The Effects of Foreign Languages on Children
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As promised to Princessa. I hope you like it.
The ability to speak foreign languages is becoming more and more important in our global economy. In order to communicate internationally, our children need and will need to be able to speak a language other than their mother tongue. Since a good number of jobs in this country focuses on internationally related jobs, us Americans must put much more focus on educating our children in foreign languages to prepare them to compete in the world market.
As for learning foreign languages itself, it’s a mistake that many people assume foreign languages are too complicated for children to learn. In fact, children learn foreign languages more expeditiously than adults do because children make connections in their brain which enables them to learn a foreign language at an early age with much more facile than in adolescence through adulthood. According to Jennifer Reid Holman, children learn foreign languages better than adults do because there are trillions of connections in the brain waiting to be programmed, enabling them to learn multiple languages. Holman states that these connections start to close at the age of ten and close completely during adolescence, which is why it is difficult for teenagers to learn a foreign language, and to learn a foreign language without carrying an accent from their mother tongue. She also states that young children are not limited to the number of languages they can learn. According to J. Hirsch, adults, on the other hand, have to rely on specific connections in the brain to learn foreign languages because the brain develops a rigid system by adulthood and, therefore, limits the number of languages adults can learn. Conclusively, it takes little effort and no special instruction to teach children to learn one or multiple foreign language whereas adults need special classes and language aids to learn a foreign language.
There are, of course, other benefits that children develop as a consequence of learning foreign languages. Helen Goodluck and her colleagues state that they automatically learn their own language, especially the grammatical aspects, which are normally not taught to students before entering college. They also state that children learn mathematics, history, and all other subjects with more efficiency in comparison to children who haven’t learned foreign languages for more than two years. Sheldon Rosenberg states the cause can be attributed to the mind of the bilingual child which contains a code switching mechanism that allows him or her to switch from one foreign language to another. Because of this ability to switch from one language to another, Rosenberg states that he or she has developed a flexible “mental set” approach to cognitive tasks and is, therefore, able to switch from one subject to another with relative ease and understanding. Douglas Biber and Stephen Krashen’s studies have shown that bilingual children consistently perform above their grade level norm. They state that they tracked 39 children from 1st through the 5th grade and found that over time, they surpassed the national norm in all tests by the time they reached 5th grade. Kathleen Marcos further states that S.A.T statistics also support these facts since bi and multilingual students scored higher on both the verbal and mathematically portions of the S.A.Ts, which were conducted in English, than their English speaking monolingual counterparts. It also benefits social interaction between them and different groups of people with different mentalities, cultures, and experiences because bi and multilingual children learn to be more tolerant and curious of a wide range of opinions which change by group.
Lastly, foreign languages are important for a wide range of jobs. Indeed, if you’ve hunted for a job recently, you’ve run into the subheading “bilingual preferred” under qualifications. Careers where foreign languages are essential include international business, interpreting, translating, archaeology, medicine, international law, journalism, the diplomatic core, the CIA or armed forces, the U.S government, proofreading, custom inspections, foreign correspondence, hotel and motel management, even education. The list goes on...
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Thank you Things Considered. Imagine if all American children had foreign language instruction from preschool onwards...we'd be unbeatable as a nation and the Europeans would be looking up to us instead. Plus our children would be richer.
Writer Rider,
Very excellent hub, We speak to our daughter in Spanish at home, because there are many studies that show that kids learn the language spoken outside of the home much faster. Our theory is by speaking spanish at home she we learn it alongside the english she gets from her friends and school. So far so good.
Take care and have a good one.
TMG
Hi TMG!
Thanks. Good job with your child. She'll be able to learn multiple languages now, if she wants to, and she'll excel in school as well as the creative arts (it affects creativity as well). She'll also get any job in San Diego where, as you know, they're always asking for applicants who are fluent in Spanish. You know, don't be surprise if, at first, her English is not as good as her other monolingual classmates. It takes just a little time for bilingual kids attain the same language level in their mother tongue as the monolingual students but they do so very quickly. Take my son, I taught him German as a toddler (his father was from Germany though he didn't speak a word of German to him)and, in the beginning, his enunciation wasn't as good as the monolingual students and I believe he knew fewer words. Later, however, he was speaking, reading, and writing grade levels ahead of his peers.
WR,
Very true, I notice it more in my Nephew my brother in law is doing the same thing, it took him a little longer, but he is really excelling, now he is 3.
TMG
Your family is doing a really good job TMG!
It seems to be a failing in the way that we English speakers bring up our children. In Europe it's considered absolutely normal to speak three or more languages. I had a girlfriend in Holland,(many years ago) who spoke perfect English, watched the news in German and read the French newspapers. What job did this highly qualified (in my Anglophile mind)woman do? She was a shop assistant in a candy store. In Holland speaking those languages so well was nothing special. In Asia I met people who spoke way more languages. Wake up English speakers, they are all speaking behind our backs.
Hi Cally, ummm, an understandable failing. Mainland Europe is surrounded by other countries with different languages, Great Britain and Ireland are islands surrounded by water and ancient Celtic languages, the United States is surrounded by Mexico and Canada so it's much easier for us to become monolingual ethnocentrics.However, as I mentioned above, it's advantageous to know one other or multiple languages and we can supplement the problem with earlier childhood foreign language education. Especially before age 10.
very nice hub thanks
I really agree in what you are saying here! I believe that americans need to be more involved to have their children learn more than one langauge. Most amercians don't want their children to be bilingual. I think it should be emphazed in the school system with children. I am learning my third language, but I am teaching my niece french, which I already speak. I agree everything in what you spoke here. Thanks for posting.
Thanks Lgali!
Dreamer32: Thanks for the comment. Yes, we need to not only for our survival, but to enhance ourselves intellectually. Simply put, a person who speaks multiple languages can do more and become more prosperous. We, as a society, shouldn't be afraid of other cultures and languages since fear enhances nothing at all.
I have a five month old and I m already trying to expose her to different languages. my native language is tamil. we are from singapore, speaking English as main language. Chinese, Malay and Tamil are some of the common languages spoken in singapore. I m trying get my 5 mth old exposed to theses languages.
Nice hub....
Thumbs up! By all accounts Chinese is ever increasing in importance so your kids are at an advantage if or when China becomes a superpower. Plus, I tend to notice Asians are better mathematicians than the rest of the world which may have something to do with the Asian languages which, as you know, uses characters rather than the alphabet. In short, good job. This is a condensed version of a college paper I wrote in the 90s. Still applies, though.
Hello Writer Rider,
I am from Belgium, Europe and have been exposed to foreign languages for as long as I can remember. This is no wonder because I live in a country that has 3 national languages: Dutch, French and German.
At some kindergartens French is being offered as a subject! Though the opportunity to learn a second language may vary from region to region, most children in Belgium will have some knowledge of a second national language by the age of twelve.
Because a lot of British and American TV-series are being shown on television here with subtitles, we are exposed to English from a very early age on! I remember that from the moment I could read I tried to match the translation with the corresponding English word and I am sure a lot of other kids did the same! Depending on which language you choose English is either your second or your third language you can pick as a subject in highschool! Nevertheless, being exposed to Dutch, Flemish, French and English as a young child gave me a headstart when I started studying languages for real! Moreover it made me a regular language addict and I must say I can relate very well to the Dutch shop assistant in one of the previous comments.
Thank you so much for writing this hub!
Hello Writer Rider. This was a very informative hub. I tried to write a hub on these lines but this is much better researched! I just find it WONDERFUL that children have this ability to learn unlimited languages. Why is it that in Education this natural ability is not addressed to the full,now that we have the research to prove it?
In the majority of schools in Britain, children start learning a second language in Secondary School (when they are 11/12) which means it's just too late! Some Primary schools are 'experimenting ' with French or Spanish in the Primary departments, but still very few. It is so frustrating!
Hello Mouche, let me tell ya I wish I was in that position. I started learning my 2nd language when I was eleven unless you consider the year of Spanish I learned when I was ten. However, nothing beats being able to communicate with many cultures around the world and, of course, French is spoken in many different countries and continents. Personally, I'm not a big fan of subtitles because it takes away from the artistic nature of the film since you're concentrating on what's being said. High school students who start to learn a foreign language here (sadly, it should be done earlier) also find it annoying so they're not enthusiastic about foreign language films. These students need full immersion in order to learn a second language. As for my foreign language studies, it does help when you learn foreign languages early. I, myself, am a language addict but my artsy (writing) side is calling me a great deal more these days. I'll continue my language studies someday.
Thanks marieryan. It takes time for systems to change, there are immersion school here in the U.S that instruct kids in a second language as well. Others schools are not knowledgeable about these facts or are underfunded and distributing their resources where they need it most (Math, Science, English, History). It is frustrating and I wish I learned a foreign language as a toddler myself. However, you in Great Britain are at an advantage since the majority of the students in the U.S start learning a foreign language at fourteen years of age.
I'd like to point out that in order to get a degree in foreign languages from a university you have to read, speak, and write at the university level of the country of the target language. :)
Hi Writer Rider, this is an informative hub about why we should teach our children foreign languages. I was lucky enough to grow up with a bi-lingual father, and although I didn't grow up to be truly bi-lingual, I had enough exposure to foreign languages at home to inspire me to try hard at school. This isn't always the case with English people, however, and we have a reputation for being very lazy about foreign tongues. Most English people I know can scarcely manage much more than please and thank you in another European language, which is a great pity.
Thanks Amanda, yes, you're lucky to have a bi-lingual father. What other languages did he speak if you don't mind my asking? It does have a positive effect on academia and should be taking more seriously. England and the U.S have something in common (besides English)...we are geographically isolated though England is less so.
My Dad spoke French very well, and could make small talk in Arabic. His father (my Grandad) had been stationed in Suez for some years, and learned the local languages. He then passed them on to his children by using the languages at home.
You're very lucky. Or at least your father was since Arabic is difficult to learn and not a popular language in Western countries. Back in the 90s Arabic wasn't in high demand but now linguists who speak Arabic are in high demand. Perhaps more so than any other languages. The war, sad as it is, has some benefits.
Writer Rider,excellent hub.
In India,where I am from, it is common for people to know atleast 3-4 languages,as we have so many & we are multi lingual,whether a person is literate or not. In schools , it is mandatory for every student to learn 3 languages that can be English , Hindi or any regional language such as Kannada,Telugu, Punjabi, Marathi, Malayalam,etc,depending on the state to which the school belongs. English & Hindi are compulsory for all,the option is to be able to choose one of them as a 1st or 2nd language & in addition another language. In High School & College, they can also choose French, German, Spanish among foreign languages.
For job applications, we are normally asked to fill in languages we speak only, & those we can speak, read & write, & those we can only read & write.
Thanks Purple Perl. Yes, I notice Indians are exceptionally intelligent and the foreign languages probably played a part. I didn't know that about the dialects...I think you are all so lucky to be required to learn three different languages during your childhood and offered French, German, or Spanish during your high school years. The U.S could learn by this example and implement it in our system. Heck, we'd be way ahead of the competition and we have no excuse not to teach or young children at least Spanish and French...we border Mexico and Canada after all.
Extra-Foreign Languages Benefits the Middle Aged as Well
Things Considered says:
3 months ago
Great hub, and you're so right.