Spanish is the most commonly spoken foreign
language by America's largest immigrant group. It is the dominant
language of our closest foreign language neighbor-Mexico.
It is the primary language spoken in more than 21 countries.
It is spoken by more than 300,000,000 people.
More than 52,000,000 people will speak Spanish in America by the year 2010.
Los Angeles is the fifth largest Spanish-speaking city in the WORLD.
There are 24 U.S. Banks in Mexico City. Many American companies are conducting business in Spanish-speaking countries.
Cognitive
Benefits - Children in foreign language programs have tended to
demonstrate greater cognitive development, creativity, and divergent
thinking than monolingual children. Several studies show that people
who are competent in more than one language outscore those who are
speakers of only one language on tests of verbal and nonverbal
intelligence (Bruck, Lambert, and Tucker, 1974; Hakuta, 1986;
Weatherford, 1986). (A Rationale For Foreign Language Education - A
Position Paper of The National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign
Languages (NCSSFL)
Academic Benefits - Studies also show that
learning another language enhances the academic skills of students by
increasing their abilities in reading, writing, and mathematics. A 1994
report on the impact of magnet schools in the Kansas City Public
Schools showed that students in the foreign language magnet schools had
boosted achievement significantly (Eaton, 1994). It reported that
students in the language magnet's first kindergarten, starting in the
program in 1988, had surpassed national averages in all subjects by the
time they reached fifth grade. And the foreign language students
performed especially well in mathematics. Similar studies with students
in intensive second language programs show these students scoring as
well as or better than their monolingual peers on standardized
achievement tests in basic skills. (Ibid)
Societal Benefits -
People who communicate in at least two languages are an asset to the
communities in which they live and work. Increasing numbers of jobs now
require people who are capable of interacting with people who speak
languages other than English and can adapt to a wide range of cultural
backgrounds. In addition, the ability to communicate in a foreign
language contributes to a student's overall achievement of personal and
professional career goals. (Ibid)
The main reason I think people
who would really like to learn Spanish, but who don't, are those who
suffer from Xenoglossophobia. They are just plainly and simply afraid.
I think that fear works out in some of the following ways:
They
think they will not be able to master the thousands of vocabulary words
required for communicating in the language. They are terrified at the
thought of having to learn grammar rules. I mean, who wouldn't be? Can
you imagine anything more boring? They are afraid they are too old.
They are convinced that had they started as children they would have
had a fair shot at mastering Spanish.
Here is the BIG ONE: They are scared to death of making fools of themselves.
Not
living in as close proximity to another foreign country, as people do
in Europe, they do not perceive the need to learn a foreign language.I
talk to people all the time who voice these concerns. They are genuine.
They would love to live in Mexico and to take advantage of all its
benefits of retirement or expatriation, but these five objections loom
so largely in their brains that they cannot move past them.
Unbelievably,
this Xenoglossophobia is such a real disorder that some people cannot
get past it without professional help. Sometimes all the knowledge in
the world will not convince someone so afflicted so that they can get
past their fears and start to acquire a second language. If you are
afflicted with this and yet it is a life goal to master Spanish, get
the help you need.
NEXT: The Right Approach
