Language is something that separates humans from animals. The ability to teach language, to use language for entertainment or deception, and to learn more than one language are qualities unique to humans. Consequently, there is great emphasis placed on speaking languages well. There are many benefits to speaking more than one language that span across several aspects of life, such as increased mental flexibility, better memory, better selective attention skills, more job opportunities, and increased empathy. Yet, the teaching of foreign languages in the American education system leaves American adults lagging behind their European counterparts when it comes to language proficiency due to the fact that America does not typically begin language
a speaker who is comfortable in the language and able to communicate their ideas through spoken language with ease, even if there are errors made. While many studies have examined the shortcomings and benefits of the American system, this paper will focus on improvements that can be made specifically to High School A, and the implications will be analyzed and broadened to be applicable to a large range of schools similar to High School A. The paper will be examining the economic, social, and cultural benefits of language. This will provide a potential framework for helping American schools implement systems to encourage
However, a number of recent studies have shown that differences in teaching styles lead to widely different results. Classes aimed at making the students accurate in the language tend to have less conversation and more focus on grammar and technical accuracy. More liberal teachers tend to focus on conversation and fluidity when speaking, or what is commonly known as fluency (ICALTEFL, 2016). Also, there is a long standing belief that the younger a person is, the easier it is to learn languages. While this is true to an extent, research shows that it is still very possible to learn languages at a more advanced age, such as high schoolers (Sanz, Stafford, n.d.). A large part of what makes one language learner successful over another is grit, which studies define as the ability to keep going and take personal responsibility for success (Keegan, 2017). Foreign languages are often not stressed in a school curriculum, which makes it difficult for students to maintain