English is a second language for Indians. But as the popularity and the need of this language are increasing, it is very crucial to start early and help children widen their horizon of learning.
Children who begin early i.e. before 6 years of age, tend to perform better when it comes to learning a second language. It is seen that children beautifully pick up their mother tongue and amaze us by talking with so much ease; because it’s always easier for them to learn a new language at a tender age. The outcome of this learning reveals in many ways:
English as a language gives your child immense confidence making him able to access books, videos and games which come from across the globe. The child develops a better understanding of different cultures and expressions. When travelling children are able to communicate with foreigners and this boosts their self esteem.
The reading skills of children are seen to be boosted immensely when they are exposed to multiple languages. Every new language learning process gets easier than the previous one. This is because, after a point they begin to understand language structures.
While learning a new language at a tender age, the brain gets cognitive exercise and thereby gives greater neural activity. Sharp memory, greater attention span and better speech and sensory perception are the natural outcomes of introducing a second language at an early age. The brain muscles get a great boost and these children have better and richer vocabulary compared to their peers.
Every time it is seen that a young learner enjoys a language more. The magic of rhymes and songs, the fun with rhyming words and the ability to mimic makes their learning an enjoyable journey rather than a stressful process. They also develop better intonation and pronunciation.
While talking at a career level, an individual who has a good grip over English speaking and writing, apart from knowing his own native language will always be considered better than other monolingual competitors. Studies have shown that children who learn multiple languages perform better in academic exams and tests. Their brain is able to do better critical thinking and complex learning compared to other children.
We cannot think of any other language that can replace English. So just allow your little genius to explore by giving an environment rich with language enhancement opportunities. Engage him in a story or a role play, indulge with him and play vocab building games; allow him to interact with more and more English speaking children or adults.
Getting associated with British Council or any other similar organization which is working excellently in building second language skills of children will help. Find places where your child gets to nurture his innate learning ability. Scholastic Early English or Aloha English Smart are examples of early English language enhancement programs that you may easily find around in your city.
