7 reasons why your child should learn a second language
Learning a second language has countless benefits at any age. Acquiring a foreign language at a young age has additional advantages which no child should miss.
Below we have listed some of the reasons which go beyond the linguistic realm.
- COGNITIVE BENEFITS
- Aside from linguistic advantages, children who learn a second language early in life have better problem-solving skills, enhanced creativity and score higher on SATs.
- NATIVE-LIKE FLUENCY
- Young leaners are not yet limited by the constrictions of their first language, making acquiring a second language as effortless and natural as learning their mother tongue. The result is a flawless, almost native-like accent.
- CULTURAL AWARENESS
- When children acquire a second language they do not do so in isolation. Culture is inherently linked to language. Knowledge of different cultures enriches a child’s deep understanding and respect of diversity, customs and traditions.
- INCREASED EMPLOYABILITY
- Language learning is not just a fun activity with immediate benefits. Exciting employability prospects of those adults, who learnt a language at a young age, will be increased as linguistic skills along with cultural awareness are highly valued in the global market place.
- BETTER AT LEARNING ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES
- Once you master a language, it’s a lot easier to get to grips with a second or a third. Being multilingual is an achievable goal if you start early on!
- WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
- Young children have a unique disposition to be able to differentiate sounds from different languages without the interference from their native tongue. This ability, experts say, starts declining at about 9 years old, making it a lot harder to attain a native-like accent later in life.
- IMPROVED CONFIDENCE
- Having the ability to speak different languages often leads to becoming a competent communicator in your own language as well as others.