Teaching Your Child a Second Language

Your child's brain is uniquely wired to absorb languages and to learn to pronounce words with a native accent between birth and age eight. In studies it was found that children store a second language in different areas of the brain than an adult does, making it easier for a child to learn a second language.

It is never to early to start teaching children a foreign language. What most parents forget is how incredible a child's brain functions. The earlier they start to learn, the better it actually is for them. Before children are even able to talk, they are absorbing and processing language.

In the studies that have been done, it is surprising that schools do not take the opportunity to begin to teach a second language in primary and middle schools instead of high school when it is shown that it is harder to learn and retain a second language.

Why should you teach your child a second language? If your thoughts are like mine, you would want your child to possibly learn the language of your heritage. Also, being bi-lingual helps later in life when your child is applying to college. Then, most importantly, there is improvement of overall academic performance. "Statistically, children who study a second language score higher on verbal standardized tests conducted in English", as stated by the College Entrance Examination Board. Language students also perform better in math and logic skills than children speaking only one language. There is also suggestion that foreign language students are more creative and better at solving complex problems. So starting your child early learning a foreign language could later boost their educational capacities. In this day and age, a child needs a top education to succeed in life.