Top 5 Benefits of Learning an International Language for School Children

As new age globalization ushers new world order, more and more young children are seeking for higher studies abroad, and travelling across nations, finding new lands, experiencing new cuisines, etc. than ever before. Owing to this reason, parents and teachers of many schools are stressing to students the significance of being open-minded and embrace foreign and exotic cultures and various perspectives to truly become the part of this new age revolution. In a recently held conference, Ms. Poornima Rajpal, a veteran teacher of a recognized senior secondary school in Faridabad emphasized the importance of taking-up a foreign language starting middle school level. Majority of us, take up second language or a foreign language in high school or in college. We read and try to learn few words, just for a heck of it and never take it quite seriously. Sometimes, we take it up only while planning for a vacation, after which our brain dump the information and forgets about it. This shouldn't be the case with foreign language learning.

Children who grow up learning more than one foreign language from a young age remain at an advantageous position than their peers. At a young age, the child’s brain is more flexible, memory and retention is better, so they grasp any language at an impressive rate. In Delhi and NCR region there are many schools that focus on equipping children with foreign languages right from the very early age. One of the recognized nursery schools in Faridabad recently organized a seminar where they educated parents about the benefits of learning international languages. Here are few points that the seminar revealed:  

1.                  Multitasking

Researches and studies have proved that children who are multilingual, are better at multitasking and are more focused than others. In a seminar, Shalini chakraborty, veteran teacher of Senior Secondary School in Faridabad, claims that the kids, who are exposed to multiple languages right at a very young age, become smarter in the process of constantly choosing the right language at the right time.Its helps in the developments of childs brain muscles and cognitive powers.

2.                 Increase Academic Performance

 

 Many teachers of Senior Secondary Schools in Faridabad have witnessed students who study foreign languages performing way better on international tests, such as ACT (American College Test) particularly for English and Mathematics than others. Also, SAT verbal scores improve with time as students study foreign languages. The   test scores in core subjects are also better that other students.

 

3.                 Speak and connect

Isn’t that the primary reason why we all want to learn foreign languages? When you speak to people in the own language it becomes easy for both you and the other person to connect and understand each other. In these times, when students may go outside India to study and explore various lands, knowing foreign languages, you are at a better position to benefit from cross-cultural friendships. At the end of the day, its fun being able to speak to others in their native language and discovering words that don’t even exist in your native tongue. 

4.                 Cross-Cultural Enrichments and Understanding

Every parent in this era wants their children to become cosmopolitan citizens, to develop love for learning and appreciation for various other cultures. Learning foreign languages open doors and gives you admittance  to resources, people, places, cultures and cuisines and things that others cannot access in the same manner.  Learning foreign languages makes young children see the world in different light- understand and appreciate the culture.

5.                  Helps in Prevention of Age-Related Cognitive Decline

Ina study shown by teachers of Nursery Schools in Faridabad in the seminar reflects that people who regularly speak a second language are able to delay Alzheimer’s disease and other type of dementias that are age related. It is revealed, as a hypothesis, that bilinguals or multilinguals develop a cognitive resource, by improving their executive functions of the brain, which helps in delaying the symptoms of such diseases.