Children Learning: Top 5 Reasons To Learn Languages

Why is it important to learn a new language? Is it beneficial in the long run? As the school systems have started revising their syllabus by including learning of second languages as a MUST or an option, such questions pop up in our minds. Post-modernism is all about multiculturalism and a totality where there are no boundaries between high and low cultures. Therefore, to cope up with the competitive market in the global community, you must acquire proficiency in foreign languages to connect and bond with the global community. Learning a new language and attaining proficiency in it gives you an upper hand on others. It gives a huge confidence boost as you achieve the seemingly impossible task. There are plenty of online learning resources out there and you can check out English with Lucy if you wanted to learn or hone your English language skills. 

In addition, acquisition of foreign languages—two or more—helps to broaden your vision of humanity. Learning about the perspectives of the global community leads to a more meaningful conversation with foreigners. The additional skill will open up new vistas of job opportunities for you on a global scale. As a result, it is imperative to push yourself forward to learn new languages at an early age. Here you can learn languages via Justlearn. It is fun and easy for a young mind to learn new things. So, why not utilize their learning capacity to the optimum? Here are the top reasons to make your children learn a foreign language.

1. Socialize and Connect

Man is a social animal. Getting ignored in the middle of a crowd increases our sense of loneliness. Loneliness is the most prominent phenomenon of present times. Therefore, if your child is not smart enough, he can learn new languages to gain an edge over others. He will be able to connect, socialize, and lead others. And yes, he will never feel lonely again! In the corporate world of today, it is essential to incorporate leadership qualities in our children. Therefore, why not update the skill level of your child? It is far easier than the sciences. Why? Because most of us can speak at least two languages! So, we already know how to switch and learn. Plus, language learning is a part of our daily practice and can be learnt only by talking to one another in the new language. Besides socialization, it is one way to open up the gate of a million opportunities for your young ones.

2. Sharpens Young Minds

Language learning is a proven technique to sharpen young minds. It improves the ability of children to multi-task and pay attention to each task at hand. Studies have proved that the kids who are bilingual or multilingual are smarter and have an amazing attention span. Their brain has more grey matter that is involved in the practice of executing everything. It is due to the fact that the brain is constantly translating, choosing, and adjusting the right words in the spoken language, which improves one’s focus and offers ‘mental gymnastics’. Studies have shown that we must expose babies between the ages of 6 to 10 months to multiple languages. At this age, they are recognizing different sounds and understanding words. So, different phonics of multiple languages helps in the development of new connections in their minds. They turn out to be smarter and more intelligent. Let their curiosity pave the way for them.

3. Boosts Academic Records in Major Subjects

Research has shown how learning of a new language helps students to master tests such as SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) and ACT (American College Test) for both English and Mathematics. Adding to it, the time span to solve the tests is shortened to a great extent. Therefore, if you want your child to ace in tests for University admissions and other scholastic tests that will earn them a scholarship to study abroad, then why not make this little effort to make them be the best?

4. Increases Fluency in Native Language

So when students learn new languages, they get back to their native language to learn new words and sentences. Such repetition of referring back to native language increases the efficiency of children in their own language as well. As the lingua franca of the world is English; that is why, most students refer back to it. Let’s suppose your child is trying to learn Japanese, he will always refer back to English for references and translation. It will help the young one to learn the new language easily. Do you know how hard it is to learn Japanese? Check it out yourself.

5. Builds Empathy

It is rightly said that understand to be understood. Thus learning new languages is an indirect attempt to understand people from foreign lands. In the global community, there is a great intermix of races, caste, color, religion, and nations. Everyone has his/her own mother tongue but we can only connect with others if we can understand their language. So make it easy for your kids to talk to their fellow students who belong to different cultures.

Communicating with children from different countries helps in the development of empathy. When the children can understand others, they are able to connect with them easily.

About the Author

Lara Smith has worked for Wall Street English for 20 years. After studying at Stanford University and subsequently doing a CELTA course, she began her career in teaching. She is obsessed with languages and currently writes blogs at https://www.mimicmethod.com/.