The Future of Education

The purpose of this paper is to analyse ways in which we could say that learning a foreign language means learning to see the world from a fresh perspective. Foreign language learning is intertwined with learning about the culture and society of the respective countries wher the language is spoken. The way we think about time (linear or cyclical), the way we address the others (in formal or less formal ways, e.g. using honorifics in Japanese), the way we value relationships (based on the individualist and collectivist dimensions), or express emotion and politeness (through direct or indirect communication) make us aware of alternative ways of having these elements structured. Different types of colours can be discovered, e.g. Russian includes various shades of blue. English emphasizes the individual when we say In my opinion, while Chinese refers to collective or neutral language. English is also more direct in disagreements, e.g. “I disagree with your point,” while Mandarin Chinese is softer and less confrontational, e.g. "I think it might be a bit different." In Tahitian, there is no actual word for sadness, and emotional pain is described physically. With respect to objects having or not gendered form, we notice that this influences how we think about them. In Spanish, we have gender for objects, while in German, we do not, which is how we realize that grammar does not always allign with social perception, which makes us unintentionally assign characteristics based on gender norms such as strength or delicacy. As we learn a Foreign language, we become aware of social constructionsim, which tells us that reality is socially constructed through language, interaction, as well as cultural norms. According to cultural schema theory, we interpret what is new by relying on our pre-existing mental frameworks which were shaped by our culture. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory and Edward T. Hall’s High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures will also be used in the analysis.