The Vast Benefits of Teaching Your Child a Second (Third or Even Fourth) Language

As parents, especially stay at home parents, there are some pretty amazing things we get the chance to witness. First smile, first steps, first words; things that many other mothers and fathers who work away from the home often miss. Aside from witnessing first hand the natural growth and development of our own children. We also have a great opportunity to play a hands on role in our child's learning. Expanding a child's mind early in life could be one of the most beneficial things you can do for them, and it can start years before they set foot in a classroom.

Introducing children to a second language as early as possible promotes strong brain development, positive social skills and supports the development of effective communication skills. The benefits and possibilities in teaching your child a second language are endless, the drawbacks are none! Here are some of the ways that exposing your child to a second language can help:

*Enhances intellectual development

*Improves overall school performance

*Students of foreign languages tend to score higher on standardized tests, such as the S.A.T's in both verbal and math!

So your baby was just born three months ago? Great time to start! There are plenty of reasons why when it comes to learning a new language, it's the earlier the better.

1)Young children are capable of pronouncing all of the sounds used in every known language. This is something we all loose as we get older.

2)A child's brain is more receptive to learning a new language, making it easier for them to learn at a young age. This is because as you grow your brain "cuts off" any neurological pathways that aren't being used. Learning more at a young age ensures that you will retain more brain activity and function.

A)"Before the age of 8, 80% of your neurological pathways have been formed, so if you take advantage of this explosion that's going on in the brain then obviously you're going to have more brain power." (Dr. Jeannette Vos, an educational trainer, researcher, and co-author of The Learning Revolution)

3)Learning a second language early actually increases the density of grey matter, which is brain tissue that is essential to processing information. Studies show that the younger a new language is learned the more neurologically beneficial it is.

5)The Fact is That: THE MORE YOU LEARN AS A CHILD, THE MORE INTELLIGENT YOU'LL BE AS AN ADULT.

Now that you know all the benefits of teaching your child a new language, here's what you can do if you're not fluent in a second language.

* Expose your child to music and shows in the new language.

* Join a playgroup with another child/family who speaks the language.

* Start learning yourself! Take an evening class, or buy audio learning tapes to listen to while you're in the car.

Still concerned?

Many parents worry that trying to teach or expose a child to a new language at an early age will interfere with his or her ability to master their native tongue. Quite the opposite! Learning a second language, while still learning your first only aids in the process of learning primary language skills!

For futher reading and helpful resources on the subject visit NNELL.org