Many high schools offer different foreign languages for students to take. Taking a foreign language looks great on college applications (especially if you stick with it).
It’s neat how many different choices high schools can give you these days, including Spanish, German, French, Punjabi, and even Japanese.
Of course, each school offers different languages, but you usually have at least a couple of options to choose from.
Learning a foreign language with a GED
Even for adults who did not complete their high school curriculum, learning a foreign language, even in college, is not only possible but also a lot of fun!
To get into college, you must either have a high school diploma or a GED, America’s most widely used high school equivalency diploma, which has the same value as a standards high school degree.
You can also very well prepare for the test with an online prep course, but make sure you choose a course that’s recognized by GED Testing Service! That guarantees alignment with the current computer-based exam.
For a good overview of several GED Testing Service-recognized online GED courses, check out this post, The Best Online GED Programs, on the website Educate The USA.
All the online courses highlighted there carry approval from GED Testing Service, a guarantee that you’ll be learning with the best study materials.
So even if you didn’t finish high school and want to study a foreign language in college, there is hope! Get your GED (General Education Development) diploma and get the education you always wanted!
The GED test is actually a set of four modular subtests assessing your knowledge across four subject fields: science, math, language, and social studies. The exam is offered at numerous testing facilities across America and in an online format.
However, to take the exam online, achieving passing scores on four GED Ready practice tests first is a prerequisite. These practice tests are available at GED.com, the official website of GED Testing Service.
Spanish is popular
Currently, Spanish is pushed pretty heavily in schools. The Latino population in America is continually growing, and many believe that learning Spanish is far more beneficial than learning other languages.
While it’s true that learning Spanish might have some more perks, if your heart isn’t set on learning it, then choose another language that’s more suited to you.
An official in my local school district wanted to eliminate all non-Spanish programs at the high school. This caused an immediate uproar in the language department, as every teacher believed that all languages should be valued and taught, not just one.
I was initially pushed to learn Spanish, but after deciding to learn German, I found it was a better fit for me. Spanish is great, but you definitely should not feel like you have to learn it. Learn it because you want to learn it.
Choosing a language that’s right for you
Also, consider how hard the language is to learn. Languages that are similar to English, such as German, use similar sentence structures and have many cognates (words that are the same in both languages).
The more distantly the language is related to English, the harder it is to learn, typically. Russian, for example, is supposed to be really tough to get down. You might try doing some quick research online about a language to see what’s more up your alley.
The best way to choose what foreign language to study is to find a culture that appeals most to you. Learning a language will go hand-in-hand with learning about the culture and lifestyle of a place.
If the culture of France sounds interesting to you, then French might be the language for you. Choosing a culture is also important if your school offers you a chance to go on a trip to a foreign country through the language you study.
Take into account what you might like to do for a career. If your big plan would benefit from learning one language over another, take that into account too.
Whatever the case, you definitely shouldn’t feel limited to only one language. You can always take more, or even learn one later. Regardless of when and how you learn it, though, it’s much better to learn a language that fits you.
Conclusion
Answering the question which foreign language you should choose depends all on your personal interests and preferences.
Regardless of you want to learn a foreign language in high school or in college, following your instincts and choosing a language that you feel comfortable with is crucial.
Learning more about foreign languages and cultures can and should be a lot of fun, and understanding the language will prove to be a great help. Have Fun!
Guest writer
