Should all elementary schools be required to teach a foreign language?

Should All Elementary Schools Teach a Foreign Language?

Schools have various subjects and languages as a part of their curriculum, but adding a foreign language can help in improving a child’s personality. Nowadays, it is a trend to learn a foreign language as it looks good on one’s resume. So, is it important to learn a foreign language in your elementary school? That way, kids can get a grip on that language, and it will become easy for them, just like their mother tongue. There are a lot of reasons why schools must add a foreign language to their academic curriculum. Some of these reasons are as follows.

Benefits of learning a new language at an early age:

Boost confidence: Learning a new skill leads to better confidence and gives a sense of achievement.
Better communication skills: Learning a new language leads to better communication as well. A person learns new words and accents and gives more emphasis to the language. This helps them improve their communication skills.
Good skill on the resume: A foreign language adds value to one’s resume. It is good for college admissions and job prospects as well.
Good for the brain: Learning a new language improves our critical thinking by challenging our brain to understand a new language and its symbols. Learning a new language improves brain function and leads to a better academic record.
Travelling: Learning a native language of an area can add value to a vacation as one won’t be struggling with the people in a new city. Learning a foreign language helps one blend in any community and helps in learning about their culture.
Adds a unique factor: Not a lot of people learn a foreign language, and if a kid is proficient in one foreign language, it adds a unique factor to their personality. It can help one become more confident about oneself and improve self-esteem. Teaching kids a foreign language from the beginning adds a unique factor to their personality.
Feeds their curious brains: Learning a new language feeds their curiosity and keeps them busy with something productive. Children are always curious about everything around them, and this habit helps them to get a grip on the new language. Learning a foreign language becomes a game for them as it's challenging and fun all at the same time. It gives them a sense of achievement and this, in turn, boosts their confidence.
They can even learn more than one language: The best thing about kids is that they can learn anything and get interested in things quickly. You can even teach them more than one language at the same time. Kids can grasp new information better than adults.

Final words

Children are like wet clay, and this is why you can mould them in any direction while they are young. Teaching them important skills at this early age is important for their brain development. Teaching kids a foreign language at an early age helps them improve their personality and brain skills.

FAQs

Q. What’s the right age to learn a new language?

Elementary school is the best time to start learning a new language as it is a good age to learn a new skill. It is easier to focus on anything at this age, and that is why elementary school is the right age to start a new language.

Q. Does learning a new language have any effect on personality?