As educators, you may encounter students who question the relevance of learning a foreign language, especially when they rarely interact with speakers of that language. It can seem unnecessary to them to learn a language they might seldom use. However, as you know, studying a foreign language can significantly enhance students’ mastery of the language they use constantly: English. This insight is crucial for us as educators, particularly when developing and refining school programs aimed at equipping our students with the skills they need to excel academically.
In many educational settings, students receive their foundational English grammar instruction during their elementary and middle school years. By the time they reach high school, their understanding of concepts like parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, and various kinds of clauses may have become less sharp. Incorporating foreign language study into your curriculum can serve as an effective tool to refresh these skills, helping students become better readers and writers and more adept at tackling standardized tests—a key objective for many school programs.
Both the SAT and ACT, critical exams for college admissions, assess students on their knowledge of English grammar. The SAT consists of two sections: Reading and Writing, and Math. Approximately a quarter of the questions in the Reading and Writing section test students’ understanding of Standard English Conventions, such as how to properly join independent clauses, identify and correct misplaced modifiers, or ensure pronoun-antecedent agreement. The ACT, with its four sections—English, Math, Reading, and Science—also places significant emphasis on grammar and punctuation, making a strong grasp of these areas essential for student success.
While most native speakers of English have an intuitive understanding of the language’s grammar, the difference between satisfactory and exemplary performance on the SAT and ACT often hinges on explicit knowledge of grammar rules. This is where integrating foreign language study into your school’s programs can be particularly beneficial.
When students engage in foreign language study, they typically begin by learning the grammar rules of that language. For example, a student of Spanish would likely learn that there are three kinds of infinitives (the most basic form of a verb) in the language: -ar, -er, and -ir infinitives. Then, they would find out that to form the indicative present tense first person singular form of an -ar verb, they must chop off the -ar ending and add an -o. Thus, the infinitive of bailar (to dance) becomes bailo (I dance). Learning that such rules underlie all languages—including their native tongue, English—is a powerful realization.
Having come to this realization, a student might further understand that the same general principles that govern subject-verb agreement in, say, Spanish also underlie subject-verb agreement in English. Namely, just as in Spanish, in English the verb form one uses depends on what the subject (the person, place, or thing doing the verb’s action) of the verb is.
Consider the following SAT question:
“Bengali Author Toru Dutt’s A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields (1876), a volume of English translations of French poems, _____ scholars’ understanding of the transnational and multilingual contexts in which Dutt lived and worked.”
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of standard English?
- A) has enhanced
- B) are enhancing
- C) have enhanced
- D) enhance
The correct answer is A, “has enhanced.” A student with a strong foundation in grammar—reinforced by foreign language study—would correctly identify “A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields” as the singular subject requiring the singular verb “has.”
As educators and administrators, it’s essential to recognize the value of foreign language study, even for students who may not use the language regularly. By incorporating foreign language instruction into your programs, you equip your students with the tools they need to not only improve their reading and writing skills but also to achieve higher scores on college admissions exams, ultimately opening doors to greater academic opportunities.
