Learning Two Languages!
I've been a dual language teacher for the last 15 years, and I've just sat through some great training presented by CAL (Center for Applied Linguistics). Research continues to show that learning two languages leads to high academic achievement! There are highly advanced critical skills being utilized by these students in order to transfer language skills or translate a passage from English to Spanish or vice versa. They are drawing from two cueing systems and that in itself is impressive.
So if you are a parent of a young child and are considering the future of your child's education, I would say to you - Find a Dual Language School near you. You can find supporting research on the internet on how dual language students do as well or outperform monolingual students on state tests. I have personally seen over the last 15 years, students in our dual language program manipulate two languages and become BILINGUAL students. That doesn't only mean that Spanish speaking children are learning English while continuing to develop their academic Spanish, but English speaking children (Italians, Portuguese, German, Polish, etc...) in our program are learning to read, write, speak and listen in Spanish while continuing to develop their academic English. POWERFUL!!!
Your child will not only become BILINGUAL and, therefore, have more opportunities in the professional world than monolinguals, but they will also become biliterate and gain great respect for other cultures.
I don't think it gets better than that!
Hope this was helpful!!
Damaris
Recent Comments
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Hello Damaris! I like this blog post of yours as I was once bilingual at a very young age. Due to going to schools where it was strictly for English speaking. I lost how to speak it as I got older. Oh, what I would give to speak my second language, Tagalog, again. Otherwise, I would no doubt have more of those "opportunities in the real world."
I totally agree! If you have the possibility to take your kids to a bilingual school, please do it!
Here in Sweden is really good that part. All public schools teach Swedish and English in elementary school plus home language (if your kid speaks a different language at home). That will definitely open tons of opportunities for them!
Great post!