Students Teaching Students a Foreign Language
To those who love to learn languages, there are so many methods and ways to learn a language to choose from yet the effectiveness of the method one chooses depends on how it works for the learner. One of the effective ways to help strengthen a language learner’s skills in his or her newly-acquired language is to use it frequently in order to assimilate it in his or her system.
In the small library of the Dunning Elementary School in Framingham, Massachusetts, about twenty-five young 
students have been introduced to the French language through the volunteer work of local high school students. One of the activities the high school students do is to speak French with the elementary students as much as they can.
The program which involves high school students teaching the younger elementary students a foreign language started when the members of the high school’s French Club thought of a way to encourage youngsters to study a second language. The club’s members thought of introducing the program when the school administrators made a proposal to cut the middle school modern language programs as a cost-cutting move a year ago. The goal of the club was to give the elementary students a chance to learn a second language so that they will be prepared for it by the time they reach middle school.
The elementary school children are lucky that the French Club created workbooks for them which were patterned from their teachers’ materials in their high school classes. The children are into their language lessons especially with the songs and the games that they play which involve the use of French. The younger students were designated to groups of five or six and their high school tutors moved from table to table teaching them French throughout their afternoon lessons. They go through French vocabulary and are learning French terms for common phrases. Teachers from the high school oversee the activities as their contribution for the elementary students too.
The French teachers who supervise the program say that the program gives the high school students more exposure to the French language and learn more about it. It also gives them the opportunity to do community service by teaching elementary students for free. The young ones who are learning French are having fun because they have the chance to speak a new language and the means that they are learning it are done in enjoyable ways too.
A research done in London back in 2004 has found that the brains of people who learn other language develop denser and more advanced gray matter compared to the brains of those who are monolingual. There had also been reports that students who are introduced to languages at an earlier age develop the growth of their intellect better, have a better command of their first language, and have increased awareness of other cultures.
If older language students in communities across the globe help younger students in creating interest in learning languages and help them improve themselves by learning another skill.
June 6th, 2009 at 4:52 am
Frankly, I would not waste my time with foreign language. First of all, in my experience, no one really appreciates the level of skills the other person may be able to demonstrate. That’s to say, people are quick to complain when the person who “is learning” doesn’t know something in the foreign language. This attitude comes from all sides including teachers, family, friends and co-workers. People outside of the foreign language classroom seem to think that eveyone studying a foreign language is or should know many of the things that a native speaker knows and that one only learns outside of the classroom(i e in the country where the language is spoken).
June 8th, 2009 at 11:23 am
@Ralph, I’m sorry you’ve had bad experiences and discouragements when learning a new language. If you’re not receiving support from your teachers, I suggest that you change to another school. It is important to have teachers that help you improve and encourage you. Learning a new language should be fun, even if it is a lot of work.
Anyone needs a lot of determination and focus to achieve any goal in their life, so if you wanted or still want to learn a new language I think you should continue and enjoy the process.
June 10th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I have gone as an exchange student in Southern France and would love to do it again. I also studied a Business Program in Montreal.
Regarding, the above I agree, but would like to add that I had taken 5 years of french and studied 7 by Montreal, If you are not going to get thru the verbs it could be frustrating and and a waste of time for others as well.