Learning A New Language At An Early Age is Helpful For Children

by Manjusha Nambiar · Published April 8, 2019 · Updated April 20, 2024

Need help with IELTS writing? Get your essays, letters and reports corrected by me.

Sample essay

According to some people, learning a new language at a young age is beneficial for children because it enables them to enhance their communication skills and career prospects. I fully agree with this view. In my opinion, children should be encouraged to learn foreign languages at primary school itself because at this age they can learn faster and acquire proficiency with little effort.

Foreign language skills will only benefit the child and has no adverse impacts on them. A child who is a polyglot can survive in any foreign country. Needless to say, when he grows up he can easily get prestigious jobs in the multinational companies as he is able to interact with his colleagues using multiple languages.

In conclusion, foreign language skills are crucial in this age of globalisation and young children should be motivated to become bilingual or multilingual at an early age because they have better language learning skills than adults.

Do you have an essay on this topic? Submit it below in the comments for a free band score estimate.

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Learning English

The Importance of Learning English at an Early Age

Posted on 28 September 2020

learning a new language at an early age essay

Did you know that 1.5 billion people can speak English? That’s 20% of people in the world and for most of them, it isn’t their first language. Studying English can help increase your chances of getting into a good university or landing a good job in local or overseas multinational company.

We often hear that the earlier you start learning a language, the easier it is to master it. So when exactly is the best age for your child to start learning English?

According to a study by Dr Paul Thompson, a neurology professor at UCLA, the parts of the human brain that specialise in learning new languages grow rapidly from around six years old until early adolescence (11 to 15).

However, it is also shown that children who start learning a language before the age of five often achieve a much higher proficiency throughout their lives. They are also more likely to achieve the level of fluency that native speakers have if they learn the language before their teenage years.

Children have the unique advantage to learn a language at a much faster pace than teenagers or adults. This is why childhood is considered to be the golden age for children to learn a second language.

So what are you waiting for? Start your child’s English learning journey early and watch as they flourish when they grow up with huge potential for success in the future.

Learn how to read, write, listen and speak world-class English today. Sign up now for your Free Placement Test through the link below! Hurry, it’s available for a limited time only!

https://cambridgeforlife.org/landing/primary

By Michelle Yoon

Lang, S. S. (2009, May 12). Learning a second language is good childhood mind medicine, studies find. Cornell University. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2009/05/learning-second-language-good-childhood-mind-medicine

Lyons, D. (2017, July 26). How Many People Speak English, And Where Is It Spoken? Babbel Magazine. https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/how-many-people-speak-english-and-where-is-it-spoken

Thompson, P. M., Giedd, J. N., Woods, R. P., MacDonald, D., Evans, A. C., & Toga, A. W. (2000). Growth patterns in the developing brain detected by using continuum mechanical tensor maps. Nature, 404(6774). https://doi.org/10.1038/35004593

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How to do IELTS

IELTS Essay: Early Language Learning

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 1 Comment

IELTS Essay: Early Language Learning

This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of early language learning from the real IELTS exam.

Be sure to sign up for my full IELTS EBooks here to support my efforts to keep writing these essays for students:

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Some believe that students should begin learning a language very early in school while others think these subjects should be taught later.

Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Many have argued that the earlier students begin learning a language in school the better. Although this can pose challenges for schools, I am in complete agreement with this opinion.

Those against early foreign language courses contend it is not always practical. In many school systems, the cost of such courses can be prohibitive. More specifically, in more remote areas, teachers will often not have the ability to teach another language and it may be difficult to recruit foreign native language speakers. If the schools teach a foreign language anyway, then they will have to rely largely on textbooks and the classes are not likely to be as productive. This reality can create a situation where wealthier school districts receive a disproportionately superior education.

However, even when the conditions are not ideal, there is tremendous value in learning a language early relative to learning it later in life. Studies have shown that languages can be acquired far more easily early in one’s education. As a person gets older, the muscles in the mouth become more fixed making it more difficult to pronounce sounds from another language similar to a native speaker. Their brains are also less flexible and this is clearly evidenced in the considerably slower progress for adults when learning a new language. Attempting to acquire another language younger therefore has greater overall value for any given individual.

In conclusion, the effectiveness of early language acquisition justifies its inclusion in curricula at all schools. This educational reform should be a priority.

1. Many have argued that the earlier students begin learning a language in school the better. 2. Although this can pose challenges for schools, I am in complete agreement with this opinion.

  • Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
  • Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. Those against early foreign language courses contend it is not always practical. 2. In many school systems, the cost of such courses can be prohibitive. 3. More specifically, in more remote areas, teachers will often not have the ability to teach another language and it may be difficult to recruit foreign native language speakers. 4. If the schools teach a foreign language anyway, then they will have to rely largely on textbooks and the classes are not likely to be as productive. 5. This reality can create a situation where wealthier school districts receive a disproportionately superior education.

  • Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
  • Explain your main idea.
  • Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
  • Keep developing it fully.
  • The more detail, the better!

1. However, even when the conditions are not ideal, there is tremendous value in learning a language early relative to learning it later in life. 2. Studies have shown that languages can be acquired far more easily early in one’s education. 3. As a person gets older, the muscles in the mouth become more fixed making it more difficult to pronounce sounds from another language similar to a native speaker. 4. Their brains are also less flexible and this is clearly evidenced in the considerably slower progress for adults when learning a new language. 5. Attempting to acquire another language younger therefore has greater overall value for any given individual.

  • Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
  • Explain your new main idea.
  • Include specific details and examples.
  • Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
  • Keep adding in the result to develop your ideas more.

1. In conclusion, the effectiveness of early language acquisition justifies its inclusion in curricula at all schools. 2. This educational reform should be a priority.

  • Summarise your main ideas.
  • Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many have argued that the earlier students begin learning a language in school the better . Although this can pose challenges for schools, I am in complete agreement with this opinion .

Those against early foreign language courses contend it is not always practical . In many school systems , the cost of such courses can be prohibitive . More specifically , in more remote areas , teachers will often not have the ability to teach another language and it may be difficult to recruit foreign native language speakers . If the schools teach a foreign language anyway, then they will have to rely largely on textbooks and the classes are not likely to be as productive . This reality can create a situation where wealthier school districts receive a disproportionately superior education .

However, even when the conditions are not ideal , there is tremendous value in learning a language early relative to learning it later in life . Studies have shown that languages can be acquired far more easily early in one’s education. As a person gets older , the muscles in the mouth become more fixed making it more difficult to pronounce sounds from another language similar to a native speaker . Their brains are also less flexible and this is clearly evidenced in the considerably slower progress for adults when learning a new language. Attempting to acquire another language younger therefore has greater overall value for any given individual .

In conclusion, the effectiveness of early language acquisition justifies its inclusion in curricula at all schools. This educational reform should be a priority .

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

Many have argued that lots of people think that

the earlier … the better sooner in life is superior

Although but

pose challenges creates problems

I am in complete agreement with this opinion I agree 100%

contend argue

practical works, is possible

school systems the schools in a specific town/district

courses classes

prohibitive prevent you from doing it

More specifically in particular

in more remote areas in the countryside

recruit foreign native language speakers find teachers from other countries

rely largely on textbooks use books too much

productive efficient

reality situation, fact

create a situation lead to the problem

where wealthier school districts in which richer schools

receive a disproportionately superior education have better schools

even when in the case that

conditions situations

not ideal bad

tremendous value in lots of importance in

relative to learning it later in life compared to learning later on

Studies have shown that research indicates that

acquired far more easily learned more efficiently

As a person gets older as you age

muscles parts of the mouth

fixed unable to change

pronounce sounds from articulate, say

similar to a native speaker not that different from a foreigner

less flexible more rigid, fixed

this is clearly evidenced in this is definitely the case

considerably slower progress for not nearly as fast

Attempting trying

acquire get

greater overall value more importance

any given individual a person

effectiveness how well it works

early language acquisition justifies learning a language early in life is reasonable because

inclusion adding it to

curricula what is learned in class

educational reform changes to school

priority important

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

M________________________t t_______________r students begin learning a language in school t______________r . A__________h this can p____________________s for schools, I_______________________________________________n .

Those against early foreign language courses c__________d it is not always p_________l . In many s_____________s , the cost of such c_________s can be p____________e . M_____________y , i_________________________s , teachers will often not have the ability to teach another language and it may be difficult to r____________________________________s . If the schools teach a foreign language anyway, then they will have to r_____________________________ s and the classes are not likely to be as p___________e . This r________y can c_______________________________e w ___________________________________________________________________________________ n .

However, e_________n the c__________s are n__________l , there is t __________________ n learning a language early r_____________o l____________________e . S__________________t languages can be a____________________y early in one’s education. A____________________r , the m______s in the mouth become more f_____d making it more difficult to p_______________________m another language s________________________r . Their brains are also l_____________e and t______________________n the c___________________________r adults when learning a new language. A___________g to a_________e another language younger therefore has g___________________e for a_________________________l .

In conclusion, the e___________________s of e___________________________s its i___________n in c___________a at all schools. This e ____________________ m should be a p___________y .

Pronunciation

ˈmɛni hæv ˈɑːɡjuːd ðæt  ði ˈɜːlɪə … ðə ˈbɛtə ɔːlˈðəʊ  pəʊz ˈʧælɪnʤɪz  aɪ æm ɪn kəmˈpliːt əˈɡriːmənt wɪð ðɪs əˈpɪnjən  kənˈtɛnd  ˈpræktɪkəl  skuːl ˈsɪstəmz  ˈkɔːsɪz  prəˈhɪbɪtɪv  mɔː spəˈsɪfɪkᵊli  ɪn mɔː rɪˈməʊt ˈeərɪəz  rɪˈkruːt ˈfɒrɪn ˈneɪtɪv ˈlæŋɡwɪʤ ˈspiːkəz  rɪˈlaɪ ˈlɑːʤli ɒn ˈtɛkstbʊks  prəˈdʌktɪv  riˈæləti  kriˈeɪt ə ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃᵊn  weə ˈwɛlθɪə skuːl ˈdɪstrɪkts  rɪˈsiːv ə ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːʃnɪtli suːˈpɪəriər ˌɛdjʊˈkeɪʃᵊn  ˈiːvən wɛn  kənˈdɪʃᵊnz  nɒt aɪˈdɪəl  trɪˈmɛndəs ˈvæljuː ɪn  ˈrɛlətɪv tuː ˈlɜːnɪŋ ɪt ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf  ˈstʌdiz hæv ʃəʊn ðæt  əˈkwaɪəd fɑː mɔːr ˈiːzɪli  æz ə ˈpɜːsᵊn ɡɛts ˈəʊldə  ˈmʌslz  fɪkst  prəˈnaʊns saʊndz frɒm  ˈsɪmɪlə tuː ə ˈneɪtɪv ˈspiːkə  lɛs ˈflɛksəbᵊl  ðɪs ɪz ˈklɪəli ˈɛvɪdənst ɪn  kənˈsɪdərəbᵊli ˈsləʊə ˈprəʊɡrəs fɔː  əˈtɛmptɪŋ  əˈkwaɪə  ˈɡreɪtər ˈəʊvərɔːl ˈvæljuː  ˈɛni ˈɡɪvn ˌɪndɪˈvɪʤuəl  ɪˈfɛktɪvnəs  ˈɜːli ˈlæŋɡwɪʤ ˌækwɪˈzɪʃᵊn ˈʤʌstɪfaɪz  ɪnˈkluːʒən  kəˈrɪkjʊlə  ˌɛdjʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl ˌriːˈfɔːm  praɪˈɒrəti 

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities :

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice :

https://resources.unbabel.com/blog/japanese-finnish-or-chinese-the-10-hardest-languages-for-english-speakers-to-learn

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

Talk about a goal that you want to achieve in the future. Include:

What the goal is

When you thought of it

How you will accomplish it

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems, as well as practical problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Foreign Languages (Cambridge 13)

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PTE 70 Score Essay on “Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their future aspect or have some adverse effects.”

Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their future aspect or have some adverse effects. Do you agree or disagree? Give examples from your experience.

Learning is a lifelong process. The human beings keep on learning throughout their lives. However, the childhood is very appropriate age for learning. The language can learn at the initial age. It is very good idea to teach the children language at an early age. It will be very beneficial for their future. I would like to mention the reasons below.

To start with, the positive aspects, the first and foremost are that the initial age is the age of forming habits. The children learn by imitating and the children can learn in the best possible manner. Apart from this, the children have more sharp memory as compared to the grown up people. The children can grasp the material and contents of language more easily in the initial stage. For example, an infant can learn things easily.

Furthermore, the concentration level of children is very good. They can learn language effectively without any distraction. It will help them in expanding the horizon of their knowledge. In the rest of their lives, they will get the benefit of this second language. They will be able to take the advantages of getting extra information in the second learned language as compared to the children who are limited to mere one single language.

To conclude, it is wise to say that the children should learn the second language at their early age. The parents should keep in mind this fact and the advantages.

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learning a new language at an early age essay

CREDIT: SHAW NIELSEN

Speaking more than one language may boost brain function as well as gray and white matter, and possibly preserve the brain as it ages.

Q&A — Psycholinguist Mark Antoniou

How a second language can boost the brain

Being bilingual benefits children as they learn to speak — and adults as they age

By Ramin Skibba 11.29.2018

Support sound science and smart stories Help us make scientific knowledge accessible to all Donate today

Even when you’re fluent in two languages, it can be a challenge to switch back and forth smoothly between them. It’s common to mangle a split verb in Spanish, use the wrong preposition in English, or lose sight of the connection between the beginning and end of a long German sentence. So — does mastering a second language hone our multitasking skills or merely muddle us up?

This debate has been pitting linguists and psychologists against one another since the 1920s, when many experts thought that bilingual children were fated to suffer cognitive impairments later in life. But the science has marched on. In the Annual Review of Linguistics , psycholinguist Mark Antoniou of Western Sydney University in Australia outlines how bilingualism — as he defines it, using at least two languages in your daily life — might benefit our brains, especially as we age . He addresses how best to teach languages to children and lays out evidence that multiple-language use on a regular basis may help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What are the benefits of bilingualism?

I’m interested in the interaction between language-learning and cognition — the mental processes of the brain. The cognitive benefits of bilingualism can begin from experiences very early in childhood and can persist throughout life.

The first main advantage involves what’s loosely referred to as executive function. This describes skills that allow you to control, direct and manage your attention, as well as your ability to plan. It also helps you ignore irrelevant information and focus on what’s important. Because a bilingual person has mastery of two languages, and the languages are activated automatically and subconsciously, the person is constantly managing the interference of the languages so that she or he doesn’t say the wrong word in the wrong language at the wrong time.

The brain areas responsible for that are also used when you’re trying to complete a task while there are distractions. The task could have nothing to do with language; it could be trying to listen to something in a noisy environment or doing some visual task. The muscle memory developed from using two languages also can apply to different skills.

Where are these benefits expressed in the brain?

Executive functions are the most complex brain functions — the most “human” functions that separate us from apes and other animals. They’re often observed in parts of the brain that are the newest, in evolutionary terms: the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for advanced processing; the bilateral supramarginal gyri, which play a role in linking words and meanings; and the anterior cingulate. Studies show that the bilingual experience alters the structure of these areas.

First of all, we see increases in gray matter volume. The brain is made up of cells called neurons, which each have a cell body and little branching connections called dendrites. Gray matter refers to how many cell bodies and dendrites there are. Bilingual experience makes gray matter denser, so you have more cells. This is an indication of a healthier brain.

Results from a study measuring gray-matter volumes in monolingual or bilingual undergraduates. Red areas indicate where gray-matter volumes were greater in one group versus the other. In total, study participants who spoke both English and Spanish had greater gray-matter volume compared to participants who spoke only English.

CREDIT: ADAPTED FROM O.A. OLULADE ET AL / CEREBRAL CORTEX 2016

Bilingualism also affects white matter, a fatty substance that covers axons, which are the main projections coming out from neurons to connect them to other neurons. White matter allows messages to travel fast and efficiently across networks of nerves and to the brain. Bilingualism promotes the integrity of white matter as you age. It gives you more neurons to play with, and it strengthens or maintains the connections between them so that communication can happen optimally.

Can teaching children two languages delay or confuse their understanding?

These myths about bilingualism date back to studies in the US and the UK from the First and Second World Wars. They were seriously flawed studies involving children from war-torn countries: refugees, orphans and, in some cases, even children who were in concentration camps. Their schooling had been disrupted for years. They may have suffered traumas, and then they participated in these studies with tests measuring their verbal language abilities.

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Unsurprisingly, they scored very poorly on these tests. Did the researchers attribute the poor scores to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? They probably didn’t even know what that was. No, instead they attributed it to the children’s bilingualism.

It wasn’t until the 1960s, when a really important study was published by Elizabeth Peal and Wallace Lambert at McGill University in Montreal, that views started to shift. Their findings showed that not only do bilingual children not have a cognitive delay or mental retardation but that their bilingualism actually has some cognitive benefits .

In addition to executive function, bilingual individuals and children show advantages in metalinguistic awareness. This is the ability to think about language as abstract units and associations. A good example is the letter H, which is associated with the sound “he” in English, with “n” as in “nickel” in Russian, and with the vowel sound “e” in Greek. There’s nothing special about H that makes it have to have a “he” sound; a bilingual person understands this more readily than a monolingual person does.

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Studies show that learning a language increases the volume and density of gray matter, the volume of white matter, and brain connectivity. In older language learners, some studies show cognitive benefits beyond languages, such as for working memory. The findings for older learners have been more mixed than for younger language learners, but the research is in earlier stages.

What do the skeptics argue?

The original findings about bilingual advantages to executive function in the 1960s generated a lot of excitement and media interest. Perhaps the advantages were overstated or misinterpreted. Not every bilingual person is going to have a healthier brain than every monolingual person. We’re talking about general, population-level trends.

We see evidence of bilingual advantages in children, but not always. And as we move into young adults, say, in their 20s, it becomes more difficult to detect these advantages. This makes sense in terms of brain maturation: When you’re a child, your brain is still developing, but when you reach young adulthood, your brain is at its peak, so bilingualism doesn’t give you much extra.

Learning languages as a child is different than doing so later in life, right?

It depends. For a long time, it was thought that the only way to really learn a language was to do it early. It was thought that after adolescence, you couldn’t learn a language perfectly. You were always going to be accented. But we now know that that’s not true, because there are many people who learn languages as adults, and they learn them very well. So this has led us to reexamine what it is about learning a language during childhood that makes it different from adulthood.

Is your brain more ready and more flexible — what we call more “plastic” — when you’re a child, and then it becomes more rigid and fixed as an adult? Or is it that the conditions of language-learning are different when you’re a child, in terms of the amount and type of input you receive, how much slack you’re afforded and how much encouragement others give you? An adult who is working two jobs and going to language classes at 7 o’clock at night has a different type of acquisition than a child constantly receiving input from the mother, grandmother, father or other primary caregiver.

Ultimately, the difference between language-learning in children and adults is probably some combination of the two: plasticity and conditions. There are also individual differences. If you put different people in the same situation, some people will flourish and others will struggle.

Does a bilingual brain age differently than a monolingual one?

We know from studies that starting at the age of about 25, your brain starts to decline, in terms of working memory, efficiency, processing speed, those kinds of things. As you age, these declines become steeper. The argument is that as we get into older age, bilingualism puts the brakes on and makes that decline less steep. Evidence from older adults is the strongest kind supporting a bilingual advantage. (The second strongest comes from children.)

When you look at bilingual individuals who have suffered neurodegeneration, their brains look damaged. From their brain scans, you’d think these people should be more forgetful, or that they shouldn’t be coping as well as they are. But that’s not the case. A bilingual brain can compensate for brain deterioration by using alternative brain networks and connections when original pathways have been destroyed. Researchers call this theory “cognitive compensation” and conclude that it occurs because bilingualism promotes the health of both gray and white matter.

As bilingual individuals age, their brains show evidence of preservation in the temporal and parietal cortices. There also is more connectivity between the frontal and posterior parts of the brain compared with monolingual people, enhancing cognitive reserve.

Could learning a language later in life keep Alzheimer’s at bay?

That is a working hypothesis. We’re doing studies where we teach a foreign language to people aged 65 and up with the goal of promoting healthy brain function, even at such a late point in life. What we’re testing is: Can we help people in old age by using language-learning? Does that give you some benefit in terms of a “use it or lose it” approach to brain health?

The initial signs are encouraging. Preliminary data look good. It seems that learning a language in later life results in positive cognitive outcomes.

Because language-learning and use is so complex — arguably the most complex behavior we human beings engage in — it involves many levels. You have speech sounds, syllables, words, grammar, sentences, syntax. There’s so much going on; it really is a workout for a wide brain network. And those areas of the brain overlap with the ones in which aging adult brains show decline or neurological pathological disease. As a result, we argue that learning a second language would be an optimal activity to promote healthy aging.

But not enough studies have been done to settle this once and for all. And we don't know any of the details. How much language experience is needed? Does it matter which languages you learn? Do you need to achieve a certain level of proficiency? We don’t have answers to these questions.

What advice do you have for parents raising bilingual children?

My advice would be to be encouraging and patient. Bilingual children have a tougher task than those learning only a single language. They’re learning two sets of vocabulary and speech sounds. It can be challenging for those of us living in a country with a dominant language to establish a functional purpose for the second language. A child needs to feel that the language is practical and has a use. Grandparents are great for this, and so is living in a community where there are cultural events or schools where children can be immersed in the second language.

Another concern parents bring up is worrying that their child might be mixing the languages. Don’t worry about what we refer to as “code mixing.” It’s a perfectly normal part of bilingual development. They’re not confused. It’s thought to be a sign of bilingual proficiency or competence to mix up the languages.

What other research are you doing in this area?

I’m interested in trying to understand why sometimes we see a bilingual effect, and other times we don’t. In one article, I proposed that maybe the language pairing matters . If you speak two distant languages, like Mandarin Chinese and English, would that result in similar types of brain changes as speaking two closely related languages, like German and English?

Maybe if the languages are closely related, they’re competing more and you have a harder job of separating them, to avoid using the wrong word at the wrong time. Maybe if they’re more distant, then you can’t rely on prior knowledge from learning the first one to learn the second. In that case, you’re starting from scratch with the second language, and that’s more effortful at the initial learning stages. But once you’ve learned the two languages, perhaps there’s less competition.

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7 Benefits of Second-Language Learning at an Early Age

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Suffice it to say that if you have a child under the age of 10, your understanding of the world is fuller than theirs. You’re probably better at many things, like filing taxes or balancing the gentle chaos of work, chores, and family. 

But if you both sit down to learn a new language, guess who’s taking the lead there? Your child—and they’ll be understanding and speaking it faster than you could ever imagine. 

Kids are uniquely primed to pick up language quickly . A recent MIT study , which pulled from a dataset of 670,000 people, found that children actively learning or immersed in a language before the age of 10 have the best chance of achieving proficiency, similar to that of a native speaker. 

It makes sense that language comes easier to early learners. They’re better at implicit learning, which means that if they have the right immersive learning opportunities , they do well by simply listening to a new language and imitating it. 

And for kids who are either fluent or building their proficiency in a second language, the benefits are numerous. From boosting academic achievement to broadening their worldview, here’s how second-language learning can give your child a significant, lifelong advantage. 

1. Boost their problem-solving 

Early second language learners have stronger executive function than their counterparts. This means that they’re often better at planning, focusing, and achieving goals. They’re also better multitaskers and critical thinkers, and some research suggests that bilingualism also provides a significant creativity boost . 

When given a more complex task, you can expect that bilingual children are better able to work through a problem to find a solution—which is a valuable skill to carry through adulthood! 

2. Be a better student 

From learning addition to scoring higher on tests , building skills in a second language can help your child achieve more in the classroom. The critical thinking skills mentioned above allow language learners to dive into the “why” behind concepts in every subject. 

Plus, bilingual students report higher attention spans. Learning a second language can help your child keep their focus, both in and out of the classroom. 

3. Maintain ties with family culture

It’s common for children to grow up bilingual in the US— 33 percent of all US children under the age of nine speak at least two languages. If you’ve raised your child in a bilingual household, then you’re already aware of the rewards of language learning and how it can strengthen your child’s cultural identity. 

Or perhaps you’ve lost the language your family speaks and are looking to learn yourself? Learning a language with your child is an awesome way to bond together and reconnect with longstanding traditions. Children are innately curious about where they come from, and language is the perfect gateway to understanding their personal history and the wider culture around them. 

4. Deepen their sense of empathy 

Your child may adopt a language quickly, but there are still a slew of mistakes they’ll make along the way. No one can speak a language perfectly from the get-go—and that’s okay! Like learning an instrument or perfecting a golf swing, mistakes are a part of the process, and learning a language can show your child how rewarding it is to work through challenges. 

It’s this kind of perspective that can also boost their overall emotional maturity. By understanding the struggle of learning a language, they’ll be able to better empathize with their peers when roadblocks appear. In short, learning a language can help your child build their social skills and be a better friend! 

5. Widen their cultural understanding 

Kids have so much to learn about the world. Language can be an awesome way to pique their interest and provide a cross-curricular learning opportunity! 

Did you know Spanish is the official language of 18 countries? Each of those countries—from Argentina to Venezuela—has a distinct culture of its own. Even Spanish itself varies between regions, both in sound and substance, and regional slang and idioms provide a window into worlds your child may not otherwise encounter. 

No matter what language your child is learning, it’s an easy way to expand their worldview and build a more nuanced understanding of the people they meet. 

6. Make meaningful connections 

If you want your child to learn a language, problem solving skills are a fantastic benefit, but the ultimate goal is for them to feel comfortable having conversations and connecting with the world around them. 

Learning a language allows your child to connect deeper with the idea of knowing and supporting their greater community. A future teammate, a favorite shop owner, a beloved teacher—a second language can help your child build lasting, meaningful connections with more people in their community. If your child is looking for ways to give back to their community, taking the time to learn a second language is a true mark of care and can allow them to unlock doors for others in the future. 

Plus, with newfound connections, they’ll have ample opportunities to practice their new language and learn new vocabulary! 

7. Live a longer, healthier life 

Who knew knowing a second language could lead to better health outcomes? This surprising benefit emerged after a recent study by York University found that bilingualism provides the brain with a great cognitive reserve , delaying the onset of dementia. Other studies have also observed faster and more complete recoveries for bilingual stroke patients. 

Your child won’t reap any immediate benefits from this perk, but they’ll thank you in the long run. In the short term, language can help them form stronger connections with a wider net of people, and making strong friendships can deeply benefit their mental health . 

How to make language learning happen for your child 

Problem-solving, empathy, culture—a second language has so much to offer for your child’s long term growth and success. Now that you’ve seen the benefits, the next step is to determine the best language learning tool for your child. 

Since children are best at implicit learning, immersion is a particularly effective learning strategy. If your child is learning Spanish for the first time, for example, they would benefit from being spoken to and speaking in Spanish at home. 

If fully immersive learning isn’t an option, Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion approach to learning can help them pick up languages quickly and naturally. With audio from native speakers and immediate feedback on their pronunciation, they’ll feel conversation-ready from their very first lesson. Choose from one of 25 languages, and have them start their first lesson today ! 

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Maddie is an education writer at IXL, a sister brand of Rosetta Stone. She's currently learning Dutch (and forever brushing up on her Spanish and French) using the Rosetta Stone app.

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Benefits of learning a second language as a child | Ertheo Education & Sport

Benefits of learning a second language at an early age include increased creativity.

It can be difficult to raise a bilingual child, but the benefits of learning a second language at an early age are certainly worth the struggle.

Bilingual children learn faster and easier, have improved problem solving skills and creativity, and have more career opportunities in adulthood. They also find it easier to connect with other cultures which makes them more open-minded and tolerant of diversity, and they are less likely to experience age-related mental illness as they reach old age. Most importantly, it’s much easier to learn a second language at an early age.

In addition, learning a second language isn’t as difficult as it used to be. Scientists are constantly studying second language acquisition and developing new methodologies to help kids learn faster. And, the rising demand of language programs has created a whole new market of international summer camps with language classes where kids can enjoy their favorite activities and learn a new language at the same time. Check out these international camps:

  • Summer camps in the USA
  • Summer camps in Spain
  • Summer camps in the UK
  • Summer camps in France

If you are looking for a Spanish language program but don’t have the option to travel abroad we can highly recommend the online live Spanish courses offered by Salamanca University or online Spanish courses offered by Malaga University. Another alternative for younger children is the language programs offered by foreignlanguagesforkids.com

The benefits of learning a second language at an early age

  • Learn faster and easier
  • Improve problem solving and creativity
  • Enhance future career opportunities
  • Connect with other cultures and build tolerance
  • Prevent age-related mental illness

Benefits of learning a second language at an early age include better problrem-solving skills..

Learning a second language is easier as a child

One of the main benefits of learning a second language at an early age is that children learn languages faster and easier. They have more time to learn, less to learn, fewer inhibitions, and a brain designed for language learning. In short, teaching your child a second language at an early age saves them from having to learn a second language as an adult.

1. Brain structure facilitates second language-learning

On a biological level, children are like sponges . The brain of a child is designed to absorb new information unconsciously. They do this similarly to the way that we, as adults, unconsciously learn song lyrics, rhythms, and melodies. Dr. Paul Thompson, a neurology professor at UCLA, and his team found that the brain systems specialized in learning new languages grow rapidly from around six years old until puberty. Then these systems basically shut down and stop growing from ages 11 to 15, during puberty. Click HERE to read more about the study.

Languages in the world benefits of learning a second language at an early age graph

2. Baby brains have special skills for second language-learning

Take a look at this TED Talk where Patricia Kuhl explains how babies listen to the sounds around them and “take statistics” on the sounds they need to know. Before the age of 10 – 12, babies can differentiate between all sounds across all languages. Then, according to their exposure to languages, they start to only differentiate between the language sounds which are necessary to create meaning. The Japanese language does not diferentiate between the l and the  r sounds. Japanese babies before 10 months old, can hear the difference between these sounds. Then, between 10 and 12 months old, they lose their capacity to differentiate.

Can babies learn a new language with radio and television? Or do they need real human interaction to absorb a new language? Skip to minute 7:05 to find out.

3. Children have less to learn than adults

Another one of the benefits of learning a second language at an early age is that children think more simply than adults. They use fewer words, simpler sentence structures, and think less abstractly. Children who are learning a second language are not overwhelmed by the task of communicating their abstract thoughts and feelings in their second language because they simply don’t have any. Then, as these children develop into adults, they learn to express themselves in both their native and second languages. Adults, on the other hand, must face the daunting task of translating complex sentence structures and abstract thoughts to be able to fully express themselves in their second languages.

Combine LANGUAGE STUDY + SPORTS

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4. Children have time on their side

Think about the books you read as a child compared to the books you read now. Remember it took years of schooling and required reading to be able to understand the texts you can read now. The same applies to writing, listening, and even speaking. It took at least 15 years of academic study to be able to communicate the way you do in your native language. Time is another one of the benefits of learning a second language at an early age. Children have time on their side. They can start small and simply and work their way up to both higher levels of thought and communication at the same time. Children have a great advantage over adults as second language learners.

Learning a second language prepares children to be expert problem solvers

Children who learn a second language grow up to be expert problem-solvers and creative thinkers. Their brains experience a constant workout from a young age as they try to sort out which language to speak and when. Researchers have found that in addition to enhanced problem-solving skills, bilingual children are better at planning, conentrating, and multi-tasking. And, they score higher on standardized tests. By teaching your child a second language at a young age, you are setting them up for success.

5. Learning a second language means a constant mental workout

Bilinguals are constantly experiencing a mental workout as they sort through more than one language system to communicate. In the 20 th century, researchers and educators discouraged second language learning. A second language was thought to interfere with children’s intellectual and cognitive development. While there is evidence that bilingual children do experience this interference of language systems, it turns out that the internal conflict that bilingual children experience prepares them to be expert problem solvers. Click here to read the full article.

6. Learning a second language means improved executive function

Collective evidence from various studies demonstrates that learning a second language improves the brain’s executive function . This means, bilingual children are better at:

  • Problem solving
  • Concentration
  • Multitasking

An interesting study

In 2004, psychologists Ellen Bialystok and Michelle Martin-Rhee tested the problem-solving abilities of bilingual and monolingual preschoolers. All children were asked to sort blue circles and red squares on a computer screen in two digital bins – one marked with a blue square and the other with a red circle.

Bilingual testing - learning a second language

First, they were asked to sort the shapes by color putting the blue shapes in the blue bin and the red shapes in the red bin. Both children performed well.

Then, the preschoolers were asked to sort by shape placing the blue circles in the red circle bin and the red squares in the blue circle bin. This task required more concentration as the children had to place the shapes in a bin with a conflicting color. Bilingual children performed this task quicker.

7. Learning a second language leads to improved test scores

Another one of the many benefits of learning a second language at an early age is improved test scores. Students who study foreign languages perform better on standardized tests such as the American College Test (ACT) and the SAT verbal sections. In fact, students test scores improve with the length of time they have spent learning a second language.

Check out these soccer camps complete with Spanish classes!

learning a new language at an early age essay

To read more research regarding the effect of learning a second language on academic performance, click HERE .

8. Learning a second language fosters creative thinking

A boost in creatively is another one of the  benefits of learning a second language at an early age. Various studies have proven it.

Learning a second language fosters creative thinking

One of the most used creativity tests is called the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) created by Ellis Paul Torrance in 1962. These tests are designed to measure “divergent thinking” or thinking outside the norm, thinking creatively. Theymeasure participants’ divergent thinking in four areas: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration.

Bilingual children score higher on the TTCT.

Take a look at some examples of TTCT test problems in the figure below:

Creativity testing examples

Benefits of learning a second language at an early age include higher creativity scores.

9. Learning a second language develops divergent thinking

Bilingual children learn to see the world through different lenses. Therefore, they have different points of view at their disposal to be able to think creatively. Let me explain what I mean by “different lenses.” Every new language we learn presents us with new obstacles in terms of conveying meaning. For example, Turkish and Russian have no equivalents for the English verbs “to have” or “to be” – two of the most common English verbs. As bilingual minds work out ways to bypass these barriers, they engage in intensive divergent thinking – the same divergent thinking that stimulates creativity.

Check out these golf camps complete with Spanish classes!

Interesting fact

As technology advances in today’s world, machines are mastering more and more intricate tasks such as translating texts or diagnosing illnesses. According to The Economist , 47% of jobs in America are vulnerable to automation. In poorer countries such as India and Ethopia, those numbers are even higher.

Can you guess why more jobs in poorer countries are vulnerable to automation?

Rich countries have more jobs that are hard for machines to perform. The jobs that require original ideas (like advertising) or complex social interactions (like arguing a case in court) will be left to humans.

In times like these, CREATIVITY is more important than ever.

learning a new language at an early age essay

Learning a second language prepares children for the workforce

10. learning a second language leads to more job opportunities.

learning a new language at an early age essay

This claim applies to jobs beyond translation and interpretation. Companies need employees who can communicate across borders and internationalize their specific products or services. This means that companies are often looking for employees that are able to translate into one or more languages and specialize in a specific field. Bilingual individuals with experience or expertise in legal, medical, technical, or scientific fields can find high paying jobs translating or interpreting.

This is great news for bilingual children who either grow up in a bilingual household or have significant exposure to two or more languages at a young age. Since children learn languages much faster than adults, they can learn a second language while they’re young and then spend their time at university specializing in a specific field that they find interesting. Then, these bilingual specialists can charge a lot of money to translate texts related to their expertise.

Whether these children grow up to become translators or interpreters in a specific field or find a job in the field while marketing themselves as bilingual, their salaries will be much greater than the salaries of their monolingual coworkers.

Learning a second language means connecting with more cultures

11. bilingual children experience more opportunities for travel as they mature.

One of the most exciting benefits of learning a second language at an early age is being able to communicate with more people from different cultures. Children who learn a second language will have incredible opportunities to travel around the world and get to know other cultures.

English has become the world’s lingua franca which means English is the common language that people use to communicate when they don’t share a native language. These days, many young people all around the world have a pretty good understanding of English. That being said, children who speak English natively are extremely lucky. As they grow and mature, they’ll be able to travel to many places and communicate with many people from all around the world building tolerance and appreciation for cultural differences.

The image below presents the top 10 countries with the highest proficiency of English as a second language.

learning a new language at an early age essay

Nevertheless, many beautiful countries rich in culture and tradition are a bit behind on the proficiency index. And, even the most proficient countries might only be proficient in bigger metropolitan cities where tourism drives the economy. It’s much easier to explore quaint little towns, to participate in authentic cultural rituals and ceremonies, and to really connect with people from other cultures when you speak their language.

Check out the images below to see the English language proficiency of countries all around the world.

learning a new language at an early age essay

Luckily, native English speakers can choose their second language

Native English speakers also have a second advantage. While speakers of other languages are basically required to learn English as there second language, native English speakers have more freedom to choose which language to study as their second language.

For children, what language they learn is really up to their parents. Parents whose native language is not English often teach their children their own native language. By doing so, it’s easier to be involved in the child’s learning process; these parents don’t need to hire native speakers to come speak to their children, for example. Furthermore, their children can more easily connect to their own heritage.

But for young children who come from monolingual English speaking families, parents often must decide what language they would like their child to learn from a long list of possibilities. Will they learn Spanish? Mandarin? Portuguese? Arabic? Some languages are more popular around the world than others and are therefore more useful.

The image below illustrates the most popular languages in each continent around the world.

Benefits of learning a second language at an early age include ability to communicate across cultures.

12. Learning a second language prevents future age-related illnesses

Many studies have hypothesized that people who speak a second language regularly may be able to delay Alzheimer’s disease by 4.5 years.

New research published in the journal  Neuropsychologia reveals that bilingualism makes changes in brain structure that are linked with resilience against Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment.

Researchers reason that this is due to the constant workout that a bilingual brain experiences as they constantly filter through information in two languages.

Click here to read to full article.

What have we learned? - 12 key points

There are 5 main benefits of learning a second language at an early age.

This is why:

  • Our brains are designed to learn languages before we reach puberty. It’s a good idea to start learning as early as possible.
  • Babies can differentiate all the sounds of language before 10 -12 months then they start to lose this capacity according to the sounds they find useful (their own language). Therefore, it’s good to expose babies to many different languages so they retain this ability.
  • Children think more simply and therefore have less to learn. They don’t get overwhelmed while attempting to communicate complex thoughts like adults do.
  • Children have much more time to dedicate to language learning. Learning is their full-time job.
  • Bilingual brains experience a non-stop, full mental workout.
  • This brain exercise leads to improved planning, problem-solving, concentrating, and multitasking.
  • This brain exercise also contributes to divergent thinking – out of the box thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Bilingual children are more creative.
  • Learning a second language leads to improved test scores during childhood and adolescence.
  • As children get older, their bilingualism can help them get jobs and earn higher wages.
  • They’ll also have more opportunities to travel, connect to their heritage or get to know other cultures.
  • Finally, as they approach old age, their bilingualism will have the capacity to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by 4.5 years.

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PTE EXAM PREPARATION

PTE Academic Exam Practice Material

Essay – Learning A New Language At An Early Age Is Helpful For Children

Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their future aspect or have some adverse effects. Agree or disagree? Advantages or disadvantages?

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. You should write 200-300 words.

Learning A New Language At An Early Age Is Helpful For Children

Learning A New Language At An Early Age Is Helpful For Children

Many people think that learning a new language at the early stage of life is very much helpful for the child to gain vast knowledge. While there are also some people who think that this new language creates an adverse effect on child’s thinking. Before reaching any conclusion, first, we will discuss the positive and negative effects of learning a new language at the early stage with examples.

Multiple languages are the symbol of friendship and peace and when a person communicates with the citizen of another country in their language, then the level of respect and honor increases. Understanding multiple languages are always beneficial for those who normally loves to travel different countries. Learning new languages at an early age is very beneficial because as they grow up, they may be required to converse in multiple languages for business purposes.

Children are not capable of understanding complex structure along with the grammar of the new language. At the early stage, children learn native language easily because of the entire suitable environment. For instance, parents enroll their children in English medium school for better education but children easily talk in native language while playing with neighbors. This is only because children feel comfortable when speaking in the native language. Secondly, if we force children to learn a new language at the early stage when they feel pressure and lose interest in that subject.

In conclusion, learning new a language is beneficial which will help them to interact with another part of their country or world but children must be guided well to avoid nefarious parts of other society which may come with the new language.

learning a new language at an early age essay

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27 March: PTE Essay Topic – Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their future or has some adverse effects?

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  • Updated on  
  • Mar 27, 2023

Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their future or has some adverse effects?

Q- Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their future or has some adverse effects? Do you agree or disagree? Give examples from your experience.

Ans- Learning a new language is becoming increasingly popular, and parents are enrolling their children in foreign language courses at an early age. While some believe that this has a positive impact on children’s future prospects, others disagree. This essay will examine both perspectives and provide examples from my experience.

Those who believe that learning a new language at an early age has a positive impact on children’s future prospects argue that it can improve cognitive abilities. According to research, children who learn a second language have better memory, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills. This can be attributed to the fact that the process of learning a new language requires memorization, analytical skills, and the ability to make connections between words and concepts. For instance, I grew up in a multilingual environment where I was exposed to three different languages. This exposure helped me develop my cognitive abilities, and I was able to excel in academics and extracurricular activities.

On the other hand, some believe that learning a new language at an early age may have adverse effects on children’s social and emotional development. Learning a new language requires a considerable amount of effort, and it can be overwhelming for some children. This can lead to stress and anxiety, which can affect their emotional well-being. For example, I had a friend who was enrolled in a foreign language course at an early age. She found it challenging to keep up with the course material and struggled with anxiety and stress, which affected her social and emotional development.

Despite the potential challenges, I strongly agree that learning a new language at an early age has a positive impact on children’s future prospects. In today’s globalized world, being multilingual is an asset, and it can open doors to new opportunities. For instance, I have had several job opportunities where knowing a second language was a requirement. My ability to speak multiple languages helped me secure these job opportunities and expand my career prospects.

In conclusion, learning a new language at an early age has both positive and negative impacts on children’s future prospects. Despite the difficulty that some children may face, the advantages in terms of cognitive development and career opportunities make it a valuable investment. In order to improve their children’s language skills and prospects for the future, it is advised that parents think about enrolling them in foreign language classes.

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Brilliant benefits of learning a second language as a child

Child laughing with educator at Flinders Street


It’s never too soon to learn a second language!

Learning about language and communication begins at birth. In fact, by the age of one, children have learnt all the sounds that make up their native language.

Being exposed to another language from an early age helps children form a connection to their world.

It’s lucky that we live in such a beautiful, multicultural country. People from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds have made Australia home and contributed to making it such a great place to live.

One question we are often asked is, will learning a second language too early hurt the development of my child’s first language?

You’ll be happy to hear that learning a second language actually helps in the development of a child’s first language!

Benefits For a Child Learning a Second Language

  • Improving English Literacy : When children learn another language, they use different ‘systems’ within the brain. As they begin to understand what other words mean, they compare and contrast the systems and structure of the new language they are learning with English. This will ultimately provide the child insight into how English works, enhancing their ability to read and write.
  • Improving Cognitive Concentration : As children begin to learn another language, their brain will strengthen their memory for sequences and structure. This builds more robust pathways to concentrate and build connections for information retention and recall.
  • Understanding & Respecting Different Cultures : Children will develop a deeper understanding and respect for different cultures and traditions by learning another language. These valuable life skills will create a more profound sense of character and social awareness in your child, shaping them into becoming global and multicultural citizens of the future!

What are the advantages of learning a second language?  

When we’re asked why a child should learn a second language, we explain that a significant advantage for many families in learning a language connected to their history, is that it deepens their connection to one another, their extended family, and their heritage. 

Bilingual children are able to more confidently communicate with family members who might not be fluent in English. It also means that children can hear stories about family history and heritage from an early age. Hearing these stories first-hand plays an important part in a child’s development and understanding of self-identity. 

Why children should start learning a second language before primary school

Some parents have raised concerns that learning a second language at a young age is too much. They’re asking if children can even distinguish between two languages when they haven’t mastered their first language yet. 

While learning to communicate, bilingual children can sometimes start a sentence in one language and finish it in another. This is not anything families should worry about as the child grows out of this as their communication skills develop. Children exposed to more than one language from birth become fluent speakers of all their languages.

The benefits of learning a second language are endless, and there are things you can do at home which help support this skill. 

How to help your child absorb their second language at home

Do it together

If you are not already a native speaker of the language your child is learning, why not commit to learning it along with them? You can practice together.

Make it fun at home

Use the second language your child is learning to play games, read books, cook food and other experiences that really immerse you both in the culture and learn about the language in action. 

Get out and about

There are a lot of places that you can go together where you can both practice your child’s second language. Take a walk together and see how many things outside you can name. 

Meet up with others who are learning the same language

If you aren’t fluent in your child’s second language, talk to friends and family who are. Even if you are fluent, it’s a tremendous confidence-building experience for your child to speak their new language in front of others and be exposed to others speaking it. 

Sing out loud

Just like singing is a great way to help your child become a reader from birth, it’s also a brilliant way to help your child learn a second language. Singing is a fun way to learn and remember words and sentence structure in a second (and first!) language – so there is no downside to belting out a nursery rhyme or two together!

ELLA at Guardian

Guardian Centres introduce children to new languages through Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA). ELLA is a government-supported initiative that we teach in our Kindergarten and Preschool programs . By taking part in the program, children learn about the diversity of cultures, and encourage families to share their home languages.

Our specialist ELLA champions support the program’s implementation at Centres where ELLA is delivered.

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Learning A New Language At An Early Age Is Helpful For Children IELTS Writing Task 2 consists of three sample answers provided below. The task requires the candidates to provide a tentative and argumentative answer for the question. The sample answers comprises two parts: Introduction and body. The introduction is a brief description about the topic. The body contains argumentative statements and tentative answers to support the test-taker's perspective. IELTS writing task 2 evaluates candidates based on the knowledge and views they have expressed. The areas that candidates are assessed on are grammar, vocabulary, and style. IELTS writing score is marked based on band scores. The band scores range from 0 to 9. Since the topics are very diverse, candidates must go through IELTS Writing practice papers to become familiar with a lot of topics.

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Topic: Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their career prospects or does it have some adverse effects? Agree or disagree

Band 6.5 IELTS Essay

Studying a foreign language might help you communicate with individuals from other countries in today's globalized society. It is beyond dispute that one needs to be bilingual or multilingual in order to succeed in today's fiercely competitive world. While some observers contend that primary schools are the ideal setting for learning a second language. Others contend that kids shouldn't be made to take classes. The inevitable causes will be examined in the following paragraphs, which will then result in a logical conclusion.

Starting young and learning a foreign language has several benefits. First of all, a child's brain develops more quickly when they study a foreign language. According to a United Nations research, for instance, learning a language other than the local tongue stimulates different sections of the brain. And makes a child smarter over time. Second, by learning a foreign language, a youngster can more easily interact with individuals from Alien Land and gain insight into their way of life. Thirdly, having knowledge of another language will enable a youngster to communicate more clearly. Because they have a bigger vocabulary than those who start learning later in life.

On the other hand, there are drawbacks to placing too much pressure on kindergarten students to acquire a foreign language. It indirectly increases primary school children' workload, which prevents them from truly comprehending crucial subjects like science and mathematics. Additionally, youngsters who are learning multiple languages concurrently may become confused, which could harm the development of their personalities. For instance, it's been suggested that bilingual children learn to speak more slowly than monolingual youngsters.

In conclusion, it appears that there are more advantages to learning a foreign language at a young age than disadvantages. These findings demonstrate that concise language can stimulate economic growth. In a nutshell, there is a direct link between learning a new language and looking into the future. Thus, it is advantageous for students' lives for schools to teach several languages. A multilingual individual, in my opinion, undoubtedly contributes to the prosperity and growth of society.

Band 7.5 IELTS Essay

Many people believe that introducing a youngster to a new language at a young age will greatly aid in the child's acquisition of huge knowledge. However, other people believe that this new language has a negative impact on children's ability to think. We will first analyze, using examples, the advantages and disadvantages of learning a foreign language early on before coming to any conclusions.

A person talks with a citizen of another nation in their language, which improves the level of respect and dignity. Because speaking multiple languages is a symbol of friendship and peace. For individuals who frequently like visiting new places, being multilingual is usually useful. Early language acquisition is crucial because as people get older, they may need to communicate in several different languages for work-related reasons.

Additionally, firms give extra remuneration to workers who speak additional languages. The people in India who work in the communication industry. Such as BPO, all speak their mother tongue, but knowing another language gives them an edge in finding employment more quickly and with higher compensation. This type of illustration makes it clear that picking up additional languages as a child can have positive effects on one's financial situation in the future.

Children are not able to comprehend complicated syntax and structure in a new language. Because of the ideal atmosphere, young children easily pick up their native tongue. For better education, parents might enroll their kids in an English-medium school. But when the kids are playing with their neighbors. They can easily speak in their native tongue. Children only speak in their own tongue because they feel at ease doing so. Second, if we push kids to learn a language at a young age, they'll feel pressured and lose interest in it.

In conclusion, learning a new language is advantageous. Since it will enable individuals to communicate with people from various regions of the country or the world. But young people must be properly instructed in order to steer clear of any potentially harmful aspects of foreign cultures.

Band 9 IELTS Essay

Some believe that teaching children a new language at an early age can help them develop their communication skills and job opportunities. This viewpoint has my complete support. Since they can learn more quickly and easily at this age. I believe that primary school students should be encouraged to take foreign language classes.

In today's globalized society, being bilingual or multilingual is highly prized, and kids are better at learning new languages than adults are. A three-year-old, for instance, can acquire several languages just by interacting with speakers of those languages. In contrast, an adult in a comparable circumstance must put up a great deal of effort to even acquire working knowledge of other languages. This is because young children are better suited than adults to acquire new languages. Thus it is important to start teaching them a second or third language as soon as possible.

When kids begin their early education, their minds are still open and they can learn more. Now is the perfect moment to start learning a new language so that you can become fluent quickly. Additionally, they don't just pick up a language at random. Parents, teachers, and anyone with a cultural perspective that believes children should learn earlier in life rather than later make the decision.

Learning a foreign language is entirely beneficial for the child and has no negative effects on them. A child who speaks multiple languages can endure anywhere. It goes without saying that because he can communicate with his coworkers in a variety of languages. He will have no trouble landing lucrative jobs in multinational corporations when he is older.

In light of the importance of foreign language proficiency in the current era of globalization. Young children should be encouraged to develop bilingual or multilingual skills at a young age because they are more adept at language acquisition than adults.

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Learning a New Language Essay

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Introduction

Reasons for learning a new language, problems of language barrier, benefits of understanding a foreign language, methods of learning the new language, reference list.

Moving out to a new geographical area can be very exciting because it provides one with an opportunity to experience new cultures, but on the other hand, it can be difficult to cope with the new environment, especially when the language of that region is not familiar to you. This paper explains the possible challenges and the steps to follow while learning the new language.

When one relocates to a new region, either for business or other reasons, it is important to learn the language of the local people because they are the ones who can be consulted when one needs to know something like directions. Besides, if you have moved into the new location for business purposes, it would be better if you spoke to the local people in their language because that way you will understand each other. This is because there are very few people who understand international languages like English and French. Hence even if you speak the international language in your office, you need to learn how to speak the local language because you need to learn how to converse in the local language because it will ease communication. Again before one learns a new language, he/she needs to identify if there are other languages in that location and identify the one that is commonly spoken (Yule, 2010).

Moreover, it will be easier for the locals to accept you when you speak in their language. McNeil (2004) explains that some communities tend to be hostile towards people who don’t speak their language. Hence if you are establishing a business in a new location, some people may not buy your goods and services because you cannot communicate effectively. For instance, it might be difficult for an individual from Japan to converse with people from another country, such as South Africa. Because of differences in cultures, it is difficult to understand the correct words used in conversation; a person might have some idea about the language, but putting words together can be difficult.

Learning the new language is not only healthy for your business but also for your safety because you need to know what people are reacting to situations, and unless you understand the local language, you won’t be updated on the local events. For instance, my friend Joel was in Rwanda before the genocide took place, and prior to the killings, he was given a hint by one of the local people and later on flew out of the country. If he did not interact with the locals, he would have been caught up in the mayhem because no one would have bothered to brief him.

In this regard, when you first set your feet in the new location, you need to identify people among that community who can help you to learn their language. In addition to that, you need to mingle with the local people and listen to their conversations and see what you can grasp. Bower (2006) explains that the time taken to understand the new language depends on your eagerness and commitment. You need to repeat the common phrases when you are alone and ask for their meanings later on. Repeat as many times as possible and ensure your spellings are correct. The spellings can be confirmed by consulting the native speakers of the new language. Consulting anyone who comes across can be misleading because some of them are not pure speakers. This is also another challenge when trying to grasp important points.

Listening to conversations

When learning a new language, it is important to choose whether you want to know how to write or speak in that particular language, but most people prefer to learn how to speak in the new language. The first thing about learning a new language is to get the pronunciations right. You need to listen to the local people carefully while they are conversing in order to get the exact pronunciation. You can then repeat the pronunciations when you are alone as many times as possible. This is because, initially, it may not be easy for your pronunciation to resemble those of local people, but it improves when you do it frequently. You can repeat the pronunciations in the presence of a local speaker who can help you to identify where you are making a mistake.

Pronunciations

Pronunciation is vital because if you don’t preannounce words correctly, you may not communicate effectively since a given word may have several meanings that are differentiated by the pronunciation. Pronunciation is a great challenge as well because different words might sound similar but with different meanings. The first thing to learn in every language is greetings and names of places. Don’t learn many words in a day because you will be overwhelmed; instead, learn a few words in a day because it would be useless to learn many words that you can’t even remember. You can watch television programs that are in your new language or even listen to radio stations that speak in your new language. You can as well make arrangements with a local speaker to coach you on pronunciations, be it Spanish or any other language, and in fact, this is the best method because you can ask him to speak one word at a time and he/she can adjust the speed when you feel it’s necessary (Bower, 2008).

According to Kalat (2008,) when pronouncing words, you may not have the local accent if you are an adult, but children are easily adapted to a new language faster than adults because they know how to impersonate sounds better. Age is another barrier to learning a new language. So don’t be surprised when your children learn a new language faster than you. Take caution not to miss the tone and mark the words that have high and low tones because these are the basic elements of pronunciation. Identify words that are most difficult to mention and mark them as vocabularies. Once you have selected the vocabularies, find those words whose pronunciation resembles your mother language. This is because it is common to have words from another language that sounds like ours.

People who don’t reside in one location for a long time have to learn a new language regularly, and this could bring confusion when learning a new language because they can mix words from a previous language. To prevent this confusion from hindering the learning process, it is good to always know which language is spoken in which location. In addition to that, ensure that what you learn remains in your mind by revising what you learned in the day in the evening. It is advisable to learn how words are used because if you know their meanings but you don’t know how they are used in sentences, it does not make sense at all (Yule, 2010).

You need to develop a reading of literature that is composed in the new language because that way, you will learn to construct sentences and speak fluently. Additionally, it is recommended that you learn the words that you are most likely to use in your field because if there is no need to learn words that are irrelevant to your field. For instance, if you are a hairdresser, you don’t need to know the words that are used by nurses. Yule (2010) argues that when constructing sentences, you need to place the words in their correct sequence for the sentence to make sense. This is the key to perfecting your grammar in the new language. You need to know how the nouns, verbs, and adjectives sound when they are in singular and plural. Besides, you need to learn the tenses such as the present, future and etcetera.

In this light, learning a new language requires passion in the language and the ability to interact with the people speaking the language. Challenges to learning a new language include culture, identity, and. The elements which constitute fluent speaking are pronunciation, tenses, and gestures. This is because if you are talking about the present while your sentences are in the future tense, there may be confusion. Therefore, understanding cultural activities and frequent words used in a language are vital in avoiding language difficulties.

Bower, D., 2006. You can learn Spanish or any Language No matter Your Age or Disposition ., New York: Lulu Press.

Kalat, W.J., 2008. Biological Psychology . Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

McNeil, A., 2004. How to learn a foreign language: A question and Answer Guide . Washington: Language Experts, LLC.

Yule, G., 2010. The Study of Language . 4 th Ed. New York: Cambridge University Press.

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IvyPanda. (2021, May 11). Learning a New Language. https://ivypanda.com/essays/learning-a-new-language/

"Learning a New Language." IvyPanda , 11 May 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/learning-a-new-language/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Learning a New Language'. 11 May.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Learning a New Language." May 11, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/learning-a-new-language/.

1. IvyPanda . "Learning a New Language." May 11, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/learning-a-new-language/.

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IELTS essay learning a new language at an early age

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  • 6 band Some people believe that learning science is necessary for everyone, others disagree. These days, education plays an essential role in the development of many countries. Some people have reason to believe that it is necessary to study science while others disagree with that statement. From my point of view, all subjects give enormous benefit to people; however, the most crucial one s ...
  • 6 band successful sports stars and glamours film stars are role models for the youngster The importance of youngsters is influence by sports stars and glamour film which was always debatable has now become more controversial with many people claiming that it is beneficial while others reject this notion. In my opinion, the former preposition appears to be more rational. This essay will ...
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Learning a new language at an early age has both advantages and disadvantages. Discuss

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Students should pay full cost for their own study, because university education benefits individuals rather than society. To what extent do you agree or disagree.

You bought a tv a week ago but when you got home you discovered it didn't work properly. you called customer service to report the problem but you have not yet received any help. write a letter to the company and in your letter: -introduce yourself; -explain the problem; -and state what action you would like from the company., some people think all university students should study whatever they like. others believe that they should only allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. discuss both views and give your own opinion., an increase in the production of consumer goods results in damage to the natural environment. why is this the case, and what solutions are possible, the news is an important source of knowledge for all of us about the world, especially in this era of technology. journalists are mainly responsible to bring this news to us but not all of them are true to their responsibilities and ethics. how much can we trust the journalists.

COMMENTS

  1. Learning A New Language At An Early Age is Helpful For Children

    According to some people, learning a new language at a young age is beneficial for children because it enables them to enhance their communication skills and career prospects. I fully agree with this view. In my opinion, children should be encouraged to learn foreign languages at primary school itself because at this age they can learn faster ...

  2. The Importance of Learning English at an Early Age

    According to a study by Dr Paul Thompson, a neurology professor at UCLA, the parts of the human brain that specialise in learning new languages grow rapidly from around six years old until early adolescence (11 to 15). However, it is also shown that children who start learning a language before the age of five often achieve a much higher ...

  3. IELTS Essay: Early Language Learning

    Keep developing it fully. The more detail, the better! 1. However, even when the conditions are not ideal, there is tremendous value in learning a language early relative to learning it later in life. 2. Studies have shown that languages can be acquired far more easily early in one's education. 3.

  4. PTE 70 Score Essay on "Learning a new language at an early age is

    Learning is a lifelong process. The human beings keep on learning throughout their lives. However, the childhood is very appropriate age for learning. The language can learn at the initial age. It is very good idea to teach the children language at an early age. It will be very beneficial for their future. I would like to mention the reasons below.

  5. How a second language can boost the brain

    Preliminary data look good. It seems that learning a language in later life results in positive cognitive outcomes. Because language-learning and use is so complex — arguably the most complex behavior we human beings engage in — it involves many levels. You have speech sounds, syllables, words, grammar, sentences, syntax.

  6. 7 Benefits of Second-Language Learning at an Early Age

    Learning a second language can help your child keep their focus, both in and out of the classroom. 3. Maintain ties with family culture. It's common for children to grow up bilingual in the US— 33 percent of all US children under the age of nine speak at least two languages. If you've raised your child in a bilingual household, then you ...

  7. Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it

    Your essay presents a clear position throughout the response, adhering to the topic of the beneficial aspects of language learning for children. However, to improve the task achievement score, consider providing deeper insights or more nuanced arguments that show a more complex understanding of the issue, such as potential challenges that can ...

  8. Benefits of learning a second language at an early age

    Learning a second language is easier as a child. One of the main benefits of learning a second language at an early age is that children learn languages faster and easier. They have more time to learn, less to learn, fewer inhibitions, and a brain designed for language learning. In short, teaching your child a second language at an early age ...

  9. PTE Writing Essay: Learning A New Language At An Early Age Is Helpful

    Learning new languages at an early age is very beneficial because as they grow up, they may be required to converse in multiple languages for business purposes. Children are not capable of understanding complex structure along with the grammar of the new language. At the early stage, children learn native language easily because of the entire ...

  10. 27 March: PTE Essay Topic

    On the other hand, some believe that learning a new language at an early age may have adverse effects on children's social and emotional development. Learning a new language requires a considerable amount of effort, and it can be overwhelming for some children. This can lead to stress and anxiety, which can affect their emotional well-being.

  11. IELTS Essay # 217

    Write at least 250 words. Model Answer 1: [Advantages outweigh disadvantages] The ideal age for children to start learning a foreign language is a topic of intense debate, with some advocating for primary school as the optimal time. This essay will examine both the benefits and disadvantages of introducing foreign language learning at the ...

  12. Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children

    This essay will discuss problems that can happen during the transition to a steady life and practical measures that can be taken. 6. band. Having more money and less free time is better that earning less money and more free time. Discuss both views and state your opinion.

  13. Brilliant benefits of learning a second language as a child

    Benefits For a Child Learning a Second Language. Improving English Literacy: When children learn another language, they use different 'systems' within the brain. As they begin to understand what other words mean, they compare and contrast the systems and structure of the new language they are learning with English.

  14. IELTS Writing Task 2/ Essay Topics with sample answer.

    They are still learning the alphabetical words, pronunciation, grammar and vocabularies of their native languages. If the children are then taught a new language, then there is a risk that the children might get mixed up or confused. Secondly, the early-aged children should focus on learning other important things, besides a new language.

  15. How learning a new language changes your brain

    Just one week of learning a new language has a positive impact on students' levels of alertness and focus. This improvement was maintained with continuous language study of at least five hours a week. Moreover, this study encompassed learners from the age of 18 to 78, and the improvement in attention span was noted across all age groups.

  16. Learning A New Language At An Early Age Is Helpful For ...

    Study Abroad Expert. Learning A New Language At An Early Age Is Helpful For Children IELTS Writing Task 2 consists of three sample answers provided below. The task requires the candidates to provide a tentative and argumentative answer for the question. The sample answers comprises two parts: Introduction and body.

  17. Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it

    7.5. band. Some people say that the experiences a child has before starting school have the most influence on their future life. Others say that experiences as a teenager, especially at school are more influential. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Humans are intricate creatures, and studying their character, personality, and how ...

  18. Learning a New Language

    This is the key to perfecting your grammar in the new language. You need to know how the nouns, verbs, and adjectives sound when they are in singular and plural. Besides, you need to learn the tenses such as the present, future and etcetera. In this light, learning a new language requires passion in the language and the ability to interact with ...

  19. IELTS essay learning a new language at an early age

    The importance of learning a new language at an early age which was debatable has now become more controversial with many people claiming that it is beneficial while others reject this notion. In my opinion, the former assertion appears to be more rational. This essay will further elaborate on the positive effects of this trend and thus will ...

  20. Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it

    Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it more positive for their future aspect or have some adverse effects? Agree or disagree? ... Your essay is well-organized and progresses logically from one point to the next, which greatly aids readability and coherence. Further refining transitions between paragraphs could ...

  21. Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it

    Learning a new language at an early age is helpful for children. Is it moreб positive for their future aspect or have some adverse effects. ... In the essay, I will elucidate both viewpoints in more detail and offer my personal opinions. 7.5. band. The graph below shows the number of shops that closed and the number of new shops that opened in ...

  22. Some believe that students should begin learning a language very early

    The appropriate time for students to start learning a language is an ongoing debate. Some people believe that children should begin learning a foreign language as early as possible while others argue that language instruction should be delayed until later in their education | Band: 6.5

  23. Learning a new language at an early age has both advantages and

    Learning a new language at an early age has both advantages and disadvantages. Discuss #language #age. One of the most conspicuous trends of . contemporary. Add an article. ... A great argument essay structure may be divided to four paragraphs, in which comprises of four sentences (excluding the conclusion paragraph, which comprises of three ...