Erin Hodge, a student at Langley High School in Virginia, talks about the benefits of learning Japanese


My parents enrolled me in Japanese starting in first grade. Everyone in Japanese was in the same English class as well, so I never really considered taking the language as out of the ordinary. My first grade teacher spoke only Japanese to us, so until the class could recognize and understand phrases, it was more about the atmosphere in the classroom than the language itself. Because everything is pretty new in first grade, I just thought Japanese was one more thing I needed to learn.

Studying Japanese has allowed me to travel to Japan three times, which I might never have done otherwise. During the trips I was able to experience first-hand a culture that is much different from our own. I’ve met the wife of the former Japanese Prime Minister, Akie Abe, on multiple occasions.

Many people don’t consider studying Japanese because it’s different, and they believe it’s difficult to learn because it is not like English. However, learning Japanese as opposed to other (and possibly easier) languages will set you apart from other students when applying to colleges. Japanese class also ensures that every year from first to twelfth grade a student will have friends in his or her class, making the friendships begun in Japanese the longest-lasting.

If you are considering taking Japanese, you need to understand that as with any language, it will at first seem impossibly difficult. If you stick with it long enough, however, it will become easier to understand and composing phrases and sentences will become more natural. I have taken Japanese for almost eleven years, and haven’t once regretted the decision to keep studying it in elementary school. Japanese is a unique language that may be more challenging than others, but it is beneficial for the same reason. It is a great way to differentiate you from others, because very few students are given the opportunity to study Japanese.

In addition to the language, the Japanese have so many interesting cultural customs – they are fascinating to learn as well. Japanese takes a significant amount of time to fully understand, but the investment of time is well worth it. Starting Japanese at a young age ensures that when you take the class for college credit it won’t be nearly as confusing as it would be without Immersion.

(February 2010)