As I mentioned in my previous post we are beginning to look at elementary schools. Our local school district has decided that every elementary school student should have the opportunity to learn either Chinese or Spanish.
So here are my questions. Should my two kids learn Spanish or Chinese? Which will be more useful? Which provides the most interesting window into a different culture? 20 years from now, which will be more beneficial in the job market? Which one will open the door to better trips for me when I retire?
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I myself have been looking into Chinese language lessons. It seems like an important language in terms of global economies. _Valerie
ReplyDeleteI can't believe this is even a toss up. Chinese of course (only if its Mandarin)! There are many reasons why, but here are my top three: 1. It's the harder language for English speakers to learn, so starting young helps. In the future, if your daughter wants to learn Spanish too, she can. But learning Chinese as an adult is very difficult. 2. You're daughter can impress future co-workers by ordering off the take-out menu w/o using numbers. 3. I can help tutor her.
ReplyDeleteSpanish
ReplyDeleteEspanol. No contest. Your kids may or may not get involved in global commerce, but chances are good that they will spend a large part of their lives in the USA...where spanish is easily the second language of choice...and in many states (TX, CA) fast becoming the FIRST language.
ReplyDelete(Also, you might have a teensy chance of understanding SOME of what they are talking about behind your back if it's in Spanish....Chinese means giving your kids a powerful code to exclude you from conversations between the two of them.)