Why don't American students begin learning multiple languages at a younger age?

Question

Please don't offer any excuse about such learning being unnecessary or [GASP!] unamerikan.

Answer 1

Other than cultural egotism, I cannot think of a legitimate reason why multiple languages are not taught starting in early elementary.

That said, our schools here have a hard enough time funding the teachers and programs they currently have. Maybe if our miltary spending wasn't so ridiculous, there would be room in the budget to expand class offerings. As it stands, many facilities struggle to afford to offer extracurricular or elective foreign language courses.

I cringe for the future of my country and cross my fingers that when the time comes to have my children that I will be able to afford to supplement their public school educations.

Answer 2

People in the US have been historically english speaking and it has not been until recent years that immigrates did not just speak english. Part of it has to do with the concept of the United States using enlish for everything and most other countries learn english at a very young age. Other countries do learn other languages because English is important for business and european countries learn because the countries are so intermingled.

Answer 3

the only fact of been an american makes them silly to learn other languages because they grow up believing that everyonr knows enlgish... and if they don't, they should....

Most americans learn this from a young age, which affects their necessity to learn another language since english is spoken everywhere..... Whe they grow up, they realize that the world is far more complex and bigger than just english.... so they start learning other languages....

but in other cultures, english is the required language for getting outside the country.....

Answer 4

My town's educational system is a total joke, the people who run it and the people who teach in it. The problem is not what they are "teaching" it's who's not teaching.
I was in spanish classes from my 8th year to my senior year, did I learn anything, NO! Why? No teacher wanted to take the time out to actually teach the language, I was willing to learn, but there were no "teachers" in our schools. They only cared, seriously, about who was going to win the regional (enter dumb sport here) game.

Answer 5

good question- I think it has a lot to do with the lack of requirement in public schools and lack of motivation of parents to expose their children to other languages (and cultures for that matter). fortunately, my mom was a go-getter type and encouraged my sister and I to learn basic french at an early age...we ended up continuing study of the language throughout high school and I still love it as a 2nd yr undergrad...it's not only useful but it makes you more unique.

Answer 6

I'm not sure why, but, I know that it would be invaluable knowledge for them and make them a much more marketable commodity when entering the workforce. The funny thing is, Americans expect everyone else to speak English. I believe that it's Ethnocentrism. The idea basically that everyone should conform to your culture, and that you shouldn't have to conform to anyone else's.

Answer 7

It depends on what State you are born in i believe. I know the State i was born into i was taught Spanish immediately in elementary school as a second language because of the presence of so many hispanics in that State and specifically that City that i was in.

Answer 8

It's hard enough to teach kids how to read and write our own language. Once the literacy rate for English is alot higher in our schools, then we can consider adding a second language.

Answer 9

I really wish we would.
My life would be different if I had been taught Spanish or French in kindergarten, and kept up with it.
Maybe schools just keep cutting it from their budgets. We have some of the lowest priorities set for education in the world. It's quite embarrassing.

Answer 10

No, that's the truth. Most americans can't even speak English properly (cough cough: our president : cough) ... let alone think about learning another language. Most Americans think the rest of the world should learn 'American'.