Abstract
Studies have shown that between the ages of 8 and 12, children lose the ability to learn and produce new sounds: any language learned after this age will be accompanied by a permanent accent. Children’s brains are wired to easily learn new languages, allowing them to develop fluency in whatever language they are exposed to. Some parents worry that their children will get confused when exposed to multiple languages and believe that this delays a child’s speech. However, a study conducted by the University of Washington revealed that babies can differentiate between two languages even before speaking. The learning of another language is greatly beneficial both in childhood and later in life. Those who are multilingual have better memories and maintain their mental capacity longer than adults who only speak one language. Multilingual children have been found to have higher intelligence, score higher on the SATs, and have better multitasking skills. Being fluent in multiple languages ensures diverse cultural knowledge, and thus multilingual people are able to view issues from different perspectives; this ability is critical when facing issues in our international society. It is crucial to expose our children to other languages during their prime learning stage, because being multilingual provides an edge unattainable to those who only speak one language. Still not convinced? Check out some great articles on the benefits of learning a second language like The New York Times: Why Bilinguals are Smarter.
Presenters
Maria A L AvilaSpanish Language Teacher & Italian Language Teacher and Professor, World Language Department, Freedom Preparatory Academy HS Memphis Tennessee , Tennessee, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2022 Special Focus: Intercultural Learning in Plurilingual Contexts
KEYWORDS
EARLY, AGE, EDUCATION, LANGUAGE, HISPANIC, FAMILY, STUDY, SECOND,BILINGUAL
