Taking Advantage of One’s Early Years: Learning a Second Language

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Being able to fluently speak two languages is a very demanding and competitive skill. The capability to articulate thoughts to people who may not speak the same primary language as you is very profitable not only in the work force, but also in everyday life. Learning a second language also helps to shorten cultural gaps between different countries. With the seemingly increased importance in learning a second language, schools nationwide have implemented learning a foreign language as a requirement, for graduation in High School. However, starting to learn a second language in kindergarten is the most effective and beneficial practice in leading a child on the path to fluently speaking another language. This practice is more effective and beneficial on the grounds that children learn faster and more easily during their first years of life, it produces a higher quality of creative thinking and also cognitive development. From the day a child is first born and is able to open their eyes, they are immersed into the world around them. Most babies will see the smiling expression on its mothers face and be able to mimic the action. This carries on into the toddler stage when kids quickly pick up different actions from various sources. Most children have mastered certain skills like knowing how to use the bathroom on their own, recognizing certain colors, asking direct questions and even relating a simple experience they have had lately, during this stage. Studies support that children aged one to five years old have the ability to learn a high capacity of knowledge. Due to this theory, learning a second language starting in Kindergarten is very effective. If done properly a child would be able to learn a proficient amount of another la... ... middle of paper ... ...as the demand for globalization increases. Works Cited Curtain, Helena, and Carol Ann Dahlberg. Languages and Children: Making the Match: New Languages for Young Learners, Grades K-8. Third ed. New York: Longman, 2004. Print. Graceffo, Antonio. "Children Learning Languages Faster than Adults: The Argument Continues in Vietnam." Foreign Policy Journal. 17 Nov. 2010. Web. 9 Oct. 2010. . Landry, Richard G. The Enhancement of Figural Creativity through Second Language Learning at the Elementary School Level. Foreign Language Annals,. 1st ed. Vol. 7. 1973. Print. Walton, Beth. "More Children Learn More than One Language - USATODAY.com." USATODAY.com. 10 Jan. 2007. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .

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