When I was in 7th grade I was put into three different
language classes thirty days each. We were put into German, French, and Spanish
and then from there we picked what language we wanted to take next year. Then
each year I only took half a semester or so of the language, hardly retaining
anything from the year before except maybe hi and bye, etc. I chose German and
now the only sentence I remember memorizing and learning is “Ich kann nor meine
gummi schue nicht finden Voetz di poetzi!” Which means help I have lost my
rubber shoes and cannot find them, call the police! Cleary a very useful sentence
to know in everyday life. The chapter
talks about how younger children learn language faster and retain it better
than older teens and adult. I think that we should start to teach different
languages at a younger age. Maybe not kindergarten when English is still being
formed. But maybe a simple lesson on
colors in Spanish or something like that, that can help get them a little head start. In many countries kids are at the
very least bilingual many knowing up to five languages. I feel like language
learning is less emphasized in America. Seeing it as a hobby or past time
America is very behind in language development.
I think this is because we just figure everyone knows and learns American
so we do not really feel the need to learn another language or anything. I
really wish I had an opportunity to learn a language and develop it better and
was provided classes that would help me do these things. I definitely think
America should change around the curriculum and add learning languages and
cultures at a younger age a priority.
An article I read about various language studies in school for children mentioned three different types of programs: an immersion program, a FLEX, and a FLES program. FLEX (foreign language experience) and FLES (foreign language in elementary school). What you described sounds like the FLEX program. This exposes children to a variety of languages for various amounts of time. The benefit is that students develop an accent. The best to learn a language is obviously the immersion program.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why you only remember a sentence of German from middle school. When you learned this, you were still at the age where you could retain the language better than older teen. When I took Spanish in middle school, I remembered a handful of things, but I continued to take Spanish in high school and a semester in college. The result was, since I do not speak it everyday, I only remember enough to get by and be understood.
You had mentioned that Americans see language as a hobby. I agree with this to a point. I feel that Americans see it as an elective and it is an option in middle school, but a requirement for a few years in high school. As for adults, it is definitely a hobby to learn another language.
I think it's interesting that in Europe, most people are bilingual, learning English and their native language. I have found that some Europeans are even trilingual. I think since it is know that young children are able to easily learn two languages and they retain the language a lot better than older teens, bilingual studies should be incorporated into school systems at the elementary level.