We are living in a globalized era where the world has become a global village. Globalization has pervaded virtually every sphere of human life today. Increased flow of information owing to advances in information technology has made it possible for people from all over the world to interact and exchange ideas. Further, globalization has led to increased labor mobility as the number of multinational corporations rise with each passing day. This has led to people being deployed in different parts of the world away from their home countries. In such settings, one thing that has become increasingly pertinent is the need to know more than one language. Multilingualism is inevitable today. For one to fit in the contemporary society characterized by an unprecedented interconnectivity, knowledge of more than one language is not only an added advantage, but also almost a must. It enables one to interact with peers from all over the world effectively and with easy as shall be discussed in this paper.
While globalization may have increased the need to acquire more than one language, bilingualism or multilingualism is not a new phenomenon. Individuals and whole communities around the globe have been compelled to learn additional languages for a number of various. These reasons include colonization, trade and intermarriages. Further the promotion of second language acquisitions is also not a new concept because non-native education was common during certain eras such as during the Roman Empire (Tochon 107). During this era, education was available to colonies only through the medium of Latin, which was a non-indigenous language for many areas of the empire hence; the natives in such areas had to learn it. This practice continued int...
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Works Cited
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In the last few decades, New Zealand has seen a remarkable shift in demographic, resulting in an increasingly diverse social, cultural and linguistic composition. Where before New Zealanders may have only rarely come into contact with people of other cultures, or people who spoke other languages, this is no longer the case. The global world we inhabit demands more of us; it is no longer an option to be culturally naïve, nor is it an option to be absolutely monolingual. This bibliography aims to identify a number of key texts concerning the field of teaching world languages, while also investigating the relationship between the teaching of world languages, culture, identity and how educators can work to consolidate all three in their practice and instruction.
Even though the dominance of a language can allow for the loss of a culture, it can also bring awareness. In schools, local community centers and other various places, foreign languages are taught, not only do non-native speakers take on these languages but native speakers do as well to keep their culture. By doing so it “revitalizes cultures and cultural artifacts through foreign influences, technologies, and markets.” (Gerdes
The rapid technological evolution and the growth in the population around the world are playing considerable role in creating new levels of intercultural communicate both locally and globally. People now can get the information from any spots on the planets easily through many televisions channels. Also, gaining huge amount of knowledge from every part around the world is provided by computer networks. Computer networks facilitate the communications as well. Beside create new opportunities, technological and demographic evolutions provide significant challenges to the people. Communicating successfully in another language depends on shifting the frames of reference, norms, and assumptions (Kinzer, 2003). In other words, when individuals use another language effectively, they must adopt new perspectives about communication and language and not just focus on the structure and vocabulary. Reading, writing and discussion of texts will help learner to understand another way of thinking. Actually, there are needs to embrace issues of cultural identity and for an inclusive process in how reading and writing are being taught. In this regard, language appeared as one of the most essential aspects of culture and social being. Language is not the only mean which individuals create activities and identities. Also, language is not enough to be recognised in a specific community or group. Person must behave and act in ways considered right among this community or group.
Crawford, James. “A nation divided by one language.” Guardian.co.uk. 8 Mar 2001. Web. 11 October 2014
Alegria, R. (2011). The United States benefits from multilingual Americans. In A. Francis (Ed.), At Issue. Should the United States Be Multilingual? Detroit: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from It's a Multilingual World, After All, Denver Post, 2007, September 30) Retrieved from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=OVIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display-query=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Viewpoints&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010742206&source=Bookmark&u=nhc_main&jsid=b6de348404c8bc0ea071137a33ff76c0
Most people who grow up with a foreign language spoken in there house grow up with an advantage in society. This advantage can only occur once the individual learning that foreign language also learns the dominant language spoken in that country. Once both of these languages are learned and mastered, the individual has now placed them se...
Learning a language is quite possibly one of the most difficult and time- consuming endeavors a person could ever undertake. Therefore, it comes as no surprise, that a limited number of second languages are taught in schools across the western world, and languages are sometimes failed to be passed on to children growing up in a different country than their parents did. Even in Canada, an officially bilingual country, only 15% of Canadians speak English and one unofficial language (Statistics Canada 2008) and in America, only 21% of the population is versed in two languages (Logan, 2003). It has become apparent that there is a need for Canadians and Americans to learn a second language. For a country to survive, it needs to rely on other countries as there is no one country that can produce within it’s borders all the means to meet the needs of it’s people. Furthermore, with the threat of international terrorism, the economic crisis and environmental ruin looming above countries all over the world, governments and organizations need to work together to come up with solutions. These cross culture collaborations would not be possible without the ability of even a few people present to speak each other’s languages. Conversely, by remaining monolingual, skills and knowledge will become concentrated only in certain countries and as the transfer of knowledge will cease the rate of human advancement will slow. This report intends to discuss the interpersonal and personal benefits of learning a second language, and investigate different ways of learning. To accomplish this, I have conducted secondary research into the interpersonal and personal benefits of learning another language. These particular areas of research were cho...
In today’s society, especially in the United States, most people are monolingual English speakers. As a result, these monolingual speakers are at a significant disadvantage compared to those who speak more than one language fluently. This disadvantage is crucial to realize since it is important to learn how individuals and the nation can be enhanced. Multilingual speakers have an advantage in global affairs that involve countries that speak different languages. Speaking multiple languages makes it easier to communicate with people when involved in foreign affairs. Those who speak multiple languages are also more aware of other cultures in society. Monolingual speakers are not as exposed to other cultures and have difficulty understanding or even recognizing them. Furthermore, being multilingual increases your
Barker, C and Galasiński, D. (2001). Culture and Language. In: Cultural Studies and Discourse Analysis. A Dialogue on Language and Identity, London: SAGE Publications Inc. p3-4.
Second language acquisition has also become a significant factor in the country because multilingualism is linked to “economic interchange, national security, and community development” (p. 586) in the current globalized world (Cummins, 2005a). Many heritage language students are enrolled in English as Second Language (ESL) program or mainstream education without linguistic support. These students live parallel linguistic and cultural lives divided between home and school which may create stress or inner conflict (Reyes and Vallone, 2007). Ironically, many heritage language students willingly enroll in foreign language classes in middle school, high school, and or college in order to further develop...
Pulido, Y. (2012). La etnoeducación bilingüe: logro político y desafío para las etnias. Bogotá: Universidad Pedagógica Nacional, Facultad de Humanidades.
‘The need for intelligibility and the need for identity often pull people – and countries – in opposing directions. The former motivates the learning of an international language, with English as the first choice in most cases; the latter motivates the promotion of ethnic language and culture’ (David Crystal, 1997).
The teaching of English in postcolonial, Third World countries is an issue that has received much debate in the TESOL profession. Opponents of the current global spread of English argue that this language dominance is a form of neo-colonialism and that its expansion should be halted, especially in postcolonial countries where English was previously a language of oppression. Phillipson (1992) goes so far as to term the spread of English “linguistic imperialism” in his work of that title and establishes the notion of “linguistic human rights,” calling for the preservation of native languages in the face of global monolingualism. For many others, though, the growing popularity of English does not have such ominous connotations. Rejecting the implied connection between the spread of English and Western cultural dominance, these applied linguists view English as an international language belonging to all, a valuable asset for global business and cross-cultural communication. Many also hail English as a language of development for the Third World, claiming that the access it provides to greater markets and wider communication stimulates economic and societal development. Language policy makers have adopted this view both in wealthy nations (e.g., U.S., U.K.), where large amounts ‘foreign aid’ moneys are spent on promoting English in the Third World, and in underdeveloped countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where English is now often the sole official language of instruction at all levels of education.
Being multilingual has great importance. As previously presented, it keeps cultural diversity alive and creates better communication with the rest of the ...
As time goes by and as the global community develops, the world grows more and more international, making second or third language acquisition become necessary to the majority. With the growing importance of multiple language ability, more and more parents think of bilingual or multilingual education, which means acquisitions of two or more languages, for their kids. In fact, we do have many reasons showing why multilingual education is important and beneficial, such as aspects of interpersonal relationship, employment, brain health, and so on.