The Career Benefits of Multilingual Education

August 15, 2017/in Enrichment, Language Learning, Teaching and Learning /by ruben

There is no greater gift you can give to your child’s future career than a multilingual education. The business world is an international one, and the most successful companies have locations across the globe. Companies are always on the lookout for bilingual new hires and one of the most common complaints of young professionals is that they didn’t learn more languages (or learn more thoroughly) when they were younger. By helping your child learn additional languages when they are very young, you can set them up for higher quality positions for the rest of their lives.

Language and the Young Mind

By the time the public school system starts offering language classes, it’s too little, too late. The human mind learns languages best during the infant and toddler stage, preparing each person for the complex communication required for further learning. Study after study has found that “in the domain of language, infants and young children are superior learners when compared to adults, in spite of adults’ cognitive superiority”. Children from bilingual families, for instance, will always have a deeper, more inherent grasp of both languages than their peers who try to learn a second language. By the time the traditional high school language classes begin, the brain has solidified into it’s one-language way of forming thoughts and picking up the structure of a new language can be incredibly difficult.

Domestic Opportunities

English may be the national language, but it is by no means the only language spoken within the US. Companies are constantly seeking bilingual new hires, who experience a ten to fifteen percent pay increase for the value of their skills. When a staff includes people who speak multiple languages, a company can reach out to every local community, not just the English speaking ones. This means that your child’s linguistic abilities not only grow their own cultural awareness, but can influence any business they are a part of to greater cultural service. Especially in industries that cater to multicultural families, polyglots (people who know more than two languages) are desperately needed to translate and explain policies and opportunities to their non-English-speaking clients.

International Opportunities

The more languages you know, the more countries you can do business in. Whether your child grows up to be a doctor without borders or an international entrepreneur, markets and communities open up before them. Representing a corporation, they can also offer a courtesy few Americans can manage effectively: meeting clients in their own language. In addition, when culture, as well as language, is taught to children at an early age, they gain a deeper and more inherent understanding of how to interact with people from that culture courteously, without any common cross-cultural faux pas occurring.

Interpreters and Translators

Anyone with good manners and a strong grasp of two or more languages will always be welcomed as an interpreter or professional translator. These positions open up whole new realms of travel and import. Interpreters are needed everywhere from ESL classes to the UN, giving your child an amazing range of opportunities based on a single set of skills you can teach them before the age of six.

People who fluently speak multiple languages have an easier time getting a job, traditionally make more money than their monolinguistic counterparts, and can find unique business opportunities all over the world. Many people seek a second language later in life, but by then their brains have already settled into the thought patterns of a single language. By educating your toddler in multiple languages, you are effectively setting them up for a long and successful career, no matter what they choose to be when they grow up.

If you’d like more information on French or Spanish language learning for young children or to enroll your child in the Tessa International School, contact us today! Multilingual and multicultural early education is our passion and we’d love to share it with you and your child!

5 Benefits of Childhood Bilingualism

August 7, 2017/in Enrichment, Language Learning, Teaching and Learning /by ruben

Benjamin Lee Wharf, a Yale linguist, was the first person to explore the possibility that bilingualism shapes the way we act and think. Although parts of his famous language theory, the “Sapir–Whorf hypothesis,”, remain hotly debated, many recent studies have supported his theory that bilingualism does have a distinct effect, particularly early in life. Many studies suggest that learning more than one language has the potential to unlock amazing mental capabilities and benefits as children grow and mature.

Multitasking

Research conducted on 6-year-old test subjects produced some interesting and encouraging results The children were grouped into two even sets: children who were bilingual, and children who were monolingual. Researchers gave the children various tasks designed to test their multitasking abilities. The bilingual children were able to switch their attention between tasks with greater ability and speed. The researchers behind this experiment felt that this type of increased ability stems from the skills and brain development acquired during their language acquisition. They concluded that switching between two separate languages regularly may increase the activity in our brain responsible for multitasking.

Brain Health

Some researchers liken the brain to a “muscle”, growing and changing as we “exercise” it regularly, making it stronger and healthier in the long run. In a 2011 study, researchers found strong evidence to support the theory that bilingualism can support overall brain health and delay cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. Although there is no cure for these diseases, this study suggests that learning multiple languages may increase our “cognitive reserve,” the brain’s ability to use its resources and resist damage. Learning multiple languages is a perfect way for children to “exercise” and grow important areas of the brain.

Social Growth

Communication is extremely important in the modern world for cultural understanding. As children grow and mature, learning how to interact with different types of people is of huge social advantage. Bilingual children possess great potential for social skills, with an increased sense of empathy, both used in their personal relationships and even in their future careers. Language is the glue that holds society together. To possess greater language ability will provide a child with greater social understanding, skill and increased adaptability (not only linguistic, but a general ability to adapt better in multiple settings).

Abstract Reasoning

As we grow, we begin to think deeper and are capable of understanding more abstract thoughts. Our academics become more oriented towards problem-solving designed to test our reasoning skills and creativity. Studies have shown that children who understood two languages at an early age have an advantage at this type of learning later in life. Using multiple languages grows short-term “working-memory”, a brain tool specifically designed for problem-solving and rapid-fire action. Bilingual children often show greater brain “flexibility” when it comes to solving problems and finding original answers.

Better Focus and Attention

Many young children often initially struggle with sitting still and focusing on specific tasks. However, as they grow, their attention span often grows with them, allowing them to increase their focus. Some studies show that bilingual children possess a naturally stronger attention span. Even at younger ages, these children often possess the ability to focus on tasks and better understand what’s being asked of them. This is due to improved “executive control,” a cognitive mechanism responsible for mental decisions and focus. Some researchers feel that better executive control in bilingual children results from their ability to quickly see the difference between the words of different languages. By switching back and forth between two languages at a split-second’s notice, these children naturally grow their focus and attention to detail.

Although many new facts about bilingual development are yet to be discovered, many studies suggest that specific benefits come with learning multiple languages. As adults, we often struggle with learning foreign languages. However, language learning is much easier for children as they have an innate gift to do so and they do not compartmentalize in the way we do – language is language. Gifting your child another language at an early age puts them at great advantage for their future.

For more information on language skills and development, please contact us today.

The Pre School Years and the Importance of Social Emotional Learning

June 12, 2017/in Enrichment, Teaching and Learning /by ruben

When it comes to learning and culture, your child’s brain is a blank slate. Children learn through socialization from other adults and children in their immediate environment and, through repeated exposure to the people of that culture, they begin to understand those norms and beliefs. In a foreign country, your child learns cultural norms from both you, the parents, and their experiences in that country. Children and young students living abroad have the benefit of encountering different cultures, and therefore have a richer view of the world. Parents who want their children to experience a wider view of culture may consider a more international upbringing for their children.

The Context of Socialization

The Age of Pretending

Your child’s personality is shaped through the beliefs and attitudes they experience during socialization throughout their development.

As parents, you can steer your child’s development in one direction or another. For example, your child may be naturally musical. If you provide them with musical training, you may find that they have unique musical abilities that they would never have otherwise discovered.

During preschool, children learn through pretending games. They assume different roles and act out scenarios with their peers, assuming multiple attitudes and perspectives. Even alone, children may act out different roles by themselves. Through pretending, children achieve a deeper understanding of what they’ve learned watching adults and peers.

Social Emotional Learning Counts

All parents want what is best for their child and structured play experiences provide ample developmental benefits. Through structured play, children learn to explore their personalities, understand their culture, and form friendships.

Some children are introverted and less likely than peers to seek out social experiences. For timid children, exposure to regular playtime with peers is particularly important. Introverted children benefit from a nurturing environment with low-key pretending games. Pretend kitchen sets or puppets are great tools for low-key playtime, or even a simple sandbox.

It’s so wonderful as parents to see your young children immerse themselves in play with others and come home excited about the friends they’ve made and the things they’ve learned. Children’s brains develop at an incredibly fast rate, and as a parent, you can witness your child make new discoveries almost daily. Our children remind us of how we first developed our understanding and belief system about ourselves and the world. It’s important to take the time to provide children with diverse experiences so they can have full advantage of this crucial time of education and discovery.

For more details on the importance of social emotional learning in a safe and structured, setting, please contact us today. Your child’s positive development is our primary focus.