.
Learning a second language at an early age...
• Has a positive effect on intellectual growth.
• Enriches and enhances a child's mental development.
• Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening.
• Improves a child's understanding of his or her native language.
• Gives a child the ability to communicate with people he or she would otherwise not have had the chance to know.
• Opens the door to other cultures and helps the child understand and appreciate people from other countries.
• Gives the child a head start in language requirements for college.
• Increases job opportunities in many careers in which knowing another language is a real asset.
• Enriches and enhances a child's mental development.
• Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening.
• Improves a child's understanding of his or her native language.
• Gives a child the ability to communicate with people he or she would otherwise not have had the chance to know.
• Opens the door to other cultures and helps the child understand and appreciate people from other countries.
• Gives the child a head start in language requirements for college.
• Increases job opportunities in many careers in which knowing another language is a real asset.
.
Quotes from educators & research findings
(Compiled by Brookfield & Fox Mill Elementary parents)
“Studies have shown repeatedly that foreign language learning increases critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children. Students who are learning a foreign language out-score their non-foreign language learning peers in the verbal and, surprisingly to some, the math sections of standardized tests.” -- Therese Sullivan Caccavale, president of the National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL)
“Foreign language learners have better listening skills and sharper memories than their monolingual peers.” -- Lapkin, et al 1990, Ratte 1968
“Children who are adequately exposed to two languages at an early age experience gains: they are more flexible and creative, and they reach high levels of cognitive development at an earlier age than their monolingual peers.” Hamayan -- ERIC Digests
“Children of color, children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and English Language Learners make the greatest proportionate achievement gains from foreign language study. Early foreign language study is less dependent on previous verbal learning than most other elements of the elementary school curriculum and this allows some students to succeed who have otherwise experienced repeated failure in school.” --Curtain & Dahlberg 2004
“Foreign language study can alter the trajectory for children of average intelligence and narrow the achievement gap.” --Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991
“Foreign language study is an area where children not accustomed to achievement in school are able to excel. The resulting benefit to self-image, self-esteem and satisfaction with school experience are enormous. Evidence from several studies show language students have a significantly higher self-concept than do non-language students.” -- Masciantonio 1977, Saunders, 1998 Andrade, et al. 1989
“Research has shown that through foreign language study, elementary school children receive the opportunity to expand their thinking, to acquire global awareness, to extend their understanding of language as a phenomenon, and to reach an advanced proficiency level in that foreign language. Parents, educators, and policymakers should find these reasons more than enough to prove the benefits of beginning foreign language study in the elementary school.” -- ERIC Digests
“Beginning foreign language instruction early sets the stage for students to develop advanced levels of proficiencies in one or more languages. In addition, younger learners still possess the capacity to develop near native-like pronunciation and intonation in a new language.” -- Martha G. Abbott, Director of Education for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
“Language learning skills transfer from one language learning experience to another. Knowledge of one foreign language facilitates the study of a second foreign language.” -- Curtain & Pesola
“The key to becoming proficient in another language is a long, continuous contact with the language. Until we have a well articulated PK-16 second language ‘buy-in’ from legislators, school boards, administrators, and parents, the U.S. will continue to lag behind other nations, thus prolonging monolingualism.” -– Ken Stewart, 2006 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year
What does research show about the benefits of language learning?
(From American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language – ACTFL)
For in-depth research information on the benefits of foreign language check out ACTFL's three major areas of studies:
•How does language learning support academic achievement?
•How does language learning provide cognitive benefits to students?
•How does language learning affect attitudes and beliefs about language learning and about other cultures?
Additional resources on foreign language benefits
•Duke Gifted Letter (on cognitive benefits)
•The Language Flagship
•“The Language Flagship Presentation on What Business Wants: Language Needs in the 21st Century”
•Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
•National Network on Early Language Learning (NNEL)
•Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA)
•ERIC Digests
•National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSL) – Benefits of Second Language Study (NEA)
•NCSSL – College Board Position Letter
(Compiled by Brookfield & Fox Mill Elementary parents)
“Studies have shown repeatedly that foreign language learning increases critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children. Students who are learning a foreign language out-score their non-foreign language learning peers in the verbal and, surprisingly to some, the math sections of standardized tests.” -- Therese Sullivan Caccavale, president of the National Network for Early Language Learning (NNELL)
“Foreign language learners have better listening skills and sharper memories than their monolingual peers.” -- Lapkin, et al 1990, Ratte 1968
“Children who are adequately exposed to two languages at an early age experience gains: they are more flexible and creative, and they reach high levels of cognitive development at an earlier age than their monolingual peers.” Hamayan -- ERIC Digests
“Children of color, children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and English Language Learners make the greatest proportionate achievement gains from foreign language study. Early foreign language study is less dependent on previous verbal learning than most other elements of the elementary school curriculum and this allows some students to succeed who have otherwise experienced repeated failure in school.” --Curtain & Dahlberg 2004
“Foreign language study can alter the trajectory for children of average intelligence and narrow the achievement gap.” --Garfinkel & Tabor, 1991
“Foreign language study is an area where children not accustomed to achievement in school are able to excel. The resulting benefit to self-image, self-esteem and satisfaction with school experience are enormous. Evidence from several studies show language students have a significantly higher self-concept than do non-language students.” -- Masciantonio 1977, Saunders, 1998 Andrade, et al. 1989
“Research has shown that through foreign language study, elementary school children receive the opportunity to expand their thinking, to acquire global awareness, to extend their understanding of language as a phenomenon, and to reach an advanced proficiency level in that foreign language. Parents, educators, and policymakers should find these reasons more than enough to prove the benefits of beginning foreign language study in the elementary school.” -- ERIC Digests
“Beginning foreign language instruction early sets the stage for students to develop advanced levels of proficiencies in one or more languages. In addition, younger learners still possess the capacity to develop near native-like pronunciation and intonation in a new language.” -- Martha G. Abbott, Director of Education for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
“Language learning skills transfer from one language learning experience to another. Knowledge of one foreign language facilitates the study of a second foreign language.” -- Curtain & Pesola
“The key to becoming proficient in another language is a long, continuous contact with the language. Until we have a well articulated PK-16 second language ‘buy-in’ from legislators, school boards, administrators, and parents, the U.S. will continue to lag behind other nations, thus prolonging monolingualism.” -– Ken Stewart, 2006 ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year
What does research show about the benefits of language learning?
(From American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language – ACTFL)
For in-depth research information on the benefits of foreign language check out ACTFL's three major areas of studies:
•How does language learning support academic achievement?
•How does language learning provide cognitive benefits to students?
•How does language learning affect attitudes and beliefs about language learning and about other cultures?
Additional resources on foreign language benefits
•Duke Gifted Letter (on cognitive benefits)
•The Language Flagship
•“The Language Flagship Presentation on What Business Wants: Language Needs in the 21st Century”
•Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
•National Network on Early Language Learning (NNEL)
•Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA)
•ERIC Digests
•National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSL) – Benefits of Second Language Study (NEA)
•NCSSL – College Board Position Letter
