All throughout grade school, as well as all four years of high school, I was taking classes to learn how to speak Spanish. In grade school, we only had Spanish class once or twice a week, but in high school I had Spanish class every day. At the time, I greatly underestimated the presence it would have in my life. I was arrogant and chose to believe that I would never encounter anyone of importance in my life who would not be able to speak English. After all, this is America, right? We speak English here, so why should I put any effort into learning another language other than to get a good grade in my report card? Looking back now, I realize how selfish I was in thinking that, and I wish I would have put more effort into learning how to speak Spanish.
This has been on my mind lately because of a summer class I am currently taking. I'm an education major and for the class I am currently taking I am required to complete a practicum at a summer school in which I help teach lessons and observe the class. I am placed in a first grade classroom, and in this classroom there are "regular" students, deaf students, and a Spanish speaking student. This particular student seems to, for the most part, understand English fairly well, but is not comfortable enough to speak it. Knowing that Spanish is her first language, I tested my memory one day and attempted telling her that her shirt was very pretty in Spanish. Although she did not give me a verbal response, I saw the hint of a smile begin to spread across her face. After that, she began to stand by me at recess and would come to me if she needed help with a craft or tying her shoe.
My seemingly tiny effort made this young girl feel more comfortable around me and trust me. I can only imagine how much easier it would be to communicate with her if I knew more Spanish. Of course I still want her to learn English so she can be successful in school and later on in life here in the United States, but I also realize that her native language should be valued. This student is just as important as the others, and she should feel comfortable in a school setting if she is expected to learn. What better way to make her feel comfortable than by putting some effort into learning her language?
After having spent some time in my practicum, I quickly realized that my thought process about learning Spanish in high school was deeply flawed. As a future educator, I will inevitably have students who are learning English as a second language. These students will not only be expected to learn English, which is an incredibly difficult and confusing language (even for people who have been speaking it for their entire lives), but they will also be expected to keep up with the other students in academics. Can you imagine trying to learn mathematical or scientific concepts for the first time in a different language? I can only imagine how stressful this experience must be for English language learners.
Unfortunately, my days of taking classes in a foreign language are over, so I will be making an effort to learn on my own. As for anyone currently taking a class in a foreign language: don't just treat it as another class to boost your GPA. Take a moment to understand the value of language, and don't be arrogant like I was in high school. Realize that you will encounter people in your life who aren't fluent in English. Then realize how well you would be able to work with them, or simply how comfortable you could make them feel, if you could communicate in their native language. Don't be like me from high school, rather, pay attention in your language classes! It will become helpful in the future, I promise.