Improving Students' Capacity in Foreign Languages

Abstract

If it is time to put the into a world-class education, Ms. Met argues, then it is time to make foreign languages a greater priority in the U.S. education system. IT MIGHT SEEM strange for a foreign language educator to begin an article by conceding that English is quickly becoming a widely used language around the world. About 6% of the world's population speaks English as its primary language. English is widely spoken as a second language in countries where it has official status along with another language, and it also serves as a lingua franca among speakers for whom no other language is mutually known. In all, it is estimated that about one-fourth of the world's population has some degree of competence in English.1 Given that so many people around the world speak or are learning English, why should Americans bother to learn foreign languages? Why Learn Other Languages? The answers are numerous. Some are obvious; some less readily apparent. As globalization increases, so does the volume of Americans doing business overseas. And, although it is true that a significant percentage of foreign nationals speak English, many do not. For example, about 40% of Europeans report they are able to use English.2 But, more important, that leaves a sizable number of Europeans who cannot. And if globally only one-fourth of the world's population reports some degree of competence in English, it means that a rather significant number of people have no skills in English at all. These statistics highlight the challenges for American businesses as the United States makes the transition from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy. It should be obvious that selling services is more likely to be successful when those who are purchasing services feel understood by (and understand) the service provider. Despite evidence that multilingual societies enjoy advantages in international trade,3 data show that over half of U.S. professionals in the service industries who work in multicultural environments (whether within the U.S. or overseas) lack the language proficiency needed.4 And while the U.S. education system pays little attention to foreign language skills, 16 of 19 other countries reported in a recent survey that foreign language learning is either widespread or compulsory by the upper elementary grades.5 Beyond the global economy there are other compelling reasons -- related to our national security and well-being -- why languages are important for Americans. Our ability to promote peace around the world depends on efforts in diplomacy, arms control, international law enforcement, emergency preparedness, and health. Our security also improves as we make progress toward achieving humanitarian goals and promoting prosperity and democracy around the world.6 Such efforts tend to put service providers in touch with the very populations least likely to speak English as a native language or to have learned it in school. If we are to be effective in providing humanitarian services, thereby promoting peace and the common good, we must be able to communicate with those we wish to assist. National security also involves defense against terrorism, and in this arena, languages are critical: those who aim to harm the U.S. domestically or abroad rarely communicate in simple, clear English. The most powerful intelligence-gathering tools in the world are of little use if, once collected, documents cannot be understood by those reading them or if conversations that are overheard are unintelligible to listeners. While this critical need for foreign languages is real and pressing, some would argue that our schools are unlikely to be teaching the languages needed for national security and that by the time today's students are graduating, different languages may be needed because it is difficult to predict what languages will be critical to our security in the future. These arguments are true and valid, but they miss an important point: students who have already gained significant skills in one foreign language have the ability to learn other languages more quickly than students who have never had foreign language training. …