Developing a Second Language

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Learning a second language is something that everyone can benefit from at any age. At birth, a child has no language comprehension, but already has the building blocks with which to learn. Teaching a child early on to speak multiple languages has been proven to help students while learning.

It’s a common misconception that dual language learning may cause speech delays, when in fact, the opposite may be true. Bilingual children often know more total words (in both languages combined) than children who speak only one language. Of course, being bilingual also helps to enable social and career opportunities in the future. Once in the teen years and older, the brain does not process language learning the same way as it does in childhood. To learn some ideas for getting started, check out this article from Parents Magazine and this one from PBS.