Bilingualism Is No Longer A Gift; It's A Vital Career Skill For Every Millennial | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Bilingualism Is No Longer A Gift; It's A Vital Career Skill For Every Millennial

There are two sides to every story, especially when told in two different languages.

137
Bilingualism Is No Longer A Gift; It's A Vital Career Skill For Every Millennial
Instagram / Ardan Koo

The true artistic beauty of language lies in the depth of diversity in the intonations of speech and sound. With the global community becoming more interconnected, bilingualism is now a rising commonality. It seems as if in every job application asks how many languages you know, and some colleges even require three years of language courses to address the growing need for multilingual speakers in society. As a melting pot of the global community, American students have been at the forefront, bearing the expectation to not only have a mastery in English but also other commonly spoken languages like Spanish or Mandarin. Children are becoming fluent in multiple languages, stemming either from the diversity at home or from the expanding school system. Knowing more than one language broadens the scope of knowledge and prepares the future generation for the work force, so with the geopolitical landscapes continually shifting, knowing just one language is not enough to guarantee success.

As a person who sees the use of knowing multiple languages in everyday life especially in the work setting focusing on the healthcare field, I am amazed at how often I need to use my knowledge on Hindi while shadowing a nurse or interacting with a patient.

To ensure the equal success of all students as they select their future careers, some schools have mandated secondary language learning from the early age six. The cognitive ability of younger children is the most flexible in the adolescence stage of life, so encouraging the implementation of a secondary language would prepare students for the upcoming opportunities in the practical world. While the social criticisms are relevant in day to day life, the benefits of language classes required in public schools would ultimately outweigh the derogatory comments made about dual languages from the public.

Bilingualism is an extremely prevalent topic in modern day education provoking a stand both for and against those who have the ability of speaking two languages. The development of the brain differs between those who were raised speaking two languages versus those who were raised speaking only one. Studies have shown the brain of a bilingual performs functions in a more productive and conducive way, particularly when it comes to resolving nonverbal conflict and making decisions based on experience dependence. I personally benefitted from this in Spanish class when we were learning to roll our R's. By learning Gujarati at a very young age, I was put in a better position to pronounce the Spanish alphabet wand words than my peers.

The ulterior motive is the preparation of children for the real world and the more and more interconnected the world is and will continue to become makes bilinguality a priority for future education. Also the power of bilinguality can delay degenerative diseases and that allows the education obtained in the adolescence of life to have a longer and more lasting impact on the life of those who can speak two languages. A study in 2004 found that normally aging bilinguals had better cognitive functioning than their monolingual counterparts.

Ellen Bialystok, the woman who has conducted the research and the impacts of bilingualism believes that it can delay and prevent the negative and disturbing side effects of degenerative diseases. The longer one can remember the crucial learning experiences they obtained in their youth, the longer and more prevalent they become as aging occurs. The ability to speak more than one language is a gift that is becoming a career skill, predominantly in the Western world. Bilingualism enables adolescents to appreciate cultural diversity and cherish family origin as they grow and mature throughout their life.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

13412
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

2576
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1583
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments