By Brayden Haley ’25
In the spirit of course excitement week, I have an article that may be worth your while. Foreign language classes at Beverly High School are known for helping students learn the vocabularies of different languages around the world to educate them for the future. Currently, our school offers four language-based courses that take the form of Spanish, French, German, and American Sign Language (ASL). Additionally, it is recommended by guidance that students take a foreign language for 3 years of their high school career, but the minimum requirement is two consecutive years of one language.
Often, I come across people from a variety of classes who regret taking that extra year of classes or choosing the wrong level. Personally, I believe that foreign language classes should be taken seriously as they could be responsible for aiding students in communication with native speakers of the foreign language. But that’s just me. Some individuals may believe that learning a new language is too complicated for them and would rather invest their time in 3-D art design, while others may believe that it would not affect their current social life or professional life in the future. However, these are claims that could easily be refuted.
According to www.pewresearch.org, Spanish is the most spoken non-English language in the United States, with more than 37 million speakers, as well as being the fastest growing at 233% since 1980. As a result, learning this language can prove beneficial especially as the population begins to grow and more businesses are created. You can also use your knowledge of this language if you travel to different countries around the world, as there are over fifteen countries that have adopted Spanish as their official language.
Taking French classes is also smart if you want to travel, as 29 nations have their official language as, well, French. This is noted by www.berlitz.com, which also mentions that 21 of these countries are located in Africa. Culturally, French is an important element of film and literature, and knowing the language can also give you a better lens into the history of France and its territories.
Additionally, ASL is a quickly growing language that can help many people who are not able to hear or speak. It also pays very well, with the Massachusetts median salary as an ASL interpreter hitting just over $78,000. This language helps many people and gives them a way to understand what is happening in our world.
A negative factor about these classes is the policy requiring two consecutive years of the same foreign language. This makes it a bit difficult to learn two languages, as well as to save time for other classes. For example, if you were to take Spanish freshman year and switch to French the next, not only would you be behind if you switched back to Spanish in junior year, but you’d probably have to take Spanish senior year as well.
Overall, however, foreign language classes are courses that students should invest their time in so they can ultimately benefit in the future. And who knows, maybe the school will adopt new programs that teach students Mandarin or another popular language such as Portuguese.
