In today’s internationally connected world, monolingualism is becoming more and more of an anomaly. Business is conducted across countries, cultures, and people while media is often successful in a multitude of languages. Benefits aren’t always so tangible - a study by Kathleen Marcos (1998) showed children who have a higher level of fluency in two or more languages are more flexible thinkers, better communicators, and have more doors to other cultures as well as a greater job pool in their futures. She found that bilingualism enhances intellectual growth in youth, furthering their mental development. (CalEarlyLearning, 10)
Not to be limited to youth, multilingualism in adults also boosts memory, protects against Dementia, heightens cognitive brain function, and increases job opportunities. A 2004 study showed that bilinguals were more adept in “solving puzzles, planning, and other mentally demanding tasks.” (Bustle, 4)
The aforementioned …show more content…
Launched in Early 1996 in areas like Florida and Maine with respectively high Spanish and French speaking populations, the Dual Language Program has been immensely successful and productive in improving bilingual percentages in youth as well as significantly heightening test scores. Although highly criticized for being a “handout” for minority students, The Dual Language is actually 50-50 native english speaker to spanish speaker immersion program that starts in the early years of elementary school. Students are taught half of their day’s lessons in completely english and half completely in spanish, as well as assigned “a buddy” speaker of an opposite language to their own. The program in its idea is simple, but its benefits are far reaching, including multicultural competencies, social skills, and an onslaught of cognitive benefits like levels of concentration and flexibility not found in the monolingual brain.
Not to be limited to youth, multilingualism in adults also boosts memory, protects against Dementia, heightens cognitive brain function, and increases job opportunities. A 2004 study showed that bilinguals were more adept in “solving puzzles, planning, and other mentally demanding tasks.” (Bustle, 4)
The aforementioned …show more content…
Launched in Early 1996 in areas like Florida and Maine with respectively high Spanish and French speaking populations, the Dual Language Program has been immensely successful and productive in improving bilingual percentages in youth as well as significantly heightening test scores. Although highly criticized for being a “handout” for minority students, The Dual Language is actually 50-50 native english speaker to spanish speaker immersion program that starts in the early years of elementary school. Students are taught half of their day’s lessons in completely english and half completely in spanish, as well as assigned “a buddy” speaker of an opposite language to their own. The program in its idea is simple, but its benefits are far reaching, including multicultural competencies, social skills, and an onslaught of cognitive benefits like levels of concentration and flexibility not found in the monolingual brain.