Sunday, July 13, 2008

Language acquisition, the primary goal of education

What are the key goals of education? I would argue that they are to teach languages. The acquisition of language is what separates humans from other animals. Language is inextricably linked to the way that we think. Thus, by learning languages we expand the capacity of our minds. I see 5 critical areas of language that should be cultivated in one's education:
  1. Native: How to write and how to speak in one's native tongue. This includes both persuasive as well as narrative froms of writing/speaking.
  2. Foreign: By learning a language other than our native language, we gain a better understanding for words, and are able to access cultures in the world more dissimilar from our own.
  3. Mathematics: The language of mathematics is critical for problem-solving and clear thinking.
  4. Programming: Computer languages teach how to break a complicated problem into smaller steps.
  5. Music: The language of music opens up a world of expression.

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