The Cost and Value of Early Foreign Language Instruction in America

【Abstract】In light of NCLB and the emphasis for the government to improve student performance， a quick， agile and competent mind， functioning with high cognitive abilities， is the aim in education. And if through Foreign Language instruction we can bolster reading abilities， the basis of all academic achievement. The aim of this essay is to analyze the cost and value of early foreign language instruction and promote， advance， and garner support and understanding about the need for early foreign language study.

【Key words】NCLB（No Child Left Behind Act）； Foreign Language Instruction； early foreign language study； promote

In the global marketplace， who can afford to leave ignorance and apathy as the deciding factors in our countrys success？ Some critics would argue that spending money on foreign language instruction would be better spent on teaching the “core” subjects tested under the No Child Left Behind Act. Yet a closer look actually reveals that on all levels there is added value in implementing foreign language instruction early and across the board. Already， one in five Americans speaks a language other than English in their households. And 55% of these speakers are also reported to speak English very well with no difficulty. These individuals have an advantage over monolingual citizens. In business and in personal affairs， instant understanding fosters better relationships and serves as “rip-off” prevention so to speak. The return ratio on money spent in foreign language instruction to money earned after graduation is an almost fool proof method for creating revenue， provided instruction is high caliber and consistent.

In America， the Department of Educations 2007 budget included $57 million towards educating students， teachers and government workers in critical languages. It seeks to build programs from kindergarten through university. It also aims to create high-level proficiency in the traditional languages of French， German and Spanish. And though more interest and money are becoming available there are still barriers to foreign language instruction. The current education reform movement has forced schools to narrow their curriculum focus. Teachers and administrators alike complain that there is not time to teach geography， social studies or foreign languages when the emphasis of No Child Left Behind focuses on reading， science and mathematics. What proponents of foreign language study education would like to say， as well as countless studies， is that including time for a second language actually helps students achieve levels of performance that supercede national standards.

Foreign language study has proven to significantly increase test scores besides having a lasting effect on cognitive ability and brain function. “When done right， foreign language instruction uses themes that support the elementary curriculum including math， science， social studies and language arts.” Through different ways of thinking and understanding， students become more adept at problem solving and critical thinking when foreign language instruction is a part of on-going education. And the earlier children are introduced to foreign languages the higher levels of cognitive development they achieve. Because young students are efficient learners， their exposure to two or more languages allows them more flexibility and creative thought. In a supportive environment， children can begin learning two languages from birth on， which seems to give a clear advantage over monolingual peers.

The College Board which develops and administers testing programs in a variety of subjects released “The Importance of Long Sequences of World Language Study： Equitable Access to Advanced Placement Courses，” which states that because of the time investment necessary to learn and achieve proficiency in world languages， instruction should start before middle school and continue uninterrupted for at least 5-6 years.

Students who have taken a foreign language for at least four years score at least 100 points higher on each section of the SAT. In fact studying a foreign language for 4 or more years gave higher test scores than studying other subjects for the same amount of time. It is no wonder that with 20，000 Latin based cognates in English， Spanish and French - students improve facility with English while making cross genres connections. Scientific and mathematic language can be more easily understood with a strong language base.

And if raising test scores for the No Child Left Behind Act isnt enough， there is proof that speaking more than one language is linked to a lower incidence of Alzheimers and other diseases that deteriorate the brain. Use it or lose it. In the case of multilingual learners， age-related mental decline is lessened and even delayed. It may even help humans from being lonely later in life if they are willing and able to show genuine interest in communication with others.

Global empathy and communication with others is another reason that elementary education needs to systematically include foreign language instruction. The United Nations uses more than one official language， as does the European Union. A great quote from President， George Bush said： “Learning a language...is a kind of gesture. Its a gesture of interest. It really is a fundamental way to reach out to somebody and say I care about you. I want you to know that Im interested in not only how you talk but how you live.”

References：

[1]Binbin Wu.Characteristics of Foreign Language Teaching：A Case Study on An American Early Childhood Educational Institution.2013年創新教育学术会议（CCE 2013）论文集，2013.05.24.

[2]Cristina Gillanders.An English-Speaking Prekindergarten Teacher for Young Latino Children：Implications of the Teacher–Child Relationship on Second Language Learning[J].Early Childhood Education Journal.2007（1）.

[3]彭伟强.当代美国基础教育外语课程发展研究[J].华南师范大学，2002.6.

作者简介：张远艳（1982-），女，汉族，云南文山人，文山学院外国语学院讲师，硕士研究生，主要从事英语教学法和英美文化研究。