Foreign Languages

The study of foreign languages and cultures leads students to become more responsible and committed global citizens. It reduces the barriers to travel and, therefore, encourages continued exposure to other cultures and allows individuals to interact more fully with others.

We believe that all students should learn or maintain at least one world language in addition to English. Therefore, language learning should be a central part of any curriculum.

In the 21st Century knowing a second language is not only beneficial, but necessary for success in life. The continual globalization of the world’s economy is bringing diverse cultures and communities into more frequent contact with each other. The ease of global travel and the internet have collapsed the barrier of distance that once kept the world’s communities separate. From the corporate marketplace to the individual consumer, from the pre-schools to universities, from the beach vacationer to the global jet set, the world community has become integrated and interdependent. Institutions of higher learning are scrutinizing applicants to identify future world leaders. Employers and businesses are seeking applicants who can navigate the modern global economy. It is through learning another language that students can develop both these skill sets. Learning another language also provides many other benefits including greater academic achievement, greater cognitive development, and more positive attitudes towards other languages and cultures. Simply put, language learning is necessary for students to effectively function in the modern global marketplace.

In addition to meeting the needs of future students, language learning has been shown to greatly enhance student performance across the curriculum. Language learning has been shown to improve a student’s cognitive function, including, but not limited to:

Enhanced Problem Solving Skills
Improved Verbal and Spatial Abilities
Improved Memory Function (long & short-term)
Enhanced Creative Thinking Capacity
Better Memory
More Flexible and Creative Thinking
Improved Attitude Toward the Target Language and Culture

These cognitive benefits of language learning have been shown to enhance student performance producing:

Higher standardized test scores
Higher reading achievement
Expanded student vocabulary in native language (English)
Higher academic performance at the college level

In order to make language learning a central part of the curriculum, we must

Engage in effective professional development programs for world language teachers to maintain relevance in FL classroom
Better engage language teachers in advocacy movements
Advocate for language programs in order to convince administration at all levels
Engage legislative bodies to adopt priorities consistent with this goal
Inform parents of not only cognitive and academic benefits but career benefits as well

5 Reasons Why You Should Learn a Foreign Language

You can truly experience new cultures. …
You have more of an opportunity to get to know new people. …
You communicate better in general. …
You are exposed to new ideas. …
You don’t fear people who are not like you.

Foreign Language Course Career Benefits

Studying a language gives you skills which can help you do well in other subjects. It improves your understanding of how English works, and enables you to hone problem-solving and analytical skills which are naturally applied to other subjects you are studying.

You’ve heard all the reasons why some people don’t learn languages, many of these founded on long-held myths and misconceptions. The truth is, in today’s increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, proficiency in other languages is a vital skill that gives you the opportunity to engage with the world in a more immediate and meaningful way—whether in your neighborhood or thousands of miles away—while better preparing you to compete and succeed in the global economy.

We believe in the motto “Developing Solutions For The Future”

Effective ways to improve your Foreign Language

Here Are Our Top Ten Benefits of Learning Languages:
1. Connect!
One of the most rewarding aspects of the human experience is our ability to connect with others. Being able to communicate with someone in his or her language is an incredible gift. Bilinguals have the unique opportunity to communicate with a wider range of people in their personal and professional lives. Knowing the language makes you a local no matter where you are, opening up your world literally and figuratively. You will be shaped by communities. You will be humbled by the kindness of strangers. You will build lifelong friendships. And for these reasons alone, you will see the reward of learning languages for many years to come.
2. Advance Your Career
Language skills can be a significant competitive advantage that sets you apart from your monolingual peers. They are among the top eight skills required of all occupations—no matter your sector or skill level—and the demand for bilingual professionals is rising exponentially. In fact, between 2010 and 2015, the number of U.S. job postings specifically geared toward bilingual candidates more than doubled. Employers are seeking professionals who can communicate seamlessly with customers in new and expanding overseas markets, as well as serve and sell to a large foreign-born population here at home. With more than 60 million U.S. residents who speak a language other than English at home, you don’t need to get on a plane to put your language skills to work. As an added incentive, in many instances, language skills also lead to hiring bonuses and increased salaries. Whatever your career aspiration—with language skills added to the mix, you’re ahead of the crowd!
3. Feed Your Brain
The many cognitive benefits of learning languages are undeniable. People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask, and better listening skills. They switch between competing tasks and monitor changes in their environment more easily than monolinguals, as well as display signs of greater creativity and flexibility. If that weren’t enough, as we age, being bilingual or multilingual also helps to stave off mental aging and cognitive decline.
4. Deepen Your Connection to Other Cultures
Language is the most direct connection to other cultures. Being able to communicate in another language exposes us to and fosters an appreciation for the traditions, religions, arts, and history of the people associated with that language. Greater understanding, in turn, promotes greater tolerance, empathy, and acceptance of others—with studies showing that children who have studied another language are more open toward and express more positive attitudes toward the culture associated with that language.
5. See the World
Traveling as a speaker of the local language can revolutionize a trip abroad. While monolingual travelers are capable of visiting the same places, travelers who know more than one language are more easily able to navigate outside the tourist bubble and to connect and interact with the place and its people in a way that is often inaccessible to those without the language. Learning a second language also opens additional doors to opportunities for studying or working abroad.
6. Go to the Source
In a world of more than 6,000 spoken languages, we sometimes require translation, but speaking at least one additional language empowers us to access information that would otherwise be off-limits. For example, individuals proficient in other languages are able to navigate the Internet as genuine global citizens—consuming and assessing foreign media and entertainment.
7. Become a Polyglot
Not only does learning a second language improve communication skills and multiply vocabulary in your first language—yes, really!—but research shows that it makes picking up additional languages a much easier feat, especially among children. That’s because when you learn a new language, you develop new brain networks that are primed and ready when you embark on learning a third language.
8. Boost Your Confidence
Any language learner can attest to making his or her share of mistakes while discovering a new language—often in front of an audience. It’s a necessary part of the learning process! Learning a language means putting yourself out there and moving out of your comfort zone. The upside is the amazing sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when conversing with someone in their native language.
9. Strengthen Your Decision Making
Studies show that decisions made in your second language are more reason-driven than those made in your native language.Contrary to popular assumptions, when we deliberate in a second or third language, we actually distance ourselves from the emotional responses and biases deeply associated with our mother tongue. The result? Systematic and clear-headed decisions based on just the facts.
10. Gain Perspective
As we explore a new language and culture, we naturally draw comparisons to what is most familiar. Learning about another culture sheds light on aspects of our own culture—both positive and negative—we may not have previously considered. You may find a greater appreciation for what you have, or you may decide to shake things up!