Hi everybody! First of all, Happy New 2013 Year to you! I sincerely wish that this new year brings you more joy, more precious moments, more laughter, more loyal clients and more great opportunities than all the previous years.
I am in the midst of great family celebrations now as we have bank holidays until January 9th. But I have also been doing a lot of thinking and planning for 2013. I can promise you more quality posts about translation, freelancing, different business and marketing issues, networking etc. I want my blog to be as helpful as possible for fellow freelancers. I am still planning to accept guest posts (see the guest posts policy). And below is the first guest post in my blog this year about the benefits of teaching children a second language. Interested? Then read further ;)
Language is a mysterious thing to many people; they don’t know exactly how they learned theirs, and they find other languages very confusing. Even if they try to learn a new language they find that native speakers talk too fast, and the rules and exceptions can be confusing and even maddening.
I am in the midst of great family celebrations now as we have bank holidays until January 9th. But I have also been doing a lot of thinking and planning for 2013. I can promise you more quality posts about translation, freelancing, different business and marketing issues, networking etc. I want my blog to be as helpful as possible for fellow freelancers. I am still planning to accept guest posts (see the guest posts policy). And below is the first guest post in my blog this year about the benefits of teaching children a second language. Interested? Then read further ;)
Language is a mysterious thing to many people; they don’t know exactly how they learned theirs, and they find other languages very confusing. Even if they try to learn a new language they find that native speakers talk too fast, and the rules and exceptions can be confusing and even maddening.
These
misconceptions are easily dispelled, however, and I encourage all parents to
teach their children second languages if the option is available.
Cognitive
Benefits
There are
clear, proven benefits to anyone who learns a second language, both socially
and cognitively. Studies have shown that the brain actually undergoes physical
changes when a second language is learned, and these changes benefit the
thought process in all areas, not just in language. Bilingual children, whether
they are simultaneous learners in bilingual household or sequential learners,
have superior problem-solving skills than monolingual children at the same age
and grade levels, and they carry these cognitive benefits throughout their
lives.
Bilingual
children are also more confident in general, as they understand more clearly
that languages are constructs designed to communicate, not opaque monolithic
cultural establishments. In other words, bilingual children grow into adulthood
knowing that they are capable of learning new languages and cultures and are
less hesitant to explore and interact with the unknown.
No
Downside
Aside from
the benefits of teaching your children a second language, there are simply no
downsides to consider. Any story of a child not speaking or seeming to develop
language skills more slowly due to the introduction of a second language is
clearly a coincidence – some children, no matter their environment, will
struggle with language acquisition and use. It has been proven time and again
that bilingualism does not in any way inhibit learning or communication.
Children can learn multiple languages simultaneously, learning each just as
quickly and with equal fluency.
Children
also do not become ‘confused’ when two languages are introduced. For
simultaneous bilinguals they learn both languages equally at first, and then
after the age of six months or so will begin to differentiate between them and
choose one over the other in different situations. Sometimes this choosing may
make it seem like the child is not learning the second language as well as the
first, but this is usually a simple case of the child preferring one language
over the other in certain situations.
The fact
is, if you wish your child to excel in life, teaching them a second language is
one sure-fire way to put them on the right road.
Bio line - Philip Hicks is a guest blogger who blogs
on behalf of One Hour Translation, a professional translation firm that
specializes in language Translation Services. To know more please visit http://www.onehourtranslation.com.
Thanks for the post it is quite interesting and deals with a subject I am particularly interested about. However, I have to ask which would be the sources of your statements. Some of them I was a bit surprised to read (namely learning speed), and would like to have a look at that data to spread the word. Cheers.
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