As an English teacher at an international elementary school and a language student, I often think about how many K-12 students in the United States have the opportunity to study another language in school. The answer? Is not sufficient.
There are a number of research organizations that collect data on the study of foreign languages and multilingualism in the US. However, with insufficient and lagging data from schools, this research has its limitations. Research at the national level is also relatively rare: the most recent in-depth study of US language education was published in 2017, with data from less than half of the country’s K-12 schools.
While our understanding of language education is incomplete, we know that the majority of K-12 students in American public schools do not have the opportunity to study an additional language in order to become proficient. Without a national standard or requirement, foreign language enrollment and assessment varies widely by state, but Edweek reported in 2017 that one in five K-12 students in the US were studying a world language or American Sign Language.
Although there are several strong language programs across the country, a 2016 report report published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences showed evidence of declines in foreign language course offerings in primary schools and middle schools Through the years. And only 11 states had foreign language graduation requirements under a national survey Foreign Language K-16 Enrollment Guide published in 2017 by the American Councils for International Education. Of the small portion of the US that identifies as multilingual, only a small percentage report acquiring the additional language in a school setting, which emphasizes how few students successfully learn another language through their K-12 education.
The result is a largely monolingual population, in a largely multilingual world. According to the United States Census Bureau, 78 percent of the US population speaks only English. as of 2019. This is not surprising given that many public school students in the US do not have the opportunity to learn a new language in school until 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, do not have the opportunity until the end of their education, if at all.
a late start
Like many students, the opportunity to learn another language did not present itself to me until I was a teenager. My high school offered an introductory French course, and I was not enthusiastic about it. Not only did it seem impossible to learn French, it seemed irrelevant. I had no plans to leave the US, 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 taking several classes, I could not speak French nor could I understand any exchange of conversation, however brief. I chalked it up to being “too old” to learn a new language (a common misconception, which some investigative disputes).
In college six years later, with a foreign language requirement to complete my degree, I studied German with a passionate bilingual educator, an accomplished polyglot and linguist. I entered the course with a fixed mindset: I had already failed to learn a new language at a younger age and had no expectations of success this time. I feared for my GPA. My teacher, perhaps sensing my concern, patiently and in detail illustrated the benefits of language learning, as well as the science behind language acquisition, demonstrating daily the extensive connections between languages and the many purposes of multilingualism.
With a newly developed understanding of the relevance of language learning, I found myself conversing fluently in German in less than a year. Today, more than ten years after my first French class, I am fluent in Mandarin, Chinese, and studying a fourth language. This positive experience, and the teacher who made it possible, drastically altered the course of my education and career, inspiring me to study applied linguistics and eventually become a language teacher.
Social perceptions of foreign languages shape politics and education, continuing a cycle of monolingualism that cannot be broken without serious change. National educational leaders must 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 advantages of multilingualism
Motivation is a very influential factor that contributes to a learner’s success with language acquisition: if you don’t see the relevance, you probably won’t learn the language. But in my experience, many Americans perceive learning a new language as meaningless or impractical.
There are persistent myths that prevent students’ motivation to learn an additional language. There is how there is an ideal age window to learn another language and if you are not in it, you are out of luck. There is another who says that learning a new language will inhibit the acquisition and retention of your first language. But these barriers are just that: myths. In reality, the advantages of a multilingual education extend well beyond the acquisition of a new language, and include benefits that go beyond communication entirely.
Multilingualism has obvious links to creativity and cognitive flexibility and can even shape our thinking, determining how we access and categorize concepts. Studying several languages is also shown to contribute to academic achievement both in language and non-linguistic areas. And research also shows cognitive benefits in areas like work memory and even possibly delay the onset of dementia through increased executive control.
Here’s some good news. Contrary to popular belief, studying another language is not an all or nothing game. The advantages of language learning do not begin or end with fluency. Even children who are simply exposed to another language show communication advantagesbecause learning or actively listening to another language can make us more effective communicators and better able to see other perspectives.
You don’t necessarily have to leave the US to take advantage of multilingualism. Although the majority of the population is monolingual, the United States is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the worldwith over 350 languages spoken within its borders, including a large number of indigenous and heritage languages.
English speakers have an advantage as English is used as the lingua franca in countries all over the world and it is great to have the ability to communicate with people from all over the world through English. But it’s also important to recognize that English-only communication is limited. monolingual English speakers skip in a host of economic and cultural opportunities, such as developing a deeper understanding of intercultural communication, opportunities to work or study abroad, or gain employment with international companies.
The change we need
A primary goal of education is to prepare young people with the skills they will need in the future, whether to continue their education or find employment, but predicting which skills will be most beneficial is challenging. One thing is certain: there is unsatisfied demand for multilingual employees in fields including business, national defense, science, and more. Offering more language courses in America’s public schools, especially in elementary and secondary schools, will prepare our students for a multitude of opportunities today, as well as those we may not yet anticipate.
Language education is already a global priority, but it remains inaccessible to the majority of students and teachers in the US. Foreign language courses are often cut in response 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 the prerequisites for studying foreign languages, reinforcing the notion that language skills are dispensable.
As an English language educator, it is easy to see the benefits of language learning in helping students develop creative problem solving and communication skills to develop the ability to consider multiple perspectives. The students I teach have the opportunity to gain knowledge in two or more languages and, as a result, are deeply curious about the world outside of their personal experiences.
Beyond learning to communicate with exponentially more people in the world, learning new languages broadens my students’ access to countless other cultures and contexts. Countries and cultures around the world become intriguing instead of intimidating, and my students want to learn more. Multilingual learners can consume media from places they’ve never been and communicate with people they might not otherwise understand, with a level of comfort and awareness that transcends translation and helps them begin to understand just how big the world is.
Language learning goes beyond advancing what a student already knows. Invaluably, it opens doors, expanding their understanding of what they don’t already 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.
