7 minute read
Student Exchange
Beyond the classroom
Learn a foreign language to enjoy the benefits of a student exchange programme
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There’s so much more behind certain school subjects or even student exchange programmes than meets the eye – benefits we never ever dreamt of, writes
Anne Schauffer
Take French. A seductively beautiful language to listen to, and useful in that it’s spoken on five continents by about 265 million people, and used by numerous internationally respected bodies like the United Nations. Similarly, Spanish, German and more. But there are layers upon layers of both visible and invisible advantages to learning a foreign language, and the practical aspect is just one. Francesca Balladon, former UKZN Professor of French, has 36 years teaching experience in both high and tertiary education: “Knowledge of a foreign language encompasses much more than a passing acquaintance with the grammatical system of the language. Learning the language requires knowledge of the patterns of living, acting, reacting, seeing and explaining the world of the target country.”
She believes there are two compelling reasons around the value of learning languages other than your own country’s official ones: “Learning a foreign language has an educational worth which is pertinent in any geographical or social context, in
that it provides an opportunity for personal growth. Secondly, it has implications for the shaping of values vital in a pluralistic cultural context such as South Africa.” Big, bold concepts for sure, but there’s an enormous amount of highly respected research to support her views.
It stands to reason that the worldviews of different language speakers are different, just as the concepts within which we all operate are culture-bound. Learning another language not only takes you beneath the skin of another culture, but opens you up to other ways of looking at the world.
Francesca says, “At a deeper level, the study of languages helps us understand that which we, as humans, have in common. Learning French involves, to an extent, ‘becoming’ French. It’s a valuable means to enable us to reflect on humankind, on differences, to learn to be tolerant of these differences, and more importantly, to understand them. In this way, foreign language learning goes a long way towards promoting the values of tolerance and openness, and preparing learners to live in a pluralistic society.”
Bottom line, in order to speak another language competently, you are not only required to learn about “the other”, but also to restructure your view of reality, and learn to see the world differently.
Heather Peel is head of French at Hilton College, and a matric national examiner and moderator. Her research into the value of bilingualism has led her down many paths – the physiological one is powerful. Essentially, there’s ample proof that multilinguals display detectable growth in the hippocampus, the part of the brain which helps govern memory and mastery of new material; likewise in three areas of the cerebral cortex, where higher-order reasoning is processed.
But it is the knock-on effects – not how the brain looks but how it functions – that argue most for learning additional languages. The bilingual brain is simply more efficient: “The constant toggling that comes from having to choose between two words for every object or concept in your world is a total-immersion exercise in what cognitive scientists call ‘task switching’ and what the rest of us call trying to do 17 things at once. The loss of efficiency when we rotate among tasks is called the global switch cost. Everyone slows down some or makes more errors, but multilinguals in all age groups have less of a drop-off. That increased efficiency plays out in people’s lives outside the lab – and there is no reason to think it doesn’t – that would confer a real advantage over monolingual classmates, colleagues and others.” In short, the brain becomes more nimble.
Heather references a 2020 feature in The Financial Times, which explained: Research shows bilinguals have an enhanced awareness of other people’s points of view, born from their deeper understanding, from an early age, that some people have a different perspective. They are also better than monolinguals at giving selective attention to specific features of a problem, while ignoring misleading elements, and at switching between different tasks. Professor of Developmental Linguistics, and founder and director of the research and information centre Bilingualism Matters, Professor Sorace points out that bilinguals do not switch off their ‘other’ language – their brains actually grow to be more adaptable than those of monolinguals – a vital asset in a complex business world.
Professor Sorace’s research shows speaking another language offers not only utilitarian communication advantages, but also cognitive benefits. Her message to business is: “Hire more multilingual employees, because these employees can communicate better, have better intercultural sensitivity, are better at co-operating, negotiating, compromising. But they can also think more efficiently.”
Sensitivity to others, improved communication, adaptability, ability to compromise and more – all invaluable life skills, many of which Sue Meehan of Durban Girls’ College, pinpoints as benefits of their student exchange programme. Sue has spent five years with the portfolio of
Exchange and Global Initiatives. At 27 years old, the school’s exchange programme is probably the largest and oldest in the country, with 17 partner schools in over 10 countries, with capacity of around 30 girls in Grade 9 to apply for travel to another country in Grade 10 year. It’s not a one-way street either – the school/families reciprocally host those 30 partner girls from around the world. Sue’s passionate about the programme which has a quote by Gustave Flaubert as its motto: Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world. Sue says, “My absolute joy and passion is to see how the girls flourish when they are given these kinds of opportunities.”
For all the right reasons, the school has a very stringent application process: “We measure them on academics, peer and teacher relationships, general integration and engagement in school, whether it’s cultural, academic, sport, or more. Over and above those diagnostics, we interview the girls to find out precisely why they want to ‘go on exchange’.” Sue’s goal is to ensure the girls are going for the right reasons, and her experience in this field is reflected in what she’d describe as around a 96% success rate in the choice of girls, and matching them to a school and home/ girl in another country. Sue says girls who go on exchange are often those who like to step out of their comfort zone, and want to try something new: “They’re not always the most confident girls, but want to grow in confidence; not necessarily good communicators, but want to improve their communication skills.” She adds, “They often want to learn a new language – even if they don’t necessarily take French at school, they want to see what it’s like going to school in France.” They come with the right reasons.
For Sue, there are clear things children really gain from exchange programmes: “To fully benefit from the experience, girls need to be adaptable, be willing to compromise, and be flexible. If they can do that, they return having grown in confidence, with an ability to handle different or uncomfortable circumstances, with improved communication skills and an enhanced ability to compromise. The friendships too, that they often forge with the girl they’re twinned with, can last a lifetime.” It boils down to a single question: “How human are you?” asks Sue. All those “human” attributes like compassion, communication and compromise – these are put to the test on exchange programmes, and can be massively enhanced if you’re open to the experience. When Sue initiates the year’s programme, she presents to parents and prospective exchange students, and is very clear on one thing: “Your girls will not just be receiving, they’ll be giving too. It’s an experience versus an expectation. And, importantly, your daughter is an ambassador for our school, and for South Africa. It’s a responsibility they need to honour.” Travel in person, or travel through acquiring a foreign language, presents young people with opportunities to expand their worldview. Experiencing “differences” in global cultures, clearly fosters an understanding and willingness to embrace those differences. That sensitivity is certainly something of value, which the world needs today, and certainly will tomorrow.
