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Leah Faulkner

Mrs. Cramer

College Composition 1 Pd 8

December 6th, 2019

The Need for Second Language Acquisition

Students all around the world find conflict in foreign areas due to not knowing the native

language. Knowing the native language is crucial if someone plans on doing business in that

environment or plan on migrating to the new land. The native language of the land is taught all

throughout school, but numerous schools do not teach a second language due to thinking it is not

essential to student’s education. The argument of whether schools should teach second languages

has been debated for decades. Many schools around the world do believe in teaching multiple

languages because of the migration trends in countries, while other schools don’t because those

countries do not have a large emigration rate. The following literature pieces were analyzed to

describe various author’s views on bilingual education, social separation, and foreign

environments.

First, bilingual education has been taught for many years to teach students the content

and culture of another language. The teaching of bilingual programs began in the 1840’s in the

United States because children were migrating to the U.S who spoke German, Dutch, French,

Spanish, Swedish, and several other languages (Torres-Guzman). This was at a time of great

famine in some countries and people were coming to the United States for a new life, which

would mean the new citizens would have to learn a new language. We can compare this situation

to nowadays because people migrating to America for a better life, but in order to communicate
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efficiently, they must learn the national language. “The bilingualism most of us are familiar with

revolves around the teaching of two languages as subjects, with only one of these being used as a

communication medium” (Owen-Smith 32). Margie Owen-Smith states that it is helpful to learn

a second language to speak efficiently with a foreign person or in a foreign environment.

Equally important, bilingual educational programs are incredibly useful for your future

when you are put in a difficult position and must speak another language. An example of needing

bilingual education, is when an occupation requires traveling to different countries and requires

speaking other languages to complete the job effectively. Bilingual education also has the benefit

of enhancing the chances of acquiring a competitive position. Learning and communicating a

second language successfully means employers know a job candidate has an intelligent and open

mind. Bilingual education is important because it will aid in making a person more marketable in

the employment realm.

Furthermore, in the examination of social class, not knowing the native language of the

country can cause social separation from the rest of the population. Many new immigrants have

the same problem, which is not knowing the same language as the rest of the people. This

problem can lead to a poor lifestyle. “Language is a unifying factor rather than a source of

division” (Owen-Smith 33). This quote from Owen-Smith recognizes that one language can

bring people together because everyone knows and understands the same language. If someone

went to a foreign land and doesn’t understand the native language that person will experience

social separation from the rest of the population, however if that person was taught a second

language growing up, then they would most likely be able to communicate more effectively. The

immigrants that migrated in the 1840’s from other countries to America were socially separated

from American citizens. In that time period, there was one major known language: English.
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Thousands of immigrants had to learn English because they were unable to communicate

(Torres-Guzman). Social separation can be conflicting because people may not talk to others in

that area. Social separation can cause mental health issues due to isolation from others. It is

recommended that every school teach bilingual education, where it would decrease mental health

problems in school or in the world.

Additionally, in the last piece of evidence that exemplifies learning a second language

is it can be extremely useful in foreign environments. When traveling for business or

vacationing, learning the language of that area is beneficial to save time, especially when trying

to figure out what to say. For example, if an occupation requires travel to a foreign country,

successfully communicating with the native language can increase the success of the business.

When traveling to a foreign country, not being able to communicate is a significant disadvantage

(Jha 2). Learning and experiencing bilingual education can make it easier to live your life in a

new country (Jha). Research has shown that bilingual education has made communicating much

easier for them and the environment. Learning a second language is beneficial to someone who

moves to a foreign country and decreases the stress of the new environment.

In conclusion, multiple articles were analyzed to describe various views on bilingual

education, social separation and foreign environments in regard to learning a second language.

Bilingual education has shown significant benefits for students and their future’s. Social

separation can affect people’s minds because of not knowing and understanding other unknown

languages. Being able to speak a secondary language effectively can greatly help when and if put

into a foreign community. This essay exemplifies the multiple reasons why schools and colleges

are making bilingual education a requirement for graduation. As a result of learning a second

language during their education, students can communicate effectively with someone from
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another country. Having the ability to speak bilingually to others can increase the success of

people’s lives because learning bilingual languages can help stay away from mental health issues

and problems arising when in foreign countries.

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Works Cited

Jha, Smita. "Language Learning--Second Language Acquisition." Language In India, Jan. 2012,

p. 608+. Gale Academic Onefile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A277602545/AONE?

u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=de0e5090. Accessed 19 Nov. 2019.

Owen-Smith, Margie. "The Language Challenge in the Classroom: A Serious Shift in Thinking

and Action is Needed." Focus 56 (2010): 31-37.

Torres-Guzman, Maria Emilia. "Education, Bilingual." Dictionary of American History, edited

by Stanley I. Kutler, 3rd ed., vol. 3, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003, pp. 121-122. Gale In

Context: High School, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3401801317/SUIC?

u=pl1949&sid=SUIC&xid=3ec6db0a. Accessed 19 Nov. 2019.