Bilingual preschool might be hard but it’s worth it

There are many towns that have schools that do half in English and half in another language like Spanish. 

My nephew went to one of these preschools and by the time he was six he could speak more Spanish than most of the kids in my high school. 

The facts are younger brains understand and comprehend better than older brains. So, it is easier to start teaching a different language at a younger age. 

The question is: should we be teaching two languages throughout kindergarten, instead of starting it around middle school? 

During middle school, your brain is already hyper loaded with activities, schoolwork and a social life. Trying to learn a new language is hard, but then most colleges require at least two years of a foreign language. 

If a child can learn this easier while younger with less stress, why do we not have them do it then. 

Learning a foreign language helps with many things like enhancing memory, and the ability to multi-task. It also helps improve brain function and power. 

If we start this at a young age, then they can carry that through out all their schooling. 

Not only do they then have all this improvement through schooling it also helps in employment. Being bilingual at a job is a step up above other applicants. 

When you start learning earlier you also get a better feel for the culture. The problems you and the child may face are that they may not always have fun.

Sometimes they may want to take the easier route and use the language they understand and talk in completely. 

It may also put a bit more of a cognitive strain on the language centers of the brain. 

Right now, the biggest problems with younger kids learning two languages at once is that it can be expensive. 

A school that does part of the day in English and part of the day in another language is more expensive than other schools and if your child is not keeping up there you may hire a tutor, which adds even more costs. 

Another one of the problems facing teaching a second language at an early age is children do not find it very useful to learn another language. 

As adults we can see how it effects the brain and their future and see how it may be useful, but all a child sees is that it is taking time out of their day that they could be playing. 

The thing is, if you want it to be truly effective the child cannot only hear it at school. 

A child’s brain is most suited to learn a second language between the ages of 0-3 and if raised in a bilingual home by 6 months old they can already detect switches in language. 

So, if a child is going to be sent to a school that would teach them a foreign language young enough so they can grasp it, then do not let it go to waste, carry it on at home too.