How Kids Benefit from Learning a Second Language
Bre'onna Richardson
| 2 min read
Learning a foreign language increases opportunities for connection and opens to the door to the many benefits of bilingualism.
Young children in particular are particularly primed to learn a new language. Here’s why it might be a good idea to sign your kids up for foreign language lessons:
- Learning a language broadens kids’ views of people and of the world. A Concordia University study found that children who are taught a second language may grow up to be more accepting of social and physical diversity. Children are able to speak, read, write, listen and think in another way.
- Bilingual children significantly outperform those who speak only one language, according to research published in the International Journal of Bilingualism. Speaking two languages enhances your cognitive skills and improves your mental health.
- Findings published in the Annals of Neurology, a journal of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society, show that individuals who speak two or more languages, even those who acquired the second language in adulthood, may slow down cognitive decline from aging.
- Teaching your child a second language could have have long-term benefits into adulthood including study abroad and career opportunities.
Learning a new language takes commitment. A child who is exposed to multiple languages at a young age has a much easier time processing and remembering the information as compared to an adult.
Have you had success raising bilingual children? Tell us about your experience and tips in the comments.
Photo credit: amenclinicsphotos ac
