{"id":4396,"date":"2018-01-02T22:20:01","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T03:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.little-sponges.com\/?p=4396"},"modified":"2018-02-22T11:05:25","modified_gmt":"2018-02-22T16:05:25","slug":"learning-new-language-improves-tolerance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.little-sponges.com\/index.php\/2018\/01\/02\/learning-new-language-improves-tolerance\/","title":{"rendered":"How Learning a New Language Improves Tolerance"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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There are many benefits<\/span><\/a><\/span> to knowing more than one language. For example, it has been shown that aging<\/span> adults<\/span>\u00a0<\/a><\/span>who speak more than one language have less likelihood of developing dementia.<\/p>

Additionally, the bilingual brain\u00a0becomes better at filtering out distractions, and learning multiple languages improves creativity. Evidence also shows that learning<\/span> subsequent<\/span> languages<\/span><\/a> is easier than learning the first foreign language.<\/p>

Unfortunately, not all American universities consider learning foreign languages<\/span><\/a> a worthwhile investment.<\/p>

Why is foreign language study important at the university level?<\/p>

As an applied linguist<\/span><\/a>, I study how learning multiple languages can have cognitive and emotional benefits. One of these benefits that\u2019s not obvious is that language learning improves tolerance.<\/p>

This happens in two important ways.<\/p>

The first is that it opens people\u2019s eyes to a way of doing things in a way that\u2019s different from their own, which is called \u201ccultural competence.\u201d<\/p>

The second is related to the comfort level of a person when dealing with unfamiliar situations, or \u201ctolerance of ambiguity.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Gaining Cross-Cultural Understanding<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Cultural competence is key to thriving in our increasingly globalized world. How specifically does language learning improve cultural competence? The answer can be illuminated by examining different types of intelligence.<\/p>

Psychologist Robert<\/span> Sternberg\u2019s<\/span><\/a> <\/span>research on intelligence<\/span><\/a> describes different types of intelligence and how they are related to adult language learning. What he refers to as \u201cpractical intelligence\u201d is similar to social intelligence in that it helps individuals learn nonexplicit information from their environments, including meaningful gestures or other social cues.<\/p>

Language learning inevitably involves learning about different cultures. Students pick up clues about the culture both in language classes and through meaningful immersion experiences.<\/p>

Researchers Hanh Thi Nguyen<\/span><\/a> and Guy Kellogg<\/span><\/a> have shown that when students learn another language, they develop new ways of understanding culture through analyzing cultural stereotypes<\/span><\/a>. They explain that \u201clearning a second language involves the acquisition not only of linguistic forms but also ways of thinking and behaving.\u201d<\/p>

With the help of an instructor, students can critically think about stereotypes of different cultures related to food, appearance and conversation styles.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dealing with the Unknown<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The second way that adult language learning increases tolerance is related to the comfort level of a person when dealing with \u201ctolerance of ambiguity.\u201d<\/p>

Someone with a high tolerance<\/span> of<\/span> ambiguity<\/span><\/a><\/span> finds unfamiliar situations exciting, rather than frightening. My research on motivation<\/span><\/a><\/span>, anxiety<\/span><\/a><\/span> and beliefs<\/span><\/a><\/span> indicates that language learning improves people\u2019s tolerance of ambiguity, especially when more than one foreign language is involved.<\/p>

It\u2019s not difficult to see why this may be so. Conversations in a foreign language will inevitably involve unknown words. It wouldn\u2019t be a successful conversation if one of the speakers constantly stopped to say, \u201cHang on \u2013 I don\u2019t know that word. Let me look it up in the dictionary.\u201d Those with a high tolerance of ambiguity would feel comfortable maintaining the conversation despite the unfamiliar words involved.<\/p>

Applied linguists Jean-Marc<\/span> Dewaele<\/span><\/a> and Li<\/span> Wei<\/span><\/a><\/span> also study tolerance of ambiguity and have indicated that those with experience learning more than one foreign language in an instructed setting have more tolerance of ambiguity.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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What Changes with This Understanding<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A high tolerance of ambiguity brings many advantages. It helps students become less anxious in social interactions<\/span><\/a> and in subsequent language learning experiences. Not surprisingly, the more experience a person has with language learning<\/span><\/a>, the more comfortable the person gets with this ambiguity.<\/p>

And that\u2019s not all.<\/p>

Individuals with higher levels of tolerance of ambiguity have also been found to be more entrepreneurial<\/span><\/a><\/span> (i.e., are more optimistic, innovative and don\u2019t mind taking risks).<\/p>

In the current climate, universities are frequently being judged by the salaries of their graduates<\/span><\/a>. Taking it one step further, based on the relationship of tolerance of ambiguity and entrepreneurial intention, increased tolerance of ambiguity could lead to higher salaries<\/span><\/a> for graduates, which in turn, I believe, could help increase funding for those universities that require foreign language study.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Language Learning in Higher Ed<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Most American universities have a minimal language requirement that often varies depending on the student\u2019s major. However, students can typically opt out of the requirement by taking a placement test or providing some other proof of competency.<\/p>

In contrast to this trend, Princeton recently<\/span> announced<\/span><\/a><\/span> that all students, regardless of their competency when entering the university, would be required<\/span><\/a><\/span> to study an additional language.<\/p>

I\u2019d argue that more universities should follow Princeton\u2019s lead, as language study at the university level could lead to an increased tolerance of the different cultural norms represented in American society.<\/p>

Knowledge of different languages is crucial to becoming global citizens. As former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan noted<\/span><\/a><\/span>,<\/p>

\u201cOur country needs to create a future in which all Americans understand that by speaking more than one language, they are enabling our country to compete successfully and work collaboratively with partners across the globe.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>

Considering the evidence that studying languages as adults increases tolerance in two important ways, the question shouldn\u2019t be \u201cWhy should universities require foreign language study?\u201d but rather \u201cWhy in the world wouldn\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>

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Article by Amy<\/span> Thompson<\/span><\/a>\u00a0at theedavocate.org<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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