“Beijinhos, Olá, Obrigado.” Small words, yet large meanings. Being the child of an immigrant, my first words consisted of English along with Portuguese, an interesting yet amazing mix. This melange of languages continued throughout my entire childhood, and lives on to this day. “Cousins” are “primos or primas,” “Grandmother” is “avó,” and “Chicken” is “galinha.” In my experience, understanding this second language gave me opportunities that monolinguals would never have. Not only did my Portuguese background provide me with an advantage when learning French, but it gave me the chance to get to know my cousins from other nations. An academic advantage paired with a chance to connect with your family is something that all people deserve to enjoy. However, the benefits of learning a second language are not solely confined to these examples; but many people do not see that. Thus, we arrive at the question every student asks, “Should I take a foreign language?”

Learning a foreign language can be complex, yet extremely rewarding. Not only does taking a foreign language improve your memory and ability to multitask, but according to LHS Portuguese Teacher Maria Fernandes, when you know a second language “going into the workforce, you’re on the top of the list, it will be a better competition for you.” To put into perspective, Fernandes provided a story on her past. Before working at Ludlow High, the well loved teacher had applied for an insurance position at MassMutual. Interestingly enough, Fernandes had no experience in this field; however, the employers hired her immediately as she was fluent in Spanish. Fernandes adds “they offered to teach me the other skills.” If this is not appealing enough, Fernandes adds that your academic performance will improve greatly. This is especially true in regards to your English and mathematics skills. All in all, while learning a skill that will place you above others in the race for a job, you are also gaining expertise in those difficult High School classes, placing you above others in your class. So far, learning another language seems like a win.

But do we need to take another language? Technically speaking, no. According to School Counselor Christina Dionne, “language is recommended, not required.” That is however untrue if planning on going to a Four-Year College. For example, UMass Amherst, and almost every other four-year school will require at least 2 years of the same foreign language for a chance to be considered. However, taking a foreign language is “not an LHS requirement.” Nor does Dionne think it should be, and I completely agree. “You do not want to put non-college pathed kids into a class they do not need,” Dionne states. However, Dionne recommends following a language path believing that it should be strongly encouraged. 

In contrast, 12th grader Piotr Budzyna disagrees. This 5th year French student believes that at LHS, a foreign language should be required as “it opens up new opportunities for all students. Even if you do not like the concept, it is important to try.” Now when discussing the “non-college pathed kids” in this scenario, it is important to think of this in a different perspective. For example, a bilingual electrician speaking both English and Spanish would be able to double their income by appealing to two separate populations; whereas their monolingual counterpart would only be able to appeal to one. Thus, Budzyna has a point in his reasoning and belief that foreign language should be a requirement in the span of your education. 

There are, unfortunately, downsides in learning a second language. The first and most obvious being it is extremely difficult. Thankfully, it is not impossible. Over the course of this year, my French teacher, Tammy Cook, has made the comment that “our brain can learn unlimited languages” many times, and this is true; the downside resides in the fact that during our high school years, it is just plain hard to get used to. Giving objects such as a “refrigerator” a gender seems completely absurd to our young-adult brains. On the contrary, children would accept that fact with open arms; which is why a language such as Turkish, French, or even English, should be taught “at the same time as learning your native language.” Why? Well because in your toddler and child portion of life “brains are little sponges,” according to Sra. Fernandes. In addition, “you are less anxious about messing up sounds and words when you’re young.” To back this statement up, it was found that researchers say that foreign language acquisition skills are at their height before you reach the age of 7, due to the fact that your brain forms neural connections at a much quicker rate than the brain of an adult, or teenager. 

Now, an additional difficulty is that some people may just not naturally have “an ear for language.” Truly, this obstacle is just a lousy excuse. Not all athletes start as pros, they practice, and when learning a language, the importance of practice is just as necessary. Likewise, it is not appropriate to label yourself as someone who does not have this “ear” if you have not tried. A language is, without a doubt, more difficult for some people than others, and it may be mentally impossible for some, but it is worth trying and practicing, as that is the only way to truly know.

I admit that the task of learning a new language is tedious, terrifying, and tough, but the outcome is incredibly rewarding. So download Duolingo, or buy a foreign dictionary and dare to learn, I think that you will be surprised with what you can accomplish.