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Author: Soojin Kim
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As one Chinese proverb puts it, “to learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.” The truth couldn’t be any clearer. Language is essentially the tool for human communication, opening doors to art, music, dance, fashion, cuisine, film, philosophy, science, and more. Therefore, proficiency in different languages enhances the ability to connect with people from various cultures and backgrounds.
Learning a new language provides numerous advantages. Proficiency in a foreign language is an undeniably practical skill. Today, one in five jobs is linked to international trade. Additionally, the Joint National Committee for Languages reports that the language industry employs more than 200,000 Americans, a figure that includes companies providing language services and materials. As the global economy expands, the demand for qualified multilingual workers will inevitably rise.
Research indicates that language learning improves cognitive functions, enhancing verbal and spatial abilities, problem-solving skills, memory, and creative thinking. Such cognitive benefits can elevate academic performance, resulting in higher standardized test scores, improved reading skills, expanded vocabulary in one’s native language, and greater college-level achievement.
Despite these numerous benefits, the U.S. education system largely lacks foreign language studies in primary and secondary education. A 2017 report from the American Councils for International Education reveals that only 20% of K-12 students across all fifty states, including the District of Columbia, are enrolled in foreign language classes. Consequently, less than one percent of American adults today are proficient in a foreign language they studied in U.S. classrooms.
I wish to encourage more people to learn new languages. I aspire to become proficient in a foreign language myself. Currently, I am enjoying Mandarin classes, even though it presents challenges. Recognizing that learning a language is a privilege, I am grateful for the opportunity and acknowledge the need for time, effort, and resources to practice continually. Language proficiency is as difficult to maintain as it is to develop.
New Jersey is one of only ten U.S. states requiring foreign language graduation prerequisites for high school students. Consequently, foreign language courses are more accessible in New Jersey than in most other states. An impressive 51% of students in New Jersey study a language, the highest proportion compared to other states.
Thus, I urge parents to motivate their children to learn a foreign language at school. While such classes might not promise an easy 'A,' they foster respect, appreciation, and awareness for cultures and lifestyles different from our own.
About the Author:
Soojin Kim is currently a sophomore at the Academies@ Englewood. She enjoys reading, listening to music, and people-watching. She hopes to make her writing interesting and thought-provoking for her audience.
