Title: World%20of%20World%20Languages
1World of World Languages
- Why do we need to embrace it?
2Value of a second language
- Second language learners exposure to new
cultures new horizons helps them understand
English better.
3Value of a second language or third
- Foreign language learners place higher on both
the ACT and the SAT verbal sections.
4Value of a third language or a fourth
- Foreign language learners show greater cognitive
development, creativity, divergent thinking
than monolingual students.
5Value of multilingualism
- Multilingual students outscore monolingual
students on tests of verbal nonverbal
intelligence.
6Value of Multilingualism
- Students exposed to more than one language at an
early age are more flexible creative, have
better memory listening skills.
7Value of Multilingualism
- Students exposed to more than one language at an
early age reach higher cognitive development
levels sooner than monolingual students.
8Academic Benefits
- Learning additional languages enhances students
academic skills in other subjects such as
reading, writing, and mathematics.
9Academic Benefits
- Reading skills are transferable from one language
to another.
10Academic Benefits
- World language/foreign language students
significantly outperform their monolingual peers
on tests.
11Academic Benefits
- Functional plasticity of the brain is driven by
language knowing additional languages can add
to the brains gray matter.
12Who is a good candidate?
- Millions of people with a variety of intelligence
levels as well as diverse upbringings become
bilingual or multilingual.
13Whos a good candidate?
- Common concerns question the peak age to begin
world language study.
14Whos a good candidate?
- Studies show that young children may absorb a
language through large amounts of input and
exposure. - Adolescents adults appreciate explicit
learning, rules, and systematic practice.
15Whos a good candidate?
- Young learners may be more likely to speak a new
language like a native, but adolescents and
adults may actually learn a world language faster.
16Whos a good candidate?
- Students individual differences impact the ease
of learning a world language. A students
aptitude motivation can be key factors.
17Whats the Catch?
- Americans are historically unresponsive to the
learning of world languages which is a threat to
their own security physically, ideologically,
and economically.
18Whats the Catch?
- The nations requirements for language
proficiency involve National Security, Economic
Competitiveness, Social Well Being.
19Whats the Catch?
- Many studies, hearings, reports have pointed
out our nations serious language shortages,
called upon the federal government to increase
improve the United States language capabilities.
20Whats the Catch?
- Ensuring U.S. security, foreign policy
leadership, economic competitiveness, and our
ability to solve global problems that affect the
nations well being depend on Americans who have
an understanding of and ability to function
effectively in other cultural, business, and
value systems, as well as foreign language
proficiency. - --Committee on Appropriations, H.Rpt. 107229
(2001), p.126
21Whats the Catch?
- American national interests require that the
current American leaders think more about
international affairs than ever before.
22Economic Advantages
- All business is global, yet all markets are
local. This globalized multicultural world needs
leaders with a keen understanding of national
cultures. By learning from other countries,
these leaders develop the best thinking and best
practices from around the world enabling them to
leverage culture as a tool for competitive
advantage. -
--R. Rosen,
Global Literacies (200), p.171
23Economic Advantages
- Foreign language proficiency is an enormous
advantage in the business world.
24Economic Advantages
- It would benefit businesses to hire those who can
communicate in foreign markets.
25Economic Advantages
- Someone will have to oversee the local national
managers as businesses expand overseas.
26Economic Advantages
- In a survey of leading European executives only
31 use English for business purposes English
alone cannot be used to access the non-English
speaking markets.
27Economic Advantages
- About 45 of Europeans are fluent enough to hold
a conversation in a second language. - About 80 of residents in the Netherlands,
Denmark, and Sweden are fluent in a second
language nearly everyone in Luxembourg speaks a
second language.
28Economic Advantages
- You can buy in any language, but if you want to
sell you better speak the language of your
customer. - Unknown
29Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs
- Business, Industry, Commerce
- Banking Financial Positions
- Technical Engineering Positions
- Secretarial Clerical Positions
- Government International
- Local Government
- International United Nations
- Teaching
- Translators Interpreters
- Media
- Travel Tourism
- Services (Health, Social Work, Law Law
Enforcement, Service Organizations)
30Why French?
- Why French?
- Why French?
- Why French?
- Why French?
- Why French?
- Why French?
- Why French?
- Why French?
31Advantages to French
- The Organization of Francophonie has 51 member
states governments. 28 of these members have
French as an official language.
32Advantages to French?
- There are at least 16 nations in Africa where
French is the national language. Africa is the
one largely undeveloped continent remaining. - French-speaking Africa encompasses an area
greater than the USA.
33Advantages to French
- French is the official working language of the
United Nations, UNESCO, NATO, Organization for
Economic Cooperation Development, International
Labor Bureau, International Olympic Committee,
31-member Council of Europe, European Community,
Universal Postal Union, International Red Cross,
the Union of International Associations.
34Advantages to French
- French is spoken by our largest trading partner
Canada. Quebec Province is the US 5th largest
trading partner.
35Advantages to French
- France the US are the top 2 exporters in 3
sectors defense products, agricultural goods,
services.
36Advantages to French
- French companies employ about 500,000 Americans.
- US companies in France employ about 600,000
people.
37Advantages to French
- France is a major world research center in areas
related to physics, AIDS research, medical
genetics. - France is a technological leader in aerospace,
rockets, telecommunications transportation
(such as the TGV the Queen Mary II).
38Advantages to French
- Many important writings have come from France
some of which are never translated. - French is the most widely spoken foreign language
in the world after English. - Through French study, students become familiar
with a culture that significantly influences our
own.
39Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
- Why German?
40Advantages to German?
- English is a Germanic language BETT/bed,
GLAS/glass, SCHUH/shoe, LICHT/light, SONNE/sun,
MILCH/milk.
41Advantages to German in Michigan?
- German companies contribute approximately 31
billion to Michigans economy annually.
42Advantages to German in Michigan?
- Michigan has more people employed by German-owned
companies than any other state.
43Advantages to German in Michigan?
- Around 610 Michigan companies are German-owned or
have at least 50 German ownership.
44Advantages to German in Michigan?
- More than 75 Michigan-based companies have
operations in Germany.
45Advantages to German?
- Major German companies in the U.S. include
Siemens, ThyssenKrupp, TMobile, Bayer, Adidas,
Audi, Braun, Deutsche Bank.
46Advantages to German?
- Major U.S. companies in Germany include
Citibank, Microsoft, WalMart, Merrill Lynch,
AOL.DE, UPS, and Starbucks Coffee.
47WHY JAPANESE???????????
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48World Language - Japanese
- Japanese is a World Language. It expands the
learners personal horizon while making the
learner aware of significant details. It opens
windows to another world full of cultural
curiosities and new friends. One can understand
a people through its language. Real life
experiences and world language practice are
crucial to learning a world language and
understanding its culture.
49Advantages to Japanese
- Japanese is widely used in business situations
with the Japanese.
50Advantages to Japanese
- Japanese language learners find that new
experiences relationships open to them through
the language exchange opportunities,
competitions, trips both in the U.S. to Japan,
business political contacts, Internet pen pals,
fellow animation manga fans.
51Advantages to Japanese in Michigan
- Strong economic relations between Japan Michigan
52Advantages to Japanese in Michigan
- Japanese Direct Investment in 2006
53Advantages to Japanese in Michigan
- Japan is a leading investor in Michigan with at
least 410 facilities across the state
54Advantages to Japanese in Michigan
55Advantages to Japanese in Michigan
- Approximately 260 Michigan facilities are in
industrial sectors whereas about 150 of the
non-industrial Japanese facilities are in the
commercial trade sector
56Advantages to Japanese in Michigan
Japanese Population in Michigan
57Global Advantages to Japanese
GCI GCI GCI
Country/ Economy 2006 Rank 2006 Score 2005 Rank Changes 2005-6
Switzerland 1 5.81 4 3
Finland 2 5.76 2 0
Sweden 3 5.74 7 4
Denmark 4 5.70 3 -1
Singapore 5 5.63 5 0
United States 6 5.61 1 -5
Japan 7 5.60 10 3
Germany 8 5.58 6 -2
Netherlands 9 5.56 11 2
United Kingdom 10 5.54 9 -1
58Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
- Why Spanish?
59Advantages to Spanish
- Spanish is one of the most spoken languages
worldwide.
60Advantages to Spanish
- The US is the 5th largest Spanish speaking
country in the world.
61Advantages to Spanish
- NAFTA, CAFTA, ALCA, MERCOSUR have caused many
manufacturing jobs to be relocated to Latin
America. Hundreds of American companies have
subsidiaries already established.
62Advantages to Spanish
- Due to the high number of Spanish speaking
consumers, American businesses have recognized
the benefit to anyone in any profession who
speaks Spanish.
63Advantages to Spanish
- Spanish is one of the official languages of the
United Nations, European Union, Organization of
Americas States, and the Inter-American System.
64Resources
- World Economic Forum
- Japanese Consulate-General in Detroit
- www.laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/june25-04/dod.h
tm - www.associatedcontent.com/pop_print.shtml?content_
typearticlecontent_type_id222395 - www.universalhighways.com/foreign-language-careers
.html - www.associatedcontent.com/pop_print.shtml?content_
typearticlecontent_type_id222415 - www.utm.edu/departments/french/flsat.html
- National Language Conference Briefing Paper The
Nations Strategic Language Needs - www.goethe.de
- www.emich.edu/public/foreignlanguages/german/
- www.worldbridge.wayne.edu/germanbridge/whygermanin
michigan - www.macombdaily.com
- www.gaccmi.org
- www.michigan.gov
- Research Points Spring 2006 Volume 4 Issue 1
- Education Update Wilcox, John. Foreign Language
Learning Gap Concerns U.S. Leaders. P.3, 6. - A New Era for Foreign Languages. Edwards, J.
David. Executive Director, JNCL/NCLIS - www.granadanicaraguaspanish.com/learn-spanish-cour
ses-less.. - http//www.investinfrance.org/NorthAmerica/Choosin
gFrance/SevenReasons/?en
65World of World Languages
- Prepared by Stevenson High School World Language
Department - Cathy Dyer
- Sherri Fisher-Sinacola
- Jonathan Kantor
- Denise Makuch
- Jane OBrien
- Helga Rom
- Evelyn Ruiz
- Melisia Taylor
- Olivia Wylie
- (Research contributors)