Over the last few decades people have been arguing about the right time for children to learn a foreign language. Some individuals believe that children should learn a second language in a primary school, while others argue that pupils should start it in a secondary school.
On the one hand, it may be argued that children can acquire new information better when they are younger and if they start learning a second language at the age of 6-7, they will succeed. However, it is up to the children themselves: it can be hard for some pupils to learn two languages simultaneously, and for others it might be entertaining and easy. For instance, in TV shows, there are children who can speak 5 languages when they are only 5-6 years old. I think they are talented and unique young people. There are some more examples from real life when children find it challenging to learn their mother language, not talking about a foreign language. Furthermore, some adults claim that we should not put a lot of pressure on our children by giving them a lot of tasks and homeworks and children should not spend all their time burying themselves in a book. Instead, children should play outside and spend time with their friends without any worries.
On the other hand, some people think that in secondary school pupils are more attentive and have clear thoughts about particular subjects such as their mother language. Therefore, if they decide to learn a foreign language when they are in secondary school, they will make efforts and do it more consciously and easily. Moreover, statistics show that children who started learning new skills or languages at a young age quit it and forget these skills when they become older. In contrast, when youngsters start learning something new because they really want to learn and have desire, they will succeed in it. For example, my close friend learned to play the piano when she was 5 years old, but after several years she quit because it was too stressful for her. She did not want to learn it, her parents wanted her to play it. I think that the same things may happen if we force our children to learn several languages simultaneously without their passion and interest to do it.
To sum up, I would like to say that everything is up to the child, if they are skilled enough and have interest to learn a foreign language, they can make it easily. However, I do not want our young generation to suffer from overstress at school, so I believe that it is better to start learning a second language in secondary school.
Over the last few decades
people
have been arguing about the right time for
children
to
learn
a
foreign
language
.
Some
individuals believe that
children
should
learn
a second
language
in a primary
school
, while others argue that pupils should
start
it in a
secondary
school.
On the one hand, it may
be argued
that
children
can acquire new information better when they are younger and if they
start
learning
a second
language
at the age of 6-7, they will succeed.
However
, it is up to the
children
themselves: it can be
hard
for
some
pupils to
learn
two
languages
simultaneously
, and for others it might be entertaining and easy.
For instance
, in TV
shows
, there are
children
who can speak 5
languages
when they are
only
5-6 years
old
. I
think
they
are talented
and unique young
people
. There are
some
more examples from real life when
children
find it challenging to
learn
their mother
language
, not talking about a
foreign
language
.
Furthermore
,
some
adults claim that we should not put
a lot of
pressure on our
children
by giving them
a lot of
tasks and
homeworks
and
children
should not spend all their time burying themselves in a book.
Instead
,
children
should play outside and spend time with their friends without any worries.
On the other hand
,
some
people
think
that in
secondary
school
pupils are more attentive and have
clear
thoughts about particular subjects such as their mother
language
.
Therefore
, if they decide to
learn
a
foreign
language
when they are in
secondary
school
, they will
make
efforts and do it more
consciously
and
easily
.
Moreover
, statistics
show
that
children
who
started
learning
new
skills
or
languages
at a young age quit it and forget these
skills
when they become older.
In contrast
, when youngsters
start
learning
something new
because
they
really
want to
learn
and have desire, they will succeed in it.
For example
, my close friend learned to play the piano when she was 5 years
old
,
but
after several years she quit
because
it was too stressful for her. She did not want to
learn
it, her parents wanted her to play it. I
think
that the same things may happen if we force our
children
to
learn
several
languages
simultaneously
without their passion and interest to do it.
To sum up, I would like to say that everything is up to the child, if they
are skilled
enough
and have interest to
learn
a
foreign
language
, they can
make
it
easily
.
However
, I do not want our young generation to suffer from
overstress
at
school
,
so
I believe that it is better to
start
learning
a second
language
in
secondary
school
.