Children in the United States are growing up in an increasingly diverse country. While walking down the street, it’s possible to hear multiple languages spoken at once. And your child can certainly benefit from knowing more than one.
This is why many parents choose to teach their children Spanish, as there are currently over 52 million Spanish speakers in the United States. If you would like to introduce your little one to this language, now is the time to start. Children are naturally able to acquire language skills during the first eight years of their lives, mostly through imitation, repetition, songs, and games.
If you need an extra boost to teach your child Spanish or to order a Spanish curriculum, the following are some of the many benefits of doing so.
Benefits Of Teaching Your Child Spanish
- General Language Improvements:Studies have shown that learning learning another language can improve listening skills and increase mastery of their first language. You might find that your child reads and writes with more ease.
- Improved Academic Performance: Bilingual children tend to have higher grades in school overall. And their knowledge of a second language can also give them an advantage when taking that language down the line.
- Future Job Prospects: Employers are more drawn to bilingual employees, and these workers get paid more on average. While this is likely not on your child’s radar, you can help them out by starting early.
- Better Cultural Understanding: When your child can speak Spanish, they can communicate with a whole sector of the global population. They may also learn to appreciate cultural diversity in their own community, opening opportunities for friendships and community building.
No matter how you decide to introduce Spanish into your child’s life, you are doing them a service by doing so. And they may go on to learn even more languages.
“Encourage your kids to take Spanish if languages are a curriculum requirement. A majority of the vocabulary is similar to English, which can make it easier for kids to grasp basic terms” Lindsay Barton writes in Parents. “Learning another language at a young age may inspire a love of languages. You might have a multilingual child in your house before you know it!”