08-04-2025, 12:21 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-04-2025, 01:47 PM by COmentator.)
For many US Colleges trying to get a degree in History learns learning a foreign langauge
(I tried for this type of degree but had to drop out of college because I couldnt pass foreign langauges requirement for a US history degree)
if your going to study history abroad..that would certainly be useful....
otherwise for me its frankly a waste of time and effort
Foreign langauges in everyday life are about as useful as studying algerbra
https://www.oah.org/tah/august/against-l...uirements/
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/201...tive-essay
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAcademia/com...transcript.
• Practicality and career focus: For a significant portion of American history research, primary sources are predominantly in English. Critics argue that requiring foreign language proficiency for all American history degrees might not be necessary, especially for those pursuing specific areas of focus that don't necessitate foreign language use.
• Effectiveness of current requirements: Some argue that the typical foreign language proficiency exams, often involving timed translation of short passages with dictionaries, may not accurately reflect the ability to conduct research in another language. Students may pass these requirements without truly acquiring practical skills for engaging with extensive foreign-language texts.
• Elitism and gatekeeping: Some argue that foreign language requirements create an unnecessary hurdle for students, particularly those from working-class backgrounds, and can be seen as a form of academic gatekeeping that favors certain educational experiences over others.
• Alternative skills: It is suggested that other skills, such as programming languages for digital history projects, could be more valuable than foreign language proficiency for certain career paths in American history, according to the Society for US Intellectual History
Whenerver other kids were reading Dick and Jane books..I was reading High School literature {John Steinbeck; Edgar Allan Poe}
I didnt take A degree for English leterature but again the old foreign Langage requirement
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-colleges-ma...20flexible.
Limited impact on proficiency: Some studies suggest that a few semesters of foreign language instruction don't significantly improve language proficiency, questioning the practical value of the requirement.
• Focus on English literature: Critics argue that the requirement distracts from the core focus of an English literature degree and could be replaced with more relevant coursework.
• Cost and time: Foreign language courses add to the overall cost and time commitment of a degree, which can be a burden for some students.
• Accessibility and elitism: Some believe that foreign language requirements create barriers for students from certain backgrounds and perpetuate academic elitism.
• Ineffectiveness of Short-Term Study: Critics argue that the typical requirement of a few semesters of foreign language instruction is often insufficient to achieve true proficiency. This limited exposure may not lead to a meaningful ability to engage with foreign texts or cultures and may be seen as a mere bureaucratic hurdle rather than a valuable learning experience.
• Time and Resource Allocation: Requiring foreign language study may detract from the time and resources that could be dedicated to other aspects of an English Literature degree, such as specialized coursework or developing critical thinking and writing skills that are directly relevant to their chosen field.
• Focus on English: Some argue that English Literature programs should prioritize an in-depth understanding of English language and literature without diverting resources to foreign language acquisition, which might be perceived as a less relevant skill for future careers in this field.
• Alternative Pathways: Some educators propose that instead of mandatory language classes, students should be offered alternative ways to demonstrate cross-cultural understanding or specialized knowledge, such as focused study abroad programs or coursework emphasizing globalization and cultural diversity
also found out the following:
relatively small percentage of US colleges and universities require students to study a foreign language for a bachelor's degree. While the exact number varies by study, it's generally reported that around 12% of institutions have such a requirement. This means the majority of institutions do not mandate foreign language study for graduation.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Declining Trend:
While historically, a larger proportion of colleges had foreign language requirements, the trend has been downwards. Some studies indicate that in the past, over two-thirds of institutions required foreign language study, but this number has decreased significantly.
Variations Among Institutions:
Some universities may have specific language requirements for certain majors or programs, even if not across the board for all bachelor's degrees.
Focus on Competency:
While formal requirements might be less common, many institutions encourage or recommend foreign language study, and some focus on demonstrating competency rather than simply completing a set number of courses.
Globalized World:
Despite the declining trend, the importance of multilingual skills in a globalized world is increasingly recognized, with some arguing for a stronger emphasis on foreign language education.
• Time and Financial Burden: Critics suggest that the additional time and expense of fulfilling a language requirement, especially if it doesn't align with a student's interests or future career goals, can be a significant obstacle, particularly for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Focus on "Cultural Capital": Some argue that foreign language requirements are sometimes used to signal a certain level of "cultural capital" or intellectual breadth, which may not always be equitable or necessary for all graduates. This is rooted in a historical view of university education as a privilege for those who could afford to pursue "impractical" knowledge for self-betterment, according to a Quora discussion.
• Practical vs. Broad Education: There can be tension between the desire for a broad, liberal education (which often includes language study to foster cultural understanding and critical thinking) and the demands of increasingly specialized and career-focused degree programs.
• Critics of mandatory foreign language study for all degrees sometimes argue that it may not be directly relevant to every career path, particularly in fields with a strong focus on technical or specific vocational skills.
• For example, it's been argued that learning a programming language might be more beneficial for some students than a foreign language, depending on their chosen field
Also
The most damning argument against mandatory language education lies in the stark disconnect between time invested and proficiency achieved. Despite years of study, the vast majority of American students fail to develop functional language skills.
The statistics are sobering. Less than one percent of American adults are proficient in a foreign language they learned in a U.S. classroom. According to the Center for Applied Second Language Studies, only 15% of high school students reach proficiency advanced enough to converse on everyday topics easily, even after four years of instruction.
The broader picture is even more discouraging. Of approximately 50 million current U.S. high school graduates who received foreign language instruction, only 10 million (20%) claim any ability to communicate in the language they studied. Even more telling, “just a few million” report being able to speak the language reasonably well, meaning more than 90% do not achieve functional fluency.
Implementation Nightmare: Costs, Shortages, and System Failures
Even if mandatory language education were theoretically beneficial, practical implementation faces overwhelming challenges that make success unlikely under current conditions.
The financial implications are staggering. Successful language programs require substantial funding, with dual language education costing $896 to $1,568 per student — representing 10% to 16% increases in overall school expenditures. The majority of costs stem from staff time for administrator planning, family communication, and crucial teacher certification and professional development, plus expenses for specialized textbooks and substitute teachers.
These costs disproportionately burden already-struggling districts. Districts with high proportions of English Language Learners often receive approximately 1% less state and local funding than similar low-ELL districts, creating an equity crisis where those most needing language support receive less resources.
The teacher shortage crisis is even more severe. The U.S. Department of Education identifies foreign language as a high-need field, with 2013–2014 data showing 36 states reporting K-6 shortages and 39 states reporting 7–12 shortages. The situation has likely worsened since then.
Even existing teachers often lack adequate proficiency. Only just over half of teacher candidates reach the “Advanced Low” proficiency level on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Scale — the minimal target for most languages. This combination of severe shortages and inadequate preparation among current educators points to a workforce pipeline crisis.
A national mandate would drastically increase demand for qualified teachers that the current system cannot meet, likely leading to even lower-quality instruction and perpetuating the cycle of ineffective programs.
Student Motivation and Cultural Resistance
Perhaps the most fundamental challenge involves student engagement and broader cultural attitudes toward multilingualism in America.
Foreign language study is often perceived as a school requirement with limited personal relevance, leading to lack of investment from students. When students engage with material out of obligation (extrinsic motivation) rather than genuine interest (intrinsic motivation), learning effectiveness plummets, particularly for skill acquisition like language learning.
Anecdotal evidence suggests many students learn only basic phrases even after years of study, indicating fundamental lack of engagement and deep learning. This raises questions about the efficacy of mandating subjects when intrinsic motivation is crucial for success.
The broader cultural context compounds these challenges. The United States maintains what scholars call “normative monolingualism” — a cultural ideology where bilingualism is often viewed with suspicion rather than appreciation. This cultural resistance manifests in policy: currently only 11 states have mandatory foreign language graduation requirements, while many others accept alternatives like computer coding.
This lack of cultural support for multilingualism suggests that national mandates would face significant political resistance, potentially leading to underfunded, poorly implemented programs that further entrench current problems rather than solving them.
The combination of student disengagement, inadequate resources, and cultural resistance creates conditions where mandatory requirements may actually harm rather than help language education by forcing participation without providing conditions for success.
This “proficiency paradox” — significant time and resources invested with minimal measurable outcomes — suggests that simply mandating language study without fundamental changes to teaching methods will not yield desired results.
The low success rates stem from systemic pedagogical problems. Students often remain passive participants, viewing language learning as the teacher’s responsibility rather than developing personal agency crucial for acquisition. Languages are frequently treated as academic subjects — collections of facts to be memorized from books — rather than skills to be actively acquired through practice and communication.
https://medium.com/future-of-school/shou...0fe18438a3
•
(I tried for this type of degree but had to drop out of college because I couldnt pass foreign langauges requirement for a US history degree)
if your going to study history abroad..that would certainly be useful....
otherwise for me its frankly a waste of time and effort
Foreign langauges in everyday life are about as useful as studying algerbra
https://www.oah.org/tah/august/against-l...uirements/
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/201...tive-essay
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAcademia/com...transcript.
• Practicality and career focus: For a significant portion of American history research, primary sources are predominantly in English. Critics argue that requiring foreign language proficiency for all American history degrees might not be necessary, especially for those pursuing specific areas of focus that don't necessitate foreign language use.
• Effectiveness of current requirements: Some argue that the typical foreign language proficiency exams, often involving timed translation of short passages with dictionaries, may not accurately reflect the ability to conduct research in another language. Students may pass these requirements without truly acquiring practical skills for engaging with extensive foreign-language texts.
• Elitism and gatekeeping: Some argue that foreign language requirements create an unnecessary hurdle for students, particularly those from working-class backgrounds, and can be seen as a form of academic gatekeeping that favors certain educational experiences over others.
• Alternative skills: It is suggested that other skills, such as programming languages for digital history projects, could be more valuable than foreign language proficiency for certain career paths in American history, according to the Society for US Intellectual History
Whenerver other kids were reading Dick and Jane books..I was reading High School literature {John Steinbeck; Edgar Allan Poe}
I didnt take A degree for English leterature but again the old foreign Langage requirement
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-colleges-ma...20flexible.
Limited impact on proficiency: Some studies suggest that a few semesters of foreign language instruction don't significantly improve language proficiency, questioning the practical value of the requirement.
• Focus on English literature: Critics argue that the requirement distracts from the core focus of an English literature degree and could be replaced with more relevant coursework.
• Cost and time: Foreign language courses add to the overall cost and time commitment of a degree, which can be a burden for some students.
• Accessibility and elitism: Some believe that foreign language requirements create barriers for students from certain backgrounds and perpetuate academic elitism.
• Ineffectiveness of Short-Term Study: Critics argue that the typical requirement of a few semesters of foreign language instruction is often insufficient to achieve true proficiency. This limited exposure may not lead to a meaningful ability to engage with foreign texts or cultures and may be seen as a mere bureaucratic hurdle rather than a valuable learning experience.
• Time and Resource Allocation: Requiring foreign language study may detract from the time and resources that could be dedicated to other aspects of an English Literature degree, such as specialized coursework or developing critical thinking and writing skills that are directly relevant to their chosen field.
• Focus on English: Some argue that English Literature programs should prioritize an in-depth understanding of English language and literature without diverting resources to foreign language acquisition, which might be perceived as a less relevant skill for future careers in this field.
• Alternative Pathways: Some educators propose that instead of mandatory language classes, students should be offered alternative ways to demonstrate cross-cultural understanding or specialized knowledge, such as focused study abroad programs or coursework emphasizing globalization and cultural diversity
also found out the following:
relatively small percentage of US colleges and universities require students to study a foreign language for a bachelor's degree. While the exact number varies by study, it's generally reported that around 12% of institutions have such a requirement. This means the majority of institutions do not mandate foreign language study for graduation.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Declining Trend:
While historically, a larger proportion of colleges had foreign language requirements, the trend has been downwards. Some studies indicate that in the past, over two-thirds of institutions required foreign language study, but this number has decreased significantly.
Variations Among Institutions:
Some universities may have specific language requirements for certain majors or programs, even if not across the board for all bachelor's degrees.
Focus on Competency:
While formal requirements might be less common, many institutions encourage or recommend foreign language study, and some focus on demonstrating competency rather than simply completing a set number of courses.
Globalized World:
Despite the declining trend, the importance of multilingual skills in a globalized world is increasingly recognized, with some arguing for a stronger emphasis on foreign language education.
• Time and Financial Burden: Critics suggest that the additional time and expense of fulfilling a language requirement, especially if it doesn't align with a student's interests or future career goals, can be a significant obstacle, particularly for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Focus on "Cultural Capital": Some argue that foreign language requirements are sometimes used to signal a certain level of "cultural capital" or intellectual breadth, which may not always be equitable or necessary for all graduates. This is rooted in a historical view of university education as a privilege for those who could afford to pursue "impractical" knowledge for self-betterment, according to a Quora discussion.
• Practical vs. Broad Education: There can be tension between the desire for a broad, liberal education (which often includes language study to foster cultural understanding and critical thinking) and the demands of increasingly specialized and career-focused degree programs.
• Critics of mandatory foreign language study for all degrees sometimes argue that it may not be directly relevant to every career path, particularly in fields with a strong focus on technical or specific vocational skills.
• For example, it's been argued that learning a programming language might be more beneficial for some students than a foreign language, depending on their chosen field
Also
The most damning argument against mandatory language education lies in the stark disconnect between time invested and proficiency achieved. Despite years of study, the vast majority of American students fail to develop functional language skills.
The statistics are sobering. Less than one percent of American adults are proficient in a foreign language they learned in a U.S. classroom. According to the Center for Applied Second Language Studies, only 15% of high school students reach proficiency advanced enough to converse on everyday topics easily, even after four years of instruction.
The broader picture is even more discouraging. Of approximately 50 million current U.S. high school graduates who received foreign language instruction, only 10 million (20%) claim any ability to communicate in the language they studied. Even more telling, “just a few million” report being able to speak the language reasonably well, meaning more than 90% do not achieve functional fluency.
Implementation Nightmare: Costs, Shortages, and System Failures
Even if mandatory language education were theoretically beneficial, practical implementation faces overwhelming challenges that make success unlikely under current conditions.
The financial implications are staggering. Successful language programs require substantial funding, with dual language education costing $896 to $1,568 per student — representing 10% to 16% increases in overall school expenditures. The majority of costs stem from staff time for administrator planning, family communication, and crucial teacher certification and professional development, plus expenses for specialized textbooks and substitute teachers.
These costs disproportionately burden already-struggling districts. Districts with high proportions of English Language Learners often receive approximately 1% less state and local funding than similar low-ELL districts, creating an equity crisis where those most needing language support receive less resources.
The teacher shortage crisis is even more severe. The U.S. Department of Education identifies foreign language as a high-need field, with 2013–2014 data showing 36 states reporting K-6 shortages and 39 states reporting 7–12 shortages. The situation has likely worsened since then.
Even existing teachers often lack adequate proficiency. Only just over half of teacher candidates reach the “Advanced Low” proficiency level on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Scale — the minimal target for most languages. This combination of severe shortages and inadequate preparation among current educators points to a workforce pipeline crisis.
A national mandate would drastically increase demand for qualified teachers that the current system cannot meet, likely leading to even lower-quality instruction and perpetuating the cycle of ineffective programs.
Student Motivation and Cultural Resistance
Perhaps the most fundamental challenge involves student engagement and broader cultural attitudes toward multilingualism in America.
Foreign language study is often perceived as a school requirement with limited personal relevance, leading to lack of investment from students. When students engage with material out of obligation (extrinsic motivation) rather than genuine interest (intrinsic motivation), learning effectiveness plummets, particularly for skill acquisition like language learning.
Anecdotal evidence suggests many students learn only basic phrases even after years of study, indicating fundamental lack of engagement and deep learning. This raises questions about the efficacy of mandating subjects when intrinsic motivation is crucial for success.
The broader cultural context compounds these challenges. The United States maintains what scholars call “normative monolingualism” — a cultural ideology where bilingualism is often viewed with suspicion rather than appreciation. This cultural resistance manifests in policy: currently only 11 states have mandatory foreign language graduation requirements, while many others accept alternatives like computer coding.
This lack of cultural support for multilingualism suggests that national mandates would face significant political resistance, potentially leading to underfunded, poorly implemented programs that further entrench current problems rather than solving them.
The combination of student disengagement, inadequate resources, and cultural resistance creates conditions where mandatory requirements may actually harm rather than help language education by forcing participation without providing conditions for success.
This “proficiency paradox” — significant time and resources invested with minimal measurable outcomes — suggests that simply mandating language study without fundamental changes to teaching methods will not yield desired results.
The low success rates stem from systemic pedagogical problems. Students often remain passive participants, viewing language learning as the teacher’s responsibility rather than developing personal agency crucial for acquisition. Languages are frequently treated as academic subjects — collections of facts to be memorized from books — rather than skills to be actively acquired through practice and communication.
https://medium.com/future-of-school/shou...0fe18438a3
•