That Other Language and What It Does For You

Pre-Script: My blogging frequency has been abysmal lately. I am adjusting to living in a three brain patient household - or living in a household at all, for that matter. Not to mention catering a muffin brunch as we speak with an oven that only grills. Note that I didn't say anything about adjusting well: adjusting at all is accomplishment enough. I trust quality can compensate for the quantity.

Fourskills Island by mtcleroux: A Visual Representation of the Four Skills Learned in a New Language

While browsing through the visionary Lifehacker blog (notable for being founded by one of my girl geek heroes, Gina Trapani), a post on the benefits of bilingualism caught my attention. Now as a language educator and lifelong bilingual, I am no stranger to advocating bilingualism and multilingualism for a host of reasons that take little imagination to guess at. Knowing an additional language obviously improves one's personal and professional prospects by increasing understanding of people, world affairs and information. In the case of learning English as an additional language, doors to the Global Village are flung open wide. More recently learning a new language has been advocated as a way of promoting mental fitness and preventing mental degeneration. 

The post, commenting on a New York Times article that tracks research published in the journal Developmental Science, points out yet further surprise benefits. The first, labelled inhibition, refers to the ability to suppress irrelevant information and focus on the task at hand - as bilinguals do whenever working in one language. The second involves the heightened perception and parallel thought processes that bilinguals use to constantly monitor the language requirements in their environments, which is thought to expand their mental abilities. Finally, further evidence was provided that the extended brain activity required by bilingualism promoted resistance against age-related onset of dementia. 

An expert could honestly argue that the post and article offer very little that is new: the research dates as far back as 2004. However, the three benefits are a neat synthesis of what linguists and neuroscientists have, between them, suspected and even known for some time. What is encouraging to those of us in the field is that this awareness has reached beyond academia to an established medium like the New York Times, and beyond to a dynamic new medium like Lifehacker. As an aside, I tip my hat to anyone who encourages native speakers of English (the main audience of both publications) to learn another language - but that is a whole different can of worms.

The bottom line is that knowing another language - even if it is just a smidgeon - is such a powerful ice-breaker, bridge-builder and rocket launcher. Learners of English already know this. It would be good if native speakers of English could discover its pleasures too. 

What Is The Single Most Important Skill Set?

A Radical Question
If life is short (which it is) and resources are limited (which they are), what is the most important skill set we can learn? A world language that can make us "go places"? Business skills that will get us ahead? A professional that will bring us satisfaction, esteem and wealth? Communication skills that will make us leaders? Or could it be something as old as humanity itself? 

Considering this question for many years (which I have) I continue to come to the same conclusion. My answer may be radical, but then, so is the question. 

The most vital skill set, in my opinion, is something that is not taught in schools. In fact, it appears to be discouraged from virtually all directions (which it is), since the lack of this skill set makes the modern world go round. It is virtually absent from urban life in the developed world, yet its mastery among so-called primitive and poor nations is being squashed in the name of progress. It is the natural endowment of every human being, yet most of us have been disowned.

The Single Most Vital Skill Set

Image: watelighting

The single most vital skill set - vital in the very fullest sense of the word - is that of self-sufficiency: the art and science of providing for oneself from the resources we all share on this bountiful earth. Self-sufficiency addresses the economical, ecological, ethical and health crises of our time that can no longer be denied. With the elementary self-sufficient action of growing just vegetables, fruit and herbs, anyone can optimize resources, reduce expenses, reduce wasteful packaging and transportation costs, do right and enhance health through increased activity, fresh air and better nutrition. This needn't even be difficult, as demonstrated by advocates of permaculture, square foot gardening, and ventures like Food For Wealth. 

Outrageous - Is It Really?
Of course I would not suggest that we all leave our professions and overthrow educational structures. There is a reason, after all, why we have specialized, and certainly not everyone can do everything. Moreover, complete self-sufficiency is very hard work, though a small start is a stimulating pleasure. But I do think it is feasible and rewarding for everyone to start growing some of their own food, learn more about things like generating energy to replace some household electricity, and try out a few traditional crafts before they are lost from memory. 

Self-Sufficiency and Education
As to education, as a language learning specialist I have all the theoretical and practical evidence that learning with enhanced context and memorable activity exponentially boosts proficiency. There is no reason why our stale textbooks (and sparkly smartboards) can't be augmented with food gardens, skills workshops and self-sufficient crafts. In fact, there are many places around the world where English is taught where these activities may be the most useful part of the curriculum. In the deep murky depths of the collective English Language Teaching Conscience there festers the awareness that much as English is taught to promote "progress" it can also extinguish rich tradition and heritage. Self-sufficiency is the ultimate source of content based learning, and perhaps the greatest contribution this industry may offer. 

Bottom line
Life is short. Resources are limited. The economy, ecology, ethics and health of our world are on shaky ground by any standards. In this light, I believe the single greatest thing any of us can learn is self-sufficiency. Even if it starts as small as a cherry tomato on a windowsill, a sun-powered camping shower or a handmade basket. Self-sufficiency is not a subject, but a medium for learning - whether it is language, math, life sciences or engineering, they are all embodied in this most empowering skill set of all. 

A few Self-Sufficiency Links for the Inspired: 

Practical Self-Sufficiency: Companion website to the informative, can-do book of the same name. 

Self-Sufficient-ish: A realistic blog looking at being more self-sufficient as an urbanite. 

Food For Wealth: An easy-to-use kit teaching how to grow your own food easily in an average garden.

Image: Food for Wealth

Disclosure: I am daily reader of The Practical Guide to Self-Sufficiency, a sincere fan of Self-Sufficient-ish and an ardent affiliate of Food for Wealth.