Morin 1 Lucien Morin Professor Megan Keeton English 112-12 23 April 2013

Argumentative Essay

Foreign language is a blanket that covers the United States. We are always speaking a different language other than our native English tongue. We rely on knowing a new language because it helps strengthen our communication skills, and we also gain knowledge from knowing a new language. As of last few years, foreign language has been slowly decaying in schools and it is to the point where students are either having to wait until college to take a foreign language or seeking knowledge outside of school. This issue can be present from many different causes, such as schools not having the budget to support the classes, students having a lack of interest in the classes etc. But looking on the internet can show that there are tons of authors and teachers who are in full support of keeping it in schools and while there are the ones who find that it is a waste of time and money and argue their point. Either way this is an issue where both sides bring valid points but its up to the people who read these arguments to decide for themselves what side is the better choice and to act on it. In this paper I will begin with a brief explanation of the problem of foreign language education, the sources that support it and the other sources that argue against it and finally show why both sides are valid and how they can compromise and agree on a solution both sides can agree on.

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Foreign language was a big part of the United States before the modern era. Typically it was from immigrants, relocating to the Untied States and authorities and such had to be able to communicate with them. Majority was the Spanish from Mexico and Cuba who crossed the border illegally and set up business and such. Another language that is big in the Untied States that not many people are aware of is German. The Germanic language has been present for since the late 1800s to the 1920s. The automotive company, Volkswagen, is of German origination and the main hub of the company is located in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the many companies located in the United States that many people arent aware that are of German origin. For many years foreign language was taught in most schools regularly, but with the current recession in our economy and budget cuts with the schools, most schools have cut out foreign language in their curriculum and now if students wish to learn a new language they either have to wait until they go into college or find a way to learn outside of school. These are a few known reasons to why schools have cut out foreign language but the struggle is ongoing. As New York Times writer, Sam Dillon, mentioned in one of his articles involving foreign language he said that, Thousands of public schools stopped teaching foreign languages in the last decade, according to a government-financed survey-dismal news for a nation that needs more linguists to conduct its global business and diplomacy. (Dillon, 1)

Morin 1 With the decline of interest in foreign language in schools many authors and teachers set out to convince schools and education boards to keep foreign language in schools and how it can not only benefit the students but our nation as a whole. New York Times writer, Sam Dillon, sates in an article he wrote on China sending teachers overseas to teach Chinese to schools that, The overall decline in language instruction was mostly due to its abrupt decline in public elementary and middle schools; the number of private schools and public high schools offering at least one language remained stable from 1997 to 2008. (Dillon, 1) Later in his article, Dillon says by rough calculations based on the governments survey suggest that perhaps 1,600 American public and private schools are teaching Chinese, up from 300 or so a decade ago, and the numbers are growing. Foreign language teacher, Adam Hogue, writes in an article for Policymic.com that, Cutting foreign language opportunities in school and downplaying the importance of proficiency in foreign language greatly diminishes Americas ability to operate in the modern, fastpaced, globalized world. (Hogue, 1) Hogue explains that if we were to keep foreign language in schools and make a bigger push on its importance that it would help those who plan to do business with other countries to conduct deals more smoothly and that it would change the perception that countries have of America and make America a better place to conduct business and study. A handbook by Boston College professor Maria Estela Brisk and elementary school teacher Margret M. Harrington who has 20 years experience working with bilingual students, is full of methods and creative ideas for students to learn a new language without the struggle of retaining the information. Before it gets into the various teaching methods, the handbook starts off with Brisk and Harrington stating that, There are many reasons why students become bilingual.

Morin 1 Immigrant children need to learn the new countrys language. Deaf children learn English as a second language when they start to read and write. English-speakers learn other languages in school or as sojourners in foreign countries. Some children are raised speaking more than one language. (Brisk, Harrington, 3) This handbook is a excellent way for teachers whose schools have cut back on curriculum, to teach a foreign language without all expense and cost of having a separate teacher for all of it. It may not be a large step but it is a simple method for teachers to rely on to keep foreign language taught in schools. While there are the authors who are all for foreign language education in schools, there are those who argue that it is a waste of time and money and that students need better learning material in order to be successful in their careers other than learning a random language and hope that they can use it in their everyday lives. Geoffrey Pullum, a writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education, wrote an article that argues against the need for foreign language education schools and gives his thoughts on why he thinks that way. He starts the article by talking about former Harvard president, Larry Summers. You cant prepare yourself for a future career in diplomacy or marketing by equipping yourself in advance with a random language, because you have no idea where youll be sent. (Pullum 1). Pullum brings up a valid point in this sentence. Its true that if you cant wrap yourself in a random language and hope that youll be using it without knowing if its required for your career or where youll even be sent. Pullum synthesizes with general linguists by saying he is aware of the intellect value of the insights into language structure one gets from attempting to acquire another tongue but he says that in order to defend foreign language classes against budget cutting, people need to get more

Morin 1 serious arguments than vague hand gesturing toward globalization and wispy talk about the wonder of the words. With every argument, there will always be two sides butting horns against one another to convince the people who read these arguments to side with them and not the other side when both sides can simply come to a compromise and come up with a solution that benefits both sides. If both sides stop arguing against one another, they can combine thoughts and solve the foreign language issue with methods that both sides can agree on. A good idea would to be to have independent foreign language classes after school for those who are interested in learning so that way not every student is forced to learn and the school can focus their budgets on their curriculum. This way no taxpayers are wasting their money and students can get the education they require. Learning a foreign language doesnt have to be just all classwork, Brisk and Harringtons handbook is an excellent method to use for those after school classes. Overall there are many ways foreign language can be solved by both sides putting away their toys and sharing their knowledge and coming together as a whole to help benefit our education system. It doesnt have to be a constant fight between each other, everyone will have their own opinion on subjects but if you politely offer a compromise that works for both sides then there is no need for arguing. The sooner these two sides start working together, the faster they can improve foreign education in schools without dumping tons of funding into it when it can cost schools a fair price while still using the majority of the funding to help improve the learning environments and curriculum.

Morin 1 Works Cited Dillon, Sam. Foreign Languages Fade in Class Except Chinese. The New York Times. January 20th, 2010. March 19th, 2013. Web.

Hogue, Adam. Why Cutting Foreign Language Classes in Schools Would Hurt Future Generations of Americans. Policymic.com. September 2013. March, 27th, 2013. Web.

Pullum, Geoffrey. How to Argue got Foreign Langue Instruction The Chronicle of Higher Education. February 22nd, 2012. April 2nd, 2013. Web.

Brisk, Mara Estela & Harrington, Margaret M. Literacy and Bilingualism: A Handbook for ALL Teachers Mahwah, New Jersey. Lawrence Erlbaum Associate, Inc., Publishers. 2000.