Enrichment with Foreign Language for Kids

Young kids have plenty of afterschool activities to choose from between sports activities and clubs. Few, however, are designed to give kids important tools they need to succeed in classwork and beyond graduation. Foreign language, on the other hand, can enrich a child’s life with culture, improve cognitive function and sensitivity to diversity.

Across the United States, you will find most public schools do not offer any type of foreign language course until the child reaches junior high school level. However, it is the younger years when kids are best able to learn a foreign language quickly. Studies have shown that learning a second language when their brains are still forming neural pathways is the time when they can learn and retain it best. Learning a second language exercises the brain in the process of switching back and forth between languages. When the neural paths are forming, the paths that are chosen repeatedly are the ones that strengthen and the others fade away. That is why at this young stage second language learning is easiest and long-lasting.

Immersion Strategies

Language immersion is the most effective way to learn a second language. This technique entails speaking the second language for the duration of the class through a variety of activities. Those activities can include not only standard language teaching techniques, but also games, cultural activities, music, dance, play, etc. By submerging the student in fun activities, the child embraces the learning process and is compelled to respond in the second language.

Most of these classes are held after school hours for elementary school age children, but you can also find programs available for toddler age children to attend with parents.

Long Lasting Impact

Far beyond the childhood years, second language education can have a positive impact on the child’s classroom and career success. Speaking and understanding a foreign language fosters cognitive function which includes thinking, reasoning, problem solving, analyzing, and decision making. These are abilities that reflect positively in test scores, in social behavior, and in career success.

Cognitive development plays a big role in a teenager’s ability to make good choices. Those choices could be the difference between participating in a community service versus doing drugs. It could make the difference between going to college and living at home. The enrichment a second language provides is immeasurable and there are no drawbacks to mention.

There have even been studies indicating the correlation of foreign language skills and prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, purportedly due to the exercise the second language gives the brain and its ability to help preserve its health.

A Valuable Job Skill

In addition to the curricular benefits of second language learning, a child who has mastered a second language has added a valuable skill to his or her resume. When applying for competitive positions, knowledge of a second language can make the difference between getting the job or not. More companies today are offering jobs for foreign language speakers to service customers who speak those languages. As communities become more diverse, the demand will only increase.

Get Started Early

For mothers with toddlers, mommy and me activities are relatively limited to playtime activities. Two-year olds can get a head start on second language learning while moms get the satisfaction of proving long-lasting enrichment for their children. Why not give your child an educational edge with a second language education? These classes still provide opportunities for children to socialize, the main function of other mommy and me type classes. But the learning and cultural exposure will set the child up to succeed early on and have more success in the classroom setting.

Studies have shown that bi-lingual students outperform other students in reading. Furthermore, bilingual children express more empathy towards other students. Years ago, foreign students were compelled to learn English to fit in to the classroom setting. Today, following extensive studies of the brain and the correlation of foreign language learning, we know that learning and speaking in multiple languages has many benefits for years to come.

Some parents invest thousands of dollars for their children to participate in sports in the hopes that child will receive a full college scholarship one day. In comparison, second language learning is a much smaller investment with much greater returns.