Why Study a Foreign Language? Why Study French?

Bonjour! A source of motivation to thrive in foreign language study derives from understanding the potential benefits and opportunities of learning a second language. Here is some information that might spark your interest in learning French and promote your commitment to enriching your life through foreign language. Merci! Bien vous, Mlle Piper Why study a foreign language? Cognitive Advantages: It can make you smarter! Students who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems than those who do not (Bamford & Mizokowa, 1991). Learning another language can help you to understand your own. Many languages have contributed to the development of English, so learning those will teach you where words and even grammatical structures are from, and augment your vocabulary to boot (Lawless). As years of foreign language study increase, math and verbal SAT scores increase. (1) Children who study a foreign language often have higher standardized test scores in math, reading, and language arts (Lawless). Foreign language study can help to increase problem-solving skills, memory, and self-discipline (Lawless).

Travel Opportunities Individuals who speak and read more than one language have the ability to communicate with more people, read more literature, and benefit more fully from travel to other countries (Marcos, 1998).

Speaking another's language shows respect for that culture, and people in every country prefer it when tourists make an effort to speak the local language... (Lawless). Professional Benefits: Preparing for a Career Ultimately, knowing a second language can also give people a competitive advantage in the work force by opening up additional job opportunities (Villano, 1996) (Marcos, 1998). Americans who are fluent in more than one language can enhance Americas economic competitiveness abroad, maintain its political and security interests, and work to promote an understanding of cultural diversity within the United States (Marcos, 1998). Cultural Knowledge: Gain a Global Perspective & Appreciation of Culture Because language simultaneously defines and is defined by the world around us, learning another language opens one's mind to new ideas and new ways of looking at the world (Lawless). ...when you speak another language, you can enjoy literature, film, and music in the original language. (Lawless).

What are the benefits of studying French? Communication Ability French is a vibrant language spoken by over 300 million people all over the world in over 50 countries (Turner, 2007). French is the second most commonly taught second language in the world (after English), making it a real possibility that speaking French will come in handy practically anywhere you travel (Lawless). French is the second most frequently used language on the internet (Lawless).

Educational Connections There have been 13 Nobel prizes in literature awarded to writers in French- more than any other language (Turner, 2007). French is a language for learning other languages. It is a very good base for learning

Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian) as well as English, since 50% of current English vocabulary is derived from French (Alliance Franaise de Washington, 2003).

Career Opportunities French is the preferred or official language of many international organizations and businesses (Turner, 2007). France is one of the four largest industrial economies in the world and is the world's second largest agricultural producer after the US Among foreign countries doing business in the US, France employs the third largest number of Americans (Turner, 2007). American companies with offices in France include IBM, Microsoft, Mattel, Dow Chemical, SaraLee, Ford, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Motorola, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, and Hewlett Packard (Lawless). France is the second leading investor in the United States: more than 3,000 French companies have subsidiaries in the US and generate some 700,000 jobs, including Mack Trucks, Zenith, RCA-Thomson, Bic, and Dannon (Lawless). Interesting Information French is an official working language in dozens of international organizations, including the United Nations, International Olympic Committee, and International Red Cross (Lawless). French is a language of technology and medicine. Dr. Luc Montagnier discovered HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The Chunnel under the English Channel, the TGV high speed trains, and the Concorde are only a few examples of recent French

technological advances (Alliance Franaise de Washington, 2003). References AllianceFranaisedeWashington.(2003,January1).10reasonstostudyfrench.Retrievedfrom http://www.francedc.org/en/article.aspx?id=11 Bamford,K.W.,andD.T.Mizokawa.1991.AdditiveBilingual(Immersion)Education: CognitiveandLanguageDevelopment.LanguageLearning41(3):413429 Lawless,L.K.(n.d.).Whylearnfrench?reasonstolearnaforeignlanguage.About.comGuide, Retrievedfromhttp://french.about.com/od/francophonie/a/whylearnfrench.htm Marcos,K.M.(1998,Fall).Secondlanguagelearning:Everyonecanbenefit.TheERICReview,6(1), 25. Turner,M.A.(2007).Whystudyfrench?dozensofreasonsfrenchcanbenefityou!.Retrievedfrom http://www2.ignatius.edu/faculty/turner/french/index.html
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