Should American students be required to learn a second language?

Answer 1

yes. everybody should learn a different language.

Answer 2

I am an Indian. We speak Hindi, but English is given a high score since its an internationally accepted language. I personally think that for American students it should not be necessary to learn a second language. Two-three weeks ago I saw a report on a news channel that many nations are giving preference to english after their national language. So students know their national language as well as english. So I suggest that if even 6 out of 10 Americans learn a second language it would help them get a high-salaried executive jobs overseas, especially in languages such as Pashto, Russian, Japanese and Chinese, and also will give them a fair chance to know or rather learn a second language.

Answer 3

It is my understanding the the USA has 2 offical languages English & Spanish - so you should at least learn those. Not only will you learn how to communicate in another way but you also will learn about the culture. North America was not orginally an English speaking continent it was inhabited by many differnt aborginal groups and "founded" by various travelers and explorers from differnent culture that spoke many languages. To think that all you need is English show how little you know about the world, and your own countries history.

You can only benefit from learning even a little of another language - in Canada all students in English areas learn French for a few years (and vice versa) it gives you an understanding of your fellow countymen and oppurtunities to continue learning. Bilingual people have an advantage for jobs and careers over non biligual people. What do you have to loose by learing more ???

To the guy who thinks that knowing English is enough you keep living in your ignorant little bubble.

Answer 4

Actually, I'd like to see this placed on a "menu" of requirements for graduation.

Not all people are the same, and requiring advanced studies in various fields will be easier on some than others. Advanced English would be a breeze for some and a tour through Hades for others. The same is true of the study of Chemistry or foreign language.

Rather than create "one size fits all" requirements, follow the college model. Have a set of "basic studies" requirements and then require a certain amount of advanced work from a menu of options. Sort of like a major. If a student is highly motivated in English, don't curse them with advanced studies in Organic Chemistry. If a person is a math whiz, but can't interpret metaphors or literary allusion, why force it?

Require a certain amount of advanced study, but don't require it in specific fields like foreign language, science or English. All of these things are useful areas, but not everyone will benefit from them equally. In fact, some will be put off of graduation if they are set as a requirement.

Answer 5

Yes.
freedom of choice--they made me take a WHOLE lot more math, science, history etc. than I've ever used in real life, and I griped, but it was just part of school. So deal.

can't speak English anyway: learning a second language makes the grammar and vocabulary of your first language much more clear through comparisons. If you learn a Romance language, you also gain a much better vocabulary in English, as you learn the everyday foreign word for something, you may better relate it to English (durer in French means to last--durance vile, endurance, durable...all good college level English words.)

test scores: research shows that the score on the SAT correlates with language study, that is, the more years of a second language study, the higher the SAT score

real-life use: yes, we have many people speaking Spanish here now. Quebec uses French, and its right next door. The video-game industry is in high gear in Japan. Daimler-Chrysler is now a German company and if you want to go into middle management or above with them, learning German is a good idea. Remember, the best language to speak when you're trying to sell someone something is THEIR language.
and..when you learn a language, you begin to learn a culture, history, music--so if you want to travel or study almost anything in college or above, a second-language is useful.

security: well, the CIA is always looking for speakers of differnt langauges. We can listen in to news broadcasts in other countries, but if only a few people in the government understand the language, we cannot get timely information on which to base security issues!

and, in my opinion, we should start a second language in K or grade 1 and then in middle school switching to a different language or continuing the first would be optional.

the problem here is the number of teachers needed, and the need for the teachers to switch their mindset that langauge is only for the elite, the college-bound, the best. To stop teaching grammar, grammar grammar as some kind of shibboleth to learning a language and to teach language the way people already learn. I never want to hear again, 'oh I took (insert langauge) in high school, but I can't speak it at all.' We need to teach people to read, write, understand and speak langauges (including doing a better job on helping people learn English when they come here, and helping our English speaking learn when they need to spell correctly and when the txt msg spllg is appropriate)

Can you tell I have a strong opinion about this?

Answer 6

Well considiring that in other countries students pay to learn an aditional language, i think that American students should infact be required to learn another one. In most states your only required two years of any giving language. So in the long run, you learn how to say "Hola" and a couple other stuff that never harms anyone.

Answer 7

Well, it depends on your definition of "learn." I think it helps students a lot if they take a year or two of another language -

1) You learn the other language, and can converse with people from that part of the world. If you learn Chinese or Spanish, you can converse with more people than with most other languages.

2) You learn more about English and you build your English vocabulary. I never realized the frequency and use of the subjunctive in English until I had to learn it in Spanish. I never heard of the word "anathema" in English before I learned it in Spanish.

Being more worldly and better-spoken are definite assets.

Answer 8

Most high schools do require American students to take a second language.

However, they are not required to remember anything after they pass the final... and Americans, in general, tend to ignore and forget things they don't use every day.

I can say that because I am an American, and I am VERY good at NOT speaking several langauges, that I did great on final exams for (German, Spanish, Hebrew, Latin...).

Answer 9

No! Foreign students should be required to learn English!
Americans speak English Spanish people speak Spanish
America=English
Spain=Spanish

if a bunch of Americans were to go live in Spain the people in Spain should not be required to learn English just because we decided to move there we should learn Spanish if we want to adapt in their country.

but i dont care anyway the entire situation has got out of control!!!!!!

i would not be qualified for many jobs in America because i do not speak another language besides English!!!!!!

Answer 10

Hell no! As an American, I am required to do absolutly nothing. This country is based on freedom. Freedom written in English, how it should be. All these illegals come here demanding their rights, they don't have rights b/c they are not citizens. Deport um b/c they are a drain on the economy.

If you want to work in the Avaition field, you are required to read, write, and understand english. Not spanish, french, or anyother language, only english. This is how every job should be in America.

Answer 11

Absolutely, and I also believe all other countries should be required to learn English. You see it's not just about the learning the language but culture that goes with it.