People who enjoy learning languages, travelling, learning about different cultures and/or meeting people from different countries tend to be more open to difference, and more tolerant. At least that is my experience. While other people might be more inclined to fear the different and the foreign.
In UK schools the most widely-taught languages are French, German and Spanish [source]. Other languages, such as Italian, Russian, Mandarin and Japanese are also taught, but they are less common. Many British people go on holiday to France or Spain, so the ability to speak French or Spanish might be useful for a few weeks each year. The rest of the time these languages aren’t all that useful, unless you have lots of French, German or Spanish-speaking friends, or you end up living or spending a lot or time in a country where they’re spoken.
I’m not saying that these languages aren’t worth learning – all languages are worth learning, as far as I’m concerned. However, might it be a good idea if schools started also teaching languages that are actually spoken in their local areas? Languages like Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Arabic, Polish, Cantonese and so on. Pupils could use what they’re learning regularly, and maybe by learning more about the communities that speak these language, any fear and suspicion they have of the other and the foreign would diminish.
You make a good point regarding fearing those we don’t understand. However, our kids are expected to learn French here in Canada and they just have a great disdain for Quebec. It’s unfair and unfortunate. They don’t like that they are forced to learn it, because they never use French on a daily basis (like they would if they were on the border of Quebec, or in Northern Ontario or in New Brunswick). Our area has a lot of German people and so most of our schools teach German in addition to French. And the kids are excited to learn it because they can choose. Also, one school teaches Mandarin because every year they host exchange students. The kids can then put their Mandarin to use.
I think Heike has a point. Going through school in communistic Poland, we were forced to take at least 8 years of Russian (grade 5-12). I do not know too many people that would actually willingly study that language. It was imposed on us and we deeply resented it. We were trying to do everything to avoid actually learning that language (cheating in class included). I think being given a free choice is very important for the attitude towards learning a language.
I totally agree. However, I think the quality of language classes and cultural education needs to improve for this to work. Spanish is a very popular language in the US, but most people (at least in my experience) would rather learn the Spain variety rather than think about Mexico and the Central/South American people with whom we share this country. The above comments support this– I think that having the classes required is fine, but the fact that language classes are so dry prevents students from ever identifying with the other culture.