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contributed by WorldLanguage.com "Parlez-vous francais?" When you went to high school, you had an option of whether or not you wanted to learn a foreign language, but today, as more children are being raised bilingual or multilingual (able to speak more than two languages), you must be wondering, "Should my children learn another language?" Yes, it is extremely important that your children learn a foreign language, as early as possible, says Dr. Carolyn R. Durham, chair of the foreign language department and associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese at North Carolina A&T State University. "They should begin in first grade or earlier," she says. "They're at the stage in their lives when they are more receptive to learning new things." The languages your children study should not be limited because you cannot predict which one will be more beneficial to them. However, there are some languages that are readily interchangeable. Spanish and French are truly international languages, says Stanley B. Lemons, president and CEO of Stanley Maria, Inc., a language services company in Chicago. "If you have those under your belt, you can travel almost anywhere in the world and communicate with people," Lemons says. Society has realized the importance of being bilingual, and as a result, many institutions, including elementary schools, are now teaching foreign language courses. But what can you do if your school district does not have foreign language classes? Experts suggest that you enroll your children in a local foreign language center, buy books and CDs or even borrow library materials. And as a parent, you can help your children maintain a new language learning it with them. This way, they will have someone to practice basic conversations with and this helps with language development and fluency. Parents should realize that children will not pick up a new language immediately. "Children may take things in, but be unable to speak it," says Lemons. "It doesn't mean they haven't learned something, so a parent should understand that it's an on-going process; it's not a one-shot endeavor." So how will bilingualism benefit a child in the future? First, speaking more than one language helps with cognitive development, and can help increase a student's SAT scores. Second, your kids will have a better understanding of people and other cultures. Third, many businesses are looking for bilingual employees, so this will give your children an edge in the corporate world in the future. The most important thing a parent should remember when it comes to teaching children a new language is that the experience should be fun. Kids who are feeling anxious or pressured to speak fluently will have a harder time learning and maintaining their new language. source: WorldLanguage.com |
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