marketplace, knowing at least one foreign language is a virtue, as it smoothes relations with foreign clients. Learning another language also helps to understand your own. The problem is not that it's required, but when it's taught. By high school, most people have firmly rooted themselves in their primary language.

Yes, on the contary although if you are working at an inner country job that doesnt require foreign language, then thats the whole point of not wasting a whole year or maybe two years when it could help us academically in another area.

However, younger brains are more...malleable in the ways of language. If foreign languages were taught in elementary school, they could be taught faster and more thoroughly, and they would be more likely to retain that knowledge, with high school level courses being more like high school level English courses, concentrating on the subtleties of the language rather than basic syntax and vocabulary.

Thats true as well, but why prepare for something that may not happen in the future. So its like preparing ourselves for a nuclear attack from anywhere, possibly al-quadea, in the end the u.s. government will stop and protect us and so its like a waste of time...

For one thing, it's always a good idea not to limit your ability to communicate to just one group of people. In this day and age, even in the US, you WILL encounter people with whom another language would be helpful.

Also, I have found that learning another language is actually quite helpful in increasing your ability with English, because it forces you to think about how language works and why.

Bottom line, it's easier to learn these things while you're still in high school, rather than trying to pick them up later as an adult.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I think at least two years, preferably 4. At the same time, I will say that being deaf I have not been able to ever study a language to the point where I can speak it fluently. I have been able to read quite abit of both French and Spanish, so not a waste by any means.

One of the languages I learned in school - although it's not technically "foreign" - was ASL, and I've been grateful ever since. It has made me extra-valuable both to employers and to grateful customers and co-workers.

 

[Cecilie1200]

No. It should be a choice, not a demand, even though I think it's a good idea to take a foriegn language.

If you're born in America, grow up in America, educated in America, and live and work your life in America, there shouldn't ever be a NEED for you to know a foriegn language.

Yes, because no one ever immigrates here, or anything.

 

[Cecilie1200]

There are several reasons to require it, in my opinion. Not the least of which is the fact that those who are bilingual or know even more languages are less likely to suffer severe depression as teens that causes so many of our young to commit suicide.

I have fun talking with my younguns in ASL (American Sign Language), but they never really caught on to Russian, I have high hopes for that later.

I would prefer language to be introduced much younger than in High School when many have already lost the real ability to absorb a language in full.

ASL was my husband's language requirement in college, and I learned it as a kid. We talk to each other using it when we don't want the kids to follow the conversation, because they both learned to spell at a really early age. Now they research ASL signs on the Internet to try to eavesdrop.

Funny story. My husband and his then-fiancee were eating lunch in the Student Union of their college, and he propositioned her in sign language. The guy at the next table got all shocked and upset and walked away. That afternoon, they went to their first ASL class of the semester, and found out that he was their new professor. Whoops!

 

[editec]

Rosetta Project is probably one of the world's most prolific publishers of books translated from English into other languages.

I think in 2008 we created, and published for free online reading, over 100 translated books.

I studied Spanish for five years and managed to finally at the end of five wasted years I got a gentleman's C in Spanish II.

Ironic isn't it?

 

[Cecilie1200]

Rosetta Project is probably one of the world's most prolific publishers of books translated from English into other languages.

I think in 2008 we created, and published for free online reading, over 100 translated books.

I studied Spanish for five years and managed to finally at the end of five wasted years I got a gentleman's C in Spanish II.

Ironic isn't it?

I'm afraid I missed the irony inherent in your inability to get good grades.

 

[William Joyce]

I'd require Latin.

 

[seamouse]

well.................i think i am a ninja!!!! (|:|)

 

[grim]

well.................i think i am a ninja!!!! (|:|)

wtf

 

[BrianH]

If it WERE required, they should require at least four years. Two years of foreign language does almost nothing.

Agreed, but even four years will do nothing if you don't use it. I had to take 6 years of Spanish between high school and college and I still can't speak it. I could speak it fairly well during my college Spanish classes, but the minute you stop using it, it's gone.

 

[mightypeon]

That reminds me of an old East German Joke,

How can you tell the personality of a person from the foreign language he choose to learn first?

Easy, the Pessimist learned Russian, the Optimist learned English, the womenizer learned French and the smart guy learned Chinese.