Computer Programming Could Count As A Foreign Language
xkcd / xkcd.com
Learning to write computer code could replace foreign language courses.
Florida students could choose computer programming courses instead of a foreign language as part of a bill to help Florida schools add more technology and digital instruction.
The bill would require state colleges to accept two years of computer programming if the courses applied to a student’s major. State universities would have the option of accepting those courses instead of a foreign language.
Senate education chairman John Legg, who is sponsoring the bill, said it would prepare students to fill high-tech jobs. Advocates argue Florida won’t produce enough computer programmers over the next decade to fill available jobs.
Computer coding is getting a strong push in education. A national non-profit is urging students to write computer code for an hour daily. A South Florida woman has also started a program to teach kids the high-tech skill.
Florida students aren’t required to take foreign language in order to earn a standard high school diploma. A “scholar” diploma requires two years of foreign language. Florida universities often require students have studied a foreign language.
Read the bill below. The section on computer programming is at the end:
