As some adolescents do not have the innate aptitude to learn a language, some think that foreign language learning should not be obligatory in schools. From my point of view, I partly agree with this perspective based on several major reasons that are discussed in this essay.
On the one hand, admittedly, being forced to learn various languages at schools is beneficial. In today’s globalised world, many languages, such as English or Chinese, have become increasingly prevalent. Thus, having fundamental knowledge about these languages while they are at schools can offer students several benefits, especially in terms of better career prospects in the future. For instance, many novel Information Technology documents are published only in English, which leads to the increasing demand for individuals with linguistic proficiency in the language to join the workforce. As a result, this high demand gives competent English higher employability over those who do not possess the same skills when applying for the same positions. Therefore, if learning languages at schools is mandatory, many students will gain a competitive edge and be better equipped regarding their further career path.
However, despite the merits that knowledge about a foreign language offers, there are some persuasive rationales supporting the view that learning a foreign language should be voluntary. For instance, in Vietnam, many students have struggled when applying to higher education institutions as their English grades, which are obligatory in the country, are inferior compared to their peers’. This phenomenon is not caused by lack of efforts but by the students not having natural talents in language acquisition. The repercussions of this matter are that the students lacking innate ability in learning English will have their self-esteem diminished as well as their opportunities to academic advancement being narrowed. Hence, if studying a foreign language in schools becomes optional, these problems will be mitigated, offering more opportunities for students.
In conclusion, although there are mixed opinions about whether or not schools should force students to learn foreign languages, it is my point of view that there should be a combination of the two perspectives. While it is mandatory for students to learn languages in schools, there should be some aids for disadvantaged students with their language learning results, such as making language test voluntary for them, to provide a more equitable environment.