Should students in Japan start learning a second foreign language aside from English in elementary school?
（日本の生徒は小学生の段階から英語以外の第二言語を学ぶべきか）

Should
・Students can be more familiar with other languages at an early stage of their lives.
・It gives an opportunity for students to realize what language they like to study.
・Other languages may be more meaningful than English does.

Should not
・There are not enough teachers who can teach languages besides English.
・There is not enough class time to teach a third language.
・Some languages are too difficult for elementary students to learn.

Firstly, I do not think students in Japan should start learning another language aside from
English in elementary school because elementary students are not fully capable of using
Japanese or English. In general, most Japanese start to learn literacy from elementary
school and some students have a hard time learning their native language. There is even a
debate over whether a school should start teaching English to students at this early stage.
I do not think elementary students can learn another language besides English. Instead of
learning another language, I think elementary students should focus on learning Japanese
and English as it will make it easier to learn other foreign languages in the future. Therefore,
students in Japan should not start learning another language aside from English in elementary
school.

理由：Elementary students are not fully capable of using Japanese or English.
(小学生の段階で日本語・英語を完璧に習得している生徒はいないから）

根拠：
・母国語や英語を先に習得する必要がある
・日本語・英語を習得した状態の方が第二言語もより容易に習得できる

Secondly, elementary students in Japan should not start studying another language
because we can communicate using English in most countries. When I traveled to Mexico
where Spanish is spoken mostly, I was able to communicate with people by using English.
I was able to order food or ask for help without speaking Spanish. This experience shows
that we do not have to learn a second language besides English on a priority basis at the
elementary school level as it will only cause confusion among students.

理由： We can communicate using English in most countries
(ほとんどの国では英語を使えば会話が成立するから）

体験談：
・スペイン語を国語として使うメキシコでも英語でコミュニケーションを取ることができた

Essay Topic: Should students in Japan start learning a second foreign language aside from English in elementary school?

There are thousands of languages around the world. Each person speaks their own
language and sometimes we may have to speak certain languages in some areas of the
world. I disagree that students in Japan should start learning a second foreign language
aside from English in elementary school. I have two reasons.Firstly, I do not think students in Japan should start learning another language aside from
English in elementary school because elementary students are not fully capable of using
Japanese or English. In general, most Japanese start to learn literacy from elementary
school and some students have a hard time learning their native language. There is even a
debate over whether a school should start teaching English to students at this early stage.
I do not think elementary students can learn another language besides English. Instead of
learning another language, I think elementary students should focus on learning Japanese
and English as it will make it easier to learn other foreign languages in the future. Therefore,
students in Japan should not start learning another language aside from English in elementary
school.Secondly, elementary students in Japan should not start studying another language
because we can communicate using English in most countries. When I traveled to Mexico
where Spanish is spoken mostly, I was able to communicate with people by using English.
I was able to order food or ask for help without speaking Spanish. This experience shows
that we do not have to learn a second language besides English on a priority basis at the
elementary school level as it will only cause confusion among students.In conclusion, I think elementary students should not start learning a second foreign
language aside from English in elementary school. Too much new information will only
confuse students and prevent them from learning materials productively. The board of
education will have to review the current state of Japanese education in order to improve
students’ academic performance.