Learning the Lingo

Ana Rodriguez del Alamo, Staff Reporter

In a world where 6,900 different languages are spoken. With all of the different languages, a different culture comes with it that makes the person able to communicate and understand more about the culture.

On our campus, the variety of languages that can be chosen is more than usual schools. A student can choose to take Spanish, French, ASL, Latin, German, Chinese, and Japanese. Students once in freshman year must pick a language to pursue in their school year. The requirement  is to take the same language class for two years. After this amount of time you can take honors, making even more an  extended connection with the language and the culture or not take it. 

Being immersed with a language and the culture is important for the students’ development during high school, as unique individuals. The four years are critical for the student  to develop and explore new perspectives and findinding out their likes and dislikes. 

University of Cambridge  highlights  how language learning enhances self-efficacy, leading to a more positive life outlook.Making the students to feel proud of their learning and more motivated when they realize it expands more than a school obligation.” I feel really happy when I go  to a restaurant and I can communicate with the waitress who has Spanish as her first language.It made me expand my knowledge and be able to communicate with more people.It makes me really happy to communicate and get to know more about their cultures,” Odessa Cuny (11) said.

This feeling of cultural competencies is present in today’s globalized society, where cross-cultural interactions are commonplace. By gaining an intimate understanding of different cultures, students are equipped to navigate these interactions with sensitivity and respect.

High School is  a preparation for the student´s future. A common goal, their careers, are big achievements in question. The ability to speak a second language provides students with a competitive edge in a wide range of industries. Consequently they stand out in their applications, which over the years has become most significant in the job market. “ Is such an honor to be teaching french. I want my students to stand out in their future. By teaching French I give them the opportunity to not feel behind in any certain way.” Ms. Minor, French I/II, said. “Students regularly come to me saying that they had the opportunity to communicate with a foreign.It makes me really proud.”