Need To Appreciate Foreign Languages

By Madison Dymond ‘16

When it comes to foreign language classes, most students are lazy. They have no real desire or motivation to speak anything other than English, and these classes are treated merely as obligations.

Many students study a language for six years and are unable to hold a conversation in that language. They rarely take these classes seriously, and often walk away having nothing to show for their time spent in them.

The most widely spoken non-English language in the United States is Spanish. When walking through the halls of Sherwood, one will almost always here it being spoken by native speakers. French is also very often heard. One will also hear the occasional mocking of non-English languages and ethnicities due to ignorance. The diversity in our school and country will only increase with time, and today’s adolescents need to be able to communicate with people around them.

There are so many other languages and cultures in the world. Learning at least one other language may seem “boring,” but it will help get rid of the ignorance and prejudice that some have toward the rest of the world.