The natural method of learning used by children mastering their native tongue forms the best foundation for learning a second language. Research indicates that bilingual children may be more imaginative, better with abstract ideas and more flexible in their thinking than monolingual children. Acquainting students with new languages and cultures encourages them to adopt a more enriched, international perspective - and accordingly, a better understanding of the world in which we live. Children who have a head start in learning a new language are better prepared for language studies and requirements in later years. Possessing foreign language skills prepares students for better job opportunities when they enter the work force as adults.
Childhood is also the best time to develop a native-like accent when learning a new language.
The soft palate and vocal cords are at a stage where new languages can be spoken most authentically. Learning A Language Can Begin Cultural Appreciation At An Early Age Exposing your child at an early age to another language can open the door to cultural appreciation, says Berlitz s Director of Pedagogy for Children s Programs, Helga Ebersberger-Williams. Learning another language is one of the best gifts you can give a child. It opens their minds to analytical thinking and helps them communicate with people of different cultures, says Ebersberger-Williams, who writes curriculum and trains instructors for Spanish, French, German and other languages and also raised three bilingual children. And parents across the U.S. apparently agree.