Foreign languages are commonly taught in both primary and secondary schools. Many are of the opinion foreign languages are an essential part of the curriculum. However, there are those who disagree and think that there is no need for them to be taught in schools. I firmly agree with the former opinion.
The reasons why I believe that foreign languages should be necessary in schools are twofold. The first is that childhood is the optimal time to learn a language. Numerous studies exist that have proven that the younger a learner is when they start a language, the more likely they are to become a proficient user in future. Children’s brains are developing, and they are at a stage where many things are new and they are constantly in a state of learning. Including languages in the curriculum at this stage makes it far more likely that they will incorporate these languages into their skillset. The second reason is that languages are a requirement for success in many future careers. The worlds of science and medicine often use a shared language – English – and a strong ability to understand and use English is necessary to succeed in these fields. The ability to communicate in the same language is incredibly beneficial in many workplaces, including politics and business. In order to provide all students with these skills for the future, it is important that they learn languages at school.
Admittedly, there are arguments against schools making languages an integral part of their curriculum. Not everyone is talented in languages and there are those who claim that to force all students to study them is a waste of valuable learning time. If all children have to learn a foreign language, it takes time from other subjects which might be more important for a child’s future life. In addition, critics state that making children take subjects that they do not have a predisposition for is setting them up to fail, and this can result in low self-esteem, as the child continuously fails to pick up the skill. This view is naive in that it ignores the fact that it is vital for every child to be given an opportunity to try new things. Unless they are introduced to it, they will never know if they can do it or not. It also does not take into account the point that there are plenty of school subjects that children are forced to do that they do not have a talent for. Maths or science or even physical education are not removed from the curriculum purely because some children are not good at it, so the same should not be done for foreign languages.
In conclusion, while some believe that foreign languages should not be part of the school curriculum due to the pressures they put on students’ workloads and the possible effect on their self esteem, these views are shortsighted. I am firmly of the belief that it is absolutely essential for children’s future in an increasingly globalised world and school is the most appropriate place for language skills to be developed.