Why do Americans shy away from foreign language study? I am not exactly sure, but I think that Americans - due to the fact that the major language of a very broad expanse of land mass is English - think that there really is no point to learn another language. Often, even the students who take a foreign language in high school, lose it before they are 30 because they never use it. Yet, I am here to say that foreign language study, increases your aptitude and enables you to think better in your own language. Have you ever met an ignorant person who knew many languages?
Most Europeans know several languages...not just 2 most often 3-5 different languages. Amazing really! Yet, these people because the countries are smaller in Europe find it necessary to learn several languages due to the fact that travel between these countries is often extensive. My goodness you can take the Chunnel from Britain to France and be there in just a few hours. Hop a flight to Italy from France in a couple more hours.
So have Americans used the fact that English is spoken over most of our continent as an excuse for not learning another language. I believe so. Learning a foreign language is probably one of the best courses of study. Don't be afraid to offer it to your homeschooled child. There are many really great programs out there that are either computer based, or online. Don't hesitate to get your sixth grader learning another language- you won't be sorry!
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