Learning a Foreign Language


by Mary Burke

If you are a student learning a foreign language at Delone Catholic, you may find that it will be more advantageous than you might have believed.

Delone Catholic High School strongly recommends that student take at least two years of a foreign language; mainly because many colleges also require that students take two years of a foreign language. There are also advantages to being bilingual later in life.

Currently, Delone Catholic offers course in the study of Spanish, French, and Latin. Other language courses are available through the school’s online affiliate, Virtual High School.

“There are more opportunities and advantages to getting a job,” stated Doctor Carmen Brown, a Spanish teacher at Delone Catholic and a native speaker of the language.
           
Learning a foreign language not only helps in finding colleges to attend and career paths, however. Speaking another language can also help one to communicate with those around them.

“Spanish is spoken by a large community in this country,” explained Brown.

Many do not realize that learning a foreign language can help them to better understand a particular culture. Part of a learning a language is also learning why that culture’s traditions and customs are the way they are.

Peter Dizor, a sophomore, is currently enrolled in the Latin program.

“I was really interested in history, and Latin ties into that well,” explained Dizor. “In considering the priesthood, learning Greek and Latin will be helpful.”

Dizor also explained that although the language is challenging to learn there are rewards.
“People say that learning English is the most difficult, but I would have to say that Latin is also difficult,” he added.

Ms. Gabi Tuminello, French teacher and newest member of the department, states that “it is important to understand other people and things out there in the world.”

It is necessary to take a different approach to teaching a foreign language as opposed to other subjects. “You have to be creative” in your approach to teaching a language, explains Tuminello. The content can sometimes come across as “dull and dry”.

The upsides to choosing to teach a foreign language are numerous, however. Doctor Brown states that teaching a foreign language can give teachers a “unique opportunity to share other countries or cultures.”

While learning a language can be difficult at times, the advantages outnumber the disadvantages in the long run. As Tumminello states, “While it takes time and effort, there is no end to what it can bring them (students learning a language).”

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