Benefits of Learning English as a Second Language at an Early Age

As we become more global and travelling overseas gets cheaper, many more young adults are opting to study overseas as well as wanting to explore different cities around the world.

 

The Japanese government, professors, and even parents are encouraging their kids and students, to open their minds be more welcoming to different cultures so they can have more enriching lives through the experiences they gain.

 

Nearly everyone has studied a foreign language either in school or in higher education like university. You might have had the opportunity to travel to a foreign place in Europe, the United States or somewhere in Asia – and even had the chance to brush up on your language skills – but the moment you returned back home, you find that you have retained very little of the language.

 

Bilingual kids growing up in a multi-lingual household who start learning a second or third language when they are as young as 3 years old – benefit tremendously. Did you know that most children’s brains can absorb and soak up a lot of language (knowledge) at an extraordinary speed? On top of that, children are practically capable of learning to speak perfectly, like a native, with no accent.

 

BELOW ARE FIVE BENEFITS OF LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AT AN EARLY AGE

 

1. Better Understanding of The Language and Its Structures.

Immersing your child in multiple languages in the early stages of language development can result in a high comprehensive and fluent child than a child who started learning in elementary (primary) school at the age of 6. Ever heard the expression, ‘children are like sponges’?

 

This expression is perfect for when talking about young foreign language learners… they soak in information from the stimuli surrounding them. Between birth and 3 years of age, the human brain increases to 80% of its adult size.

 

What a powerful fact. This period is vital for the language development of children and therefore, it is crucial to help children build a solid second language foundation.

 

2. Improved Mental Abilities

Language learning has been proven by researchers to have more to do with strengthening of the mind than it does with simply learning words. Below is a list of some improvements children gain from learning a second language:

 

The idea of “object permanence” develops in the early years.

(The term object permanence is used to describe a child’s ability to know that objects continue to exist even though they can no longer be seen or heard.)

 

• increased problem-solving skills

• increased critical thinking skills

• increased creative skills

• increased versatility of mind

• increased memory

• enhanced multi-tasking skills

 

3. A Chance of Getting Higher Achievements In School

Similar to improved mental abilities (above), giving your child the opportunity to learn a foreign language either at home or by attending an international school, your child will have the chance to get higher achievements in school.

 

Multilingual kids are actually shown to possess better critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and higher mental adaptiveness. Every one of these skills can result in better performances in school, which will carry over into university and eventually work.

 

Bilingual students are actually shown to possess greater mathematics skills and score higher on standardized tests like the SAT. And, to make things more interesting, learning English as a second language not only enhances Japanese language learning but improves it too by giving the child the ability to see the language in different perspectives!

 

4. Cultural Awareness and Open-mindedness

All loving parents want to have well-rounded children, who have a thirst for knowledge and learning, and an understanding of foreign cultures, as well as to have a great career and play an important part in the community.

 

Learning to speak the English language opens doorways that won’t have ever been opened if you only speak one language. Becoming multilingual gives you access to wider sources, communities, location freedom, and networks of friends that monolingual speakers don’t have.

 

Also being able to learn English as a second language provides an edge up on your competitors inside the workforce and even in school, your child might be given more responsibilities like international relations or supporting the teachers and school.

 

Learning a second language at an early age, and while your children have lots of free time, produces kids with a much deeper understanding of and appreciation for humanity and culture, which opens their minds to greater opportunities and experiences all over the world.

 

5. Being Able to Contribute to Society

Parents dream of having their child or children become a person who can change the community or world for the better. They all have high hopes and wish for their little boys and girls not only because of the sense of pride felt, but also the possibility of one day able to contribution towards a better society.

 

According to Kathleen M. Marcos’s informative article with the Nanduti project:

“Research has shown that second language study offers many benefits to students in terms of improved communicative ability, cognitive development, cultural awareness, and job opportunities. Society as a whole also profits economically, politically, and socially when its citizens can communicate with and appreciate people from other countries and cultures. Parents and educators would be wise to take advantage of the many available opportunities and resources for second language learning for the benefit of children coming of age in the 21st century. “

 

Note

Kathleen M. Marcos is an information associate at the ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics at the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D.C.