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At a recent education workshop, a U.S. Department of Education official said that at the rate the Chinese are learning to speak English, in a few years China could be the largest English speaking country in the world.

The point being made had to do with higher education and Americans competing for jobs on on a global scale.

But if our ability to speak other languages will help make us more competitive, the process can't wait until college.

Despite state standards that require all students to begin studying other languages and cultures as early as kindergarten, tight budgets and time constraints have pushed world languages onto the list of subjects everyone thinks are worthwhile, but not a huge priority.

Amanda Seewald, a teacher and founding member of the National Network for Early Language Learning came to Egg Harbor Township High School last week to encourage parents to support world language learning in schools and at home.

"The younger a child starts learning another language the better," she told a small group of parents and educators. "Puberty marks the end of that window of opportunity when a child will easily acquire additional languages."

The state high school graduation requirements currently mandate students take one year of a world language in high school or demonstrate proficiency in another language. Language educators would like to require that all students attain at least a basic level of communication in another language.

Michele Schreiner, supervisor of world languages in the Egg Harbor Township schools said all students there get Spanish once a week starting in first grade. Ideally twice a week is preferred, but Schreiner believes the early introduction has helped spur interest in languages in high school. Egg Harbor Township has begun offering Chinese through a virtual online program, and offers a Spanish for native speakers program to help immigrant students develop literacy and fluency.

Maybe because we live in such a large English-speaking country, most of us see no need to learn another language. We treat bilingual education as remediation for non-English speakers, when ideally it should be an enrichment program for all children.

Seewald admits raising the profile of world languages in schools is an uphill battle. She began a program called Maracas to teach Spanish to two- to nine-year-olds and she encourages community groups to begin offering language classes as the Chinese community has done in Atlantic County.

"Most people just don't see it as a basic part of education," she said. "Community groups and parents are essential."

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