Language Education

Language programs have taken cuts, from pre-k to college level. Only 20% of K-12 schools in the U.S. teach a second language. Even then, only 10 states require second language credits to graduate. When compared to 92% in Europe, that looks pretty bleak. It is difficult to reopen programs once they’re closed. A decrease in interest will likely follow when second language programs are shut down (De Montlaur).

Demand for Spanish education is on the rise, especially for preschoolers. Parents want to teach their children a second language as early as 12 months old. During that age, the brain soaks in new languages like a sponge. It has been shown that children with a second language score higher in literacy and other standardized tests. One that learns a second language early is also more likely to sound like a native speaker. The 12-month-old brain has a leg up on older brains when it comes to learning pronunciation. A 12-month-old also is very receptive to learning new things, especially languages (Hoang).

North America has seen an interesting push to make bilingual education a right. Specifically, there is support in Mexico to amend the constitution to teach English in all schools. Internationalism is commonplace in the 21st century, so everyone having a second language to learn would be very helpful. There is a high demand for bilingual employees, even in monolingual areas. However, there simply isn’t enough supply. A major setback is teacher supply. There aren’t enough teachers to teach everyone another language (Eulich).

Immersion programs are probably the most effective way to teach people a language. Immersion programs are a type of language education in which participants, typically K-12 students, are taught subjects in a foreign language at least 50% of the time. 4 weeks in an immersion program brings far more progress than a normal class. A 5th-grade student in an immersion program usually has a good handle on a second language. Ultimately, the goal is “biliteracy,” or the ability to fluently read, write, and converse in 2 languages (Cleaver).

Immersion programs are useful for teaching children another language. Studies show that immersion programs increase a student’s brain capacity. A 2007 study by George Mason University found that children in immersion programs scored higher in math and English. Schools that introduce immersion programs also receive more funding. Many states are pouring millions of dollars into schools with immersion programs. Tyler Elementary in Washington, D.C. was one of the 40 worst-performing schools in the district. After they introduced an immersion program, they had 300 students on a waitlist (Adamy).

There are multiple factors that determine how well you learn a language. The first is your age. In one’s early years, the brain has a neuroplasticity to it. This means that the brain is ripe to learn pretty much any language it wants. As we age, more is set in place, and the less easy it becomes to learn languages. The size of certain parts of the brain can dictate language learning too. Those with a larger auditory cortex tend to have an easier time learning a language (Wlassoff).

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