Pre-TOEFL Writing Do you agree or disagree that it would be a good and useful thing for many foreigners to study the language of your country? (for recorded class)

Writing Topic

Do you agree or disagree that it would be a good and useful thing for many foreigners to study the language of your country? Explain your opinion on this question by offering specific reasons and examples.

☆Let’s think.

If you were a foreigner, would you choose to study your language? Why do people learn foreign languages?

☆Hints for Points

Agree

1.    There are many Japanese companies that employ foreigners.

2.    Japan has cultures that many foreigners find interesting or attractive.

Disagree

1.    The Japanese language is a minor language.

2.    You cannot directly study universal thoughts or famous classics through Japanese.

☆Sample Body Structure

A      【Advantages】 working in Japan

【Disadvantages】 working in other countries

【My Opinion】a second foreign language

B      【Reason to disagree 1】deeper understanding of the Japanese culture

【Reason to disagree 2】mutual understanding

【Counterargument-treatment】

☆Sample Essays

Sample A

In the past, my country Japan forced people in other Asian countries we invaded to learn our language, believing our culture was superior to theirs. It is a shameful past act of ours. We Japanese should remember this when we recommend our language as a subject. With this in mind, I agree with the statement that it would be a good and useful thing for many foreigners to study the language of my country.

If the person is to work in Japan, the ability to speak Japanese is a must. Many Japanese companies are in short of workforce due to the shrinking population, but most Japanese speak only Japanese. Therefore, foreign nationals who speak Japanese can find a position in Japanese companies easily, although working conditions are not very good.

On the other hand, in the global job market, the Japanese language skill is not a big advantage compared to those of other major languages. Chinese , Spanish, and English are the most spoken languages. Thus, learning these languages, not Japanese, will help you find a job.

However, learning Japanese as a second foreign language might be a good idea. Japan is still a strong economy and there are many Japanese companies that have branches in other countries. Not only manufacturers but also retailers such as convenience stores and clothing shops from Japan exist in some countries. Thus, Japanese skill is helpful in working in these countries.

Recommendation must be made based on the needs of the person, and, if a foreign person is considering taking up a second foreign language, the person may as well study Japanese to make it one of his or her qualifications on your resumé.

Sample Essay B

I think that it would be a good and useful thing for many foreigners to study the language of Japan, where I live, for the following reasons.

The Japanese cultures such as Japanese food and pop culture are popular around the world, and learning the language will help the deeper understanding of them. For example, Japanese anime fans will enjoy watching anime shows more if they can understand what the characters are saying without having to read the translation.

Another good thing about learning Japanese is that they will be appreciated for making intercultural communication smooth. Unfortunately, not many Japanese speak foreign languages partly because they do not have opportunities to use it and partly because they are not interested in making friends with people from other countries. If more people from abroad visit Japan and talk to the people in Japanese, more Japanese will become open-minded to foreign people.

One of the drawbacks of learning Japanese is that its study involves few original texts of universal philosophical thoughts or world-class classics. English majors can have a special experience of reading Shakespeare in the original text. Japanese majors do not have such a counterpart. Although there are good Japanese writings, they are, even their names are, new to you. However, students of the Japanese language can acquire knowledge of a variety of cultures that are related to Japan because its culture has been influenced by many different cultures from other countries.

In conclusion, it would be a good idea for many people to study Japanese because they can learn the Japanese culture more deeply and contribute to mutual understanding between their countries and Japanese.