Making The Match: New Languages For Young Learners

In the modern world, foreign relationships are growing ever more important. And, in these global interactions, communication and comprehension play a major role. However, the US is at risk of being left behind by the rest of the world because its educational standards have fallen behind those of other countries. In American public schools, the mastery of foreign languages is not valued nearly as highly as it is in other countries. According to American Councils, as of March 2017, there are only 11 states in the US that have foreign language requirements for graduation. Additionally, in nearly every state in the US, approximately only 20% of the total school age population are enrolled in foreign language classes. While this lack of attention

In the book Languages and Children—Making the Match: New Languages for Young Learners, Grades K-8, authors Helena Curtain and Carol Ann Dahlberg state, “The learning experiences of a child determine which [neural] connections are developed and which no longer function. That means what is easy and natural for a child – learning a language – can become hard work for an older learner.” Curtain and Dahlberg go on to explain that studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between the amount of time devoted to language study and the language proficiency that the students attain. This means that, the earlier a student is exposed to foreign language education, the longer that student will have to study the language, and this increase in time devoted to studying will allow the student to become more proficient in the

As stated by Carol Ann Pesola and Helena Curtain in the book Foreign Language Instruction in the Elementary School, “Research suggests that attitudes about other groups and peoples are formed by the age of ten and are often shaped between the ages of four and eight. Learning a language at a young age helps connect a child with another culture while they are still open-minded and have not yet begun to restrict their views of others whom they perceive to be different.” As explained in the quote, as young students learn a new language, they are also exposed to the culture from which the language originates. This early exposure to foreign languages and their corresponding cultures helps children learn to accept and fellowship with people of different cultural backgrounds, which will not only help to close the gap between the US and other countries, but also help to break down the barriers that exist in the US due to racial prejudice and discrimination based upon cultural