Learning a new language isn’t easy — and it definitely isn’t easy when you get older. Many of us hate the fact that we’re just monolingual. Knowing nothing but your mother tongue can hinder a person when they’re competing against polyglots for jobs. In fact, many jobs now only consider applicants that can speak two or more languages. Even graduate school admissions are affected by a person’s ability to speak multiple languages — or their lack thereof. While it’s not impossible to learn a new language as an adult, it’s certainly much easier to do so when you’re younger. So why not consider assisting your child in this endeavor? Perhaps the most valuable language for Americans to learn is Spanish. Spanish is used in many different professional fields, and for that matter the closeness of South America — a continent that primarily speaks Spanish — means that more and more Americans will be growing up in Spanish-speaking households. The best time for a child to learn Spanish is when they’re in preschool — so why not consider preschool Spanish lessons? Even if your child doesn’t end up using Spanish in a professional setting someday, they almost certainly will need to take foreign language classes in high school and college. By enrolling your child in preschool Spanish lessons, you’re giving them an advantage and exposing them to other cultures at a young age. Let’s look into how a Spanish curriculum for kids can enrich your child’s life.
Why Choose Preschool Spanish Lessons?
You may wonder: if my child is going to take a foreign language class in middle or high school anyway, why enroll them in preschool Spanish lessons? The fact is that a Spanish curriculum for preschool is going to be much easier for your child to tackle than a curriculum introduced when they’re older. It’s believed that introducing a second language before a child is 10 is a good idea — but if you introduce the language before they’ve turned five, it’s ideal. The United States is actually an outlier in this regard; while a curriculum that introduces a child to a second language in middle or high school means that the child will have only four to six years of study, other countries introduce a second language much earlier. Most countries have children enrolled in language classes before the age of eight. This given them 10 or 12 years of study time, allowing them to perfect their language skills.
Why Spanish Over Other Languages?
But again — why Spanish versus other valuable languages like German or Mandarin? Well, for one thing Spanish is, as a “romance” language, a bit easier for children to tackle at first. Some words are similar to English words, and Spanish falls into a category that makes learning other Latin-based languages like French or Italian easier down the road. It’s also the official language of 21 countries — this means that one day, whether they’re traveling for business or pleasure, your child will be able to speak the language in all of those different nations. With 387 million speakers, Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the world. More people speak Spanish than they do English. The question is really less one of “why Spanish” and more “why any other language”? For that matter, Spanish can simply be the first language your child learns. It’s been proven that children who learn a second language will learn a third language faster.
How Do Children Learn Spanish In Preschool?
Spanish is a fun and interesting language that is easy to introduce to preschoolers. A Spanish storybook set can make learning how to read and speak Spanish exciting for kids, rather than intimidating. As the child becomes more familiar with the language, it will be spoken more exclusively throughout lessons. Ideally, the child will be speaking only Spanish during their lessons by the time the curriculum is finished. They’ll learn — but they’ll have a good time too!
