Learning Another Language Proves to be Valuable

Learning a language is more than just taking a required class for a required credit needed for graduation; it is a way for people to connect with others different from themselves and open their doors to the many different cultures out there, all starting with language.

Language is hard. English, the language the majority of the US population has grown up speaking, is hard, even later on in life. Learning language that is unfamiliar and foreign is harder and is far easier said than done. That’s a given. It is confusing. But it is worth it.

From an academic standpoint, learning a language looks great on a college application. It shows that the student is competent in learning new concepts and can comprehend it. While Hartford only offers Spanish and French classes, it is still good to study in them in preparation for future academics.

UW-Madison requires “two sequential units of a foreign language” for entry. UW-Oshkosh requires four units of a foreign language, fine arts or STEM subjects for admission as does UW-Whitewater with two complete years. The majority of UW schools highly suggest taking foreign language classes as well as most out of state colleges.

At HUHS, two years of either French or Spanish earn a student a chance at the Gold Diploma which also boosts college interests in a student when the time for applications begins.

Having a working knowledge of a language will also help in the careers and jobs outside of high school and college in fields such as “marketing, transportation, administration, sales, retail, banking, education, law, communication, public relations, tourism and government” according to CareerProfile.com. It increases pay and allows opportunities to mix business with pleasure like traveling through nursing or teaching. There are many jobs that need bilingual workers, even those who just have a working knowledge of it.

American Sign Language, or ASL, is a “complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with grammar that differs from English. ASL is expressed by movements of the hands and face,” defined by the US Department of Health and Human services. In the United States, a survey was done in 2011 by the American Community Survey, counting the number of Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) people, reining in 3.5 percent of the population was DHH, or 11 million people.

While that number is small compared to the entire US population, being able to sign ASL allows one to communicate with 11 million people most can't converse with. ASL is offered at colleges and other private institutions for those who wish to learn it.

Not everyone can go to Milwaukee and attend special language classes nor can everyone go to local colleges in their free time and pay for it. However, in the time where technology is ever thriving and information is at everyone’s access, sites like YouTube are a great source to learn the basics of any language out there.

With creators across the globe, there are thousands of videos and tutorials into learning language. Even just listening to native speakers speak their own language can help someone recognize words.

With public free platforms, apps like Duolingo and websites like Rosetta Stone, allow people to learn on their own while also challenging themselves every day. This technology allows people to learn when they can and if flexible enough to accommodate busy schedules while also getting a daily dose of learning.