Megan McNally

Mr. Cambisios

English II

3 October, 2017

The Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language

Keith Palmer stepped off the plane with his passport, overflowing with stamps tucked

into the sleeve of his briefcase. The 39-year-old Chief Financial Officer of Coca Cola got his

luggage and stopped on his way out to talk to a sweet local woman who was waiting for her son;

she found him charming. While waiting for his taxi outside, he began to hum along to the local

tango music playing out of the speakers. Hearing the Argentine accent that bustled around him

brought him back to the first time he had been here while studying abroad in college. Besides the

opportunity to study abroad, learning a second language in high school can open new career

opportunities, give the chance to advance in academics, and offer the unique opportunity to

embrace and learn about cultures.

Being bilingual will eventually set a student ahead of his or her fellow coworkers. In the

United States, 20% of the population speak a language other than English, and we have millions

of tourists that come to visit every year (Balderrama). Based on this statistic, there is obviously a

very big demand for multilingual workers in terms of jobs that involve interacting with

consumers, even if those interactions aren’t in person. The six industries that have the highest

demand for multilingual workers are education, hospitality, law enforcement, customer service,

social services, finance, and communication (Balderrama). If someone were to work in a bar or

in a hotel, jobs that would fall into the category of hospitality, he or she would be recognized for
being conversationally fluent, because these jobs deal with interacting with tourists from all over

the world. Although language isn’t a requirement for these jobs, it would still give him or her a

boost above other employees; this goes for other jobs like police officers, accountants, social

workers, and more. This is because there are many citizens in the United States that don’t speak

English, or are more comfortable with a language other than English. If, for example, a police

officer knew Spanish, people in the community that spoke Spanish would be more comfortable

with the officers and they would have more trust in the officers. If an officer is trying to help a

hispanic citizen and doesn’t fully understand what he or she is saying, that is going to be very

difficult. Without enough workers that are able to speak another language, jobs in these fields

are unable to be filled, as the UK found out a few years ago. In 2013, the UK economy lost about

£50bn because there were not enough workers that spoke a second language (Jolin). The UK

specifically found trouble with jobs relating to marketing and exporting products. In a British

Chambers of Commerce survey, they found that 70% of exporters did not have any language

ability for the country they were working with, and 62% of companies that weren’t currently

exporting were looking to do so, but couldn’t because of language barriers (Pawle). In 2011,

27% of administration jobs and clerical jobs were not able to be filled for the same reason: lack

of foreign language ability (Jolin). Seventeen percent of employee vacancies in the UK are

related to lack of language abilities (Codrea-Rado). As you can see, the UK is a prime example

of why we need more bilingual employees.

Businesses and companies are always looking to expand. If a business has employees that

are able to speak more than one language, they are able to expand across seas and reach a whole

new group of customers (​A Case​). Because of this, employers will value an employee that can
speak multiple languages and this trait can set them apart from their peers, as well as set them

ahead for various jobs and positions (Morris). In 2015, Bank of America was looking for many

bilingual workers; in fact, over one third of the positions they were looking to fill were for

bilingual positions. Similar to Bank of America, Humana, a health insurer, was also looking for

bilinguals to fill different roles inside the company. Close to 25% of the positions advertised

online wanted an employee that could speak multiple languages, and 40% of the positions they

were looking to fill in terms of nursing were for bilingual workers (“Not Lost”). For all

companies, these bilingual employees might have the opportunity to work abroad and work with

foreign customers, which can make them more eligible for a promotion (​A Case​). Having a

second language in the workplace can also raise an employee's salary anywhere between 8 and

20% (Jeffery). In marketing, sales, or technical support, employees could even end up having

15% more added to their wage, just by knowing a second language. Therefore, being bilingual is

a major bonus in the workplace.

Learning a foreign language also helps student’s academics far outside the limits of

language. Taking four years of a second language is enticing for some colleges, and for some

prestigious colleges, such as Middlebury College and Princeton, it is even an expectation

(​Foreign​). Once a student is in college, a second language gives him or her opportunities such as

possible scholarships, the chance to study abroad, and the opportunity to take an extra class

where their language class would be (Jeffery). Once a student becomes fluent in a second

language, they are able to make decisions and think about problems without their emotions

impacting their thought process. This enables students to solve problems in a rational way

(Cherian). This ability can even help students outside of the classroom. In terms of testing,
language classes are proven to improve scores. A positive correlation has been found between

learning a second language and SAT scores, specifically verbal scores. With each year a student

takes of foreign language, the scores continue to rise. A student that has taken four to five years

of language has higher verbal scores than a student that has taken four to five year of any other

subject (Muñoz). An example that clearly shows the correlation between language and SAT

scores is students that have taken a second language as a class for four years or longer have

averaged 50 points higher on the SATs in Critical Reading and 40 points higher in the

Mathematics section compared to students who have taken either a half year of foreign language

or less (Jeffery). These statistics show that learning a second language changes something in the

student's brain that allows them to excel not only in their language class, but in other areas of

school as well.

The brain of a bilingual student shows developments that are different than those of

monolinguals. When a student learns a second language, he or she has increased cognitive

abilities. When knowing two languages, the executive control system has to sort through

thoughts and discard what isn’t relevant, ​therefore​ helping to stay focused on what is important

(Dreifus). The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that allows us to solve

problems, change focus, and concentrate on the important information when learning and

reading. When learning and using a second language, this part of the brain is engaged, which

ends up strengthening it and making it healthier (Cherian). One example of a bilingual student

using this part of the brain would be when a student needs to decide what to say based on

whether they are talking to their teacher or to their friend. When the brain constantly needs to

switch between languages, it helps a student stay present, switch between tasks easily, and helps
them ignore distractions (Kamenetz). Not only will a student improve his or her cognitive

function, but they will also create new connections in the brain. Technology shows that

bilinguals’ brains will make connections through learning a second language that will give them

the ability to solve problems using a different system than monolinguals. This system enables

bilingual students to solve the same problem faster (Dreifus). These changes in the brain help a

student down the road as well. Studies show that being bilingual can postpone the onset of

dementia and Alzheimer’s by up to five years because of the brain’s neurological efficiency

which is enhanced by learning a second language (Parisi). Bilinguals have more grey matter in

their brain, which is a big part of the central nervous system. When they get older, they retain

more white matter which is the part of the brain that connects the different sections of grey

matter to each other. Therefore, being bilingual helps students throughout their entire academic

life.

Finally, learning a second language promotes appreciation of other cultures. Through

technology, media, and the ability to travel, we feel we have the ability to connect with many

communities around the world, but we cannot fully immerse ourselves if we aren’t able to

communicate with those communities (Morris). As humans, it is natural to make assumptions

about people; this is something we do without even thinking about it. We all have stereotypes

about cultures and groups of people, even if we are only subconsciously thinking about them.

My mother grew up in Argentina, and is now a Spanish teacher in the United States. Numerous

students have come up to my brother and I, asking if our mom was from Mexico. In the United

States, when people know that someone is hispanic, they often just assume he or she is from

Mexico, simply because we are so close to that country. Although there are many Mexican
immigrants living among us, that doesn’t mean we should stereotype all hispanics into being

Mexican. By learning Spanish, the people that have these stereotypes would be able to learn

about the different hispanic cultures. Although all hispanics speak Spanish, they are still very

different from one another. With four years to study a language, you are able to see the

stereotypes you previously had in a different perspective. Simply by recognizing this, you are

able to put previous judgments and assumptions aside, and learn about specific individuals inside

of a culture. For example, you are able to see that different communities have different accents,

traditions, and foods that are influenced by their geography and history. Learning this allows you

to have a more personal connection and enables you to learn about a culture other than your own

on a much deeper level (Nugent). In my own Spanish class, we had a unit where we learned

about different traditional dishes in various Hispanic countries, such as paella, which is a

common dish in Spain. The main ingredients in this dish are saffron and rice, which the

Spaniards adopted after being occupied by the Arabs. This showed me how a culture is

influenced by its geography, but also by its history. Another dish that we looked at is called ​ropa

vieja​, which is common among the poorer areas of Latin America. This dish uses leftovers to

create a new meal, which I found very resourceful compared to how wasteful people tend to be

in the United States. Studying these dishes, as well as other similar ones, allowed me to further

my understanding of different areas of the Spanish speaking world by looking at ingredients,

tastes, and how food is prepared. In Argentina, as well as most Spanish speaking countries, the

concept of dinner is different from what most Americans perceive it to be. In Spanish speaking

countries, dinner is not served until late at night, often nine or ten, simply because dinner is

family time. Families will wait until all members in the family are done with work and school so
everyone can sit together to eat a meal with one another. Learning this taught me that the way

food is served depends on the culture of a region. When traveling, if you speak a second

language, you are able to talk with the locals about your own traditions and habits, as well as

learn about theirs. If you speak the locals’ language, you are able to get an inside look into their

lives, giving yourself the opportunity to see your life in a different light (​A Case​).

A lack of cultural understanding prevents the United States from accepting other cultures

as well as effectively protecting itself and other communities. This lack of cultural understanding

could lead to xenophobia, which is a problem that the United States currently has. People will

make assumptions about individuals based on their race or ethnicity, even if they never got to

know them at all. The world is currently in a refugee crisis and because of this xenophobia, many

refugees are being denied entry into the U.S. (Cherian). If more people were to speak the

refugees’ language, they would be able to look past their ethnicity and accept them as individuals

because they would better understand their culture. Without this understanding of other cultures,

the United States is not able to effectively protect itself. During the September 11 terrorist

attacks, there hadn’t been many government workers that spoke Arabic, so they were not able to

keep up with all the terrorist calls (Francis 41). Even now, as Amy Francis said, “All of our

efforts in Iraq, military, and civilian, are handicapped by American’s lack of knowledge of

language and cultural understanding… in a conflict that demands effective and efficient

communication” (Francis 41). Without people that have perfected the language of another

country, we don’t have a way to completely protect ourselves from them (Morris). Similar to

this, the United States has found that at times, instead of protecting or helping another country,

we end up misunderstanding and hurting them. One example of the this was in the year 2000
when Cochabamba, Bolivia, was having a water crisis. A U.S. company took over the water

company, ​Aguas del Tunari​, and imposed around a 55% increase in the water rates without

taking into consideration the economic situation in the region; there were many people that were

unable to afford this 55% increase. The U.S. engineers that went to Bolivia to run the company

did not speak the language, and they had no cultural understanding of the area. Among the

people that could not afford the new rates, were a large number of indigenous people. There are

multiple indigenous groups that believe that water comes from God, and they make their own

contraptions that bring them water from the Andes mountains. The water company, now run by

the U.S., began to charge them for this water that they were collecting. The indigenous people

could not afford this, and were threatened with eviction. All people that collected rain water or

had wells, were now being charged, and many could simply not afford this (Bertelli). A

generation of multilinguals in the United States will not only prevent similar events from taking

place, but bring a generation of cultured individuals​ but also a generation​ that are ready and able

to protect themselves.

Learning a second language will only impact you in a good way by helping you advance

in your work life, excel in academics, and gain a deeper understanding of other cultures.

Bilinguals can understand a variety of perspectives, have improved functionality of the brain,

and are more flexible thinkers. As the world becomes a more global community, we need more

Keith Palmers that are ready to interact with cultures and people outside the limits of their native

tongue.
 Works Cited

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Bertelli, M., et al. “La Guerra Interminable: 15 Años de Lucha por el Agua

en Bolivia.” ​El País​, Jul 30, 2015.

A Case for Emphasizing Secondary Language Education in the United States.​ Web. Sept. 24,

2017.

Cherian, Megha. “7 Benefits of Learning Another Language.” ​Global Citizen​, Feb. 21, 2016.

Codrea-Rado, Anna. “Employers Struggle to Fill Vacancies because of Lack of Languages.” ​The

Guardian​, Jan. 30, 2014.

Dreifus, Claudia. “The Bilingual Advantage.” ​The New York Times​, May 30, 2011.

Foreign Language Requirements for More Select Universities.​ Web. Nov. 12, 2017.

Francis, Amy. ​Should the United States Be Multilingual?​ Detroit, Gale Cengage Learning, 2011.

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Kamenetz, Anya. “6 Potential Brain Benefits of Bilingual Education.” ​NPR​, Nov. 29, 2016.

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Muñoz, Miguel. “Does Being Bilingual Make You Smarter?”​ British Council​, June 23, 2014.

"Not Lost in Translation: The Growing Importance of Foreign Language Skills in the U.S. Job

Market.” ​New American Economy​, Mar. 1, 2017.

Nugent, Kristen and Theresa Catalano. ​Critical Cultural Awareness in the Foreign Language

Classroom​. Lincoln, 2015.

Parisi, Tom. “10 Reasons to be Bilingual.” ​NIU Newsroom​, Sept. 16, 2015.

Pawle, Lucy. “Language Skills Deficit Costs the UK £48bn a Year.” ​The Guardian​, Dec. 10,

2013.