I love learning French. Now, I do not exactly enjoy the homework associated with the sometimes leviathan-looking task of learning an entirely different language, but I love comparing French to English and speaking an entirely different tongue.
The thought of millions using the language I see as foreign and quaint in every-day life is eye-opening, though, and I still cannot begin to effectively think in French, which native speakers do every second. In fact, the concept of others’ thoughts possibly being in a language different from English felt entirely alien to me, until I studied French.
All the difficulty I have faced with learning a foreign language brought me to a simple wish: I wish my primary school had the forethought to teach every student a secondary language, then and there. Many of us have heard the analogizing of a child to a sponge in relation to language, and there is definite truth to the saying. Dana G. Smith with Scientific American reported studies have shown the optimal age range for secondary language education is to begin by age 10, which is four years before my high school first required a foreign language course.
In Europe, Pew Research found over 30 countries have compulsory secondary language study, and 20 countries require the study of a third language. The most common age range in these countries for starting the secondary language study is around 6-9 years old, with Belgium’s being 3 years old and the UK’s being 11 years old.
France, as a totally non-biased example, begins their third language education at age 13, but Luxembourg commences their third language education at age 7, a year after the students begin learning their first foreign language. America, however, has no national standard of foreign language education.
Foreign language education happens in America, certainly, and The Atlantic’s Amelia Friedman reports 93 percent of American high schools offer foreign language courses. However, only one percent of adult Americans say they are fluent in the language they studied in high school, and only around seven percent of college students in America are enrolled in a foreign language course.
Why should it matter, though? English is the current language of trade, and with most other countries teaching English nationally, it leads one to believe foreign language education in America is a novelty, if not unnecessary.
The obvious counter argument is English, eventually, will not be the singular language of international trade, and when this day comes, Americans will be woefully unprepared. Beyond that, secondary language acquisition procures a host of benefits for those willing to put in the work. 
Gaia Vince with BBC reported bilingualism can postpone the onset of dementia by an average of five years, allow faster stroke recovery, increase general cognitive function and allows one to experience greater empathy.
Learning a second language forces your brain to rewire itself and juggle conflicting information, and with time, your brain adapts to these new challenges to become more resilient and effective. Secondary language acquisition is not just an economic benefit, but it is a potent way to hone your brain. 
Secondary language education does not have to cost an arm and a leg, either. Vince also reported schools in Utah trying “immersion schooling.” Immersion schooling is the practice of teaching entirely in a foreign language, which forces students to quickly obtain fluency.
Utah’s schools utilize a half-day model, with the school day split between classes in a foreign language and classes in English, and the first language used for classes rotates to accommodate students who do better at different times of the day.
The method requires bilingual teachers, but removes the need for separate language courses, and no extra textbooks would be required, as the school would only need to buy textbooks in the foreign language. 
Foreign language education is one of the biggest areas of needed improvement I see in American schools. America needs to stop assuming its continued linguistic dominance, and realize the world is leaving them in the dust. The benefits of learning a foreign language are numerous and compelling, and I know, firsthand, the effect it has had on how I see the world.
Though it might be harder as the years go by, a person of any age can learn any language if one puts their mind to it, and it can only make you better to do so.