Students around the world usually need to learn a second language. In some cases, students are even required to spend a shorter period of their schooling learning a third language, and in some cases a fourth language course may even be offered. This happens in most countries in Europe, for example Portugal where students must take 12 years of English in addition to their native language (in this case Portuguese), and an additional 3-6 years of training in French may also be required. their studies in order to obtain their high school diploma. But this is an aspect that the United States Department of Education seems to have neglected. Besides English being considered the official language of the United States, a very large number of people, not only in the United States but throughout the world, understand, speak and write enough English to survive in an English-speaking country at the level of a secondary school diploma. The same could not be said for the majority of high school graduates in America, where a significant number of people in this country do not even speak English properly, much less a second language as basic as Spanish. One in five Americans speaks a language other than English at home according to the Census Bureau in 2007 (Longley). These are figures which have increased by 69% in 10 years. These numbers are nothing short of alarming given such diversity in this country. We should all benefit from a much tighter and more consistent education in English and at least one other language. While cultural diversity should be celebrated and promoted, a sense of unity and mutual understanding must also be part of education not only in America but around the world. Before I explain how important it is to learn a second language... ... middle of article ......m/cs/censusstatistic/a/foreignlang.htm>Marmolejo, Francisco. “Foreign Language Skills Deficiency: What's Wrong with the American Education System?” » Worldwide. Np, November 9, 2010. Web. November 4, 2013. “New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers.” » Scholarships, bursaries and loans. 23rd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 842. Education. Internet. November 4, 2013. Shaver, Annis N. “Foreign Language Teaching.” Encyclopedia of social and cultural foundations of education. Ed. Eugene F. Provenzo, Jr. Vol. 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2009. 351-53. Education. Internet. November 4. 2013. .