Language education in the United States

Language is traditionally defined as a way of communicating through vocalizations, symbols, or movements.[4] In a classroom, this definition had to become stricter to define guidelines for what can and cannot be taught. Language, in this circumstance was given a set of guidelines that stated it must be productive, have the ability to produce an infinite amount of sentences that cover every available topic, and introduces, uses, and relates symbols,[5] This definition also needed to be broadened to accommodate for the thousands of different dialects in every given language. This was needed because every person possesses a unique dialect that slightly varies from others. This standard allows for the grouping of dialects into groups. These groups make up a "language" such as English, Spanish, and French.[5] Language in classrooms in generalized into one category to offer and exposes students to the basics and variety. Some classrooms may focus on one area on a "language" while others show multiple aspects of each one.[5]

Language Education in the United States has brought multiple debates on the topic of teaching foreign languages to native English speakers. Cognitive arguments are used to prove that the teaching of foreign language is useful.[6] Studies have shown that over the duration of learning a second language, a student’s cognitive functions are enhanced. This includes the improvement of critical thinking, mental creativity and flexibility, and mental discipline. These results are most prominent in SAT scores.[7] Benefits such of these, that have been suggested by scientists studying cognition and second languages, have pushed for education being an education benefit. States that have adopted a type of requirement for foreign language include: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.[8] The most common languages include Spanish, French, German, Latin, Russian, and Italian.[9]

In a foreign language classroom, one aspect of the curriculum is the teaching of the culture behind the language.[10] This is input into classrooms to give students a deeper meaning of the language. According to Michael Byram, to fully be able to communicate to someone with a different background, one must have insight into their lives and communication aspects.[11] It is also used to preserve a long standing set of traditions with indigenous people. A case of this was seen in High schools in Oklahoma.[12]These high schools began to offer Cherokee and other Indian languages as second languages to count toward a foreign language requirement, and thousands of students, both indigenous and non-indigenous, enroll in these classes. In North Carolina, the North Carolina House of Representatives has passed a state bill that mandates the requirement of constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina to recognize Cherokee as a language for which a student may satisfy a foreign language course requirement for degree completion. The bill was introduced by North Carolina State Senators Jim Davis and Andrew Brock and was passed in the North Carolina Senate on May 13, 2013.[13] It is predicted by the Committee on Education and the Workforce that in 2050, only 20 languages from native people around the world.[14] This was presented to congress, which has decided on a plan of action on recovering and saving aspects of these languages and cultures by teaching them in classrooms.

Another debate considers the pragmatic aspect of language education, meaning it focuses on the political aspect of it. The reasoning for the government promoting foreign language education among native English speakers comes with the concerns for national security, economic needs, and the requirement of a second language in workplaces.[15] With a remarkably diverse country, the United States workplaces have begun requiring education of a second language, and this extra education increases the chance of a person getting a job.[16] A person only able to speak English is unable to serve and communicate with customers that speak another language. Schools are more likely to teach a foreign language if there is a higher concentration of native speakers in the area. This allows these teachings to remain useful to students and help increase your eligibility for future careers. By becoming bilingual, a person is able to fully participate and understand the world. There are more people currently speaking mandarin than English in the world, but in the United States, less than 15 percent of schools teach it.[17] This percentage shows that the United States does not fully acknowledge other languages, and hold a mono linguistic ideology. In adopting this practice of solely teaching English, we are unable to communicate with 80 percent of the world.[18]

As of 2011, Tagalog was the fourth most spoken language in the United States.[19] Beginning in 1975, Tagalog began to be taught in San Diego County, with the first school where it was taught being Montgomery High School.[20] At the collegiate level, the language is taught in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.[21]

• List of most commonly learned foreign languages in the United States
• Education in the United States
• French language in the United States
• German language in the United States
• Spanish language in the United States
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
• Bilingual Education Act of 1968
• Foreign policy of the United States
• Language education
• List of communities in the United States where English isn't the majority language spoken at home

• What foreign languages are the most studied in your country?
• The National K-12 Foreign Language Enrollment Survey Report