By J1 Reporter Mekhronakhon Sultanova

Spanish teacher Mrs. Kristie Hicks said she believes that language learning creates connections and opens doors to future career opportunities. “It’s not weird; it’s just different, and it’s better to learn about it.”

Her favorite part of teaching is sharing Spanish culture. She recalled a student who made an ofrenda to honor a deceased relative after learning about Día de los Muertos. “I had a girl at my old school make an ofrenda for her relative that passed away, and we didn’t do that in our classroom, but she did it outside, which was really special.”

Hicks says a lack of confidence is a major challenge for language learners. “You know more than you think you do.” She also believes Spanish is especially relevant in the United States because of its Spanish-speaking communities.

Mandarin teacher Mrs. Sicong Mills said she believes that learning a language helps students recognize similarities between cultures. She explained that her Chinese relatives and her Mexican sister-in-law’s family share food traditions. “By finding out what you guys share in common, it’s fantastic.”

Mills also enjoys showing students connections between Chinese characters and stories. She believes cultural understanding will remain important as artificial intelligence develops. “You can use AI, you can turn on your phone and you can talk to Chinese people.” However, she adds, “the culture is going to be very useful for you in the future.”

French teacher, Madame Janet Tuttle said that learning another language benefits students academically and professionally, but its greatest value is how it changes their understanding of other people. “I really do think it just changes the way your brain works.” She explains that learning a language offers a deeper cultural understanding than traveling alone.

For students who struggle, Tuttle advises patience: “I think they need to give themselves grace. It’s not an easy thing.”

She especially enjoys watching students gain confidence during French immersion trips. “I really enjoy when I take my juniors and seniors on a French immersion trip and to watch them be really nervous on the first day, but after a couple of days just to feel really confident in what they’re doing.”

Although French, Spanish and Mandarin offer different learning experiences, all three teachers emphasize that language education is about more than memorizing vocabulary and grammar rules.

As translation technology continues to develop, understanding other cultures may become an even more important part of language education.

For students, the greatest benefit of learning another language may not be speaking perfectly, but learning to see the world from another perspective.