What Are The Benefits of Learning a Second Language?

Academic Boost

All children are born with the capacity to learn multiple languages (Arreguín, Salinas, et al 2021) . There are so many benefits of learning a second language at an early age. One of these is that bilingual children have an academic advantage! Research shows that children who know more than one language learn faster and easier, have better problem-solving skills and are highly creative. They become efficient “planners”, as well as show increase ability in the areas of concentration, and multitasking.  Studies have shown that when a child learns a second language, they show accelerated progress when learning to read compared with monolingual peers.  They may also have higher test scores in the future.  Research has also shown students who studied a foreign language for a longer period of time tend to do better on the SATs. Moreover, bilingual kids also have a stronger foundation for picking up more languages down the line.

A study published in January 2021 in Scientific Reports showed two cognitive benefits for early bilinguals (those who learned two languages as children). The first was their ability to notice visual changes at a faster rate than those who picked up a second language later in life. The other revealed early bilinguals have more control over their ability to shift their attention from one image to another, which likely is due to practicing "shifting" quickly between two languages.

Empathy

Children who learn a second language tend to display more empathy towards others and are able to connect better with other cultures. They are more receptive to new and different experiences, which makes them more open-minded and accepting of diversity.

Studies on young bilingual children have found these kids tend to better understand others' "perspectives, thoughts, desires, and intentions" in comparison to monolingual children. " Part of this strength has to do with a more robust language system that can more readily detect certain features of communication such as prosody, the rhythm of speech, and tone of voice," says Dr. Boxer. "It is hypothesized that this developmental experience is different from monolingual children and it facilitates a more robust understanding of another's perspective."

World of Opportunities

Speaking and understanding Spanish can open a world of opportunities, including being able to communicate with locals in Spanish-speaking countries, translate for others, and being offered more job opportunities. This can give them a greater edge when they embark on their professional careers as more and more industries are seeking out candidates who speak multiple languages.

Ward off Dementia

These benefits may continue into older age by preventing brain disorders that commonly present themselves in later in life such as Dementia. Bilingual individuals are able to ward off the onset of Dementia and Alzheimer's as much as an extra four years on average compared with those that speak just one language due to the enhancement of their cognitive reserve.

The benefits of bilingualism are countless and researchers are now just scratching the surface regarding these advantages.  Fostering your child’s linguistics abilities will always be a great investment in their future!