How many high school and college students choose to study Russian

One of the weakest aspects of education in the United States is foreign languages. English is among the most common, so Americans learn it as their first language. Most often people choose Spanish as their second language, because in North America there are a lot of Spanish-speaking people and migrants. And Latin America is the most accessible country for vacation.

According to the Modern Language Association (MLA), Russian is one of the 10 most studied languages in colleges and universities in the United States. There are about six million people in America who speak Russian, and the number is growing.

At colleges and universities, students can study Russian. For example, at Macalister College, students study Russian language and culture, travel to Russia and even live in the Russian House, watch Russian movies, and cook borscht and dumplings.

But if Americans do learn a second language, it is not for 8 or 9 years, as in Russia, but for 2-3 quarters only. So, it can be difficult for Americans to know the language well, speak it, understand jokes, and read books.

Some states have made the study of any foreign language compulsory because it gives a strong mental boost. Only those who learn languages well choose political or interpreter classes.

Next time we’ll talk about why students and schoolchildren learn Russian.