What Are The Benefits Of Studying A Foreign Language In High School?

Over the last 30 years, various research has shown that students who study a foreign language have improved overall school performance and superior problem solving skills. Some evidence also suggests that students who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems.

At the high school level students who study a foreign language score statistically higher on standardized tests conducted in English such as the PSAT, the SAT, and the ACT exams. Studying a foreign language can improve both students' analytic and interpretive capacities, which are essential skills on these standardized tests.

In addition to improving test scores, students who study a foreign language in high school not only learn to speak and understand a foreign language, they also learn about other countries and gain an understanding and a respect for people from other cultures and customs.  Above all, for many students, it is fun to study and learn a foreign language.