In the U.S., 11 states require that high school students take at least two credits of a world language in order to graduate. However, requiring all students to complete world language credits to graduate does not effectively serve most high schoolers because these credits rarely translate to real-world fluency.
National language proficiency analyses frequently cited in education research report that less than 1% of adults are able to use a language learned in U.S. classrooms effectively in their daily lives. Therefore, instead of world language courses being mandatory in high school given these low outcomes, it would be more effective to let students choose whether to pursue language study rather than forcing all students to take these classes. Research shows that when students are able to make a personal choice to learn a language, they are more likely to study it and become proficient rather than making students spend countless hours in classrooms with no net benefits. When language study is required, it more often than not becomes a graduation checkbox rather than a skill students actively develop and maintain.
According to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), many students still struggle to achieve functional proficiency, which is defined as the capacity to use a language effectively for real-world tasks and communication. This means that even after the several required years of studying content in school language courses, students tend to remain at the novice-high and intermediate-low levels. Instead of practicing spontaneous conversations, students remain at novice-level speaking and are often only able to fill in gaps and recognize vocabulary, continuing to struggle to understand or participate in basic conversations. While students are able to earn A’s in the classroom for grammar skills, the ACTFL ratings and proficiency exams measure what students can actually do with the language.
The ACTFL additionally reports that meaningful proficiency levels depend on instructional type. Traditional programs continue to fill high school classrooms, leading to most content being grammar-focused and surrounded by passing the next test. On the other hand, with language immersion programs, students are given the chance to practice language skills through conversation and sustained exposure, and often reach the intermediate range by fifth grade.
Mandatory language courses also fail to acknowledge the realities of students’ schedules and academic priorities. In addition to the requirement of taking a language course, there are a multitude of other credits a student needs to graduate. Courses such as mathematics show significantly higher retention and measurable skill development, which are useful for life skills and the professional world.The vast difference in retention for students’ knowledge and skills in those courses should make it a priority instead of high schools continuing to include language courses in students’ schedules. This graduation requirement may seem more akin to a meaningless burden on students rather than a practical benefit to students who aim to pursue STEM careers or even arts degrees.
Traditional world language classes are no longer as necessary due to the increasing usage of technology in every aspect of our digitized world. Now, students may learn languages on their own and at their own pace using online resources like Duolingo and AI tutors, which provide immediate feedback and daily exposure, which are critical for language acquisition. This provides a solution to courses that have proven to be unnecessary for students, as they are more likely to gain fluency through their own decision to study a new language.
Language proficiency is developed by consistent exposure and repeated use of the language over time, which isn’t provided in high school courses. Most language classes meet for around an hour a day and are interrupted by long academic breaks which limit retention and long-term skill development. Students quickly lose what they learn, reinforcing the low proficiency outcomes seen nationally.
Supporters of required language courses argue that they expose students to different cultures and perspectives. However, these cultures can be taught to them best through specific history and art classes. Those subjects more effectively integrate critical thinking and cultural analysis than language courses that emphasize memorization over meaningful application, with no real-world benefits acquired for students.
Requiring high school students to take world language courses is an outdated practice and fails to keep pace with modern education. High schools should move away from these world language mandates and allow students to choose whether language study aligns with their academic goals and future applications. Language learning remains valuable to all, but it can only be effectively learned when a student makes that choice. Therefore, requiring all students to take those courses should no longer be a mandatory credit fulfillment.
