Band 7.5 IELTS Essay Sample | It Is Better For Children To Learn A Foreign Language At A Young Age
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Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Band 7.5 IELTS essay sample
Introducing a new language in elementary school curriculum is considered as more effective than teaching the same at secondary school. In my opinion, merits of learning a foreign language at an early age are far higher than its demerits.
Some people believe that children may confuse the foreign language with their mother tongue when they learn it at a younger age. However, research has proven that young children are better than older children at learning pronunciation, vocabulary and rhythm of the language. They will also achieve higher levels of proficiency at the end of the secondary school education, if they start to learn it early. For this reason I think learning a new language is more effective in primary school than in secondary school.
Learning a new language early in the life can make children more tolerant of multicultural societies. Some parents are worried that if they teach a foreign language their children may forget their culture and tradition. However, according to a recent survey children who are exposed to a foreign language at a young age can easily understand various cultures and traditions. As a result, they are more comfortable and flexible when they live in a multicultural society. Thus, being bilingual will make them culturally competent and less anxious to face a foreign society in their future life.
In conclusion, although some people are against teaching foreign languages to young people, I believe that it is beneficial for young children as it improves their cultural competence and language skills.
