Why should one try and learn another language other than English?
Can you afford to hold your tongue? Americans often avoid learning a foreign language, simply because many people from other cultures speak English. But in today’s global business environment, being bilingual, or better yet multilingual, broadens your career and international business options and expands your network. Plus, learning a new skill increases your self-worth. David Bailey is a media clerk at Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville, Georgia. In addition to his job responsibilities, Bailey provides the school with Spanish-English interpretation and translation. This includes parent-teacher conferences and any other bilingual communication among teachers, administrators, students, and parents. “The fact that I am bilingual made a huge difference in whether I was hired. In fact, I think I actually got hired because I am bilingual,” says Bailey, whose school’s Latino student population is more than 60%. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, nearly one in five people, or 47 million U.S.
