As the world grows smaller and the United States’ economy becomes more dependent on other nations, traditional foreign languages are being eclipsed by newer language classes like Chinese and Arabic. The rise in popularity of the now ten year-old Chinese program and the reinitiating of the Arabic program this year demonstrate the extent to which international affairs and current events can shape the Choate curriculum and the popularity of certain classes.
The Language of the Moment
The one section of Arabic and the thirteen students who take this course are learning the written and polite form of Arabic, but not the spoken dialects. The decision to include Arabic was made based on a recommendation by the Curriculum Review Committee that met in 2005-2006. The course teacher, Mr. Jeremy Kurzyniec, described Arabic as “the language of the moment,” one that was “politically important.” Mr. Scott Mattoon, Language Department Head, explained “Clearly, geopolitical events in recent years have spurred interest in [Arabic], but part of that interest is rooted in the kinds of cultural differences that have critical influence on global relationships -- and this would be true of Chinese or any other language as well.” Mr. Kurzyniec said, “We can’t continue to function in this world with people who know nothing about this region, and the language and the culture.” Mr. Mattoon noted that, “whether or not the program grows to more levels in the future depends on various factors, including student enrollment trends over the next few years.”
Global Influence
Running parallel to the Arabic program is the Chinese platform, which has grown significantly over the last five years, “Especially these last two years,” said Ms. Carol Chen-Lin, the first full-time teacher to teach Chinese at Choate. Over one hundred of Choate’s students are enrolled in Chinese, meaning that almost one of every eight students at Choate is taking Chinese. Certainly this spike in popularity is influenced by China’s growing economic power. “Indeed, much attention has been turning to the rise of China’s global and economic influence in the world,” said Mr. Mattoon, “Ms. Chen-Lin has been exhaustive in her development of the program, all of which has entailed extensive contact with the professional community of teachers nationwide and also with the Chinese and American governments, each of which has been offering much support for the promotion of Chinese language education at the secondary level in the United States.”
Ms. Chen-Lin explained that this growth “reflects nationally not just for us.” The Chinese and American governments, by way of the Asia Society, have made it their goal to have 750,000 American high school students taking Chinese. The Office of Chinese Language Council International and the College Board are working together to bring 800 American superintendents and principals to China to visit and to assist these administrators in establishing a Chinese program where they work through an organization called the Chinese Language Association for Secondary Schools, or CLASS . “In this way it grows very fast,” noted Ms. Chen-Lin.
An Enormous Growth
The reasoning behind the Chinese language’s enormous growth in popularity are best defined by the slogan of the Chinese Language Teacher’s Association: “Chinese: gateway to your future.” “There is force here to push the students to learn more critical languages which are strategically important for our country which are Chinese and Arabic, as these are important trading and political partners for the United States,” Ms. Chen-Lin commented, “You see the new Arabic program in our school, and many other good, prep schools are starting Arabic programs.”
With regard to the Arab world’s involvement in major international affairs, Mr. Kurzyniec explained, “It gives the language a kind of cachet and sexiness that it wouldn’t have otherwise, in the same way the Cold War gave Russian popularity.” However, Mr. Kurzyniec emphasized that “Arabic isn’t going to fade” as Russian did. Similarly Mr. Mattoon predicted that, “All signs internally and externally suggest that this trend is likely to continue.”
