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The Power of Language

Gage Hoover

ENGL 420

Los Angeles Pacific University

April 21, 2024

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The Power of Language

Language is a crucial stepping stone for every single young individual looking to make

an impact and be a functional member of our society today in the 21st century. It serves as the

gateway for communication across all platforms, cultural understanding, and interaction with

others across the globe. In the 21st century understanding the concepts of language and being

proficient in it is no longer a luxury to have in this world but an absolute necessity in order to

have empathy, mutual respect among cultures, and being able to navigate a more and more

diverse world. As educators we hold an important obligation to all of our students to instill the

foundations of language and build their literacy skills, equipping them with competence in those

necessary foundation language skills will allow them to thrive in the multicultural society that we

are turning into today. “We live in a multilingual world, where connections are now more

important than ever. The world is becoming increasingly globalized and knowing a second

language can always give you an unfair advantage”(Middlebury, 2020).

Understanding Language is no doubt a critical skill for students to master. In the 21st

century, our world has shifted to a more multicultural world with blurred borders. “In the 21st

century, our world is more interconnected than ever before, and the call for embracing a

multicultural society has never been more imperative, multicultural societies often experience

economic benefits. Diversity in the workforce brings together a range of skills and talents,

leading to increased productivity and competitiveness on the global stage. Embracing diverse

perspectives in business practices can open new markets and create more resilient

economies”(Mahbub Hasan, 2023). Because of the economic ramifications of globalization in

our multicultural society, it is important that students can set themselves apart when they go out

into the workforce. They must have the necessary language skills to stand out and contribute to
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the workforce. “Being proficient in language allows you to be able to possibly learn a second

language. In today's society that is valuable to have in your skillset, “A second language can

drastically change your career. Living in an interconnected world means that more and more jobs

are advertising positions where knowing more than one language is essential” (Middlebury,

2020). Being able to communicate in multiple languages opens opportunities and improves your

overall intercultural competence. As talked about by Cummins, “multilingualism, not only

facilitates communication but also fosters cognitive flexibility, enabling individuals to adapt to a

diverse cultural context in viewpoints”(Cummins, 2008). With this in mind it is clear that

language is not just a convenience in today’s society, but rather an essential tool of being

functioning adults in the workforce, empathetic, and culturally competent. Language is crucial in

shaping individuals and societies. A researcher named Vygotsky highlights the pivotal role in

language acquisition and the importance of teaching and introducing language as soon as

possible, “For Vygotsky, thought and language are initially separate systems from the beginning

of life, merging at around three years of age. At this point, speech and thought become

interdependent: thought becomes verbal, and speech becomes representational”(Mcleod, 2024).

This alone highlights the importance of literacy at young ages as we can make student’s lives

easier the sooner we begin acquiring language skills.

Both ethically and spiritually language has profound implications for students in today’s

society and moving forward. Language is what acts as a bridge for all of the different cultures

throughout our world. With it we can show empathy and cultural understanding at levels we

would not be capable of without language proficiency. By embracing this diversity through

language we can give our students the ability to navigate society on a global level and have a

sense of interconnectedness of those around us and a better overall sense of humanity. Not only
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this but it creates a sense of self-awareness, allowing students to search within themselves about

their own identities and ideals while holding a profound sense of understanding and respect of

those that may be different from them.

As a future teacher, I hold a sense of great responsibility to deliver on prioritizing

language skills to prepare my students for all the things that we had talked about above. It is

imperative for the success of all of my students. It starts with my perspective and attitude

towards language and teaching it. I am a firm believer that your student will respond and take on

the personality of the teacher. If you show profound interest in teaching a subject, I believe

students will respond with an equal level of interest to try and learn about it. I will embrace the

importance of literature through reading. I want to have each student have a book that is

challenging enough for their reading level and that not only is fun to read but has appropriate

values and thought-provoking themes and lessons to be learned from them. I want to introduce

diverse texts/multicultural resources that engage my students in real-world contexts. Building

not only our skills in language but our cultural competence as well. But most importantly I want

my students to have fun while learning language. Fun activities, interactive tools, and digital

resources. Anything that will stimulate the mind and help build their language skills.
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References

Cummins, J. (2008). (PDF) BICS and CALP: Empirical and theoretical status of the distinction.

ResearchGate.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226699482_BICS_and_CALP_Empirical_and_

theoretical_status_of_the_distinction

Mahbub Hasan, M. (2023). Embracing a Multicultural Society in the 21st Century: A Call to End

Racism. Www.linkedin.com.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-multicultural-society-21st-century-call-end-h

asan-mba-xfymc

Mcleod, S. (2024, January 24). Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory | Simply Psychology.

Www.simplypsychology.org.

https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html#:~:text=For%20Vygotsky%2C%20tho

ught%20and%20language

Middlebury. (2020, May 12). Why You Should Learn a Second Language - Middlebury Language

Schools. Www.middlebury.edu; Middlebury Language Schools.

https://www.middlebury.edu/language-schools/blog/why-you-should-learn-second-langua

ge-and-gain-new-skills