Promote Foreign Language in Elementary School

I shall begin. I would first like to clarify the terms used in the resolution of this debate: Promote: to help or encourage to exist or flourish. (. http://dictionary.reference.com...) Foreign Language: a language not spoken by the people of a certain place or a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to. (. http://en.wikipedia.org...) Elementary School: offer[s] education between the kindergarten level and a grade between 3rd and 6th. (. http://en.wikipedia.org...) The ability to fluently speak a foreign language has many helpful qualities. People who have attained such a level in a language have opened many doors leading them to a successful career and life, including increased communication with people who do not speak your native language, better chances of being hired by companies looking for any language skills, the increased competency of your own language, and more. As such, the promotion of foreign languages in elementary school has the potential to bring forth many beneficial consequences later on in a student's educational career. For most students in the United States, it is mandatory to take a foreign language in high school to receive a basic diploma, with additional requirements added on for a more advanced degree (. http://en.wikipedia.org...). While the decision of which language a student would like to take in high school is one of the many ways that informing students of foreign languages is useful, it is by far not the only one. The promotion of languages can benefit the pursuit of learning a foreign language earlier in life, such as in middle school or with individual studies, provide information on the broader range of vocational opportunities in life that require the use of foreign languages, and much more. To say that informing students of the beneficial nature of such languages in elementary school is a waste of time is asinine to say the least, for it potentially stifles any educational options that a student has later in life in relation to foreign languages, especially in a country that has an increasingly diverse population of citizens and languages, and a leading role in international relations. It is for this reason that I stand in affirmation of the resolution I would first like to point out that my opponent has ignored the resolution he himself posted, and instead continued to debate the teaching of foreign languages in elementary schools rather than the promotion of them. As we all know, teaching is the act or profession of a person who teaches. (. http://dictionary.reference.com...) The promotion of foreign languages in elementary school can be as simple as informing the students of their beneficial nature in the pursuit of a higher education after graduation from high school, while the actual teaching of foreign languages takes time out of the day to focus on and educate the students in the actual language itself. With this point in mind, my opponent has theoretically shot himself in the foot, for not only has he ignored the resolution, but continued on with a completely different one. It is for this reason that not only are all of my opponent's arguments negated, but my own affirmed. I shall continue anyway to address the arguments at hand. In my opponent's first argument to negate the resolution, he points out that the promotion of foreign languages in elementary school is not necessary because "students will forget what they learned over the years…". This argument completely ignores the resolution at hand, for it goes on to debate the TEACHING of foreign languages, instead of the promotion of them. As I mentioned in the definitions that I presented, to promote something is to help or encourage to exist or flourish, which, in the context of the resolution, can be as simple as informing the students of the beneficial nature of languages in not only the acquisition of a higher education, but abroad in the world. As such, the argument has been negated. Again, in my opponent's second point, he has ignored the resolution, and continued to argue against the teaching of foreign languages in elementary school instead of the promotion of them. I reiterate my statement that the promotion of the foreign languages in elementary school can be as simple as informing students of their beneficial nature. The argument has been negated. In the third point my opponent makes, he openly mentions the teaching of foreign languages, which is not mentioned in the resolution what so ever. As you (the reader) will know, the resolution specifically states "promote foreign language in elementary school", not TEACH foreign language in elementary school. My statement stands. The argument has been negated. As with my opponent's previous points, in his fourth point, he has failed to address the resolution at hand, and has instead argued against the teaching of foreign languages in elementary school. My statement stands. The argument has been negated. In my opponent's final point, he presents irrelevant data in relation to the resolution. While sleeping in class is a problem that needs to be addressed, there is no need for this information to be presented in this specific debate. My statement stands. The argument has been negated. With the points that I have made, I have presented my argument, thoroughly negated my opponent's arguments, and affirmed the resolution.