Bilingual Edcaution

In the United States most students learn English and Spanish as their secondary language. This is what most people in the United States know, and they do not know about any other language other than these two. But around the world there are students who are learning Arabic, Bengali, French, Hindi, Malay, Portuguese, and Russian. According to this article, " A Global Perspective on Bilingualism and Bilingual Education" fewer than 25% of the world's countries recognize two or more languages. There are many children in the world who are being educated through their secondary language wheather it is learned early in childhood or later in life. Then there are those children who are strictly taught through their common language, such as the United States.

There are many considerations as to why multiple languages are used in education. These include linguistic heterogeneity of a country or region, specific social or religious perspectives, or wanting to gain national identity. If a child is taught two or more secondary languages, then later in life they will be an expert in national and regional languages. People are known for speaking different lanuages while at different places in a country or region.

I think that this article is interesting. It is sad to that the United States put so much empasis on students learning Spanish, while there are other students learning Spanish plus other languages! I understand that there is a demand for bilingual speakers, but I think that the United States should expand on it's expecatations of the "common people" living in the United States and broaden the education system. I feel that students should have the same experiences as other students across the globe. Most students aren't exposed to any other lanuage besides Spanish until they attend college.

So, what is your opinion? Do you believe that students in the United States should learn another language besides Spanish? Would you be willing to take an extra language plus Spanish in highschool?