Introduction
In recent years, the education sector has experienced a rise in the teaching and learning of second languages. The causes of this development are numerous and unique to each country, person, and educational context. Therefore, the motivation to learn a second language is different for each one, depending on the necessity and perceived advantages one stands to gain after acquisition. However, it is important to note English is the foreign language of choice in many countries in the world (Brown 3).
The motivation behind this inclination toward acquiring English as a second language is the perception that mastering this language provides one with greater opportunities in education and career (Murphy et al., 12). Other motivations for learning a second language lie in the linguistic contexts of a country. For instance, Canadian students and native English speakers will more likely want to learn French as a second language because it counts as one of its official languages. In general, teaching and learning foreign languages in schools is motivated by the presumption that this offers numerous advantages to students.
Discussion
One of the reasons various stakeholders believe that all students should study a foreign language before graduation is to align with the demands of a globalized world. According to Kendall, as the world becomes more globalized, the benefits of learning a second language are multiplying, and bilingualism is now arguably the present-day essential real-world ability (para 1). As the world becomes more interconnected and interdependent due to globalization, acquiring a second language allows one to effectively connect and communicate with people from other parts of the world. A student proficient in a foreign language is of more value. As such, students are encouraged to consider putting up the effort to learn a foreign language rather than expecting the world to accommodate their monolingual nature. According to Richards, learning a second language makes it easier to learn about other cultures and makes interaction with people from different parts of the world possible (para.1). This helps people share ideas and foster meaningful relationships across the globe hence making the world a better place.
Another benefit of learning a second language is that it opens up one to a world of job opportunities. Seeking a job can be a challenge to most graduates; however, having a second language could give one an upper hand over other job seekers. The world today is interconnected and, as such multicultural, major companies are expanding to other countries to grow their market share. This means that bilingual speakers are in higher demand than ever before (Larsen‐Freeman 55). Students, who graduate and happen to know a second language, be it French, Chinese, or English, will have vast career opportunities. Apart from that, bilingual speakers are more likely to climb up the career ladder much more quickly than monolingual speakers. For instance, if a company from America, an English-speaking country, moves to a foreign country like China, a candidate speaking Chinese will be considered to head overseas operations over the others who speak only English. This sums up the current and future status of the job market in a world where people with proficiency in more than just one language are highly sorted after by employers.
Despite the apparent benefits that students stand to gain from learning a foreign language before graduation, other people see no need to learn a second language. Most people who term foreign language acquisition as not crucial to students cite reasons such as lack of usefulness and the opportunity cost of learning a second language while still in school. The fact that one might spend a lot of time and money learning a language that might never be of any good regarding career and life, in general, is why some people believe that learning a second language is not necessary before one graduate. According to Richards, a second language is required in some careers but not in all of them, and as such, demanding students to learn a second language that won’t be of any help in their careers seems unreasonable (3). Apart from that, some foreign languages, for example, Latin, are not common in the modern world; hence learning such a language is a waste of time and resources. Opportunity cost is another reason some people are against mandatory second language acquisition. This is because time and resources used in learning and teaching can be put into other valuable activities, including exercise or gardening.
Conclusion
In conclusion, learning a second language before graduation presents numerous benefits to students as it puts them at an advantage in terms of careers and personal life. Globalization and interdependence of the world demand that people should have the ability to communicate and collaborate for things to happen and for desired outcomes achieved. A second language opens up numerous career opportunities and a chance to experience and understand other cultures existing in the world. Therefore, it is more prudent for one to learn a second language before one graduates.
Works Cited
Brown, Adam. Understanding and teaching English spelling: A strategic guide. Routledge, 2018.
Larsen‐Freeman, Diane. “Looking Ahead: Future Directions In, and Future Research Into, Second Language Acquisition.” Foreign Language Annals, vol. 51, no.1, 2018, pp. 55-72.
Kendal, Dick. “Why is it Important to Learn a Foreign Language?” (2022).
Murphy, Victoria A., et al. “Foreign Language Learning and Its Impact on Wider Academic Outcomes: A Rapid Evidence Assessment.” Education Endowment Foundation (2020).
Richards, Rebakah. “The Disadvantages of Learning a Foreign Language”. (n.d)