World Languages and Cultures

Have you ever wonder about the abilities you should acquire to be successful even when you’re 50 years old? Have you ever thought of passing on to your children and grandchildren the skills that you could master today? Whether you have or haven’t considered your possibilities 30 years from now, we all know that the world in which we live is constantly changing and we must be prepared for it.

So, imagine being able to adapt to most of the changes life brings with it. Imagine being able to communicate with many people around the world. Acquiring a second or a third language will take you on a journey that will open up for you an array of opportunities. You will get to know more people and places. You will read books, newspapers, online blogs and social media from another countries and languages. You will be able to understand foreign new cool movies and TV programs from Netflix or any other streaming web page. And in the future, you can teach your children and grandchildren a second language at a very young age and prepare them for their future as well. The possibilities are countless!

Do you know that in 2050 in the US you will need to be somewhat proficient in Spanish since it is expected that 50% of the population will be Spanish-speakers? Learning a second language like Spanish will give you the tools for the future in this country and it will give you as well the tools to go abroad and interact in a meaningful way with others.

But even more, learning another language will also give you academic success.  How?

Studying a second language can enhance your skills and grades in math and English so it can help you improve your exam scores — SATs, ACTs, GREs, MCATs, and LSATs. Research has proven that math and verbal SAT scores rise higher with each additional year of foreign language study, which means that the longer you study a foreign language, the more solid your skills become to help you succeed. Learning a foreign language can improve your analytic and interpretive capacities. So, imagine how much you can gain after three years of language study. Imagine your academic record after three years of languages, it will definitely catch the eye of whoever reads your job or graduate school application.

According to the Modern Languages Association (MLA), “knowing other languages enriches students’ personal lives, expands their range of professional opportunities, and increases their power to act as citizens of the world.” So, the knowledge you gain while learning a world language will be an advantage for you, in your personal life as well as part of the global economy. More and more businesses need employees who can    communicate in different languages and understand other cultures. No matter what career you choose,    knowing another language and other cultures will increase your chances to be a stronger candidate. Professionals who know other languages and cultures are first in line to travel and exchange information with people within the US and in other countries throughout their lifework.

Now, after reading about some of the advantages studying languages will bring you, such as Spanish, French, German or Japanese, I ask you, what are you waiting for learning a new language?

If you are interested in finding out more about the Department of World Languages and Cultures and our Spanish, French, German Studies, Japanese and/or Dual Languages programs, please contact me, Dr. Grullon-Garcia at 245-3157 or diana.grullongarcia@ic.edu or stop by my office (Kirby 233A). My colleagues Dr. Steve Gardner, Dr. Margaret Marek, Dr. Devin Bryson, Dr. Emily Adams, Dr. Bernd Estabrook, Dr. Almut Spalding, would be happy to speak with you as well. We hope to hear from you soon!

Think Again About Being a Teacher

After 12 years in your K-12 public or private school, you likely feel that you have a pretty good idea of what a teacher does.  But do you? Have you really and truly considered the benefits of being a teacher? Let’s look at what those benefits might be.

Why should you think about being a teacher?  There are lots of reasons. One of the biggest is that when you see your students succeed, there really isn’t a better feeling in the world!  I can only imagine that teachers from Parkland, Florida felt very proud during the recent “March for Our Lives” event held in Washington, DC and other cities around our country.  I can’t of anything that any teacher worth their school supplies wants more than having their students articulate their own opinions with the eloquence and effectiveness as the young people did who spoke during this event.  It is long been said that one reason education exists is to educate a country’s future voters and its future leaders. In the USA, this also includes making sure our students learn about, celebrate, and continue to further the democracy on which our country was founded.  Not all teachers get to see this success so vividly or so soon, but seeing former students going on to college, the military, or becoming a member of the work force can also bring pride and a sense of accomplishment to those of us who teach. Their students’ success is a sense of pride to a teacher.

Another reason that being a teacher might be the career choice for you is that it is a job that provides variety and change.  It is really hard to get bored as a teacher. When your day revolves around young people, no day is ordinary. Routine as a school teacher usually means to expect the unexpected.  Another benefit is that every year as a teacher is an opportunity to start anew. Didn’t like the way you taught something last year? Want to create a different learning environment in your classroom?  Guess what? You don’t have to change jobs! The month of August brings new students and a fresh start. How many professions allow you the opportunity to revise your professional self every year?

However, to me, the biggest reason to think about being a teacher is because there is no other job that I can think of that allows someone to positively impact a young person’s life more than being a teacher.  Everyone can think of their own story about a teacher who positively impacted their life. For me, it was my French teacher. After reading my French essay about what I planned to do after high school where I mentioned that I planned on being a secretary like my mom and older sister, she asked to talk with me after class.  No one in my family had gone to college and it wasn’t something I ever even considered until that French teacher told me that I should think about it. I went home that day and told my parents I wanted to go to college. This teacher changed the course of my life with a simple suggestion. This is a teacher’s super power. You can have that super power too.

Being a teacher isn’t the easiest profession.  It isn’t for the faint of heart. But, if you like to make a difference, never be bored, and positively impact young peoples’ lives, teaching may just be the perfect job for you.  And right now, more than ever, teachers who really want to work with young people are needed. We are in the midst of a nation-wide teacher shortage. The time for you to step up to the challenge is now!

If you would like to consider a career in education, please feel free to contact me, Dr. Jaime Klein, Education Department Chair, (jeklein@ic.edu) or Dr. Todd Oberg, Director of Teacher Preparation, (toberg@ic.edu).