Not Just a Credit Requirement

Most Stuyvesant students taking Spanish have probably said something along the lines of “I’ve taken Spanish since seventh grade, and I don’t understand anything.” Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the United States, yet rarely will you hear students discussing their passion for Spanish culture as they hurriedly rush through their third worksheet on the difference between “ser” and “estar.” As a country and as students, it is time for us to take language learning more seriously.

Students need to steer away from thinking of language classes as credit requirements. The first step in doing so is starting language education in schools as early as possible. In France, students are taught English from elementary school, which means that most French people are bilingual by adulthood. This early language education is also the case in Malta, Norway, Austria, Romania, and many other countries, where 100 percent of their primary and secondary school students study a foreign language. This compulsory schooling helps countries improve general education while also supporting tourism. Individuals benefit in a similar way, as big companies often look to hire polyglots because doing so supports their influence in foreign nations.

When language learning in schools starts early, students can build a foundation in the language that makes it easier to keep learning. Research from Stanford University shows that young children learn to converse easily in second languages, sometimes in a matter of months. Becoming conversational at an early age provides students with the confidence to keep going, while beginning at a later age can leave students doubting if they will ever be able to achieve fluency.

Introducing a new language in early elementary school also builds up a passion for the language and its culture over time. New York City has a huge population of immigrants, and building up language skills early promotes syncretism and inclusion. While standardizing the teaching of a second language in NYC elementary schools is a long way off, we can still learn to value language learning at Stuyvesant by incorporating new learning methods into the classroom.

At Stuyvesant, language teachers instruct students 40 minutes a day for five days a week, with vocabulary and grammar worksheets for homework. A myriad of language cultural opportunities are also offered already, such as the Japandamonium event for Japanese classes and the new Spanish Films elective. Stuyvesant has passionate language teachers who ultimately want their students to reach a high level in the language they are teaching. However, most students don’t have this goal for themselves. As students prioritize which classes to focus on, chances are slim that their French class will rise above their AP Chemistry class. The majority of students spend less time on the language itself, focusing on studying for the next quiz instead, only to forget everything over the summer.

To work on changing this mindset, both students and Stuyvesant’s language department can take action. Firstly, the language department should start off the year by spending a class or two on the ways that a student can self-study a language. Teachers can recommend television shows, singers, YouTubers, books, and movies that students can use to practice language immersion. On occasion, assigning reading for homework or taking notes on a television show can replace worksheets to give students a better understanding of how the language plays out in real life.

Teachers can also share applications to study abroad programs, such as the Council on International Educational Exchange, or full scholarship programs like the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, providing students with summer opportunities and the chance to learn about culture. Departments could even set up pen pal events, offer extra credit for keeping a journal in your target language, or share apps and platforms that connect learners with native speakers for real-life conversational practice. While a few teachers already use Boomalang, this platform, along with apps like HelloTalk and Tandem, should become more widely used across the department. These are additions to the fundamentals of language learning like grammar, memorization, and pronunciation that could help students start thinking about language learning more seriously. Teachers can further incentivize through graded assignments, projects, and extra credit.

With these changes, students will build foundations to continue learning after high school and stop writing off languages as credit requirements. Maybe the next time students study for a Spanish test, they will look forward not only to getting a good grade but also to using what they’ve learned to engage with Spanish culture and achieve fluency.