Learning a foreign language is a new trend followed nowadays. As a result, learning a foreign language at an early age has become a controversial issue in the world community. Some professionals encourage the children nowadays to start learning a foreign language at primary school, while others hold the opposite point of view. As for me, I side with the first one.
There are several advantages to studying a foreign language from the primary level. First and foremost, during this period, children are more flexible and they can grasp any language very fast. So they can easily pick up the right pronunciation and try to copy it. For example, in the past, wealthy families of the Russian Empire could provide their children not only with a good education, but also with learning different languages from childhood. Since birth, the child has mastered at least 3 languages. Thus, the mother spoke to the child in Russian, the father in French, and the nanny in German.
A potential disadvantage of learning multiple languages in primary school is that the child may confuse the foreign dialect and their native tongue. As a result, it may take longer to achieve fluency in their mother tongue. For instance, we sometimes see that children born and brought up outside Kazakhstan have difficulty in conversing in their native language. However, in my opinion, if parents make it a point to speak to their children in their mother tongue, this problem can be resolved. Another disadvantage of adding a new language to the primary school curriculum is that it puts an extra burden on children. Children already have a lot of subjects to learn and a new language can make the schedule even heavier.
In conclusion, educating children to be multilingual from an early age promotes better language skills and a higher intelligence. Parents and teachers just need to ensure that the new language does not become a burden for the kids.
Learning
a
foreign
language
is a
new
trend followed nowadays.
As a result
,
learning
a
foreign
language
at an early age has become a controversial issue in the world community.
Some
professionals encourage the
children
nowadays to
start
learning
a
foreign
language
at
primary
school, while others hold the opposite point of view. As for me, I side with the
first
one.
There are several advantages to studying a
foreign
language
from the
primary
level.
First
and foremost, during this period,
children
are more
flexible and
they can grasp any
language
very
fast
.
So
they can
easily
pick up the right pronunciation and try to copy it.
For example
, in the past, wealthy families of the Russian Empire could provide their
children
not
only
with a
good
education,
but
also
with
learning
different
languages
from childhood. Since birth, the child has mastered at least 3
languages
.
Thus
, the mother spoke to the child in Russian, the father in French, and the nanny in German.
A potential disadvantage of
learning
multiple
languages
in
primary
school is that the child may confuse the
foreign
dialect and their native tongue.
As a result
, it may take longer to achieve fluency in their mother tongue.
For instance
, we
sometimes
see
that
children
born and brought up outside Kazakhstan have difficulty in conversing in their native
language
.
However
, in my opinion, if parents
make
it a point to speak to their
children
in their mother tongue, this problem can
be resolved
. Another disadvantage of adding a
new
language
to the
primary
school curriculum is that it puts an extra burden on
children
.
Children
already have
a lot of
subjects to learn and a
new
language
can
make
the schedule even heavier.
In conclusion
, educating
children
to be multilingual from an early age promotes better
language
skills
and a higher intelligence. Parents and teachers
just
need to ensure that the
new
language
does not become a burden for the kids.