Should Foreign Languages Be Taught In Elementary Schools Essay

Foreign languages are offered in many high schools nationwide in the United States. However, learning a language so late in one’s life does have its downsides. A person might speak with the vocabulary of a small child by the age of sixteen. There are numerous other reasons why languages should be taught early on. Foreign languages should be taught in elementary schools because learning a language provides cognitive benefits, is easy for children in particular, and is useful in the work force.

Learning a foreign language exercises the brain and improves learning ability. According to Mary Lynn Redmond of Wake Forest University, students enrolled in a foreign language class tend to score higher on standardized tests, such as the SAT (“Foreign Language Important in Elementary School”). “Learning languages helps increase listening ability, memory, creativity and critical thinking,” she says. These skills are vital to academic success. Bilingualism could also help keep brains healthy by aiding in the prevention of mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s (“Languages Build Better Brains”).

Another reason for foreign languages to be taught in elementary schools is that for children, the process of learning a language is a bit different than that of older students. Children tend to learn a language more quickly

As only 18 percent of citizens in the United States speak a second language, bilingualism is a distinguishing factor when applying for a job (“Benefits of Being Bilingual”). A multilingual employee may also earn as much as 20 percent more per hour than their monolingual counterparts (“Benefits of Being Bilingual). However, bilingualism is not directly responsible for the pay difference. The reason for these differences in rates is due to the increased ability to think and work efficiently, as well as an increased ability to multitask