THE RELEVANCE OF BILINGUALISM (Essay Sample)

The Relevance of Bilingualism Student Name University Affiliation  The Relevance of Bilingualism What is Language? As it has been asserted over and over, human beings are social beings with an intrinsic needs to interact with one another. In order for this interaction to be meaningful and fulfill man’s needs to associate with fellow men, a systematic form of communication has to exist. Such a form of communication has to contain words or symbols or a combination of both that is uniformly understood by the involved parties. This form of communication is what is termed as language. It should be noted that for this language to truly serve its purposes, it must have an enduring nature such that inter-generational modification over the years does not significantly alter its essence or substance. It is important to mention that language cannot be fully conceived without attaching it to a context. The most appropriate context within which to frame language is the cultural context. As asserted by scholars, symbols in and of themselves do not make sense unless they are applied within a cultural context (Johnston, 2008). This facilitates interpretation since a word in one part of the world may mean a completely different thing in another part of the world. Therefore, it can also be asserted that language is a particularly significant subset of the whole that is human identity. How is an Additional Language Learned? An additional language can be learned in either a formal or informal setting or both. A formal setting is a school or institution that devotes time and other resources to impart language skills in a structured format. On the other hand, an informal setting has no established structure for passing on language skills. Informal settings include the home front, market places, social gatherings or even casual social interactions between people who speak different languages. However, this section specifically focuses on the formal setting, particularly the school environment. Conventionally, additional languages have always been learned through interactions in the classroom. Teachers who happen to be fluent in the additional language create simple concepts for the non-native speakers and thereafter develop creative interactive activities from these concepts (Hall & Verplaetse, 2000). This helps the non-native speakers to acquire new language skills and to further build on this acquired knowledge by progressively taking on more challenging activities. If the teachers happen to be native speakers of the additional language, care is taken to ensure that the nuances of the new language are grasped. This is usually achieved by altering pronunciation and speech patterns to make it easier for the learners. How Should an Additional Language Best be taught? Much research has been conducted into the area of teaching additional languages. Past practices have been critically examined with a view to gaining useful insights into how to make the process better. Consequently, a whole slew of recommendations have been put forth to with regard to how to best deliver content in the context of teaching an additional language. One overarching theme has been the need to sensitize learners on the end goal of acquiring an additional language. Learners need to know the reward at the end of the road. This helps to develop motivation in them when the going gets tough. They need to perceive the additional language as a means to useful opportunities (Jesperssen, 2013). Given the technological advancements of the current world, particularly in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT), it is important that foreign languages be integrated into technological platforms to enhance access and optimize the interactivity aspect of the learning process. This would go a long way in ensuring that the modern learner is effectively engaged. In addition, use of Smartphone-based applications to deliver content can greatly increase convenience since learners can acquire knowledge on the go. Moreover, mobile language games can also be used to enhance the learning experience. Why Additional Language should be taught In the current massively interconnected world, multicultural engagements are an inevitable fact of life. As a result of this globalization, every facet of socio-economic activity, ranging from business and personal engagements to the very conduct of geopolitics, is anchored upon successfully navigating the complex waters of cultural dynamism. Learning an additional language therefore goes a long way in ensuring desirable outcomes. ...