Bilingual Beginnings: The Advantages of Introducing Children to a Second Language

In today’s globalised world, the ability to speak more than one language is increasingly valuable. Teaching your children a second language opens up a world of opportunities and benefits. I knew from when my children were very young that I wanted them to speak a second lanuage. My view is that a second language is helpful when travelling, and we had always planned to travel with our kids, it means they are not expecting everyone to speak their mother tongue of English and it provides an opportunity to discuss cultures before travelling. This blog post is the first in a series on teaching and learning a second language. In this post we will discuss several factors on why you may want to consider introducing a second language to your child and don’t worry you don’t need to be able to speak that language yourself.

Before we get into the details on why learning a second language is benficial for children lets firstly define the difference between learning a language for conversation as opposed to learning for academic success. And also what factors you may want to take into consideration before you select which second language to introduce and what to do if you can’t speak that choosen language fluently yourself.

Conversation skills versus Academic Skills

In my mind teaching my children to be able to have a discussion with a person in another country is much more important than if they score well in a language exam so my focus has always been on helping them aquire conversational skills in a second language. The difference between learning a language for conversational skills and learning it academically lies in the focus and approach to language acquisition. When learning a language for conversational skills, the emphasis is on practical communication and everyday interactions. Learners prioritise speaking and listening skills, aiming to engage in real-life conversations and express themselves fluently in various situations. This approach often involves immersion in the language through exposure to authentic materials, conversations with native speakers, and practical exercises that simulate real-world scenarios. On the other hand, learning a language academically involves a more structured and systematic approach, focusing on grammar rules, vocabulary acquisition, and written proficiency. Academic language learning often requires lessons centered around textbooks, grammar drills, and language exercises. While both approaches have their merits, learning for conversational skills tends to prioritise functional communication and cultural understanding, while academic learning places more emphasis on formal language proficiency and comprehension. It is important to decide what your focus is before you start choosing the methods for how to learn.

Choosing the Right Second Language: Factors to Consider

When selecting a second language for your child, consider factors such as cultural relevance, practicality, and personal interest. Choose a language that aligns with your family’s heritage or future travel plans, or opt for widely spoken languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, or French, which offer numerous opportunities for communication and cultural exchange. For our family we choose Spanish as we live not far from mainland Europe, have plans to travel in Europe extensively in the motorhome and I can already speak French and my husband can speak German so we decided we would learn Spanish along with the children.

Teaching a Second Language Without Being Fluent Yourself

Even if you’re not fluent in a second language, there are still plenty of ways to introduce it to your child. Utilise resources such as language learning apps, online courses, and language immersion programs to supplement your efforts. We watched lots of cartoons in Spanish and had the subtitles in English once our kids could read and before that we listened to Spanish Audiobooks from One Third Stories. Enlist the help of native speakers, language tutors, or community language classes to provide additional support and guidance if necessary. I will discuss the tools we used more in my second post in this series.

For me two of the biggest benefits to introducing a second language to children is that learning a language results in other skills being developed and that it increase childrens awareness and curiosity of other cultures.

The Benefits of Learning a Second Language

Research has shown that children and babies are highly receptive to language acquisition during their early years. Introducing a second language from a young age not only enhances linguistic skills but also fosters the development of a wide range of cognitive, social, and cultural skills in children. It improves problem-solving skills, boosts creativity, and enhances memory and multitasking abilities. Moreover, learning a second language cultivates resilience, adaptability, and confidence, as children navigate the challenges of acquiring a new language and communicating in diverse contexts.

Language learning also promotes cultural awareness, empathy, and open-mindedness, as children gain exposure to different perspectives and ways of life. Through language immersion, children gain a deeper appreciation for diversity and develop empathy and understanding for people from different backgrounds. Language learning becomes a gateway to cultural enrichment, fostering global citizenship and intercultural communication skills.

What Other Countries Do

I am writing this post from the UK and in our schools most children are not exposed to a second lanuage until they reach secondary level education which is usually after the age of 11. In different parts of the world, the ages at which children are taught a second language can vary significantly. In some countries, such as the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries, language education begins as early as preschool or kindergarten, with children exposed to a second language through immersion programs or bilingual education initiatives. Similarly, in countries like Canada and Switzerland, where multiple languages are spoken, language learning often starts in early childhood and continues throughout primary and secondary education. However, with the growing recognition of the importance of bilingualism and multilingualism in today’s globalized world, there is a growing trend towards introducing second language education at younger ages in many parts of the world.

Interesting Facts about Second Languages

• Some individuals, known as polyglots, have an extraordinary ability to learn multiple languages fluently. The Guinness World Record for the most languages spoken fluently by one person is held by Ziad Fazah, who claims to speak 59 languages.
• Studies have found that bilingual individuals have structurally and functionally different brains compared to monolinguals. Bilingualism can enhance cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, multitasking, and decision-making.
• There are estimated to be between 6,000 and 7,000 languages spoken in the world today. However, a significant number of these languages are endangered, with experts predicting that up to 90% of languages could become extinct by the end of the century.
• There is a strong connection between music and language learning. Studies have shown that exposure to music, particularly through singing and rhythmic activities, can enhance language acquisition skills in children and adults alike.
• Some languages pose greater challenges for English speakers due to their linguistic complexity or structural differences. For example, languages like Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese are often considered among the hardest for English speakers to learn, with complex writing systems, tonal features, and grammatical structures.

Conclusion

Hopefully from reading this post you have gained some insight into why teaching and learning a second language can be very beneficial for children, and perhaps for adults alike. Whether you’re passing down a family heritage, preparing for future travel, or simply fostering a love of language and culture, introducing a second language to your child’s education opens doors to new horizons and possibilities. Join me next time to discuss all the tools we tried out and incorporated into our home education plan when teaching our children how to speak Spanish.