Bilingualism and Children
But it’s not only adults who can greatly benefit from fluency in two or more languages – there are tremendous benefits for children as well. One of the most immediate effects of being bilingual is the feeling of confidence and accomplishment that they feel, which can in turn lead to better work in the classroom and higher scores.
Being bilingual also gives them a better, more innate understanding of language, which can help them understand grammar rules and to use it more effectively. In addition, they typically will read earlier and with better fluency than other children.
It’s not just language where children who are bilingual can thrive, either. Children who are bilingual show consistently higher math scores than their monolingual peers because they have developed better abilities when it comes to problem solving[3] and thinking in an abstract manner.
And there are other benefits that go beyond cognition. Those with the ability to speak multiple languages also have the opportunity to be a part of and experience multiple cultures. They typically travel more, and when it comes to the workplace they typically make much higher salaries than their peers.
While those who choose to learn a second language later in life might not be as proficient as those who learned more than one language from birth, the majority of the benefits of being bilingual remain no matter when you learn it.
Take a course – even a course online – and make some new friends who can help tutor you in your new language. If you have younger children, make sure that they’re actively learning with you, as the benefits that they will have will pay off in an even bigger way.
How The Brain Benefits From Being Bilingual?
