The ability to communicate in a foreign language is a very advantageous skill, which is believed by few experts to be taught from elementary school instead of secondary school. I am of the opinion that the merits of this idea outweighs the demerits with the following reasons to be discussed in this write up.
Firstly, children have the tendency to learn anything faster than adolescent. This is because they have less distractions physically and emotionally as compared to teenagers in secondary schools, who have pubertal adaptations and self identity issues to deal with. For example, a 5 year old boy is only concerned with playing with toys, consuming his favourite meal and learning what he is being taught rather than being bothered about how he looks or dating a girl. He will likely have more time to concentrate and find his expression in the knowledge of the language being passed across to him.
In addition, a child has more time to perfect his versatility in the new language he is being taught, he will have enough to converse within the school setting and be more excellent before being used in the outside world. For instance, a 4 year old girl, who was born in a small village in Nigeria but has been exposed to English language from her primary school days, she will be any communicator in English the moments were about to exist her last year in secondary school. This may not be so for a student who has had just 5year of learning The English language in secondary school.
However, early acquisition of non-native language may lead to gradual alienation of the native or indigenous communication. This can be as a result of more concentration on foreign language learning. To illustrate, a 3year old boy that spends about 8hours in school daily, 5 times a week, and he is being taught a particular skill more than the other without understanding its consequence. He will likely be better at the initial language. This will be in contrast to a high school student who is already grounded in his native language but now adds a foreign one.
In conclusion, although language learning is a very resourceful skill, at best learnt at a tender age, educators must exercise caution in ensuring it does not replace indigenous language which can lead to cultural abandonment.
The ability to communicate in a foreign
language
is a
very
advantageous
skill
, which
is believed
by few experts to
be taught
from elementary
school
instead
of
secondary
school
. I am of the opinion that the merits of this
idea
outweighs the demerits with the following reasons to
be discussed
in this
write up
.
Firstly
, children have the tendency to learn anything faster than adolescent. This is
because
they have
less
distractions
physically
and
emotionally
as compared to
teenagers
in
secondary
schools
,
who
have pubertal adaptations and self identity issues to deal with.
For example
, a 5
year
old
boy is
only
concerned with playing with toys, consuming his
favourite
meal and
learning
what he is
being taught
rather
than
being bothered
about how he looks or dating a girl. He will likely have more time to concentrate and find his expression in the knowledge of the
language
being passed
across to him.
In addition
, a child has more time to perfect his versatility in the new
language
he is
being taught
, he will have
enough
to converse within the
school
setting and be more excellent
before
being
used
in the outside world.
For instance
, a 4
year
old
girl,
who
was born
in a
small
village in Nigeria
but
has
been exposed
to English
language
from her primary
school
days, she will be any communicator in English the moments were about to exist her last
year
in
secondary
school
. This may not be
so
for a student
who
has had
just
5year
of
learning
The English
language
in
secondary
school.
However
, early acquisition of non-native
language
may lead to gradual alienation of the native or indigenous communication. This can be
as a result
of more concentration on foreign
language
learning
. To illustrate, a
3year
old
boy that spends about 8hours in
school
daily, 5 times a week, and he is
being taught
a particular
skill
more than the other without understanding its consequence. He will likely be better at the initial
language
. This will be
in contrast
to a high
school
student
who
is already grounded in his native
language
but
now
adds
a foreign one.
In conclusion
, although
language
learning
is a
very
resourceful
skill
, at best
learnt at
a tender age, educators
must
exercise caution in ensuring it does not replace indigenous
language
which can lead to cultural abandonment.