Case for Early Language Learning: Cultural Awareness
The rationale for early language learning series continues with a core issue: Culture.
Languages help children develop cultural understanding to live in a multi-lingual society. There is no denying the fact that we live in a pluralistic society and a global community. According to the National Virtual Translation Center, we are far from a being monolingual country. There are, in fact, 311 different languages spoken in the U.S. A language other than English is spoken in 14 million U.S. homes, and one fifth of the population over the age of 5 speaks a language other than English. English-only households account for just 82.1% of the population. Cultural understanding is a vital skill children will need throughout their lifetimes. Piaget found that at about the age of ten, children begin to perceive nations and groups as “other.” Information received before this time is more easily accepted. (Lambert and Klineberg 1967.)
Exposing learners to new cultures is the most fascinating, valuable, and enjoyable part of being a language teacher. A quality foreign language course can drastically broaden a student’s worldview, compassion, and understanding. At the elementary level, children have the opportunity to experience culture in a hands-on way: holidays, crafts, foods, music, picture books, and authentic stories. I like to include what I call “kid culture,” such as jump rope songs, hand clapping games, and playground games that I picked up from kids in France and Quebec. My young learners practice greeting people in France by kissing a puppet or shaking its hand. They learn about geography by playing on a shower curtain map. Simulations are another powerful way to bring culture to life. Tapping into kids’ natural propensity for imaginative and pretend play is a powerful tool. Countless students have traveled to France with me solely in their imaginations.
Language and culture are intertwined. Buffy Sainte-Marie, a Native American educator and social activist, expressed it well: “Language and culture cannot be separated. Language is vital to understanding our unique cultural perspectives. Language is a tool that is used to explore and experience our cultures and the perspectives that are embedded in our cultures.”
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