The United States must educate students who are linguistically and culturally equipped to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad. This imperative envisions a future in which all students will develop and maintain proficiency in English and at least one other language, modern or classical. Children who come to school from non-English backgrounds should also have opportunities to develop further proficiencies in their first language. Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures. Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own. Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.