The U.S. has grown tremendously over the past decades, and with that growth includes diverse cultures from all over the world speaking languages other than English. Although, there are many benefits with being bilingual in the U.S., Foreign language should not be a three-year requirement in high school because it’s difficult for high school students to retain a new language, culture cannot be taught in a classroom, and other classes would provide better real-world skills. Rather, foreign language should be taught in the elementary schools.

Foreign language should be required for elementary students to take. It has been proven that elementary students are able to retain more information than a high school student. At that age elementary students are beginning to learn English and all of its proper tense, if they were to learn a second language at that age they would be able to speak it fluently if continued post elementary school. Instead of putting extra pressure on high school students of learning a new language, it should require for elementary students to take a foreign language. It has been scientifically proven that language learning is heightened when you’re younger. Research from Cornell lab shows students who began learning a foreign language in elementary school reached a higher level of proficiency in reading, writing and speaking compared to those who started in middle school, Fitzalan Gorman, Demand Media.

Elementary students don’t have as much pressure as a high school student. High school students have to deal with the pressure of applying to colleges and completing required classes other than English and math. Pressure is not put on elementary students as much. Their curriculum is not as advanced and critical as high school. They are more interested in learning about the world around them and more enthusiastic about different cultures; this