Senator drops proposal to count computer programming as foreign language in high school. Computer Programing Could Soon Be Considered a Foreign Language in One State. The news: “Hello, I’m here!”
With those simple words we are introduced the bright, punchy voice of Samantha, one of the main characters in the film Her. Samantha of course is a hyper-intelligent operating system, and Spike Jonze’s hit film is famously about a man who falls in love with his software. But as much as the movie is about our escalating relationship with technology, it’s also an excellent commentary on how we communicate, and how the nature of communication is changing in the modern world. While Samantha is fictional, these days its not uncommon to see people talking to computers everywhere you go, from uttering commands to Siri to documenting an event with Google Glass. So perhaps it’s no surprise to hear that the fundamental form in which we communicate with computers, programming, is being considered America’s new second language.
On the other hand, it can not be stressed more how important learning to code from a young age is. Should Coding be the "New Foreign Language" Requirement? Over the decades, students have been required to take a foreign language in high school for reasons that relate to expanding communication abilities, furthering global awareness, and enhancing perspective-taking.
Recently, our home state of Texas passed legislation that enables computer science to fulfill the high school foreign language requirement. Coding (defined by BusinessDictionary.com as "the process of developing and implementing various sets of instructions to enable a computer to do a certain task") is, after all, both a language and a foreign subject to many students -- and much more. Coding, Cognition and Communication In terms of cognitive advantages, learning a system of signs, symbols and rules used to communicate -- that is, language study -- improves thinking by challenging the brain to recognize, negotiate meaning and master different language patterns.
Coding does the same thing. Memorizing rules and vocabulary strengthens mental muscles and improves overall memory. Computer Science Is Not a Foreign Language Foreign language learning is under attack again, but this time in a rather novel, legislative way.
A number of states, including Florida, Kentucky, New Mexico and Texas have recently introduced legislation that would have allowed high school students to use computer programming course credits to satisfy the state's current foreign language graduation requirement. In Oklahoma, it is already a fait accompli. Proponents of these bills argue that allowing students to choose computer science to fulfill their foreign language requirement will better prepare them for the 21st-century workplace. But among these important skills is the need for students, no matter what career they are considering, to be able to interact with others around the world.
Substituting one 21st century skill for another actually hurts students, not helps them. According to Amy Hirotaka, Code.org's state policy and advocacy manager: "It's more math and science than anything. States could count computer programming as foreign language skill - The Washington Post. A new kind of language lab.
(Terry Hefferman/Apple Computer) A New Mexico legislator has proposed counting computer programming toward the state’s foreign language requirement for students in public schools, an effort he says will help give children skills they can use in a computer-oriented economy. The legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Jacob Candelaria (D), would allow students who learn JavaScript, HTML or some other computer programming language to claim foreign language credit. The bill appropriates funding to allow districts to add the new courses.
New Mexico high school students already must take at least one course in a language other than English to obtain a diploma. “Districts could still teach Latin, French or Spanish, but it provides the incentive for them to incorporate (computer) coding into their curriculum without it being an unfunded mandate,” Candelaria told the Albuquerque Journal. U.S. Coding v. Foreign Languages: Do We Really Have to Choose? The Coding v.
Foreign Language Debate Earlier this year, a surprising debate ignited among educators and techies on the relative merits of studying a world language versus learning to code. This debate went mainstream when Kentucky became the latest state to consider allowing students to receive foreign language credits for computer programing coursework. This debate struck a chord in me because learning to code and studying world languages in my formative years have equipped me with the diverse and valuable life skills that have defined my career. Growing Up Coding & The Benefits of Coding as a Kid.