Why should children start learning a foreign language at 5 or 6?

Answer 1

The earler the better. I have been teaching English overseas for nine years. If a child is not aware that they are learning, they absorb everything. As we get older and we are aware that we have to 'study', the more difficult a language is to acquire. Most people hate studying their native language (or other languages) in middle or high. With one's native language, one is usually fluent in grammar by the age of four, but ask them what a noun or an adjective is and they don't know. I met a seven year old girl in the Philippines who's father is French and mother is Filipino. They own a guest house/restaurant that caters to tourists from around the world. Of the most common tourist languages; English, French, Japanese, German, Korean - she could speak all of them fluently (with limited vocabulary of course), but her grammar and pronunciation were perfect. She could also speak Tagalog (the national language of the Philippines) as well as five other Filipino languages and their sub-dialects. I met a boy in Cambodia about the same age who could speak all of the common tourist languages fluently, as well as Vietnamese, Thai, and Lao. The reason these children could speak so well is because of being exposed to these languages since they were babies. They never 'cross over' in the middle of a conversation or use words from other languages. The 'switch' turns on to a particular language while engaged in a conversation with someone speaking that language. They don't know they are learning, it's just part of natural life for them. I, as an adult have a hard time keeping my languages straight and I might say some Spanish words during a Mandarin conversation. I intend to immerse my children in ten of the most practical and useful languages from birth. The human brain has the natural capacity to keep the languages separate if conditioned properly (especially at an early age). I have tried this with my adult students and they are now learning at a more rapid pace. They have noticed this and asked me why all of a sudden they are picking up English so quickly. I just tell them that they are just breaking through the language barriers. If I tell them I am teaching them through osmosis, then it will lose it's effect. It works like this: We go though the lesson in the usual manner, however, I give a lot of instructions in English and use various classroom terminology as well as 'hidden' words. This naturally blends the conscience learning process with the sub-conscience learning process, giving them rapid development. My brother-in-law speaks fluents Spanish. Not because he started learning young or that he studied Spanish (He had no ambition to study Spanish), but because he worked with Mexicans. He picked up the language naturally through osmosis. He still doesn't consider it, and I don't dare tell him how well he can speak. We just use Spanish as a medium for our conversations nowadays. Anyway, my main point here is that babies learn best because they don't know they are learning, but it can be done with older people as well if they aren't aware. It works kind of like subliminal messgaes. It's kind of like being 'tricked' into learning a language.

Answer 2

There's not a right or wrong age for a child to start learning a foreign language but it is believed that children learn much better if they come into contact with a foreign language before 14 or 15 and the sooner the better.

Answer 3

Because they will learn it real good, at least if the teaching is good. Pronunciation will be much easier to learn at that age.
If they learn two languages from the moment they start speaking it is even better, if the way their brain works can handle it.

My niece is bilingual, brought up with both languages from birth, and takes well to it. One of my cousins has to learn a second language when in primary school, because he lived with his parents in an other country and the only schooling there next to the local language was in English and he got really confused, he could not handle it, he went back to his old school with a real delay in is schooling.
So also check for problems.

Answer 4

The younger you are, the easier it is to learn a language. I have cousins who started learning Spanish when they were 3 or 4. They are now 8 and excellent speakers of both English and Spanish. It helps their minds work better as well. One other bonus--when the child gets to take a foreign language in jr. high or high school, it will probably be easier for them.

Answer 5

It is thought that kids absorb information better if they start learning a foreign language at an early age. Personally, I think that it would only work if their parents teach them or, at least, help them a lot.

Answer 6

Hey there, those full immersion foreign language preschool might be a good idea. I would definitely give it a thought. The thing about language is, you can only learn it fast if you are fully immersed into its culture and constantly practice using the language.

Answer 7

It easier for them to learn in such earlier stage. I got nephew who has to learn 4 languages since age of 5 at school include mandarin and english. He does not have difficulties except one traditional language, which I was surprised.

Answer 8

Children are most intelligent at around the age of 2, when they're sorting out their mother tongue. It's never too early to introduce a second language.
My children were speaking fluent German by the age of 5, and my granddaughter, who is not yet 3 is already capable of translating from her mother tongue (Turkish) into German (language of her country of residence).

Answer 9

The younger they start the easier it will be for them to pick up a second language!!! I work in german immersion preschool and the kids start learning german with the age of 33 month or three... It's amazing how fast they learn...

Answer 10

Learning a new language is easier for young kids than anyone else-their brains find it easier to absorb.