Providing your child with a bilingual education can put them into position to enjoy many more unexpected advantages during their lifetime. For example, the bilingual speaker has better reasoning skills than can be expected of a person who lives in the limited world of being able to speak just one language. They are also able to block out distractions thus making their focus stronger than the monolinguals. This is due to the brain being used to switching between the languages so that they can pick out the right words to use in that conversation.
Let’s look at more of benefits that only the bilingual can enjoy:
Cognitive benefits
The advantages of being able to speak another language on the brain are many. The synapses that are built to cater for multi languages enable the brain to be able to think more creatively and with greater flexibility. Research shows that the IQ level of bilinguals is higher on average than monolinguals. There is a built-in protection against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease too – bilinguals will experience them up to 6 years later than the single language speaker.
Character benefits
Being able to switch between different languages enables wider social mixing with different people. This helps with self-esteem and it also provides a window into the culture of other countries. Lifestyle choices are broader and cultural tolerance is greater in those with a bilingual education.
Easier to learn more language.
Once your child can speak one language – then they will have taken the first steps to others. As an example, consider French for a moment. The French language is part of the Romance language group, which also contains Spanish, Italian and Romanian. Once the sentence structure of French is learnt, then it makes it easier to learn the other languages within that language group. Your child could opt to learn several more languages and enjoy career, financial and lifestyle benefits that will come with that ability.
Employment benefits.
The planet becomes much more accessible to the child with a bilingual education, especially if the language that they speak is spoken in several countries. Take French for example, not only spoken in the mother country of France, but spoken in countries all over the world – Canada, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, French West Indies and several countries in Africa.
Cultural benefits.
There’s plenty of opportunity to enjoy what’s on offer culturally. Your child will enjoy being able to see into the world of the language that they speak. Foreign language books and movies can be enjoyed in their raw and un-subtitled state.
For parents who want their child to learn another language, remember that the earlier they start the better. Children who learn from babyhood will be able to speak the second language without having the ‘foreign’ accent that later learners suffer from.
Once you get going you’ll see how much your child enjoys learning another language. They experience greater self-esteem and will have a highly enjoyable time learning. Young children aren’t hampered by the embarrassment that teenagers of adults feel by getting something wrong. Get going today with your child’s bilingual education.