Learning a foreign language has been a core component of education for centuries. In a world that is increasingly interconnected and with a growing demand for bilingual professionals in the job market, the value of foreign language learning might seem obvious. Whether students and educators buy into this, however, is another question.

Many university students today take a utilitarian view of their degrees. They are eager to spend class time–and tuition money–on subjects they believe will directly benefit their professional goals. Learning a new language isn’t always one of them.

FSU student Jadon Tang, a pre-med Junior enrolled in Elementary Spanish I, was one of those students. When he began his degree, he didn’t want to take a language. “I thought the requirement was a nuisance,” he said.

This pressure to study only what is relevant has led to unfortunate trends in higher education. Some have called for replacing language requirements with computer coding. Others have proposed nixing the requirement altogether.

The question remains: if speaking multiple languages is a foundational educational goal and a beneficial professional skill, why do some students and faculty see language education as a waste of time?

One possibility? It doesn’t work.

Tang took Spanish in high school but admitted that he didn’t retain much of it. This common but regrettable experience illustrates the state of foreign language education in the U.S., where classroom teaching often fails to produce conversational proficiency.

Fortunately, research in the field of second language acquisition has been investigating this problem for decades with a decisive finding: if languages are going to stick, communication is key.

Dr. Matthew Patience, Director of the Spanish Basic Language Program at FSU, spoke about what makes a strong language program in view of these modern attitudes. He believes it is critical to follow an evidence-based design centered on communication, emphasizing the need to move away from mechanical grammar drills in favor of focusing on meaning-based content and interaction.

Another factor working against language requirements today is the increasing prevalence of AI translation, which is easily accessible and relatively accurate. Addressing this concern, Dr. Patience adds that effective language teaching should focus on what AI can’t do: speaking. “If you need to read or write,” he says, “you can use Chat GPT. But students have to be able to speak.”

Research being conducted at FSU is seeking to address this issue by making foreign language instruction more effective. A new study investigates how teaching methods can get students to successfully learn the language by comparing comprehension-based instruction with production-based instruction at different proficiency levels. For example, it’s known that early learners benefit from language comprehension, but when do students benefit most from producing their second language? This information is essential if students are going to receive instruction targeted to their abilities.

Like Tang, students value foreign language learning when they come away conversational. Because of the communicative focus in FSU’s classes, Tang is finally retaining his Spanish. He plans to go to Peru next summer and confesses that he’s excited to show off his new speaking skills. “Now that I am taking Spanish,” he says, “I can see the benefits,” adding that he would be interested in using it in his future medical career.

Ultimately, if universities are going to require students to learn a second language, they must ensure that the methods implemented result in functional abilities that last. FSU’s innovative research on communication-oriented teaching will help to do just that, producing a new generation of bilingual speakers ready to compete in today’s global market.