Early in life. Before it's too late.

All over Carbonia in Sardinia I see brightly-colored posters promoting local Britsih schools. An opportunity for Italians to learn the English language -- and more. The Brits also have taken to teaching German and French locally. Take your choice. Yes, the Brits are trying to make Italians more multi-lingual. Which is a good thing. Anyway, the posters are attractive and alluring. They certainly caught my attention. With youngsters sticking our their grossly big tongues painted with either the British flag, the German flag or the French flag. Choose whatever tongue you want to learn. The Brits will give you ample opportunity to learn it. I'm thinking that we need more of British ingenuity in America. That sure beats efforts by some ultra-conservative elements in the U.S. that want to limit communication to a single language -- American English. I'd like to see foreign languages required in American public schools, starting in kindergarten. The aim should be to make every educated American multi-lingual. And the best way to meet that goal is to start teaching foreign languages when they are most easily learned. Early in life. Before it's too late. --Jim Broede