How Many Years Of Foreign Language Should A Student Take?

HOW MANY YEARS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SHOULD A STUDENT TAKE?

While foreign language courses are required for graduation at almost all high schools, there are many more uses for taking these classes. Foreign language classes allow people to communicate with more people, enhance listening skills, make travel easier, improve analytical skills, and much more. You’re not expected to be perfect in the new languages you learn; rather, you’re expected to be able to apply the skills you have learned from those classes into life beyond high school. 

Most high schools require students to take two consecutive years of the same language. For example, you could take Spanish 1 in freshman year, and Spanish 2 in sophomore year. As long as you take the language one year after the other, and pass the course, you will have met your graduation requirements.

However, it’s important to remember that two years is the bare minimum. Some high schools and colleges require students to take three or even four years of a foreign language to be eligible to graduate/apply. Foreign language requirements for colleges can be found here. 

As a high school student living in America, it is important to realize that you live in a melting pot of many cultures. Learning the basics of another language, whether it be Spanish, French, Latin, Japanese, etc., can help lead to new opportunities and experiences, and of course, allow you to graduate high school. 

Sources used: https://ung.edu/college-of-arts-and-letters/languages/why-study-a-foreign-language.php 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/is-learning-a-foreign-lan_b_1184489 

https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/foreign-language-requirements