Top Ten Amazing Benefits of Raising Bilingual Kids
Are bilingual children smarter than those that know only one language? What is the best age to start speaking to a child in more than one language? Should parents be mindful of mixing languages and speaking to children? Let’s find out!
Languages have always been the universal means of communication across the world. As the world is becoming a smaller place with boundaries becoming more and more seamless by the hour, a myriad of languages are available every few miles, with different scripts, dialects, pronunciations and accents. Languages form the basic foundation for communication, cultural understanding and economic opportunities across the world. And the earlier you begin learning a language, the more you can enjoy its benefits and excel in it. Research has shown that children under the age of ten can effortlessly learn multiple languages at one time, whereas as you grow older, the capacity of learning a new language is reduced and it becomes more challenging.
Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6168212/
https://doe.concordia.ca/copal/documents/02_p_lightbown.pdf
Learning a language can be made fun and a successful experience if it is started at a very early age. ‘Earlier the better’, is the mantra! Studies have proven that children exposed to multiple languages at a very young age are far more developed cognitively than the others. Brain development at a young age is far more progressive since the brains are very flexible, so children are far better learners of a new language.
HelloLittleLingos is committed to making the process of learning a language far more fun for the children through interactive play. The printable worksheets are designed in English, French and German and offer an exciting world of learning resources for children to foster language learning through multilingual educational printable worksheets. You can download a free printable and check it out! It is all about ‘play’ and the children learn the basics of the language through bilingual worksheets.
Bilingual children are known to have strong family and cultural bonds, enhanced brainpower, better communication skills and a far better understanding of other cultures. Bilingualism (click here to know more about bilingualism –
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/bilingualism
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/language-and-linguistics/bilingualism)
Bilingualism offers a range of cognitive, social and practical benefits. If you are wondering how this will benefit children, here are the top 10 benefits of raising bilingual children.
- Sharper minds – Bilingualism sharpens the mind and children knowing more than one language demonstrate better memory, enhanced problem-solving skills, and improved multitasking abilities. The brain is constantly switching between languages and this makes the brain sharper and stronger.
- Excellence in Academics – Bilingual children are known to frequently perform better academically than children knowing only one language. This again can be attributed to cognitive skills and enhanced ability to focus and concentrate.
- Stronger Social Network – Children with bilingual capabilities are known to facilitate stronger social bonds as they tend to communicate with new friends in different languages thus widening their social circles.
- Better Appreciation for Different Cultures – When a child learns another language, it opens up many possibilities and opportunities by fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for diverse perspectives and cultures. This makes the child far more tolerant and enriches its views about the world.
- Better Memory and Ability to Focus – Bilingual children are known to be far stronger in their brain power as they have been strengthening their brain by learning more than one language. This helps in speech and sensory perception, leading to improved memory and focus towards a goal.
- More Flexible and Adaptable – Bilingual children are more adaptable and flexible in different situations. They are known to be more comfortable in different cultural situations and interactions, and can navigate with greater ease.
- Better Communication Skills – When a child learns many languages, their communication skills overall become far better. They have better verbal working memory, comprehension skills and enhanced ability to understand the language.
- Better Problem-Solving Skills – Bilingual children have demonstrated better problem-solving skills as they are used to switching between different linguistic structures and concepts.
- Better Career Opportunities – In today’s dynamic times, knowing more than one language is a valuable asset in the job market. This opens the door to many opportunities for better career growth across various professions.
- A Strong Sense of Identity – Bilingualism develops a deep sense of self and cultural identity that allows the child to connect with their heritage. This allows the child to be far more confident in their linguistic and cultural background.
Languages are precious gifts to be handed over from generation to generation and the simpler the foundation is, the stronger it stays. In spite of the busy schedules that parents are caught up with in the present times, they must make efforts to nurture and share the gift of their languages with the future generations. These kinds of bilingual worksheets make life easier, and in most cases, they don’t require too much preparation as well. Learning becomes all about fun and the child looks forward to this activity of ‘play and learn’ time. The association with learning multiple languages is not restricted to reading books. In fact, it becomes far more interesting through interactive printable worksheets that have been designed by experts.
The benefits are manifold. “You can’t make your child speak a language. However you can set the stage so they will want to speak it, and write it too.” Get them started young on learning more than one language!
Source for images:
https://dispurpolyclinichospitals.com/blog/brain-health-tips-improve-memory-cognitive-function