English is becoming a global language, followed by Chinese, so more and more countries are adding international languages as a mandatory subject. However, others consider foreign languages optional subjects. Some people believe that the addition of English or other languages would alleviate pressure on students. In this essay, however, I will challenge this thinking.
On the one hand, putting English or new languages in the GCSE test may increase the pressure students have to incur as learning foreign languages becomes difficult for them to acquire. Many students study other subjects in their mother tongues, but they sometimes still cannot understand the ideas their teachers convey. Furthermore, the syllabus is also very heavy, requiring too many requirements. The more subjects adolescents have to learn, the more stressed they will be.
On the other hand, with regard to those not keen on learning new languages, students may feel discouraged in the GCSE exam. This can be seen in the way that Vietnam’s education removed English from compulsory subjects for the high-school finals with a view to giving students more freedom in choosing which subjects are appropriate for them. This way lessens considerable tension on Vietnam’s students.
In short, involving new languages may not satisfy students’ desires and, worse, put heavier pressure on them.