Improve Your Child’s Cognitive Skills with a Foreign Language
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Improve Your Child’s Cognitive Skills with a Foreign Language
Learning multiple languages is a great way to boost a child's cognitive skills. According to Berlitz, the international language academy, people who speak more than one language generally score higher in six cognitive areas, including general intelligence, memory, decision-making, focus and attention, mental flexibility, and multi-tasking. This is a major reason why teaching children a second language is so high on many parents' priorities list.
Whether you're monolingual or already teaching your child a second language that you speak, you can teach your child a language you don't speak. By teaching them the basics at home, you will improve their cognitive strength and make it easier for them to improve their mastery of the language at higher academic levels.
Learn Basic Vocabulary Together
When children are learning how to speak, their brain is like a language sponge, picking up every nuance of spoken communication they hear. Teaching them basic words in a foreign language will enable their brain to quickly associate objects with various words.
This gives them a linguistic foundation that will make it easier to think in and learn the language when they begin learning at more advanced levels during later years. It also increases their memory and mental flexibility skills. And not only does it improve your child's cognitive ability, but it improves yours, as well. Studies show that learning a second language as an adult can improve cognition and help prevent Alzheimer's Disease.
Use Online Programs
As online learning has become more commonplace over the past year and many children have adjusted to the learning experience, utilizing internet-based language learning programs can be a great opportunity to teach your child a new language.
With online learning, one option is to learn through apps, such as Gus on the Go, FluentU, and Teach Kids Languages. These apps provide children with a fun and interactive way to learn vocabulary. It's also a great way to keep their minds active while on the go.
In addition, language learning programs such as Little Pim, have language-learning programs designed for infants and toddlers with complete and gradual lesson plans to chart progress. For parents who don't speak the language, this is a great way for them to learn along with their child, as well.
Read Bilingual Children's Books
Once you and your child have a basic understanding of the language, reading bilingual children's books is a great way for children to use their imagination with another language. Hearing stories in the new language enables their brain to visualize and think in that language, which leads to a richer understanding.
Bilingual children's books are also a great way to learn about other cultures. There are many bilingual children's books that tell folktales from a country that speaks the language your child is learning. From Chinese and Spanish to French and Swahili, bilingual children's books are easy to find and open your child's imagination to the world's folktales. You may also have the option of audiobooks, so that children get accustomed to the sounds and tone of their new language. Most audiobook platforms will let you slow down the audio to make it easier for a beginner to understand.
However you decide to teach your child a new language, you can be assured that the benefits are worth the work. Your child's brain will develop with more strength flexibility, and they will have more cultural awareness as they grow up.