Should Children Learn A Foreign Language From Primary School? | Band 7.5 IELTS Essay Sample
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?
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Band 7.5 IELTS Essay Sample
Whether it is appropriate for children to study a foreign language from primary school has long been a hot topic of discussion. While some people oppose the idea of introducing/teaching a foreign language in the primary school, I strongly believe that it is rather beneficial for children to learn a second language from a younger age.
First and foremost, it is widely believed that language learning should start at a relatively younger age. According to scientific studies, language acquisition ability is more prominent when children are still in their early childhood. At this stage, it will take less effort and time for children to master a new language as their linguistic capacity tremendous. By contrast, if a foreign language course had not been introduced until middle school, students would have to spend more time and energy for learning it. What’s more, the language acquisition would not be strong enough because they did not learn it at the right time.
Apart from this, the way we learn a language is somewhat different from the way we learn other subjects. For learning a language, all that we need is to get exposed to it. Since young children have a greater ability to learn languages, exposing them to a second language in the primary school increases their chances of mastering it.
In conclusion, I am deeply convinced that learning a foreign language from primary school has more benefits than drawbacks. However, we should not forget that the elementary school after all is a place where children enjoy their carefree childhood. Parents and educators should hold the right attitude towards language courses and avoid exerting too much pressure on children regarding language learning. A scientific and balanced curriculum should be designed to leverage the benefit brought by early language learning.
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