Since the 1990s, studies have shown that the most appropriate time for commencement of learning a foreign language is from earlier classes in schools. It will favor a much longer sequence of instructions for children that will increase the probability for them to achieve real mastery in a language. Hence, teaching a foreign language at school especially an elementary school is best for raising multitasking students who will serve society later.
Teachers will grant the following major benefits to students by teaching them foreign language at schools:
1. Exploring the world with refined communication skills:
A most considerable advantage is that when a student learns a new language in school, it will create a safe environment in which doors are open for him/her to explore the world. He/she can easily adjust to new places and find friends in other parts of the world. As people will become more open to you when you use their mother tongue to communicate with them. For instance, only in London, around about 300 languages are spoken. Similarly in New York, more than 50% of children above the age of 5 speak a language other than English at home.
Even in Pakistan, a 2006 survey claimed more than 60% trilingualism in Punjab; and more than 5 languages are spoken by most the people in other provinces. So you can imagine its importance from the above statistics. It will assist you to find out and observe other cultures of the world and you’ll evaluate your own ways of thinking by enhancing their creativity and creating their own anticipation. If a student wants to immigrate and stay in any other foreign rural or urbane area, he/she needs to use his/her abilities of verbal communication in the native language to adjust to that society.
2. Enhance students’ intellectual development:
It not only boosts mental abilities and creativity but also promotes mental flexibility, supremacy in concept development, and a hodgepodge of cognitive capabilities. It will help students in memorizing and learning. Students can become smarter and great intellectuals with more broad minds in the future. Increased IQ levels will build up exceptional self-confidence in students.
3. Improvement in students’ inclusive performance:
Well, it is observed that students who study foreign languages show exceptional achievement in international standardized tests. Such as in SAT-verbal test scores, ACT test scores, NYS regent exam or other math test scores as CSU ELM test, etc. A general survey made at Pennsylvania State University demonstrates that those students who can think in various languages and can move from one language to another skilfully become exceptional multitaskers.
In an experiment conducted in the Georgia ESFL model program (by teaching Spanish for 30 minutes thrice a week) it was observed that students showed remarkable achievement in MAT test scores after only 6 months of study.
4. Provides more career opportunities:
In this era where barricade of distance is overwhelmed by the advancement of technology, facility of internet, various amenities to travel globally and ease of numerous social applications (Twitter, etc), leading to constant globalization of world’s economy and bringing various cultures and communities into a never-ending and persistent contact with each other.
students who are going to graduate in the future will definitely need great proficiency in communication skills to secure the most competitive careers that can be attained by having a keen insight into other languages and cultures. For instance, surveys in Virginia, Texas, Oregon, Nebraska, and other states of the US have shown that most multinational companies prefer to hire multilingual or at least bilingual employees.
5. Minimizes achievement gap for conventionally undeserved students
Last but not the least, all students have the basic right to access quality education, which will lead them to a successful life. But if you are unable to achieve that due to omnifarious circumstances such as low IQ, or lack of learning skills, economic disadvantages or you are taking English as a second choice, and still you want to make a living but there’s a huge gap between you and your success, then learning a foreign language can reduce it. Because you can still learn a foreign language and culture at school competently despite any of the above-mentioned conditions.
