I don’t see learning to code as a substitute for learning another human language.

True, computer programming is learning a “foreign language” in the sense that you are trying to map how you give instructions in your native tongue to how a digital recipient recognizes what you’re trying to say in its highly structured vocabulary and syntax. That’s great for honing logical thinking, accomplishing tasks and maybe even making a few bucks (or more) by creating apps or pursuing a job.

But vocabulary and syntax are pretty much where the similarities between computer and human languages end. It’s the difference between communicating with something versus someone.
Human languages are not just for describing actions of other meat puppets, but also are an entry point for grokking different ways of describing physical objects, emotions and concepts that may have a cultural or historical basis different from the language learner’s, providing a new perspective – and avenues for further education. —GeekWire.