LINGUISTIC SKILLS AT AN EARLY AGE

According to neuroscience, kids exposed to foreign language at an early age have a superior language learning abilities. Babies start to learn a language even before they are able to speak. From early in life, your infant absorbs huge amounts of information that make him an expert in his native language. A child’s brain, which is rapidly growing and eager to absorb new things, can soak up a new language even without realizing it.

Exposing a child to a second language at an early stage helps them to innate new words and develop a natural pronunciation. Babies whose brains discriminate native sounds well at seven and a half months go on to learn language earlier than babies who show the less mature pattern of distinguishing all sounds equally well.

Children can learn more than one native language if they are exposed to both languages early enough, but their brains appear to represent the languages somewhat separately. Bilingual children reach language milestones at the same age and have the same risk of language impairment as monolingual children, though the details of their language development are somewhat different. So if your household is bilingual, this is not a disadvantage for the child’s language learning.

Children who hear more words while interacting with their parents in the first two years of life, learn language faster than children who learn few words. So talk to your baby and put up a good show of understanding of what he is saying. This helps the child’s language skill to develop more quickly.

Additionally, foreign language learning is much more a cognitive problem solving activity than a linguistic activity, overall. Studies have shown repeatedly that foreign language learning increases criticalthinkingskills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children. Students who are learning a foreign language out-score their non-foreign language learning peers in the verbal and, surprisingly to some, the math sections of standardized tests. This relationship between foreign language study and increased mathematical skill development, particularly in the area of problem solving, points once again to the fact that second language learning is more of a cognitive activity.

Children gain a great sense of accomplishment from learning to say something in a foreign language – it’s like learning to crack a code! Language learning also provides frequent opportunities to perform before an audience. This nurtures pupils’ self-esteem and self confidence and develops strong interpersonal skills.

Therefore, it is absurd to wait until secondary school to begin studying a foreign language. Take advantage of the child’s language skills and train them up at an early age for best results. When it comes to language, there is no substitute for an early start. Complex skills require deep foundations!