Some Experts Believe That It Is Better For Children To Begin Learning A Foreign Language At Primary Schools | Band 8 IELTS Essay Sample
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
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Band 8 IELTS essay sample
Many experts believe that foreign languages should be a part of the elementary school curriculum as it helps in fast learning. While others think it is not beneficial to teach young children a foreign language as the benefits of it are uncertain. In my opinion, learning a new language at a young age has more benefits than drawbacks.
Language skills are built over years and require a lot of practice. It can be said that kids can get accustomed to a new language if it is introduced right in the primary school and as they grow, they become proficient in it. Young children are better at learning languages. As you age, your ability to learn a new language diminishes. Also, young children are not very self-conscious. They are not afraid to make mistakes while practicing the language. This also helps them to learn faster.
Learning a foreign language might help their future career prospects. For instance, to work in a country like Germany one must know the German language and many youngsters often find it difficult to find a job due to language barriers. People who are taught languages during early childhood are confident and fluent in their communication. Therefore, non-native languages must be a part of primary classes.
On the other hand, there are some downsides too. The main disadvantage of learning a second language at primary school is that it is an additional burden for the student. This is particularly true if reading and writing are also taught. Young children should have plenty of time to play and if they are taught too many subjects at school, it can be stressful for them.
To conclude, there are certainly some downsides to teaching a foreign language in primary school. Even so, in my opinion, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks because being bilingual or multilingual is an important advantage that benefits career growth and young children are adept at learning new languages.
