Understanding One's Classmates Through Studying a Foreign Language

Shane Le Master

It is commonly drilled into our minds via the media, teachers, and every other part of society that it is very useful to learn a foreign language. Learning a foreign language, such a Spanish or Chinese, can open the doors for great opportunities and success in the business and diplomatic worlds. As the world continues to globalize, more and more students are scrambling to buy programs like Rosetta Stone in order to teach themselves a foreign language(s) and get in on the action. However, the benefits of teaching oneself a foreign language extend far beyond the realms of personal gain. By teaching oneself a foreign language, a student opens up his or her mind and heart to the struggles and issues that the countless immigrants in our diverse country face. It is by teaching oneself a different tongue that he or she throws off the rose-colored glasses of having the ease and of speaking English and gets into the shoes of those people struggling everyday to make it a land where the language used is one other than their own.

I taught myself Spanish, Chinese, and Korean. To date, I have mastered all three, but am still always learning and immersing myself in the cultures. With each language, I constantly had to struggle to get in the very mindset of that language. When learning a foreign language, one has to get his or herself in the mindset of that language, understand how the people of that culture think. Only then can one fully understand the innate essence of that language and those who speak it. When I teach myself a language, I aim for the full immersion. I go to neighborhoods where the language is spoken and try to speak people in that language. It is always a challenge trying to express myself and be understood. The other party has to show a lot of patience and they also must try hard to keep from discouraging my earnest efforts. From being in the position as the non-native speaker trying to make it in an area where my own language is not predominant, at school I am able to understand my classmates who are from other parts of the world and who have yet to master English. When I speak to those classmates and work with them on projects, I don’t look down on them and I am patient and understanding as they try to communicate. Teaching myself foreign languages put me in the same shoes as those classmates who are struggling to study in an English language institution. I always remember in my mind that we are all on the same level and we all deserve respect.

Having learned understanding like that on my own over the years, it never ran through my mind that other people could be having the same experience. That was until recently when I came across an article in the Chronicles of Higher Education that brought light to the story of a teacher in New York whose experiences and failures in teaching himself Russian brings him ever closer to his students who come from all over the world. From his own struggles with learning Russian, he understands the shame and difficulty his students have when they are struggling with English. He knows, more than someone who has never been in the situation of trying to learn a foreign language, how to help these students without being either too tough or too easy on them. Just from teaching himself a foreign language, this New Yorker understands his diverse students so much better and he knows just how and where to assist them.

American university campuses are undeniably diverse with students from across the globe coming together to learn. Consequently, everyone is going to have to work with and build relationships with students who are still trying to improve their English. Many get frustrated with their classmates who cannot speak English well and they go so far as to ignore their ideas. The language barrier has the power to cause people to forget that we are all humans and we all have equally valuable ideas to share. By teaching themselves a foreign language and by struggling in learning it, all students can develop a much deeper understanding for their foreign classmates and make their relationships with them so much more effective and meaningful.