Foreign languages are greatly supported here but the choice is ultimately up to the students. I went around and interviewed three students and asked them why they did or why didn’t they take a foreign language.

Wednesday Kollodge (8):

Q: Do you take a foreign language?

A: Yes, I do.

Q: Which language do you take?

A: Spanish.

Q: Why’d you choose to take Spanish?

A: Because Mexico is right next to Texas so it might be helpful.

Q: Do you have any friends in your Spanish class?

A: Um.. Actually no, I don’t think I do.

Q: Do you think you would enjoy the class a lot more if you had friends with you?

A: Maybe, but I see it also as a chance to make friends.

Q: Would you say it’s easy or hard?

A: Hmm. Medium.

Q: Do you like taking Spanish?

A: Yes, relatively.

Q: Do you like your Spanish teacher?

A: So far, yes.

Q: If you could go back in time, would you tell your former self to take Spanish, take another language, or none altogether?

A: I think I would probably tell them to take Spanish… Or maybe Mandarin because it is the most, uh, interesting.

Samantha Peck (7)

Q: Do you take a foreign language?
A: Yes, I take German.

Q: Why’d you take German?

A: My family, like my ancestors, are from Germany and I also just enjoy trying something new.

Q: Do you have any friends in the class?

A: Uh, yes my best friend Sofia is in the class, and several other friends.

Q: Would you say it’s an easy class or a hard class?

A: I’d say most of the time it’s easy, but it’s challenging sometimes.

Q: Do you enjoy taking the class?

A: Yes.

Q: If you could go back in time, would you tell your former self to take German, take another language, or none altogether?

A: I would tell them to take German.

Q: Do you have any final thoughts?

A: I’m just glad that I decided to take it because I’m really noticing things about like, different languages, and like how languages connect together.

Ben Fox (8)

Q: Do you take a foreign language?

A: No.

Q: Why not?

A: I just don’t really think it would work with what’s going on with… Me.

Q: What classes do you take instead?

A: I take art and theater

Q: If you were to take a foreign language, which one would you take?

A: probably Spanish.

Q: Do you have any friends that do take a foreign language?

A: Yeah, pretty much all of my friends.

Q: If you were to be forced into a foreign language, do you think you could do it?

A: I could probably manage.

Q: Why do you say that?

A: I feel like if I work hard enough… yeah. [laughs]