Benefits of Learning to languages
According to latest research, there are tremendous benefits of learning two languages at the same time. Right off the top, here are four from the article “Bilingualism in Young Children: Separating Fact from Fiction:”
#1. Those who know two languages (or more) are better at planning and solving complex problems than those who only know one.
#2. Bilinguals are better at focusing their attention on the important information while ignoring distractions.
#3. A number of studies now show that the onset of dementia may be delayed by four years or more in bilingual individuals compared to monolinguals.
#4. Bilinguals have greater access to resources and people, which may be due to a mind that’s more global in nature.
FluentU says it so well when it says a brain that has learned two languages is much more elastic and flexible, making a person better at everything in the future, and that’s nothing to complain about!
Early childhood is the best time to start, says the article “Why the Baby Brain can Learn Two Languages at the Same Time.” This is because, it says, kids who start from birth can more easily become native speakers of both whereas adults often struggle more, rarely attaining complete native-like fluency. However, this shouldn’t stop big people from learning another language, of course.
Interestingly, in the first article mentioned, individuals benefit more cognitively when they have the same level of proficiency in their native language. As such, at the academic level, schools can help the biggest segment of English language learners (ELLs) in the country, Latino students, by bringing in the experts of a proven family outreach program like The Latino Family Literacy Project.
Along with assisting little ELLs in reading and overall language fluency of both, it’s also an excellent way to involve the parents, which studies show contribute greatly to a child’s academic success. Through one-day trainings throughout the US and webinars, The Project trains teachers to work with parents in establishing an at-home, daily reading routine using colorful books written in both English and Spanish.