Today i have a guest post for you!
Take it away Kathleen ... ...
Learning a Second Language in Early Childhood
Article submitted by Kathleen Thomas on behalf of
Primrose Schools
Due to current economic conditions, the job market is a battlefield. People who have jobs hold on to them for dear life. Fear of lay-offs is commonplace. Businesses are closing their doors because they cannot keep their heads above water. Other major businesses are taking bailout loans hoping they will be able to turn their business around. The future does not look bright for the economy. Extreme competition for jobs appears to have at least a semi-permanent position in the United States for many years to come. It is imperative that the children of today be educationally prepared for what promises to be a ‘battle to the death’ in a dog-eat-dog job market.
Breaking the Language Barriers
Due to current economic conditions, the job market is a battlefield. People who have jobs hold on to them for dear life. Fear of lay-offs is commonplace. Businesses are closing their doors because they cannot keep their heads above water. Other major businesses are taking bailout loans hoping they will be able to turn their business around. The future does not look bright for the economy. Extreme competition for jobs appears to have at least a semi-permanent position in the United States for many years to come. It is imperative that the children of today be educationally prepared for what promises to be a ‘battle to the death’ in a dog-eat-dog job market.
Breaking the Language Barriers
The United States prides itself on diversity. Lady Liberty stood with open arms on Ellis Island to invite people from all lands to come in. With those people came languages from around the world. Although people do not enter the United States through Ellis Island as in the early days, thousands of people have migrated to the country via other avenues. Learning other languages has become necessary in order for people to communicate with each other within the country, including in the workplace.
With more businesses going global, it is important that employees are capable of communicating with various clients from other countries. Some of the top businesses in the United States communicate to foreign businesses. This type of business will continue to grow through the years. Small children can easily learn a second and even a third language. That is the time to start teaching children to become bi-lingual so they easily fit into the workplace of the future.
Countries that frequently do business with the United States include China, Mexico,
Viet Nam and Russia. Bi-lingual people are in high demand in the
current business world. The demand for bi-linguistic people will continue to
grow into the future.
When can a Child Learn Other Languages
The best time for children to learn a second language is while they are still young. Small toddlers can learn a second language while they are learning the primary language. A toddler’s brain is capable of taking on vast amounts of information. That is the time they learn to communicate verbally with others. It is much easier for small children to learn another language than to wait until junior or senior high school.
The fastest way for children to master a second language is to place them in an environment in which only the other language is spoken. The practice is called total immersion. There are daycare environments that offer this type of learning. The only other way for children to learn the language is to live with or spend a great deal of time with people who only speak the other language.
Children benefit greatly from learning a second language. They will be able to communicate with more people now and it is a great way to boost their career long before they have decided what they want to be when they grow up.
When can a Child Learn Other Languages
The best time for children to learn a second language is while they are still young. Small toddlers can learn a second language while they are learning the primary language. A toddler’s brain is capable of taking on vast amounts of information. That is the time they learn to communicate verbally with others. It is much easier for small children to learn another language than to wait until junior or senior high school.
The fastest way for children to master a second language is to place them in an environment in which only the other language is spoken. The practice is called total immersion. There are daycare environments that offer this type of learning. The only other way for children to learn the language is to live with or spend a great deal of time with people who only speak the other language.
Children benefit greatly from learning a second language. They will be able to communicate with more people now and it is a great way to boost their career long before they have decided what they want to be when they grow up.
How many languages can your child speak?
Mine speaks one (English)
Plus 2 more If you include what Dora and Kai lan have taught her. hehe.. ;)
Playing along with Jess over @ Diary if a SAHM.
Point & Shoot with Sunny & Scout
8 comments:
It does seem to be the norm here with many migrants & all. I took Spanish lessons back in college as it was a requirement but barely recall any. We speak Filipino & English.
My kids speak two languages, English and Hebrew. She also does Japanese at daycare. It can be confusing listening to her imaginary play sometimes!
It can be somehow confusing for children if they start learning more than one language at the same time. My daughter is 5 years old and I think that is the right time for her to start learning another language.
My baby is only one year old and can hardly say some words, but I hope that she will speak more than one... :)
I'd love my kids to learn, but we don't really have any way to submerge them in another language, and to be honest, no really need. Which sounds horrible and selfish.
I love languages personally, and am always considering going to night classes to learn some more, but then it seems kind of pointless if I can't talk to anyone!
Great guest post, and thanks for linking up :)
My girls are learning French at school, but I don't think either of them particularly enjoy it. It could be the school's delivery though. If they had a choice, they'd prefer to learn Norwegian (their father's side of the family are Norwegian) or Italian, just because they love the way it sounds.
Its a great concept in theory but I don't think it is practical for many families to access the immersion technique's mentioned here, although I would love for Skye to have the exposure.
Right now Skye only speaks one language - some kind alien jibberish with the exception of being able to say NO very clearly ;)
great post!
Kids are very perceptive of new things to learn while they are little. The best time to learn languages is when we are children!
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