Sample Essay #3 (Foreign language)

Learning a foreign language offers an insight into how people from other cultures think and see world. Considering this, it is often argued that teaching of a foreign language should be made compulsory in all primary schools.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view? 

Learning a foreign language opens avenues for people to learn about culture of the other parts of the world. Taking it into account, some people have formed an opinion that foreign language learning should be made compulsory in all primary schools. Whereas, according to me compulsion of foreign language learning a primary level of school is fruitless.

There are ample reasons that prove that foreign language taught at primary school is inappropriate. Firstly, it can be burdensome to learn about language and culture of other country when pupil is yet not thorough with his own native language and culture. Furthermore, outside school it would be difficult for students to learn anything pertaining to foreign language. Secondly, at primary school level perception about the native language and culture is going to be set, midst of it, if different perception by other language and culture is instilled it could create perception confusion in their mind. For example, the level of modesty shown in two different cultures is always different.

On the other side, some people have come up with positive aspect of incorporating foreign language learning at primary school. First, as at this tender age students can grasp language more effectively. It could help to assimilate the other culture easily when required. Next, it improves multilingual skills of students. This makes many parts of the world easily accessible to a person as hurdle of language barrier is not there.

After putting two and two together, it is apparent that cons of teaching foreign language in primary school are far outweighing the pros of it. Thus, I opine that foreign language teaching at tertiary level is better because understanding level would have been fully grown at this stage.