I am a four year member of the Spanish program at my high school. To be perfectly honest, my main objective in taking a foreign language was adding it to my college application in hopes of getting into a competitive school. But, while this was the major prompt to start my language learning journey, I was still interested in picking up the new skill. Since then, I’ve come a long way in my understanding of Spanish, and I’m even looking to continue on through college with the aim of fluency. Unfortunately though, learning a second language is a challenging and drawn out process which means that my biggest regret is not starting sooner, a problem which the public education system is best equipped to resolve for future generations.

Knowing multiple languages truly is an important skill to have. It is good for brain health and can help with improving memory and attention span while simultaneously slowing cognitive decline. Then, of course, there are the more obvious upsides such as the ability to vacation in another country without being dependent on others to know your own language. You also never know when you may run into a situation where knowing another language could prove useful. I’ve put my Spanish skills to use when I come across signs or advertisements I see in everyday life. In addition to all of these, one of my major motivations for wanting to know a second language is that it’s a useful career skill. Knowing a second language is beneficial in almost every single industry, particularly those that involve interacting with people (so . . . almost all of them). Studies show that those who know a second language report that it has helped them to secure employment and that they are more likely to receive higher pay. It’s a skill which is in high demand across the board due to its necessity for a functioning economy and society, and it’s one which it can never hurt to have.

When it comes to picking up another language though, the younger someone starts, the better. Research shows that, after 18, the brain’s ability to grasp a second language is greatly diminished. So, while it is definitely possible for adults to accomplish this feat, high school is really about the latest that the average person can most proficiently learn a foreign language. It still isn’t the best time though. In fact, 10 is really the latest that most people will be able to attain the grammatical fluency of a native speaker. Unfortunately, 10-year-old me did not have the necessary foresight or dedication required to begin working on another language, and I would challenge most anyone’s 10-year-old self to do any better. Thus, I began working on Spanish at the ripe old age of 15, my freshman year. My school, like many others, does not offer a foreign language until high school. Some may begin in middle school, but even then, students have hit double digits and, while it’s rarely said that middle schoolers’ brains are too developed, such is the case when it comes to efficiently picking up another language. This means that the best time for language acquisition to begin is in elementary school.

It’s also clear that this is something which should happen in school. Most people are not going to do it on their own. Even if they did, this would potentially cost them money and probably involve the use of an app, which simply does not provide the same benefit as learning with others in a classroom. In my Spanish class we have a teacher who helps us in real time. We have discussions about the culture of Spanish speaking countries, the understanding of which is necessary to know how to practically apply our language skills. We do speaking tests which require us to use our understanding of the language to converse in real time. Additionally, we read books written in Spanish for language learners. These are areas where apps fall short. We use Duolingo every so often, and its abilities have to be commended as a supplemental tool. However, it simply can’t compare to the experience of learning in the classroom. Additionally, I’ve tried to learn another language using Duolingo before and it’s a struggle to keep a streak going. Life is busy and sometimes I didn’t feel like getting home late and then doing a German lesson. No matter what though, I know that if I’m at school during fifth hour, there is time structured into my day for learning Spanish. Having schools expand this option (or even making it a requirement) to learn another language at the age when it’s easiest to do so would be an amazing opportunity for kids like me who have the interest, and one which would help put the United States on par with other developed nations.

In fact, a lack of language learning is an almost uniquely American problem. In Europe, students between the ages of 6 and 9 begin studying a foreign language in countries across the continent. This is typically done as a required part of their early education. Kids are started young on language and this skill is then taught continuously throughout their time in school. To compare stats: Europe boasts overwhelming majorities of their students learning a foreign language while only 20% of US students do the same. This directly leads to another unfortunate statistic which shows only 20% of US adults being able to carry conversation in another language while 65% of Europeans are able to do so. The most apparent difference is in the incorporation of a secondary language class into early education. Currently, about 20% of American elementary schools offer a foreign language to their students. This leaves a huge gap which could be filled through the expansion of funding for foreign language learning at all ages of education, not just high school and middle school.

Knowing a second language is a valuable skill and is one that I would personally like to attain. It is possible for me, but it is going to require a lot more work for a less polished final product than it would if I had simply started my journey earlier. This is an opportunity which is being missed by millions of Americans across the country, and it is one which the public education system is best positioned to remedy. The expansion of foreign language curriculum to elementary school is a step which would help Americans to become better equipped global citizens and one that would help to keep us on par with other countries around the world. I may not be able to directly reap the benefits of such a move, but it would provide for future generations of students just like me, and it is up to the citizens now to provide for the citizens of tomorrow.