Introduction
In some countries, it's common for kids to learn two or more languages at a time and to use them daily to communicate and understand people around them - in fact, some kids grow up in places where four or more languages are spoken. Although it's important to learn the prevailing language in the country where you live, for many people it's also important to have their kids learn the language of their parents, grandparents, and older siblings. Deciding whether to teach your kids one or more languages is up to parents. And before they do they need to take into consideration some facts, advantages and disadvantages.
Being bilingual means understanding and expressing yourself in two languages, and being able to convey your thoughts …show more content…
Experts agree that mixing is temporary. Eventually, it goes away as a child's vocabulary develops in both languages and he has more exposure to each one (Soto, (n.d)).
Advantages of Being Bilingual
Being bilingual comes with a lot of advantages. Some of the main ones are as below:
Bilingual children are better able to focus their attention on relevant information and ignore distractions.
Bilingual individuals have been shown to be more creative and better at planning and solving complex problems than monolinguals.
The effects of aging on the brain are diminished among bilingual adults.
In one study, the onset of dementia was delayed by 4 years in bilinguals compared to monolinguals with dementia.
Bilingual individuals have greater access to people and resources.
Employment rates are higher for bilinguals than monolinguals (Lowry, (n.d)).
On the other hand some experts say that if parents and kids don't speak the same language at home, communication between them may suffer. As a result, parents may lose some control over their children and, over time, kids might turn to negative influences, such as gangs, to regain the sense of belonging they no longer experience at home (Rose,
In some countries, it's common for kids to learn two or more languages at a time and to use them daily to communicate and understand people around them - in fact, some kids grow up in places where four or more languages are spoken. Although it's important to learn the prevailing language in the country where you live, for many people it's also important to have their kids learn the language of their parents, grandparents, and older siblings. Deciding whether to teach your kids one or more languages is up to parents. And before they do they need to take into consideration some facts, advantages and disadvantages.
Being bilingual means understanding and expressing yourself in two languages, and being able to convey your thoughts …show more content…
Experts agree that mixing is temporary. Eventually, it goes away as a child's vocabulary develops in both languages and he has more exposure to each one (Soto, (n.d)).
Advantages of Being Bilingual
Being bilingual comes with a lot of advantages. Some of the main ones are as below:
Bilingual children are better able to focus their attention on relevant information and ignore distractions.
Bilingual individuals have been shown to be more creative and better at planning and solving complex problems than monolinguals.
The effects of aging on the brain are diminished among bilingual adults.
In one study, the onset of dementia was delayed by 4 years in bilinguals compared to monolinguals with dementia.
Bilingual individuals have greater access to people and resources.
Employment rates are higher for bilinguals than monolinguals (Lowry, (n.d)).
On the other hand some experts say that if parents and kids don't speak the same language at home, communication between them may suffer. As a result, parents may lose some control over their children and, over time, kids might turn to negative influences, such as gangs, to regain the sense of belonging they no longer experience at home (Rose,