Foreign Language

Foreign Language CurriculumForeign Language Resources

When God confused the languages at Babel, He effectively ended the world's first great building project. Some have doubtless deduced from this that dialects are a God-ordained partition between people and cultures, but that would directly contradict Christ's later command to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel."

This is of course the most obvious reason for learning a foreign language: to share the truth of Christ's redemption with every tribe and nation. Whether you intend to actually go overseas, translate Scripture, or simply to witness to a local community, the first step toward communication is to learn the language of the group you intend to impact.

Obviously, acquiring skills in the local speech is necessary just to talk to people and be understood, but it's also important for learning about the community. The ideas and attitudes of a culture are embedded in its dominant tongue, and to effectively communicate the Gospel (or any message) with a foreign society one needs to "get" where its members are coming from.

This is as true of past cultures as present ones. While you certainly don't need to be proficient in biblical languages to study the Bible, a knowledge of Hebrew and Koine Greek will deepen your understanding of God's Word and the cultural and religious contexts in which it was written. To properly and accurately translate the Bible, knowing the original languages thoroughly is crucial.

It's easy to think of all these uses for language in Anglo-centric terms. English is the most widely spoken language in the world today, and the universal language for business; we tend to think of translation purely in terms of our own language, communication in terms of our Western understanding.

Such a truncated view is harmful both to our work as Christians and to our personal outlook. English may be dominant now, but it wasn't always so, and won't maintain that position forever. The language of Heaven isn't English, and God never set the English-speaking world apart for special treatment or honor.

Ironically, English isn't even the official language of the United States. It's the de facto (most prevalent) language, but there is no "official language" in our nation. There are several reasons for this, but in the end such an omission on the part of the Federal government underscores a very American idea: all people are created equal.

Which, in a way, is also a very biblical concept. All mankind is born in sin, unable to communicate directly with God until Christ's redeeming grace and love bring us to reconciliation with Him. This is the message that ought to motivate all our attempts at communication, and the sharing of which should drive us to study foreign languages of every kind.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.

 

Did you find this review helpful?
66 Items found Print
Active Filters: Kindergarten (Ages 5-6)
¡Pío Peep!
by Alice Schertle, Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy
Bilingual from Rayo
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
A Veces Las Cosas Cambian
Mis Primeros Libros
by Patricia Eastman
for Preschool-1st grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Alphabet of Animal Signs
Beginning Sign Language
by S. Harold Collins
from Garlic Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Deafness & Sign Language (Location: FL-SIGN)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Arroz Con Leche
by Lulu Delacre
Bilingual from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
Baby word book - Chinese and English
for Nursery-3rd grade
in Chinese (Location: FL-GEN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Caring for Young Children
Beginning Sign Language Series
by S. Harold Collins
from Garlic Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Deafness & Sign Language (Location: FL-SIGN)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes
by Selected and Edited by Robert Wyndham, Illustrated by Ed Young
from Philomel Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Mother Goose & Nursery Rhymes (Location: PIC-MG)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Coat of Many Colors/El Abrigo de Muchos Colores
by Dolly Parton, illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes
Imagination Library Edition from Grosset & Dunlap
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
Corduroy - Spanish edition
by Don Freeman
from Puffin Books
Personification Stories for Preschool-2nd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
Count Your Way Through Germany
by Jim Haskins
from Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in German (Location: FL-GEN)
Count Your Way Through Japan
by Jim Haskins
from Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Japanese (Location: FL-GEN)
Cuckoo / Cucu
by Lois Ehlert
from Harcourt, Brace & Company
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Donde viven los monstruos (Where the Wild Things Are)
by Maurice Sendak
from HarperCollins
Fantasy for Kindergarten-3rd grade
1964 Caldecott Medal winner
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
Du Iz Tak?
by Carson Ellis
from Candlewick Press
2017 Caldecott Honor Medal
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia
by Carmen Lomas Garza
from Lee & Low Books
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Filipino Friends
by Corazon Dandan-Albano, Liana Romulo
from Tuttle Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
First Thousand Words in Chinese
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Chinese (Location: FL-GEN)
$12.99
First Thousand Words in English
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
$6.50 (1 in stock)
First Thousand Words in English
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
$7.50 (1 in stock)
First Thousand Words in English
by Heather Amery, Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Nursery-1st grade
in Grammar Picture Books (Location: GRA-PIC)
$12.99
First Thousand Words in French
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in French (Location: FL-FRE)
First Thousand Words in German
by Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in German (Location: FL-GEN)
First Thousand Words in Italian
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Italian (Location: FL-ITA)
First Thousand Words in Japanese
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Japanese (Location: FL-GEN)
First Thousand Words in Latin
by Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Latin Resources & Reference (Location: FL-LATREF)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
First Thousand Words in Russian
by Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Russian (Location: FL-GEN)
First Thousand Words in Spanish
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
First Thousand Words in Spanish
by Heather Amery & Stephen Cartwright
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$12.99
French-Ruled Notebook
from Unknown Publisher
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in French (Location: FL-FRE)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Greek Beak Match
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Greek for Children (Location: FL-GRE4C)
$31.95
Gullywasher
by Joyce Rossi
from Luna Rising
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Gullywasher (bilingual)
by Joyce Rossi
from Luna Rising
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.61 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Hebrew Alphabet Book
by Avi Margalit, illustrator
from Funk & Wagnalls
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
Hello Rock / ¡Hola, Piedrita!
by Roger Bradfield
from Purple House Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.49
Language of Angels
by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Karla Gudeon
from Charlesbridge
for Preschool-2nd grade
in History of Books & Language (Location: HISV-BOOK)
$6.40 (1 in stock)
Latin-Centered Curriculum
by Andrew A. Campbell
2nd edition from Non Nobis Press
for Kindergarten-12th grade
in Classical Education (Location: HSR-METCE)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Let's Learn to Count in Hawaiian
by Keiki C. Kawai'ae'a
from Island Heritage Publishing
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Foreign Language (Location: FL-GEN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
My First Spanish Word Board Book
from DK Publishing
for Nursery-Kindergarten
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$6.79
Nine in a Line
by Ann Kirn, Arabic captions by Leila Leonard
from W. W. Norton and Co.
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Norte, sur, este y oeste
by Allan Fowler
from Children's Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Numbers Flipper
from Christopher Lee Publications
for Nursery-Kindergarten
Off We Go to Mexico
by Laurie Krebs
1st edition from Barefoot Books
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Olivia: The Essential Latin Edition
by Ian Falconer; translated by Amy High
from Atheneum
Animal Fantasy for Preschool-1st grade
2001 Caldecott Honor Book
in Latin Resources & Reference (Location: FL-LATREF)
Play it in Spanish
by Mariana Prieto (collector), music by Elizabeth Colwell Nielsen, illustrated by Regina and Haig Shekerjaian
from The John Day Company
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
Primer Catecismo First Catechism in Spanish
from Great Commission Publications
for Nursery-5th grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$5.99
Que animal es?
by Sofia Balzola, illustrated by Pablo Barrena
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$1.60 (1 in stock)
Signing at School
Beginning Sign Language
by S. Harold Collins, Dahna Solar
from Garlic Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Deafness & Sign Language (Location: FL-SIGN)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Snowy Day / Un Dia De Nieve
by Ezra Jack Keats
from Penguin Young Readers
Poetry for Kindergarten-2nd grade
1963 Caldecott Medal winner
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$2.80 (1 in stock)
Song School Greek - Set
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Greek for Children (Location: FL-GRE4C)
$80.63
Song School Greek - Student Book
by Michelle Hahne
2nd edition from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Greek for Children (Location: FL-GRE4C)
$29.95
Song School Greek - Teacher's Edition
by Michelle Hahne
2nd edition from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Greek for Children (Location: FL-GRE4C)
$32.95
Song School Latin - Set
by Amy Rehn
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Latin for Children (Location: FL-LAT4C)
$80.63
Song School Latin 1 - DVD
by Amy Rehn
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Latin for Children (Location: FL-LAT4C)
$34.95 $18.00 (1 in stock)
Song School Latin 1 - Student Book with Audio Download
by Amy Rehn
v2.0 from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Latin for Children (Location: FL-LAT4C)
$29.95
Song School Latin 1 - Student Book with CD
by Amy Rehn
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Latin for Children (Location: FL-LAT4C)
$29.95
Song School Latin 1 - Teacher Edition
by Amy Rehn
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Latin for Children (Location: FL-LAT4C)
$29.95 $15.50 (2 in stock)
Song School Spanish 1
by Julia Kraut, Grant Durrell
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Spanish for Children (Location: FL-SPA4C)
$29.95
Song School Spanish 1 - DVD
by Julia Kraut, Grant Durrell
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spanish for Children (Location: FL-SPA4C)
$34.95 $20.00 (1 in stock)
Song School Spanish 1 - Set
by Julia Kraut, Grant Durrell
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spanish for Children (Location: FL-SPA4C)
Song School Spanish 1 - Spanish Amigo Match
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spanish for Children (Location: FL-SPA4C)
$29.95 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Song School Spanish 2 - DVD
by Julia Kraut, Grant Durrell
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spanish for Children (Location: FL-SPA4C)
$34.95 $16.00 (1 in stock)
Song School Spanish 2 - Spanish Amigo Match
from Classical Academic Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spanish for Children (Location: FL-SPA4C)
$37.95
Speedy Spanish Primer
by Bechtel family
from Bechtel Books
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Old Edition Foreign Language (Location: OFL-MIX)
$20.95
Speedy Spanish Primer - CD
by Bechtel family
from Bechtel Books
for Kindergarten-6rd grade
in Old Edition Foreign Language (Location: OFL-MIX)
Stephanie and the Coyote in Navajo and English
by Jack L. Crowder, translated by William Morgan, Sr.
from Jack L. Crowder
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Foreign Language (Location: FL-GEN)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
What Can You Do with a Paleta?
by Carmen Tafolla
Bilingual from Dragonfly Books
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)