How A Bilingual Kindergarten School Can Benefit Your Child
It's said that children's brains are like sponges, soaking up everything they're exposed to. This isn't just the learning and retention of facts, but also social and emotional cues. Your child won't stop growing in height until they're well into their teens, but did you know that their brains are 90% developed by the age of five? Many parents want to take advantage of this early knowledge absorption during the brain's formation by introducing their child to a second language. What are the benefits of a bilingual kindergarten school?
Your Child's Early Educational Development
By integrating a second language into your child's life, before they even begin their first day of grade school, you're making that second language a prominent part of your child's early educational development. The very ability to be bilingual, and how naturally it can occur when it forms a part of their early learning, can promote an overall linguistic awareness, and even an unquestioning acceptance of other languages and cultures, when they're promoted as being of equal importance.
Cognitive Adaptability and Education
The skills required to switch between two languages promotes your child's cognitive adaptability, which can boost their future education when they enter formal learning at the age of five, essentially giving them a head start. The way the language is imparted is catered for the young age of the students, and instead of rigid language training, most bilingual kindergarten schools will teach via games and activities, as well as artistic expression.
Choosing the Best Second Language
It's easy to talk about bilingualism in children, but you will need to decide just what the best second language for your child will be. For example, Canadian parents might want to base their decision on geographical proximity and opt for a kindergarten school that teaches Quebec French as a second language. You might also wish for your child's second language to be relevant to their own history, opting for the native language of your parents, or even you, if your family migrated from a non-native English speaking country. And of course, part of your decision might need to be more practical, since you will need to choose from the languages on offer at the bilingual kindergarten schools near you.
So before your child gets old enough that school and education might seem like a chore to them, take advantage of their early knowledge absorption and encourage them to learn a second language. They'll thank you when they're older! For more information about a local kindergarten school, reach out to a local school district office.
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