With six different foreign language classes offered within Columbia Public Schools (CPS), students have the opportunity to learn about different languages and cultures from around the world.
RBHS Japanese teacher Justin Schuenemeyer said he believes learning a foreign language is something every student should attempt, as it’s a good way to improve listening and communication skills.
“I don’t think foreign languages are for everyone, however, I do at least think they should try,” Schuenemeyer said. “Make it a language you have a connection with or that you like the culture.”
Megan Moore, Chair of the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at the University of Missouri — Columbia, said learning a foreign language will allow students to better understand themselves and the world around them.
“By learning how [people] around the globe speak, you also learn how they think — language is a door to understanding thinking,” Moore said. “You [can] learn not only how others think, but how your own language works [as well].”
Teachers in foreign language classes have lessons about various customs and traditions from other countries. Schuenemeyer said he thinks learning a foreign language is a great way for students to immerse themselves in another country’s culture.
“If you love the culture, speak the language, and [then] you can go visit the place,” Schuenemeyer said. “Everyone knows what a fiesta is, but until you go to Spain you cannot experience the fiesta in its natural, cultural form.”
RBHS sophomore Ahlam Alamin said she has enjoyed learning and understanding other cultures through the Spanish classes she has taken at RBHS. Additionally, she said these classes have helped her improve her Spanish speaking skills.
“The foreign language classes I’ve taken at [RBHS] have helped me improve my foreign language skills by expanding my learning abilities in a complex way,” Alamin said. “Instead of just sitting down and writing notes, we need to learn communication and listening skills for the language we are learning.”
Learning to speak and read in a foreign language is something Schuenemeyer said most students find challenging. He said foreign language classes are rigorous but incredibly rewarding.
“You’ve got to think in the foreign language, that’s the hardest part,” Schuenemeyer said. “But one of my favorite things about being a foreign language teacher is when I get to see a student read something in Japanese or hear me say something in Japanese and they are able to understand it.”
However, for students who want to become fluent in a foreign language, Schuenemeyer said it is crucial that they continue learning and practicing that language after graduating high school.
“After high school is when most of your language learning occurs,” Schuenemeyer said. “You’re not going to learn everything in the four years of high school, so you definitely need to keep continuing if you want to keep speaking the language.”
Alamin said one of the reasons she wanted to learn Spanish was because she believed that it would be helpful to know in the future; she thinks learning a foreign language is helpful for anyone thinking about going to another country.
“Taking a foreign language class allows you to communicate with others easily,” Alamin said. “If you ever need to travel for fun or because of your job, it helps if you know the language in that country.”
In addition, Moore said knowing a foreign language is an extremely useful skill to have when entering the job market, as it allows for better communication with people and businesses from around the world.
“How people communicate matters,” Moore said. “If you want to do business with someone, take [their] health history and take care of them if they’re sick or help defend them if they have legal trouble, you won’t have as much success if you don’t know the right social codes.”
As the world becomes increasingly more connected through the internet and social media, Moore believes it becomes even more necessary for students to take foreign language classes to better understand different languages and cultures.
“It’s important to have the cultural competency to contextualize people’s experiences and focus on connecting through shared purposes,” Moore said. “Learning to think broadly and empathetically about humans across the globe is a skill we should all develop in order to build stronger communities.”
Do you think it’s important to take foreign language classes? Let us know in the comments below.
