Teenage Foreign Language Struggles

By Kathleen Dandan

Bilingualism slows down the process of mental aging and increases the amount of grey matter in the brain. There are many reasons to learn a foreign language; for example if you visit Spain, you can fully immerse yourself in their culture by speaking their language. Numerous middle and high school students in the United States of America are required to take at least a year of foreign language in order to graduate. As a student ages, the majority only breach the surface of another language and aren't capable of the second language fluency. Foreign language learning needs to be integrated into educational curriculum during a child's early schooling to increase the depth and speed of teachings.

I am a junior in high school, I have already taken five years of Spanish, yet I feel as if I lack an understanding of the language. A number of high school students struggle during foreign language class and only learn superficial basics of the new language. Students, like me, cram and memorize phrases in Spanish, Italian, or French for writing, reading, and listening exams, only to forget soon after the exam is over. After years of studious practice, a student could still only know the basics because there was no need to use it in daily life. The use of English in the majority of the world makes Americans lax in learning another language because it's considered superfluous when there isn't necessity to practice bilingualism. If parents expose children to foreign languages in their private life and help nurture an interest, then a child could begin practicing early on. A child capable of learning a second language alongside English during primary school would have a longer period of time to slowly increase their fluency up to high school.

On the other hand, some studies state that it is detrimental to a student's growth in that children learning two languages never become proficient in either language. According to a study conducted by J. Cummins there are two depths in a which a person can be proficient in a language known as BICS which are “the "surface" skills of listening and speaking which are typically acquired quickly by many students” and CALP “the basis for a child’s ability to cope with the academic demands placed upon her in the various subjects”. Cummins states that while many children develop native speaker fluency within two years of immersion in a language, it takes between 5-7 years for a child to be working on a level with native speakers as far as academic language is concerned.

Children are like sponges during their early years and learn at an accelerated pace simply from copying adults gestures and replicating it into their own lives. If parents simply bothered to talk to their children in their native language in private, while speaking English in public, the child will naturally learn to understand and utilize both languages. Bilingualism is extremely beneficial for increasing the intellectual capabilities and possibilities of a child if learned from a younger age.  If it takes 5-7 years, it’s important to start early.

Works Cited:

http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/cummin.htm