Research shows that the best time to start learning a foreign language is early childhood. Yet it’s easy to find excuses not to start children early. It’s too hard, there’s no time, it or costs too much are common reasons.
True, raising a bilingual child is not easy and there are costs involved. But when we take the long view, the costs of waiting are much greater.
Here’s a look at some of the less-obvious costs to not learning a foreign language from an early age.
More Time & Effort
Young children can acquire a foreign language much easier than grownups because they learn it naturally, the same way they learn their primary language. However if you wait until adolescence, college or even adulthood to learn, it will not come to you naturally. You will have to spend a considerable amount of additional time and effort to achieve fluency than you would have at an early age.
Higher Costs
Teaching a young child a foreign is usually not free, especially if the second language is not spoken by either parent. Elementary language courses or possibly even dual immersion program may be available at a public school in your area, and you can use books, games, videos or a full curriculum to reinforce learning at home. After school programs are also available in many communities.
While most of the above come at a price, it’s nothing compared to the cost/ time required to take language classes as an adult. It takes longer to learn as an adult and it is most common for adults to have to take additional private classes or travel to foreign countries for intensive language courses, making the cumulative costs ……e many thousands of dollars. (not sure how to phrase this)
Delayed Cultural Awareness
When you learn a foreign
language, you also learn about culture, people, food, music and ways of life.
It opens your mind to be more accepting of others and develop a broader
worldview. It increases the likelihood that you’ll have friends from diverse
backgrounds. And while it’s never too late to become more culturally aware, the
earlier, the better. "Children
are in the
process
of moving from egocentricity to reciprocity, and information introduced before
the age of
ten
is eagerly received" (Curtain, & Pesola, 1988, p. 4). With this
expansion, children will have thefreedom to explore the wealth of values
and perceptions of the world; they will not be restricted toany
one narrow view of life or one limited set of options (Carpenter & Torney,
1973).
Not Optimizing Child’s Intellect
A recent article
in the Des Moines Register points to NNELL (National Network for Early Language
Learning) research which indicates the following:
Children who speak other languages have a keener
awareness and perception of language in general, enhanced communication skills,
a better understanding of their native language, a larger vocabulary and better
listening and problem-solving skills. The NNELL says children in effective
early second language programs also show overall gains on standardized tests of
basic skills later in life.
In short, bilingual children are more social, brighter and
test better than their monolingual counterparts. Need any more reasons?
