Language Learning Excels at St. Joe
By Sofia Rizos, Senior Staff Writer
At St. Joe, students can immerse themselves in many languages. They can study Spanish, Mandarin, French, and Latin at various levels. The World Language Department has several goals: students will use language skills as communication tools, apply language elements in different ways, compare global customs and cultures, and develop open-mindedness as global citizens.
Learning more than one language can significantly increase your brain health by strengthening cognitive function. To better understand why this is important, we first must understand what cognitive function is and what it affects. Cognitive function is about how the brain works and how it functions together, affecting how one thinks and one’s ability to remember. Overall, it is how an individual responds to their environment. Learning languages helps stimulate this function by challenging the brain to recognize, associate meaning, and communicate in a new language. It enhances functions like multitasking, focus, and memory. Another significant benefit of this can be lowering one’s chances of the onset of dementia and cognitive decline. Carolina Rizos, an SJA parent, is Peruvian and, having learned English as a second language, has emphasized the importance of learning languages.
“Becoming bilingual is important because it opens the door to many more opportunities. Not only that: it also helps you to explore new cultures,” Carolina said.
Learning a second language is also helpful for business and school. Job applications often ask if you speak more than one language and how fluent you are. Employers want applicants who can communicate with more customers and clients. Knowing another language helps in international jobs, business, healthcare, translation, and travel. Some colleges value students who have studied another language, as it brings more diversity. Jasmin Rizos, a junior at Loyola University Chicago, explains how being bilingual helped her at school and connected her with her heritage.
“For me, being bilingual helped me understand my Peruvian heritage, learn new slang, and connect with people from many cultures, especially during college,” Jasmin said.
Learning another language can help you communicate with more people and deepen cultural understanding. It can lead to new friendships in unexpected places and expand your social circle. Learning a language introduces you to new cultures, traditions, histories, and viewpoints. Understanding new cultures can make people more open-minded toward others.
