Think of the books you read as a child compared to the books you read now. Remember that it took years of schooling and reading to be able to understand the texts you can read now. It took at least 15 years of academic study to be able to communicate the way you do in your native language. Time is another advantage of learning a second language at a young age.
Learning a second language is not easy and takes time and effort to master it effectively. A second language requires the speaker to know two sets of words and their meanings, not just one. In addition, second languages can help children interact with other people from other parts of the world because they speak similar native languages. Learning a second language can also help children express themselves better in terms of study, creativity, and verbal skills. If you can, it’s best to expose your baby to two languages as early as possible in childhood, as babies’ brains focus on one type of language at the age of one.
One study shows that French 11th grades with just 80 minutes of instruction per week from the third grade outperformed another group that started with French in 7th grade. The performance of the French FLES students was better in all areas. In another study, classes of third-graders in New York City and suburbs of New York were taught conversational French for 15 minutes a day. The children were given a higher pronunciation and fluency in French than high school students with the same amount of lessons. Another study shows that FLES students perform better on AP foreign language exams than non-FLES students ().
I now live and work in a Colorado community where parents, not schools, still have the responsibility to keep their children learning foreign languages in elementary school. I’ve read all the research behind early exposure to learning second languages, but it’s been a while and I’ve decided to give myself an upgrade lesson. I found no less than dozens of well-documented studies, all pointing to tangible benefits of FLES programs. I’m writing this as an appeal to public school administrators to make early second language programs a priority.
For example, a child who speaks Spanish at home may start using English when school starts. Most people understand that learning a foreign language is a great thing, especially for brain development. Still, have you ever really dealt with the why and how of learning a second language for children? If you take a closer look at all the benefits, you will find that acquiring a second language is even deeper than you thought. While many parents and experts recognize the benefits of their children learning two languages (or more!), teaching children to learn two languages can be a challenge. Babies who grow up in homes where their parents or caregivers speak two languages tend to learn a second language very easily and naturally.
Learning a foreign language at a young age helps children absorb the language much faster. This is because the part of the brain that develops language, the left frontal lobe, is still developing. This allows them to learn languages much faster when they are young because they are easily absorbed. However, the language part of the brain usually stops developing when it is between eight and 12 years old, making younger years crucial for new languages. Exposing your child to a second language can also help them get to know other cultures and bring them together to be more creative thinkers.
However, children’s brains are still able to learn and retain language better at the age of five. All children benefit from increased brain development when exposed to two languages, so don’t be afraid to encourage your child to learn a second language, no matter how old they are. Babies learn best through play, and a group session or tutor session with a real person is the most effective езикова школа за деца софия way to teach your baby to learn a second language if you don’t speak a second language. The tutors in this study also used baby-controlled speech, that infamous “parenting” that parents and caregivers naturally use when talking to babies who have simple grammar, a louder voice, and long vowels. This natural way of talking to babies actually helps their brains learn the language better.
Give your child the opportunity to hear and practice both languages, especially in everyday situations. Research supports the value of children learning multiple languages. In some cases, bilingualism also provides a connection to extended family, culture and history.