Should our students be required to learn more than just one foreign language?

[addiv]

Making a few years of French, German and Spanish mandatory on schools can do no harm. It's not like most people are going to 'learn' any, or more than one of those languages anyway. It will just give them a bit of exposure to different cultures, which is never a bad thing.

 

[MrPresident]

You have a language now?

I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[Mise]

I don't think we should be forced to learn a foreign language, especially if we only start in Secondary school (aged 11-16), since it's so damn hard (for me anyway). In primary school (4-11), we should be encouraged to begin learning a foreign language in addition to the three R's etc, but not forced. At this age, it should be the parents' decision. At age 11, it should be my decision, having (hopefully) done a load of the language in Primary schools.

Something that is absolutely criminal is being forced to learn a dead or dying language in school, such as Welsh, which I will never ever ever ever use ever.

 

[addiv]

Something that is absolutely criminal is being forced to learn a dead or dying language in school, such as Welsh, which I will never ever ever ever use ever.

Wow, I wonder what phoenix_night has to say about this . And how about Latin or Greek then, learning those languages has its use.

 

[Mise]

Wow, I wonder what phoenix_night has to say about this . And how about Latin or Greek then, learning those languages has its use.

Limited uses. Latin is hardly as useful as French or German. And Welsh is, for me, completely useless. My point was that I should never have been forced to learn a language that people in England don't have to learn.

 

[insurgent]

It is compulsory to learn at least two foreign languages in Denmark - English and either French or German.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

Ditto Norway- English and either French, German, Russian or Spanish. (exception: You can take advanced english instead of a third.)

I think it's always a very good idea to learn foreign languages. It promotes bigotry and intolerance to only know one, especially if its "because our language is better in some way" or "not worth learning that puny language", and knowing several languages exposes one to different cultures in addition to opening new ways of thinking- some ideas can only be expressed in certain languages.

Disclaimer: YES; I realize that this view can also be called biased, please don't call it that, I'm using the "argue from the other end of the scale" method to counter the bigots of the other side.

I speak english and norwegian fluently, can get by with some hand-waving in Germany, and am currently due to study two more languages (Quenya and either French or Spanish.)
Language is a wonderful thing. Learn some more.

Yes, in schools as it is languages are often taught by rote and with standard phrases that one forgets, or taught otherwise poorly. If you see this, you have no excuse- go learn it yourself. Don't let school get in the way of your education. Learn, and you'll get a reward from it.

Yes, I'm speaking as an elitist snob who not only thinks but knows he's better than most of the rest of the world. It's fun. And I'm only 15.

 

[thestonesfan]

Making a few years of French, German and Spanish mandatory on schools can do no harm. It's not like most people are going to 'learn' any, or more than one of those languages anyway. It will just give them a bit of exposure to different cultures, which is never a bad thing.

It can do harm if I don't want to take French, Spanish, or German.

 

[Colonel]

Making a few years of French, German and Spanish mandatory on schools can do no harm. It's not like most people are going to 'learn' any, or more than one of those languages anyway. It will just give them a bit of exposure to different cultures, which is never a bad thing.

it can do harm in the fact that a student could possibly be learning something that they may actually use in life such Math, Science, thier OWN language, History, or someother non required but USEFUL classes such as industrial tech, shop, and yes even how to feed themselves (and yes i know some teenagers who cant cook if there life depended on it). funny i can make an arguement with just about anything even if i dont agree with it, i actually think kids should get at least one year of any language they choose and thats all if they wanna keep going fine but one year lol

 

[downtown]

I think this depends on where you live. In Europe, I can see where this would be useful, since the odds of a student traveling, and using those skills are much more then they are in America.
Currently, most American students have to take 2 years of a foreign language. Most kids take either Spanish or French. Some schools have latin and german programs.

I think it might be a good idea to start kids in the states learning those languages earlier, say, 5th grade, and have more schools have latin programs. It really helps with ones English skills, (yes yes, I know Enlgish wasnt derived from latin, but a ton of our words come from it), and it will make learning another romance language much easier

 

[philippe]

From family i know west-flemmish
I know AN,( Dutch in its less used form )
I learn french english and next year German.
THE HORROR!

 

[thestonesfan]

Yeah, I'd definately want to take English if it wasn't my native language. Here, there isn't much use for anything else. If I was European, I'd probably want to know German and French.

 

[JMK]

Thinking and speaking foreign langages is great, it open your mind.
But I agree people who does not want to learn, should not.

 

[Colonel]

Yeah, I'd definately want to take English if it wasn't my native language. Here, there isn't much use for anything else. If I was European, I'd probably want to know German and French.

NO u wouldnt trust me if u dont learn english from the start u are screwed especially american english which is really screwed up u just dont notice cause its native to u

Funny if u are in england a Rubber is an eraser but we all know what a rubber is in america

 

[test_specimen]

No one should be forced to participate in intellectual activity. Everyone should have free choice, even if this choice is ignorance.

 

[thestonesfan]

NO u wouldnt trust me if u dont learn english from the start u are screwed especially american english which is really screwed up u just dont notice cause its native to u

Funny if u are in england a Rubber is an eraser but we all know what a rubber is in america

what the hell is wrong with this kid?

 

[Colonel]

ok i tried responding to this like 5 times but i couldnt stop laughing ok this is now the funniest combo of similes i have ever seen

 

[phoenix_night]

Wow, I wonder what phoenix_night has to say about this .

Not much actually...Well, Mise represents the language in a misleading way, but I don't mind if he has an opinion. Personally, I was perfectly happy to have it at school...though I'm guessing that Mise's problem probably stems from the fact that he learned Welsh as a secondary language whereas for me it was my first language.

Also, unlike Mise, I have no plans to move to Ingurlund...

 

[Sanaz]

You're all joking, right? I speak 3 languages fluently, if I get the chance I will learn more.

Not bad in theory, but in America people ar elucky to ever even meet someone who speaks another language in every day life, except maybe Spanish in some places. Remember countries like Sweden are about the size of California, so if you ever leave your home state (country), you will immediately be around people speaking a new language. In the US, you need to spend a lot of money and cross an ocean to speak a new language, for the most part. There are pockets of French and Spanish speaking, and people who live in those areas usually do learn English and one other language. But it is unusual for anyone to have enough exposure to even a second language on a regular basis to become proficient.

There's a reason that Americans seem so out of touch with the world, and it is mostly geographic. Surounded by two oceans and Mexico/Canada, and it's such a big country by itself, there isn't always enough reason to leave. When Europeans come to the US the first time, they are usually amazed at how big it is.

 

[amadeus]

Let's at least stop teaching Spanish, French, and German. The world isn't that Eurocentric anymore. There are other countries.