Foreign Language and Children - Why It Is So Important!

I strongly believe in the importance and relevance of teaching children foreign language at a young age. I began taking Spanish in 7th grade and found that I excelled in this subject. (Wish that had been true about all subjects!) By high school, I passed the Advanced Placement Exam in Spanish and earned college credits even before graduating. Sadly, after a few college courses, I let my usage remain dormant until a few years ago when we began traveling frequently to Mexico. Though much of it has returned, I still am not where I was twenty years ago. My mastery is just not the same. I don't think the same would be true if it had been taught to me at a younger age. Not to mention, had my proclivity for foreign language been fostered at an early age, I might have learned other languages as well.

The optimum time for learning a second, third, fourth, etc. . . language is before the age of 12. In a cruel irony, most U.S. public schools do not even begin to offer foreign language until after that time. Study after study shows that children who learn a foreign language at an early age, do better across the board in other subjects. It also opens a child's mind and understanding of other peoples and other cultures. Further, unlike other activities like soccer, dance, karate etc. . . while all of these advantageous, few people will go on to do these activities as professionals or as adults. Alternatively, foreign language is something that a person can use for a lifetime. It can even open up doors of opportunity when they are ready to enter the work world. Years of soccer practice won't help in a job interview, ( although great for sportsmanship, competition and exercise) but speaking Chinese or Spanish could land a person a higher paying job, or opportunities with a multi-national company. A few years ago, I wanted to open a foreign language school for tots and children in our area. With the economic turn down, I didn't think it wise. I still advocate that our children need to be prepared for a global economy. Our world is shrinking at a rapid pace, and being able to speak with our foreign neighbors is the first step in understanding them and becoming friends. Can you imagine the impact we could have as Christians if we were able to share the Gospel to a person in their native tongue? Just think about how much easier it would be right now for the relief efforts in Haiti if more of the relief workers coming from the U.S. spoke French!

Yes, we are all different, but we have the same Creator and He has the same desire for His children all across the world: to know Him and to love one another.

Posted below is a link to an article in today's NY Times; the article that precipitated this post. Also, I have included links to several companies that offer foreign language classes to children. (These are just a few; there are many, many more!) Check them out and give your child the gift of foreign language. A gift that can help them academically, can increase their earning potential in the future, and could even have a lasting impact in eternity.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/education/21chinese.html

http://www.languageworkshopforchildren.com/

http://www.professortoto.com/index.php

http://www.langokids.com

http://www.yakacademy.com

http://www.cais.org/