| I read a blog post the other day which was in | | | | French, or even Chinese. I have never seen that |
| essence complaining about the state of bilingual | | | | kind of choice in schools in other countries. |
| education that currently exists in the United | | | | Students are forced (or at least strongly |
| States. The article suggested that bilingual | | | | encouraged) to study English. |
| education is going from bad to worse. For | | | | One of the positive aspects of foreign language |
| example, many school districts are dropping their | | | | education in other countries is that they usually |
| foreign language programs altogether. The | | | | include more than one or two years of study. |
| argument was that a loss of these programs is | | | | However, even after that, most students' |
| leading to a monolingual society. | | | | language skills in English are probably on par with |
| Well, this is probably the case, but I don't think | | | | foreign language skills of students here after a |
| the problem is as grave as this author wanted his | | | | couple of years studying. |
| readers to believe. | | | | The one exception to this are many of the |
| I do agree that our foreign language education still | | | | countries in Europe. But I believe that the main |
| has a long way to go, but when compared to | | | | reason that foreign language education in Europe |
| other countries, I would say that we're about in | | | | is fairly good is because non- native languages |
| the same situation. | | | | aren't necessarily foreign. Each surrounding |
| In the travels I have made to other countries | | | | country speaks a different language, and that |
| around the world, I have noticed that foreign | | | | close proximity helps develop the foreign language |
| language education is not much than it is here. | | | | skills of the people. |
| One of the biggest faults of this instruction in | | | | So the next time someone you know starts |
| other countries is that it is mostly limited to | | | | complaining about the state of affairs in foreign |
| English instruction. At least here in the United | | | | language education in the United States, |
| States there is usually a choice of foreign | | | | remember that while it can always be better, it's |
| languages to choose from. In my high school, for | | | | not as bad as it could be. |
| example, we could choose Spanish, German, | | | | |