2. The Overall Problem Schools need funding for foreign language courses, or eventually there will be no courses offered in schools globally. Source: Money 2 By: borman818
3. Importance of Foreign Language Courses in Schools Has become a much bigger issue recently. Enhances students’ language skills. Enables students to grow as people by leading them to learn about other cultures and languages. More apt to get a job in bigger cities.
4. Background Information Available at the elementary, middle school, high school, and college level. Foreign language classes are being dropped because the school systems believe that the money used to pay those teachers should be used toward other subjects.
5. Background Information Spanish and Chinese are the 2nd and 3rd most widely used languages in the United States. Although, most common in larger states, foreign languages are still spoken throughout the entire U.S. Source: World Languages & Cultures
6. Background Information Majority of people who don’t speak English at home say that they know it “very well,” but not because of school, because of other outside sources. 5.6% of world’s population speaks English as their primary language.
7. Impact on K-12 Education Less acceptance to bigger colleges Some students tend to feel unappreciated, because their native language is not taught at the school they attend.
8. Impact on K-12 Education “Foreign languages play an increasingly prominent role in urban schools that serve diverse ethnic communities” (Mary Abbott). Source: School Friends By: woodleywonderworks
9. Possible Future Direction for Foreign Language Classes As of now, it looks like there is going to continue to be a steady decline in foreign languages courses in schools. Schools are already beginning to use Rosetta Stone rather than teachers. Source: Rosetta Stone By: Vagabond Journey
10. What Legislative Efforts are Being Made? Legislation, as of now, is not doing much to help foreign language funding. They are the ones cutting the foreign language classes. According to the government system, there are more important subjects that the funding needs to go to.
11. Conclusion All in all, foreign language courses play a vital role in school systems. Students NEED that second or third language to broaden their horizons.
12. References Hu, Winnie. "Foreign Languages Fall as Schools Look for Cuts." The New York Times. September 11,2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/education/13language.html?_r=2 Rhodes, Nancy and Pufahl, Ingrid. Foreign Language Teaching in U.S. Schools: Results of a National Survey. http://www.cal.org/projects/Exec%20Summary_111009.pdf Rosenbusch, Marcia H. “The no Child Left Behind Act and Teaching and Learning Languages in U.S. Schools.” The Modern Language Journal. WilsonSelect Plus. Summer 2005. Vistawide. “Language in the United States.” World Languages and Cultures. 2010. http://www.vistawide.com/languages/us_languages2.htm
Notes de l'éditeur
Schools need funding for foreign language courses, or eventually there will be no courses offered in schools globally.
Foreign language funding has not always been a big issue in education. However, in the past decade or so it has become a much larger concern. Foreign language classes are important to our school systems, because they enhance students’ language skills. Foreign language courses enable students to grow as people by leading them to learn about other cultures and languages. This allows them to gain respect for people who are unlike them. One is more apt to get a job in bigger cities if they have a foreign language background, especially Spanish.
Foreign language courses are classes available in elementary, middle, and high school, as well as college. Foreign language classes are being dropped because the school systems believe that the money use to pay those teachers should be used toward other subjects.
Other than English, Spanish and Chinese are the most widely used languages in the United States today. Although, foreign language speakers are most common in larger states, such as Florida, New Mexico, Texas, New York, Hawaii, Arizona, and New Jersey, foreign languages are still spoken throughout the entire United States.
The majority of people who do not speak English in their homes say that they still know the English language “very well.” A surprising, 5.6% of the world’s population speaks English as their primary language, therefore it is very important for students to learn other languages.
The school as a whole cannot necessarily afford to get rid of foreign language courses completely, because most colleges require at least 2 credits of one foreign language to be accepted. This would cause less and less of their graduates to be accepted to college, because they would have no foreign language background. Individuals who do not speak language as their primary language tend to find it offensive that their native language is not taught at the school they attend.
As this quote states, foreign language plays a major role in urban schools today, because these bigger schools tend to have more diverse ethnicities than schools in rural areas. Still, urban area schools are beginning to get rid of their foreign language courses.
As of right now, it looks as though there is going to continue to be a steady decline in foreign language courses throughout schools due to budget cuts. School systems are already switching to Rosetta Stone, a technology used to teach Spanish, and firing teachers. This program costs around $70,000, which is less than half of 3 teachers salary combined.
Legislation, as of now, is not doing much to help foreign language funding. They are the ones cutting the foreign language classes. According to the government system, there are more important subjects that the funding needs to go to.
All in all, foreign language courses play a vital role in school systems. Students need that second or third language to broaden their horizons. The fact that schools look at foreign language courses as electives and the first thing to cut, is completely irrational.
