Bilingualism: Facts or Myths?

Last week was Parents Week at Language Stars - this is my favorite week at the school as I am allowed to go and participate in the class and see first hand the progress the kids are making. My girl felt so special as the whole family was able to attend to her class.

While I was at the school I noticed a small post card that had a lost of myth and facts about learning a second language. I like it so much that decided to share it with you just in case anyone has any doubts about teaching languages to small children. So here you are:

My child will be delayed in his first language if he learns a send language too young.
MYTH: Children are not delayed in overall language development when learning a second language young. Research shows that a child who is exposed early in life to two languages achieves each and every milestone on the same timetable as the other language - and also on the same timetable as a monolingual child.

Children who learn another language young demonstrate better focus and multitasking skills.
FACT: Research shows that when learning multiple languages young, the brain is trained to pay attention to salient information and disregard non essential information, a skill that later supports memory, planning and multitasking skills.

Being Bilingual from an early age significantly alters the brain structure.
FACT: In recent brain research, scientist have discovered that bilingual adults have developed denser gray matter in the brain's left hemisphere, where most language and communication skills are controlled.

Starting a language young will enhance literacy development in the first language.
FACT: Learning a second language young actually improves reading abilities and general literacy in the first language

Mandarin is no harder to learn than Spanish.
FACT: New brains are equipped with the ability to pick up any language equally well. Infants and children learn the language that is used with them in everyday life.

My child has videos and CD's. He does not need a language class.
MYTH: Research shows that personal interaction improves sound acquisition and vocabulary much more than TV or CDs alone.

So here is more evidence that teaching Spanish to your kids is a good idea!


Disclosure: I will receive discounted tuition from Language Stars as compensation for this post. However all facts and opinions expressed in this post are true and my own. Language Stars have not asked me to write about anything in particular, only my true and honest opinion about my experience with their program.  This post have not been edited by a third person.