I am currently on vacation in Puerto Rico, which has made me interested in the culture and schooling in the area. Given the large percentage of people I have met who are able to communicate well in both Spanish and English, I asked a local resident about the language of instruction in local schools. He informed me that teachers teach in Spanish but English is a compulsory subject starting in Kindergarten. This provides the students of Puerto Rico an opportunity to become bilingual.

Even just some foreign language instruction can promote learning about different cultures and perspective as well as provide many benefits to brain development. Also, it can create increased opportunities in our global world, like employment after schooling.

So why don't schools in the continental United States do the same? If schools started second language instruction in Kindergarten rather than the middle or high school years as is often done today, this would provide students with a longer time period to learn the second language and to be exposed to a different way to communicate. In the paper, Benefits of foreign language learning and bilingualism: An analysis of published empirical research 2012–2019, the authors conclude that “results from the body of international, multidisciplinary scholarly work on the benefits of foreign/world language study and bilingualism/multilingualism that was published from 2012 to 2019 provide a compelling argument for the importance of language study and bilingualism in our increasingly interconnected world.” (Fox, 2019). If only we could find the money, time and will to provide this important opportunity in my school district!

Benefits of a Bilingual Brain

References

Fox, R., Corretjer, O., & Webb, K. (2019). Benefits of foreign language learning and bilingualism: An analysis of published empirical research 2012–2019. Foreign Language Annals, 52(4), 699–726. https://doiorg.proxy2.library.illinois.edu/10.1111/flan.12424

Centre for Educators of BMLs. (2021). Retrieved from https://educatorsofbmls.com/

Nacamulli, M. The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain. [Video]. Ted Talk.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMmOLN5zBLY