A Million Ways to say Hello by Shawna

A Million Ways to say Hello by Shawna - August 2018 Scholarship Essay

If I was to have my own educational podcast I would like to talk about the importance of language learning. I believe that the US does not do enough to encourage and support learning a second language and I feel that every individual should be able to speak at least two languages. Being bilingual helps in so many ways such as in the hiring process as well as when communicating with the world around you. English is not the most spoken language in the world, and yet Americans believe and expect the world to know and understand the ‘American’ English language. Chinese followed by Spanish are the world's most spoken languages and learning at least one would give better opportunities to anyone who learns them. I believe that when one learns a new language, a whole new world opens up to them. Not only does language allow communication but it also allows a new way of life to be learned. Culture and language live hand in hand and being exposed to a new culture is an amazing journey that many people will never experience.
Children who grow up in a home where they speak a separate language from that in which they speak in public or at school get to live in two very different worlds and are exposed to two very different ways of life. Children who grow up bilingual have opportunities that many other children will never have such as being free to move to another country that speaks their first language or communicate with individuals who can’t speak English and could even learn a third language easier than others due to their brain being more apt to language learning. If I had a podcast I would explain how the brain works differently in children who grow up learning two languages compared to others who learn languages after age 8 due to their brain maturation. I believe it’s important to teach children another language as soon as possible which means beginning to teach a new language in Elementary school.
Not only would I give reasons and encouragement to try and learn a second language but I would also discuss what other countries such as Germany and Italy do in order to foster language learning. In Germany, children begin learning English in 2nd or 3rd grade. They continue to learn English throughout their education and if students end up in the higher educational program within their system they are expected to learn a third language as well. There are so many reasons to learn a second language and there are a growing number of ways to achieve the goal of doing so at an older age such as Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone for people who wish to learn digitally or books located in the language section at bookstores. I believe it’s important for people who want to learn a language but don’t know where to begin or better yet, want to give up, a place to go that shows them they are not alone. There are so many people who want to learn a second language and I would love to host a podcast that brings everyone together to encourage each and everyone as well as show others how important it is to be open to the world around us.