Prompt: Schools should not force children to learn a foreign language. To what extent do you Ċ agree with this statement?

It is true that some people argue that a foreign language should not be one of the obligatory subjects studied in schools. While I believe that it is extremely beneficial for students to study a new language, I completely agree with the idea that they should not be forced to do so. Ċ On the one hand, it may bring many advantages if children are encouraged to learn a foreign language during their school years. First and foremost, through studying a new language they can also know more about the culture of that country, and some schools even arrange some exchange visits to enable students to immerse themselves into different countries’ cultures whose language they are learning. Secondly, children can access much beneficial information available in another language. For example, if they are studying English, they can enjoy many websites which are only available in English and find a variety of topics that they are interested in. Finally, children can be encouraged to learn a foreign vocabulary through a wide range of enjoyable and fun websites or applications nowadays, which are definitely stimulate them to have a natural reflex for both learning language and communications. Ċ On the other hand, it may cause counterproductive to forcibly oblige schoolchildren to learn a new language that they do not want. One reason for that is children will not learn effectively through compulsion alone. They must be motivated to do so and this is only achieved through enthusiastic teachers who select stimulating language-learning activities. The second is that children are reluctant to learn a foreign language if they cannot see why it may be relevant for their present and future lives. For instance, an individual Vietnamese pupil should not be forced to learn English if they are certain that they never need or want to use it for future jobs. Ċ In conclusion, I would argue that schools should encourage, but not compel, children to learn an overseas language.