Reasons Your Child Should Learn a Second Language
As your child continues to learn the English language, it’s never too early to start learning another. The younger kids are when they start learning a second tongue, the more they are able to absorb the language. PandaTree notes, “Foreign languages are most easily acquired as a child. (This gives) your child the chance to learn a foreign language is like giving her a gift for life.”
Brain Development
By learning a second language, your child’s brain development is enhanced, as per PandaTree. “The mental benefits of learning a foreign language as a child show up in a number of different ways. Children who speak a foreign language perform better on standardized tests in math and English than their monolingual peers. They also start reading earlier. And they are better at understanding grammar.” By learning two languages at once, your child’s vocabulary will be rich and will only grow as they do. So why not start as early as possible to reap the most rewards?
An Educational Edge
Starting on a second language early will give your child an edge. According to Edublox Online Tutor, “By the time your little one enters school, they will be ahead of other kids thanks to their additional language skills.” And this is a step in the right direction that can last into adulthood. As per Edublox Online Tutor, “Adults who speak a second language have better career opportunities than those who don’t. From job promotions to transfers abroad, employees with a second language are considered more valuable.” A second language under their belt can set your child up for lifelong success!
Emotional Enhancement
Along with academic success, speaking two languages can help your child emotionally too. As Language Kids reports, “A study from the University of Chicago found that children that speak more than one language are better at ‘putting themselves in other people’s shoes’. (And they are better at) understanding different perspectives. To speak another language requires not only language skills, but also the ability to understand the other speaker’s perspective.” In addition, “Children who speak more than one language have the opportunity to become more culturally aware. They will have the ability to better appreciate cultural differences.”
Get Started!
Are you interested in having your child learn a second language? See FluentU’s listing of the eight best online language learning resources for kids if you don’t have the option for in-person teaching or tutoring. It is also helpful if you do not speak a second language yourself. Learn along with your child. You can create a bilingual household!
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By: Melissa A. Kay
apa.org
I was born and grew up in Montreal, Quebec in Canada, a bilingual city. There were two separate school systems, Protestant (English) and Roman Catholic (French) and I was educated in the former sector. French, as a second language, was begun in the fifth grade, not by immersion but by the teaching of vocabulary, grammar and the conjugation of verbs. My teachers were not French and did not speak French fluently, but rather could only teach the mechanics of the language. As I result I and my classmates were never rendered fluent in the language. This was the prime motivation for my emigrating from Quebec when it became predominantly a French speaking province in the 1970’s. What a shame and lost opportunity.
Teaching a second language by immersion at a young age is the only sensible solution.
Yes, Every child should learn a second language. The second language helps in child brain development. I think all the points that you have mentioned in this article really worth for every student. Everyone should know the benefits of learning the second language. Thank you for the amazing content.