Why it’s smartest to learn Spanish in high school

Spanish textbooks in a Spanish classroom (Maxine Salvador, The Puma Prensa)

By Maxine Salvador, A&E editor

Out of the 7,164 different languages spoken around the world, Spanish is one of the most important to learn; It’s almost a disadvantage not knowing how to speak and understand Spanish. Especially in Sonoma County, and in California in general, Spanish is the next most popular language aside from English. 

Try going for a walk in the mall or simply going grocery shopping. Odds are, you’ll hear a plentiful number of people speaking Spanish. Knowing Spanish as a second language will make it significantly easier to live in our area. If you are among the many who feel a disconnect between yourself and Spanish speakers because you simply don’t know the language, then this is your sign to start learning and exposing yourself to it as soon as now. And if you’re still in high school, consider choosing Spanish (if you haven’t already) to learn and become proficient in.

Today, the benefits of knowing Spanish are so much more than just being able to navigate the streets of Spain on a European trip. Nowadays, jobs are now more commonly paying qualified Spanish speakers a higher salary for knowing how to communicate with customers and patients in Spanish. The wage increase can range anywhere from five to 20 percent more per hour than non-multilingual employees—it’s way more than just an increase of a couple of cents. If this sounds like an easy way to get a higher wage, it’s because it is. And no, you don’t just have to be a native speaker to meet the qualifications. Deciding to learn Spanish in high school is an amazing way to get ahead of those who wish to receive a higher wage in their workplace, as you are taught how to read, write, listen to, and speak the language—everything you need in order to be eligible for the opportunity.   

And employers don’t expect you to pursue Spanish as your college major, or even a minor, to be given bilingual pay. Earning a Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish in high school as well as continued practice with the language, is sufficient enough to prove you know the language well. Employers will oftentimes provide an assessment to prove someone’s proficiency in the language, but wage increases can also just be negotiated and agreed upon with the employer. Regardless of how it’s done, getting a higher wage for speaking Spanish in the workplace is not as hard as it seems. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be paid a couple of bucks or more per hour just for learning Spanish as early as high school?

And if you’re thinking, “In the future, I can just take some online courses on Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, or even look up YouTube videos to learn Spanish,” is it really worth the extra time and money instead of learning Spanish in a classroom with your peers? Let’s also be completely honest: Are you going to sit in front of a computer and learn Spanish after a long day of work? Or would you prefer to relax and watch your exciting new Netflix show to wind down after a long day? In everyone’s busy lives, it’s not as easy as it sounds to learn Spanish online in your spare time (if there even is any). Taking Spanish classes throughout high school is a much easier way to fit learning the language into busy schedules, as well as providing the skills and help to be successful in the language in the future.

Of course, that’s not to say that learning other languages serves no purpose. You may decide to learn other languages to stay connected with your family’s culture, or if you know you’re going to move to countries where the language is essential, it can be helpful to learn. That’s perfectly okay, and choosing what language you want to learn depends on several factors. However, if you’re even a little unsure, more and more people are branching out to learn Spanish because of the language’s wide variety of benefits, both socially and in the workforce. 

Spanish is an everyday language that can be heard while waiting in a line at Starbucks or running errands at the grocery store, so it’s a smart option for a language to learn. But if that’s not enough motivation, keep in mind that in the future, it can land you a higher salary—are you sure you want to pass that up?