In many nations, elementary-aged students are being taught foreign languages. This essay
discusses the reasons why the merits of this phenomenon in terms of more efficiently learning a
new language and being able to pronounce it well, outweigh the drawback of it potentially
interfering with the learning of the first language.
There are numerous pedagogical merits of learning a second language in elementary school. The
main one is that this has been identified as a golden age for learning languages by
neuroscientists. It seems that at this age the brain is hardwired for learning new languages. It has
been reported in the media that children of this age can learn new words three times quicker than
students in high school. In addition, the pronunciation of a new language is easier at this age. The
reason for this is because there is less interference from the native language, due to less exposure
to it.
However, the main drawback of learning a language at this age is that it may interfere with the
learning of the native language of that country. The primary reason is that every hour spent on
learning a second language could be spent on learning the first language. Additionally, the
student may become confused by the difference in grammatical rules of the two languages, and
consequently may struggle to understand the grammar of the native language.
In conclusion, the benefits of learning a new language quickly and with better pronunciation
seem to outweigh the disadvantage of the potential interference with learning the first language.
In
many
nations, elementary-aged students are
being taught
foreign
languages
. This
essay
discusses the reasons why the merits of this phenomenon in terms of more
efficiently
learning
a
new
language
and being able to pronounce it well, outweigh the drawback of it
potentially
interfering
with the
learning
of the
first
language.
There are numerous pedagogical merits of
learning
a second
language
in elementary school. The
main one is that this has
been identified
as a golden
age
for
learning
languages
by
neuroscientists
. It seems that at this
age
the brain
is hardwired
for
learning
new
languages
. It
has
been reported
in the media that children of this
age
can learn
new
words three times quicker than
students
in high school.
In addition
, the pronunciation of a
new
language
is easier at this
age
. The
reason for this is
because
there is less interference from the native
language
, due to less exposure
to
it.
However
, the main drawback of
learning
a
language
at this
age
is that it may interfere with the
learning
of the native
language
of that country. The primary reason is that every hour spent
on
learning
a second
language
could
be spent
on
learning
the
first
language
.
Additionally
, the
student may become confused by the difference in grammatical
rules
of the two
languages
, and
consequently
may struggle to understand the grammar of the native language.
In conclusion
, the benefits of
learning
a
new
language
quickly
and with better pronunciation
seem
to outweigh the disadvantage of the potential interference with
learning
the
first
language
.