Foreign Language.com

22-05-2008

 Learning a Foreign Language at a Young Age

Learning a Foreign Language at a Young AgeLearning a foreign language is one of the most popular educational ventures young students and adults engage in. Learning a foreign language has its benefits— it enables the person to communicate with more people in more ways than one; and it helps open doors to various opportunities a monolingual person may not have.

Most of the people who study foreign languages are either teenagers in junior high school, college students or adults who want to improve themselves. Nowadays, foreign language learning is already offered to the younger end of the spectrum—to younger children ideally toddlers between 3-5 years old with their parents choosing one to one English classes for them so they have a head start when they get to school!

Many experts have already acknowledged that it is ideal that children learn a language earlier since they can absorb up to 5 or more languages at a time. Young children’s brains have the ability to catalog languages, with that they will not be inhibited in developing their skills in their native tongue. Unlike adults and older children who most likely learn a foreign language by learning the basic rules of grammar, practicing carefully and thinking critically; young children simply develop their language skills through instinct just like what they do when they develop their native language.

Supporting facts published and transmitted in different types of media such as articles, academic journals, television shows and newspapers have stated the significant benefits of learning a foreign language while still at a young age. These reports are encouraging parents and families to let their young children be exposed to a foreign language as early as possible since it will be easier for young children to pick up the unique sounds of the language. A study also found out that children can learn to understand new words in two different languages at an amazing fast rate.

Studies have shown that children as young as 2 years old are able to practice code switching in different languages. Code switching is the ability to switch backward and forward between languages and is sometimes referred as a sign of mastery of different linguistic systems. Studies also show that children who have started learning a foreign language at a young age and continue to pursue it as they grow older will have better chances of becoming adept in the foreign language.

So what are you waiting for? If you are a parent, relative or caregiver of a young child, better look for opportunities to have the youngster develop foreign language skills while the child’s mind is still fresh, inquisitive and interested.

Teenagers can carrying on learning now thanks to the internet - by interacting online! This could be learning French by playing casino en ligne or by learning Spanish on a chat site; whatever way you do it, it’s sure to be fun!


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