Why don't American children learn multiple languages?

It is easier to learn languages when you are younger, but nothing will make you learn like NEEDING to learn. .....................................

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I speak fluent Southern Drawl.

It seems to me that our original 'Melting Pot' patterns have a lot to do with it.

Historically, immigrants who came to America (and who would probably be the best teachers for us of their native tongues) were tightly focused on assimilation and success. Many would not even let their kids learn the parents native language..they wanted them to be English speakers. Learning a foreign language was not a component of success.

That, coupled with a really crappy approach in schools to language instruction, is why we are where we are today.

I took 4+ years of French in HS and JHS and I can read a little and speak a tiny bit, but I was never taught to understand it when it is spoken conversationally (and at conversational speed) to me. What a waste.

It all depends on where you grew up and what you considered proper.

English was our primary language, but other languages or phrases were spoken - and sometimes you spoke a different language to be respectful because that is what the grandparents/older people spoke.

And those smatterings of other languages came in very handy when I traveled or learned vocabulary.

It must be a very self-centered kind of attitude Americans have when it comes to cultures and languages beyond our own. We are just not that into it.

But, it is so important. Not just speaking another language, but understanding the importance of language in our society and having respect for other languages and cultures worldwide. The person who travels to other parts of the world will enrich their own experiences and knowledge if they do so with great curiosity and respect, ready to learn more about their own world. Looking at the whole world as their own to explore and understand, rather than america as the whole world.

I do see our children being exposed to several languages as part of their education starting in pre-school, even if the study isn't very indepth. It is a start. We can do far better, but I think the importance of thinking globally in a meaningful way must come from within us first.

I do see our children being exposed to several languages as part of their education starting in pre-school, even if the study isn't very indepth. It is a start. We can do far better, but I think the importance of thinking globally must come from us first.

Like most public elementary schools, mine could not afford to have a strong Spanish program. But they did have us "learn" Spanish for an hour once a week.

I think that hour a week of Spanish was a huge waste of money because there is no way that I, or any of my classmates, were actually going to learn Spanish doing it for 1 hour a week.

I say either do it well, or don't waste the money doing it half way. There are better ways the school can use that money.

I completely disagree - I still remember some of my Spanish from 30-90 second clips on Sesame Street. Abierto/cerrado in muppet voices is stuck in my head forever.

And Grandpa Scooterbug's insistence on having his Thanksgiving dessert "mit schlag" came in QUITE handy when I was in Austria. That one phrase uttered once a year taught me how to order sauce, read a menu, and get my struedel or cocoa with my chosen topping.

Before the last time I went to Europe, I played John R's Free Rice once or twice a week to brush up on my vocab.

A little bit repeated over time makes a huge difference.

Like most public elementary schools, mine could not afford to have a strong Spanish program. But they did have us "learn" Spanish for an hour once a week.

I think that hour a week of Spanish was a huge waste of money because there is no way that I, or any of my classmates, were actually going to learn Spanish doing it for 1 hour a week.

I say either do it well, or don't waste the money doing it half way. There are better ways the school can use that money.

I think that exposure to other languages and cultures can make a huge difference in our childrens' education, having an important impact on how they view the world. they need not be fluent in other languages as long as they appreciate the fact that other cultures exist outside of their own - and respect those cultures as being just as critical as their own.

my child has been exposed to several languages throughout his young education - consistently - but not to the point of learning to speak any of them fluently. It could serve as an important foundation for later though, in many ways.

Living in an international dorm for the past two years has taught me many things about how America differs from the rest of the world. But the one thing that stands out the most, is that my American peers and I all only know one language, while the Asians and Europeans are practically fluent in 3 or 4 different languages.


It's difficult once you reach high school or are past high school to become fluent in a foreign language. So what I want to know is why does the U.S. seem to be the only country of its stature in the world, that doesn't teach young children multiple languages.

Also, all the Chinese kids I know tell me that all of the "elite" in China already know English. so is it really necessary for me to learn Chinese?

My public elementary school had Spanish class but all that we learned how to do was say chicken and count to ten. So it was kind of useless.

I guess it depends on what the state requirements were where you grew up. We were required to learn a second language in high school. I chose spanish, my sister chose french. We also had japanese and russian to choose from.:idontno:

I guess it depends on what the state requirements were where you grew up. We were required to learn a second language in high school. I chose spanish, my sister chose french. We also had japanese and russian to choose from.:idontno:

Many of us had second language requirements, and I remember computer programming being counted as one. Studying a second language in HS is a little too little too late, imo, but better than nothing I suppose.

I studied spanish in HS and while I cannot really speak spanish, I enjoyed the exposure quite a lot. I had no real exposure to spanish before HS so it was all new to me. At this point, it seems our children do have quite a bit more exposure to second languages in the media and in school. Hopefully, we are moving in the right direction, if slowly, and without a lot of direction.

Many of us had second language requirements, and I remember computer programming being counted as one. Studying a second language in HS is a little too little too late, imo, but better than nothing I suppose.

I studied spanish in HS and while I cannot really speak spanish, I enjoyed the exposure quite a lot. I had no real exposure to spanish before HS so it was all new to me. At this point, it seems our children do have quite a bit more exposure to second languages in the media and in school. Hopefully, we are moving in the right direction, if slowly, and without a lot of direction.

That seems to be the trend. I just checked my old elementary and middle school curriculum, both have foreign language instruction now. My old middle school requires a two semester class of combined french and spanish.

Anyone know what we require here in Walton at the middle and high school level?

Hmmph, I don't see any complete computer science courses at Seaside or Walton High. But hey, at least they teach the kids spanish! :sarc:

Hmmph, I don't see any complete computer science courses at Seaside or Walton High. But hey, at least they teach the kids spanish! :sarc:

crap! there are many things missing from the curriculum these days as they are squeezed out by "the test".