Presidential Language:
Why Second Languages Are Important in This Election
In a recent speech in Georgia, Senator Barack Obama forcefully advocated for broader second language education in America. Addressing parents, he said, "You should be thinking about, how can your child become bilingual? We should have every child speaking more than one language." The Democratic Presidential hopeful went on to express his belief that "we should be emphasizing foreign languages in our schools from an early age."
These statements caused some backlash among conservatives, but supporting more than one language in our schools isn't necessarily a partisan issue—Republican John McCain also has for many years taken strong positions on the issue in favor of bilingual education and the value of a second language in the classroom. In 1995, he decried efforts to ban bilingual education, saying that "[t]o reject a native language as a tool for teaching as well as enriching our national heritage makes learning all the more difficult and makes us a poorer nation."
Involving Parents, Helping Kids
Senators Obama and McCain have both emphasized throughout their campaigns the importance of involving parents in the education of their children. Senator McCain's website stresses that he "will place parents and children at the center of the education process," while Senator Obama has encouraged parents to "turn off the TV set; we've got to put away the video game. And we have to tell our children that education is not a passive activity; it is something that you have to be actively engaged in." Senator Obama's remarks in Georgia build upon that can-do attitude, challenging parents to make a second language a part of every child's education, as it is in many other nations around the world.
In his remarks, Senator Obama contrasted the obvious ease with which European families visiting America communicate with us with the frequent discomfort American tourists display when trying to engage with the culture there. "You know," he said, "it's embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe, and all we can say [is], 'Merci beaucoup.'"
Obama then pointed out some of the benefits of a second language, saying "We should understand that our young people, if you have a foreign language, that is a powerful tool to get a job. You are so much more employable. You can be part of international business."
Most important, however, was what Senator Obama left parents with: a message that earlier is better when it comes to introducing children to a second language. "So we should be emphasizing foreign languages in our schools from an early age, because children will actually learn a foreign language easier when they're 5, or 6, or 7 than when they're 46, like me."
A Common Goal, A Cause for All
As you may be aware, there has been significant controversy surrounding the use of bilingual education for children whose primary language is not English. Some reject any use of a native language in the classroom as a transitional tool to integrate these students into full English proficiency, and there have been numerous attempts, some successful, to block bilingual education used in this manner.
Not as much controversy has been focused on the issue of bilingual education for English-speaking children, as it is often seen as a different issue. Senator Obama, however, believes that English-as-a-second-language and English-with-a-second-language are part of a common goal for America.
Or, as he said, "Every student should be learning a second language… I want to make sure that children who are coming out of Spanish-speaking households had the opportunity to learn and are not falling behind. If bilingual education helps them do that, I want to give them the opportunity. But I also want to make sure that English-speaking children are getting foreign languages."
More Languages for Everyone!
Taking a step back from the politics, it's clear that learning a language in early childhood is a tremendous asset on a personal level. And both major-party Presidential candidates have spoken to the enrichment a vibrant language community can provide for our nation as a whole, as John McCain has warned against the divisive nature of "laws that cause any American to believe we scorn their contributions to our culture" and Senator Obama has spoken and written eloquently about the way his own family history represents the nation's many heritages and traditions.
Senator Obama's challenge to the parents of English-speaking children and Senator McCain's defenses of bilingual education really speak to the same old and cherished virtue inherent in the American character—the desire for self-improvement and the will to fulfill that desire. Whether that applies to students learning English in classrooms or children learning French or Spanish in their homes, a second language can provide new opportunities for anyone, and a stronger nation for everyone.
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