Why Study a Foreign Language?
Why Study French?
Bonjour!
A source of motivation to thrive in foreign language study derives from understanding the potential benefits and opportunities of learning a second language. Here is some information that might spark your interest in learning French and promote your commitment to enriching your life through foreign language. Merci!
Cordialement,
Madame Piper
Why study a foreign language?
Cognitive Advantages: It can make you smarter!
“Students who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems than those who do not” (Bamford & Mizokowa, 1991).
“Learning another language can help you to understand your own. Many languages have contributed to the development of English, so learning those will teach you where words and even grammatical structures are from, and augment your vocabulary to boot” (Lawless).
“As years of foreign language study increase, math and verbal SAT scores increase. (1) Children who study a foreign language often have higher standardized test scores in math, reading, and language arts” (Lawless).
“Foreign language study can help to increase problem-solving skills, memory, and self-discipline” (Lawless).
Travel Opportunities
“Individuals who speak and read more than one language have the ability to communicate with more people, read more literature, and benefit more fully from travel to other countries” (Marcos, 1998).
“Speaking another's language shows respect for that culture, and people in every country prefer it when tourists make an effort to speak the local language...” (Lawless).
Professional Benefits: Preparing for a Career
“Ultimately, knowing a second language can also give people a competitive advantage in the work force by opening up additional job opportunities (Villano, 1996)” (Marcos, 1998).
“Americans who are fluent in more than one language can enhance America’s economic competitiveness abroad, maintain its political and security interests, and work to promote an understanding of cultural diversity within the United States” (Marcos, 1998).
Cultural Knowledge: Gain a Global Perspective & Appreciation of Culture
“ Because language simultaneously defines and is defined by the world around us, learning another language opens one's mind to new ideas and new ways of looking at the world” (Lawless).
“...when you speak another language, you can enjoy literature, film, and music in the original language.” (Lawless).
What are the benefits of studying French?
Communication Ability
“French is a vibrant language spoken by over 300 million people all over the world in over 50 countries” (Turner, 2007).
Educational Connections
“There have been 13 Nobel prizes in literature awarded to writers in French- more than any other language” (Turner, 2007).
“French is a language for learning other languages. It is a very good base for learning Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian) as well as English, since 50% of current English vocabulary is derived from French” (Alliance Française de Washington, 2003).
Career Opportunities
“French is the preferred or official language of many international organizations and businesses” (Turner, 2007).
“American companies with offices in France include IBM, Microsoft, Mattel, Dow Chemical, SaraLee, Ford, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Motorola, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, and Hewlett Packard” (Lawless).
Interesting Information
“French is an official working language in dozens of international organizations, including the United Nations, International Olympic Committee, and International Red Cross” (Lawless).
“French is a language of technology and medicine. Dr. Luc Montagnier discovered HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The Chunnel under the English Channel, the TGV high speed trains, and the Concorde are only a few examples of recent French technological advances” (Alliance Française de Washington, 2003).
References
Alliance Française de Washington. (2003, January 1). 10 reasons to study french. Retrieved from http://www.francedc.org/en/article.aspx?id=11
Bamford, K. W., and D. T. Mizokawa. 1991. “Additive-Bilingual (Immersion) Education: Cognitive and Language Development.” Language Learning 41 (3): 413–429
Lawless, L. K. (n.d.). Why learn french? reasons to learn a foreign language. About.com Guide, Retrieved from http://french.about.com/od/francophonie/a/whylearnfrench.htm
Marcos, K. M. (1998, Fall). Second language learning: Everyone can benefit. The ERIC Review, 6(1), 2-5.
Turner, M. A. (2007). Why study french? dozens of reasons french can benefit you!. Retrieved from http://www2.ignatius.edu/faculty/turner/french/index.html
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