Global Links Make Study of Foreign Language Vital
Published Feb 16, 2009
Karen Claypool says an annual exchange with Hamm, Germany, benefits students.
Twenty years ago, the ability to speak a foreign language looked good on a resumé, but it wasn’t a requirement in the working world. In today’s global economy, however, language fluency isn’t just a perk for high school graduates. It has become a virtual workplace necessity.
No one knows that better than the administrators and teachers in the Hamilton County Schools of Tennessee.
“We have a graduation requirement of two years of foreign language, and that’s something we’ve had in place for the last five years,” says Danielle Clark, director of communications for Hamilton County Schools. “We’re preparing our students for a global economy because it’s not just about American-based jobs anymore. They’ll be competing for jobs with kids from Russia, China and all over the world, and kids in Europe learn an average of three languages. We’re trying to give our students an edge.”
As part of an agreement to bring Germany-based Volkswagen to Chattanooga, Hamilton County Schools is working on establishing an expanded German-language curriculum that would benefit German-speaking children of Volkswagen employees.
“We’d like to offer a supplemental program for German students in our schools so when they return to Germany, they’ll be at or above grade level,” Clark says. “We’re working closely with VW on the project,” which is under study.
Offered at three of the county’s high schools, German is already a popular course among Hamilton County students. “The kids really enjoy it, and it’s taken on a new significance” because of VW’s coming, Clark says.
Sister City Exchange Program
For five years, Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts has had an exchange-student relationship with Beisenkamp Gymnasium (school) in Hamm, Germany – a sister city to Chattanooga for more than 30 years.
Karen Claypool, a German teacher at the center, says the annual exchange involves about 20 students from each school. Those from Chattanooga “live with host families, attend German schools and engage in group activities. They don’t see Germany the way tourists do – they really experience the culture by eating with families, learning the school system and being immersed in the language.”
Hamilton County also offers Spanish, French and Latin classes. “French and Spanish are offered at the elementary level at our magnet schools, and we want to expand those programs to our other schools because we know the elementary level is when kids are most adept at learning new languages,” Spokeswoman Clark says.
Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Ian Curcio
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