Second language expands student knowledge
Louanna Faine
When taking a Foreign Language course, there are several things that a student should consider, according to Steve Budge, chair of the foreign relations department.One of the most important aspects in taking foreign language is having the time.
For every hour of class the student has, they will need to spend 1-2 hours for studying, depending on the individuals learning ability.
Budge recommended several different studying techniques to help students be successful.
Some may want to consider a personal tutor, while study groups with classmates might be the answer for others.
Being exposed to the language as much as possible is another good studying tip.
Budge also recommended taking the placement test before entering into a foreign language, even though it’s not required to enter into the elementary level of foreign language.
If someone is considering taking a foreign language online, they need to take into consideration that it can be more difficult to learn online because students won’t get the same interaction as they would in the class room.
Budge believes there are some advantages to taking a foreign language course online, however.
“With online courses, you have access to immediate feed back. You get a little more individualize attention,” Budge said.
“Everything that you do is analyzed and corrected and turned back to you.”
When learning a foreign language there are several pros that can be taken into consideration for students, according to Professor Budge.
“You increase your global awareness, it opens a window to new cultures, and it can also help you in the work place,” Budge said.
Some students believe that learning a second language is important and at times a necessity.
“You should be able to communicate with all nationalities and I believe that Spanish is a necessary language to learn,” said Tyre McKay, a secondary education major.
Other students have an opposite view on the issue.
“Taking a foreign language is a set back. Some people have learning curves like me,” said Brittany Howard, who is majoring in forensic science.
Budge shares McKay’s views about foreign language being a requirement for graduation.
“I believe if you are going to pursue a degree in business for example, your chances of being placed in the workforce are higher and it also helps your resume. I don’t understand why students that get a degree in international business aren’t required to take a foreign language,” Budge said.
For a student who is planning on transferring to a four year university or planning to broaden their horizons, that student would want to consider taking up a foreign language at Mesa Community College.
There are several different languages to choose from: ASL, German, Navajo, Arabic, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, French, Latin, and Spanish.
All these languages are transferable, plus Mesa Community College offers several different benefits when taking one of their foreign language classes.
MCC has a language laboratory, which offers state of the art software right on campus that will cater to a specific language and program.
They also offer free tutoring, conversational partners, language, training for specific work environments, and study aboard options.
