Singing, dancing, eating, communicating, and most importantly learning! This is what foreign language is about at Lincoln-Way Central. Learning a new language not only expands your communication skills but it also enhances your cognitive abilities. Fitting a language into your schedule is one of the best decisions you can make! Lincoln-Way Central offers a wide variety of languages such as: Spanish, Chinese, French, and German. Language classes offer a dynamic and interactive way to learn about different cultures and communication styles. Engaging activities like: the Friday song, playing games, one on one conversations, and the celebrations make the learning process more enjoyable for students. The valuable learning experience not only comes from the participation of students but the dedication of the Lincoln-Way Central staff. Below is how the World Language staff answer the following question: “What is your favorite part about teaching a foreign language?”
Profe Pasbrig: “I love showing students how the language we speak and words we use are tied to our culture. When we learn another language, we learn a lot about ourselves and others. We get to look at the world from different perspectives. It asks us to not only communicate in a foreign language, but also to engage in conversations, express feelings and emotions, and exchange well-articulated opinions. Taking on other lenses requires us to look beyond ourselves.”
Señor Bryk: “What I enjoy most about teaching Spanish is to see students become more thoughtful and articulate with their language as they become more advanced learners. As they grow, they understand that every part of a language conveys meaning, and while it is a challenge to keep track of all the different moving pieces of a language, our students do a wonderful job of navigating that challenge and becoming truly eloquent speakers. To me, the best thing about this is that one who can clearly express their ideas in their second language can also do so in their first language, and that experience of being intentional with one’s words in Spanish makes students stronger speakers in English, as well. One of my favorite things is to have the same students two years in a row because I can see so much growth in that time both in their Spanish and how they express themselves in English.”
Mrs. Wang: “One of the most rewarding moments in teaching a foreign language is witnessing that spark of understanding—the exact instant when a student truly gets it. Even more powerful is when they turn around and eagerly explain the concept to their classmates, filling in the gaps for others. Whether they’re confidently breaking down a tricky grammar pattern or patiently guiding someone through the precise stroke order of a Chinese character, it’s in those moments that I see the learning take root. When students can teach what they’ve learned, I know it has become a part of them—it’s no longer just knowledge, but something they own.
A close second to that joy is when students excitedly return to class with real-world stories. Their faces light up as they share how they made a dinner reservation in Mandarin, struck up a conversation at the nail salon, or confidently chatted with a friend’s parent who speaks Chinese. Hearing them describe the pride and thrill of using their skills outside the classroom is deeply gratifying. It’s a reminder that language is more than just words and rules—it’s connection, independence, and discovery.”
Madame Floyd: “My favorite part of teaching a foreign language is how much fun it is to get to know students and watch them discover things they’ve never encountered before. Language is a tool that we all have and use to satisfy our curiosity (by asking questions and learning) and to make connections with other people. We all do these things in our first language, and the best way to learn a second one is to use language as a tool in the same way. That means we get to spend our time getting to know each other and learning about people and places where the language is spoken. That’s fun stuff!”
The Lincoln-Way Central World Language teachers strongly advocate and help students love the language by providing enthusiastic support and creating an engaging learning environment. These teachers create a welcoming atmosphere where students feel comfortable practicing a completely new language. When students participate and engage in their foreign language class through fun activities, the learning process tends to be way more enjoyable. Foreign language classes are time for students to express their opinions in a different language, have fun, and look at cultural perspectives around the world. Not only is learning a foreign language an engaging thing to learn it is also life changing knowledge.
Taking the journalist perspective, I would like to state that I am a currently a junior in AP Spanish 4. Spanish has had a major impact on my perspective of different cultures and my connections with other cultures. I live my daily life being able to communicate with other individuals who may not know my first language, English, and this allows me to build relationships and welcome Spanish speaking people into my life. This past summer, I had traveled to Spain for a training trip and felt that my communication had gotten me long ways. Even though I may have not been the strongest Spanish speaker at the time, the individuals around me really appreciated my attempts to speak their language. Being able to communicate with new individuals in my life brings me a lot of joy and excites me because I feel like I am doing something wonderful. Language means a lot in the world today, and it is important that we maintain its importance. Celebrating other cultures and attempting to communicate through language with other cultures means the world.
