Preschool is the best time to introduce a second language for students not already living in a bilingual household. The benefits of preschool Spanish lessons have been well documented, and research shows that the earlier you start a child on learning a second language, the better off they will be.
Many countries require that schools introduce a Spanish curriculum for students by the time the students are eight years old. In the United States, however, a second language is not required until high school. This limits their time to learn to four years maximum, opposed to 10 or even 12 years. Additionally, the percentage of American children who know a second language is drastically lower than the global average making Americans less qualified for global work positions.
Additionally, the age in which children are introduced to language is very important. Research has shown that between the ages of eight and twelve, children lose the ability to hear and reproduce new sounds. For the first eight years of a child’s life, they are naturally learning new language skills, and they learn primarily through imitation, repetition, songs, and games. This is why curriculum specific designed for preschool Spanish lessons is important because it incorporates age appropriate Spanish storybooks, songs, and games.
Waiting until they are older to introduce a new language does not mean they won’t be able to learn. It simply means learning will be significantly harder for them. It also gives them less time to become fluent. As individuals get older, immersion programs become more beneficial, but are often costly and time-consuming. Additionally, the less the second language is reinforced, the faster it will be forgotten. It is best to introduce a second language when they are very young and continue the lessons as they grow older.
For children in the United States, Spanish is arguably the best language to learn. Spanish is spoken as the official language in 21 different countries, and it is the second most spoken language in the world. The benefits of learning a second language are immense. It is has been proven through research that children that speak a second language will be able to learn a third language significantly faster. Additionally, bilingual employees make an average of 20% more than non-bilingual employees.
Ensuring that your children learn Spanish will make them more marketable in the workplace and enable them to make more money. As the workforce becomes more competitive, any advantage you can offer your child will help them succeed in life. It will also allow them to travel more and be able to communicate freely as they do. There are also no disadvantages to learning a second language. While some may argue against the advantages of learning a second language, even if an individual never travels and does not go into a professional where being bilingual is a benefit, there was no harm done in introducing them to a second language as a young child.
The ability to learn and pronounce unfamiliar sounds and learn different grammar rules is greatly enhanced before age six, which makes preschool the best time to introduce language instruction. While this may feel like a daunting task for preschool directors and teachers, it really isn’t. Buying Spanish curriculum lessons for preschool takes the stress and work out of attempting to come up with preschool Spanish lessons or relying solely on computer based curriculum.