The Ugly American

         Two summers ago I went on a trip to Spain, France and Italy.  I had a great time.  I got to see all the sights that I’ve seen in textbooks.  It was like history was all around me.  The people in Europe definitely knew I was a tourist.  I had the big camera.  The other thing that I noticed was that when they started speaking to me in Spanish, French or Italian, I just looked at them in amazement.  It was such a beautiful sound to hear a foreign language spoken so fluently.  It was definitely a culture shock.  After trying to talk to me in their native tongue, they just sighed and reworded everything in English.  That was embarrassing to be in their country and not know their language.  I wish I had been brought up bilingual.  It would have been nice to have on my trip, as well as in other situations that I have been exposed to where English is not spoken. 

         Many parents and educators have discussed the idea of foreign language education.  Foreign language has been popular since World War I, and probably discussed before then.  This is not a new concept.  People have debated over whether or not a second language should be part of the curriculum.  A second language education should be required at all elementary grade schools in the United States.  Elementary foreign language education has many benefits to children.  For example, it helps most of them grow intellectually and globally.  Not to mention that English is not the official language of the U.S., so a second language (learned correctly) can help them understand other cultures and races.  This leads to the interest in foreign travel and tourism.  Just image the positive possibilities of our children learning a second language in elementary school. 

         There are always those who see things a little differently.  Some say that the knowledge of a foreign language doesn’t improve intelligence, and if it did, there is no room for it in the educational curriculum (Lantolf 7).  Research and studies have been done to show that there is a positive correlation between foreign language studies and intellect  (Padilla 125).  Others say that there is no practical use for a second language in the U.S. and it would just be a burden  (Latham 80).  Although English is not the official language of the U.S., there are jobs nation wide that require fluency in two languages.  Another common view of second language education is that English is known world-wide and foreigners need to assimilate accordingly.  This is a false myth.  Many people know English, but it is not known by everyone world-wide  (Met 36).  Although these are all good arguments, the claims opposing these arguments are very strong.

         Knowledge and intelligence seem to be very important for all ages of students as they compete for the highest scores on state and federal tests.  Many researchers have tried to find different ways to prepare students for these tests, including bilingualism.  Andrew Latham, who works in the Professional Education and Development Group at the Educational Testing Service, opens his essay, “The Advantages of Bilingualism,” by saying that “numerous research studies in the past 30 years have concluded bilingualism contributes to the cognitive growth of children” (79).  Cognition is “…the process of knowing [or] perceiving” (Neufeldt 117).  So, by learning a second language fluently, a child builds up knowledge.  Bilinguals also showed better results then their monolingual peers in their ability to form concepts.  Also, they preformed better when asked to perform a task that asked for mental or symbolic discrepancies  (Cataldi 63).  One of the arguments against foreign language studies is that there is no room.  According to James P. Lantolf and Gretchen Sunderman, two professors at Pennsylvania State University, “FL (foreign language) study sharpens the students’ mental agility in ways that no other school subject can” (6).  One of the points in going to school is to learn and reach your full potential.  How can a person reach their full potential when a subject that activates the mind in a way that no other subject can is not in the curriculum?  According to Lantolf and Sunderman, “there ‘is hardly a more important subject than foreign languages’ ” (7).  They are partners with almost all other subjects  (Lantolf 7).

        As well as gaining knowledge from a second language, students also improve in their school work.  By gaining knowledge, they are obviously more likely to improve on cognitive tests.  Also, Myriam Met, a senior associate for The National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland, quotes a study by Lindholm-Leary showing “bilingual students with strong competence in both languages are more likely to be successful readers” (38).  Being fluent in a foreign language does not only help reading and literature skills, but also in mathematics.  In elementary schools, where foreign languages are associated, students have scored higher on standardized tests of mathematics and reading  (Met 38).  Higher scores on tests and smarter children would be a great thing for U.S. citizens.  These children, including the ones that are lacking the privilege of learning a second language, will someday run this country that we live in.  They are our future. 
      
        Having a second language is also beneficial when finding a job, especially jobs for the government and international relations.  This is one of many practical uses for fluency in a second language.  Globally, people depend on second languages to work with their economy.  In economics we have to deal a lot with other cultures.  In fact, “to thrive in a global economy and a multicultural society, U.S. students need fluency in at least one language other then English” (Met 36).  The reason behind this necessity is important.  Most of the information on status, research and development efforts of foreign countries are likely to be in their native language, not English.  Threats to national security will most likely not be in English either (Met 36).  By knowing a foreign language fluently, the U.S. would be able to read what others say about them instead of relying on translators.  Bilingualism does have practical values.  We can be self reliant and compete globally in economics.

         In international relations, such as trade, being a multilingual society has its advantages.  Being multilingual, as well as multicultural, can help insure that our country is not being taken advantage of by other countries.  Met says that “research shows that multilingual societies have a competitive advantage over monolingual societies in international trade” (36).  According to a report done by Elizabeth Llorente in 1992, the U.S. lost a lot of business overseas and internationally.  It was primarily due to the fact that U.S. employees’ lacked the ability to understand customs, culture and the language of other countries  (Cataldi 62).  To succeed economically and internationally, U.S. citizens need to know a second language and the culture of another country.  Schools don’t need to have a specific second language to learn, but a few that each student can chose from. 

         A second language education is not uncommon globally, just uncommon in the United States.  As proved earlier, this is a disadvantage for the United States.  Foreign language is common in European countries.  According to Met, “even schools in third-world countries are more effective than U.S. schools at producing students who demonstrate foreign language proficiency” (36).  The core curriculum for education in the U.S. should include all subjects that they already have, plus one, languages.  According to Ricardo Cataldi, a Spanish and ESL teacher at Lakeland Regional High School in Wanque, New Jersey, “one of the goals set by the national Education Goals Panel for the year 2000 is ‘to prepare every American to compete in a global economy by being competent in a foreign language and familiar with another culture’ ” (64).  This goal has not been met, yet and it is three years later.  How can this goal be met if the U.S. does not require a second language from its students?  It’s not likely that the goal is going to be met until the day foreign language study is required.  This type of study should start at the elementary age and continue through, at least high school.  Languages are best learned young at the elementary age  (Met).

         A lot of people think that English is the official language of the U.S.  But in all actuality, the U.S. does not have an official language.  That is what makes this country so great, our diversity in languages and cultures.  Now, if only we could communicate consistently among ourselves.  That is the first step.  Next comes global trade and economics.  But first consistency within our own country.  You could use your second language to talk to the neighbor down the street that you don’t know, just because you don’t speak their language.  Oh,  the friends we could have!  How can a new friend ever be bothersome to someone?  Possibly personality clashes, but it wouldn’t be because its hard to speak to them.  If the language is taught correctly and at a young age, it will come second nature and we wouldn’t be bothered by it. 

          The U.S. needs to become world citizens rather then just U.S. citizens.  Along with learning a second language, our students would learn cultures.  By understanding cultures, we learn to understand other people.  This is something that the U.S. needs, understanding.  Learning a foreign language “ ‘helps overcome prejudices and hatreds’ and fosters the ‘sympathetic understanding’ of others” (Lantolf 10).  The understanding of people, culture and race is very important in a society that is racially diverse.  Therefore, a second language is important in the U.S., a country full of different ethnicities from all corners of the world. 

         There are a couple English-Only groups that have formed throughout the U.S.  These groups are bringing back the idea of superiority.  The only difference is that there is a superior language instead of race.  “The position that English-only initiatives may appeal to racist beliefs was also supported by Huddy and Sears, who examined the attitudes of White Americans toward bilingual education” (Padilla 122).  If Proposition 63, the English-Only Initiative, would’ve passed on the 1986 California election ballots it would have been discrimination toward language-minority students  (Padilla 122).  It would take away their right to speak as they please.  This initiative would be a step back in history. 

         The U.S. has a lot of tourist attractions, but other countries have many of the main attractions; the pyramids in Egypt and the numerous sights in Europe.  If the great wonders of the world and tourist spots are in foreign countries, it would be nice to know their language so that we are not rude when we are touring.  We can be rude when we are touring because if they ask us a question, the best we can do is stare and say “English?”  Most of U.S. Americans don’t even know how to say, “I’m really sorry, but I only know English.  Do you?  Can we speak in English?” in another language.  In Europe, “…students are expected to be skilled in several languages,” so that they can communicate easily with people in other countries.  Even though Europeans travel to different countries as Americans travel to different states, it is important for students of the United States to know a second language.  This is important so that if they wish to travel, they can do so, politely.   In the U.S., “…schools are barely able to produce students who have enough fluency in a language other than English to be polite tourists” (Met 37).  Being polite in other countries has pride.

         The opportunity to become bilingual needs to be available earlier in school.  Not only available, but required by U.S. elementary schools.  It can help our students and our future leaders in gaining more intellectual knowledge.  Global economics and international relations will become easier and more efficient for the U.S.  Foreign language studies can lessen racial issues in the understanding of other cultures, and increase pride in our travel. But, for this to work, students must learn young and continue to learn throughout school.  Fluency is the key and the younger a person is the easier it is to learn a new language.  U.S. grade schools should require a second language.  It’s for the good of the country.

 Work Cited

  Cataldi, Ricardo J.  “Bilingualism and Early Language Acquisition—Great Assets”  NASSP Bulletin   78.564  p62-64 (Oct 1994).  Ebsco.  Ebsco host.  University
of Idaho Lib., 8 April 2003.

  Lantolf, James P.; Sunderman, Gretchen.  “The Struggle for a Place in the Sun;  Rationalizing Foreign Language Study in the Twentieth Century.”  Modern Language Journal  85.1  p5-25  (Spring 2001).  Ebsco.  Ebsco host.  University
of Idaho Lib., 8 April 2003.

  Latham, Andrew S.  “The Advantages of Bilingualism”  Educational Leadership 56.3 p79-80.  (Nov 1998).  Ebsco.  Ebsco host.  University of Idaho Lib., 8 April 2003.

  Met, Myriam.  “Why Language Learning Matters”  Educational Leadership  59.2  p36-40  (Oct 2001).  Ebsco.  Ebsco host.  University of Idaho Lib., 8 April 2003.

  Nuefeldt, Victoria, ed.   Webster’s New World Dictionary.   New York: Pocket Books, 1995.

  Padilla, Amado M.  and others.  “The English-Only Movement: Myths, Reality, and Implications for Psychology”  American Psychologist.  46.2  p120-30  (Feb 1991).  Ebsco.  Ebsco host.  University of Idaho Lib., 8 April 2003.