Students at Shadow Ridge are required to acquire two foreign language credits and this causes a choice for those students seeking the credits. Most commonly this choice is between Spanish and French; while Japanese is an option its difficulty can scare away students. Students usually choose a language without first knowing the benefits and differences from each class and what can be gained. Both languages have appealing aspects and amazing teachers who can help those enrolled in their classes to learn new languages and prepare them for foreign encounters.
Madame Spanier has a passion for and teaches French at Shadow Ridge. She took French during her freshman year of high school and continued to take it every year finishing with AP French 4 her senior year. She also took Spanish and Latin showing her dedication to foreign languages as she is fluent in English, Spanish, and French. She loves introducing the subject of French to her students and enjoys spicing up their days from the basic core classes with something new.
“French is more spread out throughout the world, every continent has French speaking countries except Australia,” Madame Spanier said. “This makes it important for successful businesses who go international or for those interested in politics across the world.”
Madame Spanier, leads an efficient classroom, she helps students to grasp this new world of French and reap the benefits of it. Learning something from scratch is difficult but with Madame Spanier teaching students find it easier to understand with her efficient and kind teaching style.
The students love Madame Spanier and are happy with their choice, although the other choice has appeal to many students. Spanish is the second most spoken language in Nevada and many places around it making it the most beneficial for students to learn. There are multiple amazing Spanish teachers like Ms. Torres, who loves teaching Spanish because it helps her to learn about people who come from different backgrounds as well as helps her to enrich students’ lives.
“People are drawn to Spanish because it opens career opportunities, improves employability, supports travel and cultural exchange, and makes it easier to connect with Spanish-speaking communities at home and abroad,” stated Ms.Torres.
Spanish has a more cultural appeal to it and can help to bridge the language gap between many and help speakers to learn from and embrace other cultures. It is one of the most widely spoken languages and is used heavily near Nevada and can be one of the most practical languages to learn for the area.
“I take Spanish right now, which I enjoy, but I wish I had taken French too. I feel like there are benefits to both and I could learn and gain more if I had taken French and Spanish,” sophomore, Addi Hales, said.
One thing both Madame Spanier and Ms.Torres agree on is that learning a language is beneficial and they encourage all students to do it. They also believe learning one of these languages helps students to bridge the gap when they learn the other as well. When it comes down to it, the choice for students can weigh on what they want to gain from their foreign language. Whether they are looking for a language that can set them up for success internationally or a language that can help them learn and connect with others locally, both are fantastic choices with amazing teachers who can help students grow as people and speakers.
