Reasons Why We Need to Learn a Foreign Language

Why learn a foreign language? What is the benefit in learning a foreign language? What are you going to do with it? I can remember when I first started taking Spanish 25 years ago some people didn't understand my purpose in taking it. Some people thought it was unnecessary to learn a foreign language unless you had plans to use it in a career field. Today with so many illegal aliens that have crossed our border from Mexico, it's evident we need to learn how to speak a foreign language. I believe those of us that live in America need to know how to speak Spanish. There are a number of reasons why people need to learn a foreign language.

Charlotte Mason, a British homeschool educator taught foreign language to her students at a very young age. She taught French because of Britain's proximity to France. She taught them approximately six vocabulary words a day. They also learned to read simple foreign language books as well. By the time many of her students were nine and ten years old they were speaking German, French, and Italian simultaneously. She understood the importance of teaching foreign language to young school children. Foreign language isn't just a modern day phenemona. Foreign language was also taught in colonial American colleges as well. The College of New Jersey (Princeton University) taught Latin, Hebrew, and Greek, for example. President James Madison studied those languages while he was a student at the College of New Jersey. Some of the most well-educated people of Colonial America knew foreign language.

What are some of the reasons why we need to learn a foreign language? One reason why we need to is because of the out-of-control migration of illegal immigrants to America. It is true that they need to learn how to speak English, however, somebody needs to know their language in order for them to receive some help. How can we help them if we can't speak their language? Another reason why it's important to know the language is because there's a need to send Christian missionaries overseas and the missionaries need to learn the native language of the land they're going to be staying. On that note, the churches in America need to learn a foreign language so they can preach the Gospel to those immigrants that aren't familiar with the English language. Another important reason to learn a foreign language is because there are some jobs in certain places that require knowledge and mastery of a foreign language. There are some government posts that require knowledge of a foreign language. There are some military positions overseas where it's necessary to learn another language. There's even some jobs that involve language interpretation that requires knowledge of a foreign language. There are positions in secondary schools and colleges that need foreign language teachers.

Learning a foreign knowledge can stimulate a mind's capacity to learn. Studies have shown that if foreign language and music are introduced to students as early as kindergarten, it will stimulate their brain's mental capacity and it will enable them to succeed academically. Learning a foreign language can greatly enhance a child's learning capacity. Foreign language can open up a child's mind to a whole new world. A child will also learn about the culture of a particular country by studying a foreign language. There's so many things a person can learn by studying a foreign language.

A child needs to learn at least two foreign languages in addition to their native language whether it be Spanish, French, German, etc. The second language I would strongly recommend that children learn is Latin. Even though Latin is a "dead" language, many of our words derive from Latin. Many words from the English language stem from Latin. Many medical terms have Latin roots. Those that decide to take pharmaceutical courses need to know Latin because many terms that are in relation to medicine derive from Latin. Learning Latin can enable a person to learn to appreciate Western civilization and things of the past. A person limits themselves without a foreign language education.