Bilingual Education Necessary Essay

1509 Words4 Pages

Bilingual Education: Why it is Necessary Language is a fundamental component of any interpersonal relationship. What becomes of those that cannot be understood? Disregarding contributions because of language could be discarding the greatest intellectual development of the twenty-first century, and one might never know about it. This demonstrates the importance of knowing multiple languages, whether it is Sign Language, Spanish, French, Dutch, Mayan, or any other medium of communication. Cultures throughout history have crumbled as a result of language barriers, leaving only artifacts and records to tell their story. This has been exhibited in various indigenous civilizations across the globe, such as the Coast Miwok language, which had been …show more content…

However, being bilingual does not make one “smarter” but instead provides the skills necessary to succeed. A study by Ellen Bialystok, a psychologist at York University, exhibits that children who grow up learning two languages have proven to score higher than monolingual students (Freemark). This was not a result of genetics or preparation, but a result of their own mental abilities which happened to be sharpened by the practice of two languages. The key role that language plays in everyday lives allows it to have such a great effect on people. Language is practiced throughout the entire day, no math practice can equate to the amount of language people exercise daily, simply by communication with one another. No other cognitive exercise nears same usage of language on a single day. Bialystok has reasoned that bilingual brains are better at tuning out sound due to refined executive controls. The brain’s constant maneuver between languages has permitted students to focus better in school. The academic aptitude brought forth by bilingualism has made such a great impact it does no longer goes unrecognized, in the state of Washington, the Seal of Biliteracy law recognizes bilingual excellence among graduates in the state (Need). Bilingual education inarguably displays a positive academic impact on students which allows them to excel with refined

Open Document