Learning a second language can greatly increase your child’s academic success, open doors to career opportunities, and enhance cross-cultural relationships.
Research shows that second language learning provides cognitive benefits, supports academic achievement, and increases positive attitudes towards other cultures.
Foreign Language Learning:
1. Enhances Cognitive Development
Children who learn a second language
- show cognitive advantages over children who do not
- develop increased critical thinking skills and problem solving ability
- are more creative and flexible thinkers
2. Increased Academic Achievement
Second Language Learners
- outperformed their counterparts in both verbal and math sections of standardized tests
- do better in English reading skills
- score higher on the SAT and ACT
- do better in college than monolingual students
- perform better in math, especially in problem solving tasks
3. Creates Positive Attitudes Toward Other Cultures
Multilingual students
- have more positive attitudes toward their target language and culture
- are more culturally competent
- have increased career opportunities
More resources on the Benefits of Second Language Learning
- Duke TIP – Cognitive Benefits of Learning Languages
- Duke TIP – Second Language Learning
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language – What the Research Shows