In today's globalised economy, the ability to speak a second dialect is more useful than ever before. While some believe that children should only start to learn a foreign vernacular at secondary school, I side with those who feel the learning process should begin the moment children enter the education system.
On the one hand, it could be argued that the study of foreign languages should wait. Those in favour of postponing argue that young school children already have a timetable that is fit to burst and learning how to read, write and count take precedence over second language studies. In short, they feel that the native language should come first. What is more, they also argue that only a small minority of children will ever actually need to use a second language, so it is a waste of time teaching a skill that for many will be redundant later in life.
It is a fact that the earlier a child learns a language, the more proficiently they will eventually be able to speak it. Research has shown that before puberty, children have unique ability to acquire languages by simply being exposed to them, which is a skill that ends in adolescence. Moreover, in my opinion, children who learn at an early stage often lack the fear associated with speaking in a foreign tongue. For example, they don't feel self-conscious when trying to pronounce foreign sounds. However, perhaps my strongest argument for starting early is that learning a foreign language provides children with a range of other cognitive skills. Bilingual children are known to perform better on problem solving tasks and have more creativity than their monolingual counterparts, which are desirable skills for children of any age.
In conclusion, although young children already have full timetables, learning a foreign language has many positive cognitive side effects for a child's overall education. Therefore, on balance, I strongly believe that children should start learning a second language at primary school rather than secondary school.
In
today
's
globalised
economy, the ability to speak a second dialect is more useful than ever
before
. While
some
believe that
children
should
only
start
to learn a
foreign
vernacular at secondary
school
, I side with those who feel the
learning
process should
begin
the moment
children
enter the education system.
On the one hand, it could
be argued
that the study of
foreign
languages
should wait. Those in
favour
of postponing argue that young
school
children
already have a timetable that
is fit
to burst and
learning
how to read, write and count take precedence over second
language
studies. In short, they feel that the native
language
should
come
first
.
What is more
, they
also
argue that
only
a
small
minority of
children
will ever actually need to
use
a second
language
,
so
it is a waste of time teaching a
skill
that for
many
will be redundant later in life.
It is a fact that the earlier a child learns a
language
, the more
proficiently
they will
eventually
be able to speak it. Research has shown that
before
puberty,
children
have unique ability to acquire
languages
by
simply
being exposed
to them, which is a
skill
that ends in adolescence.
Moreover
, in my opinion,
children
who learn at an early stage
often
lack the fear associated with speaking in a
foreign
tongue.
For example
, they don't feel self-conscious when trying to pronounce
foreign
sounds.
However
, perhaps my strongest argument for starting early is that
learning
a
foreign
language
provides
children
with a range of other cognitive
skills
. Bilingual
children
are known
to perform better on problem solving tasks and have more creativity than their monolingual counterparts, which are desirable
skills
for
children
of any age.
In conclusion
, although young
children
already have full timetables,
learning
a
foreign
language
has
many
positive
cognitive side effects for a child's
overall
education.
Therefore
, on balance, I
strongly
believe that
children
should
start
learning
a second
language
at primary
school
rather
than secondary
school
.