In the rapidly changing and developing world, each country must globalize to promote international relations, and not to stay out of developing technology and trade in this competitive environment. By this context, according to some people, learning any foreign language is compulsory not only for university students but also for everyone, therewithal, they support their ideas with countless statistical data regarding learning a foreign language improves memory, increasing employment chances in business life, or how cognizing different cultures affect creativity and viewpoint of human. However; there have been many contradictions about whether any foreign language should be mandatory in the universities because some students do not want or need to learn any foreign language, and some of the students claim that learning a new language is an ability. Should any foreign language course be compulsory for all departments in the universities although there are many contradictions about this idea?
The main argument of the people who support this idea is learning a foreign language improves memory effectively because while taking a language lesson students try to memorize the words with the intention of being successful in the mid-term or final examinations. This memorizing improves the brain functions of the students and if there is any forgetfulness problem, it lessens the danger of being Alzheimer or Dementia in elderly age. According to neuroscientists, one of the most effective ways of keeping the memory alive is learning a new language, additionally, they claim that being multilingual rejuvenates the memory at least ten years. However, many university students who complain that they do not have any time to study English as they have more important courses than English, generally do not ask for learning a new language (for instance English), therewithal, they delay learning English as long as it is possible. Research conducted on university students in order to detect their tendency to learn second language shows that students who speak second language besides their mother tongue get high marks from the other courses as learning a new language has a great impact on the cognitive memory of the students.
The fact that learning a new language increases employment chance in business life is another argument of the supporters who think that every university student must take a language lessons during their college life. With the reason for rapidly changing technology and the new economic developments in Turkey, for instance, there are many a new university established in almost every province, and this means that there are more than newly graduate teenagers every year in comparison to previous years. According to a new survey conducted on employers indicates that the first criteria of them is that an employee must write and speak English fluently. However, many university students who claim that they do not need to learn any new language or some parents who think that their children do not need to learn any new language say that it is enough to graduate from university to have an occupation in the future. Whether their children know English or not, they believe that their children never become unemployed in any case, as parents think that they have economic sufficiency for their children. The students who think that it is not necessary to learn second language besides their mother tongue are not aware that speaking or writing any language is one of the best way earning more and offers a business opportunity in any country. It is suggested that any student or newly graduate who wants to build a career and earn more should know at least two or three languages by the experts.
An argument “Cognizing different cultures enhances creativity and viewpoint of human.” is the other argument of the defenders who think that second language should be taken by all students in the universities. According to the experts, those who can speak more than one language are more creative comparing to others. Moreover, it improves capability to solve problems either in daily life or in other subjects which require a mathematical skill. As English is the most spoken language in the world, learning English means that there are billions of people whom anyone can meet or speak from all over the world. With every new friend, the viewpoint of the one who knows English develops remarkably. However, there are some students argue that learning a new language is an ability, and if English becomes mandatory for all students, they will not be able to learn it even if they want to learn. Even though some neurolinguistics have published a new idea that learning a new language is an ability and they claim that fibres are moving on the straight line in the right upper lobe of the brain in those who can speak any language easily, however Chantal Prat, who is neurolinguistic at the University of California, points out that other factors such as enthusiasm, determination and focus on learning a new language affect learning process as well as the neurological and physiological elements.
To sum up, the idea that the language course should be compulsory for all departments in the universities has been discussed between supporters and opponents for the last few years. In terms of supporters’ view to keep up with the times and to be more durable in the competitive environment, learning a new language, (even two or three languages) is required not only for all students but also for citizens. Even though there are some dissenting opinions of the students such as they do not have enough time to study language lessons or they do not need to learn any foreign language, one of the conditions for being a developed country is to have good living standards. This can only be achieved with good winnings. Learning a new language is an effective weapon in terms of having good job opportunities and achieving better living standards.
Melike Çelik
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