Languages are essentially the only way we communicate in an oral manner, at least, coherently that is. However, there are a multitude of different languages that sound nothing like one another, and many people have only learnt one or two depending on who they are/where they live. Learning new languages can be a vital part of communication, as it allows you to communicate with millions of more people who speak that language. While some people see learning a new language as rhetorical as they don’t have plans to go anywhere where their native language isn’t the norm, which is perfectly understandable. However, if people want to learn another language we should begin teaching them at a much earlier age.
People are multilingual from a multitude of different reasons, whether it be from putting in a lot of effort in their later years to learn that language, or from being introduced to that language at a much younger age. Everyone has learnt the language they know today simply from hearing it being spoken at a much earlier age. However, as our age increases, it becomes extremely difficult to learn a new language as we have already become accustomed to the language we initially learnt. This is why we should begin teaching kids a language not at the high school level, where they attempt to compare the new language to their original one, where 9/10 times it doesn’t make any sense compared to what they’ve learnt. Rather it should be taught at a very low grade level, such as preschool. This is so kids will become more accustomed to the language but still be hearing their original language at home, effectively introducing them to 2 or more languages.
One issue that I believe arises from teaching a new language at a later age is that we try to connect it with words we already know, so gato means cat, but (at least for me) whenever I see/hear the word gato, I don’t think of the actual animal, I think of the word “cat” and nothing more. I believe this is flawed as trying to connect words you know to ones you don’t know using the words you know won’t make sense, as 9/10 times your original language will seem better to you. So in order to counteract this, we should teach at a much younger age, but not try to connect words with words they already know, rather objects. Unless of course it can’t really be explained using objects such as but, as, however, though, etc. all in all, language as a whole is a vastly important communication device, why should most people go their entire lives not truly understanding another one?
Is learning a new language important?
Do you believe we should teach language at a much younger age?
When should languages be taught, if taught at all?
Article stating that them's the facts: https://trufluencykids.com/best-age-to-learn-a-second-language/#:~:text=Paul%20Thompson%20and%20his%20team,fluency%20was%20by%20age%2010.
Replies
Good topic choice and super job overall Jonathan!
I do not think that learning different languages is important because I think that everyone should just learn one language that everyone speaks so it would make it much easier for everyone to comunicate with people everywhare around the world because they would all speak the same language.
I feel that it is a little important to learn new languages because it helps us converse between people from different places that don't talk english. I think that if your parents want to teach you another language at a young age then let them but I feel it shouldn't be required in school. I feel learning younger would help to grasp on it a bit more.
I feel like it would be a little strange if a parent wouldn't want their kid knowing a second language, but oh well. Anyways, a good way to learn 2 different languages without getting them mixed up is isolating them. Such as having English be your home language and Spanish be you "school" language. This would help in that it would isolate the 2 languages from each other so you don't get them mixed up.
Learning a language besides English is in my opinion not necessary because English is the world language and mostly everyone can speak it. To learn a language in young age is way better than to learn it in higher age because it is easier for you.
Yes, while English is the world language I feel we would still have moments of interaction with people who do not understand the language. The ability to understand what the other person is saying and not having them change so they understand us seems to be the polite thing to do for them.
i think that it should stay where it is, not everyone at a young age was very mature. not every kid knew how to pronounce every word or know how to spell i feel like high school you would know how to spell the well known words and the words in order to complete a conversation i think it is easier to comprehend.
At the start of your learning experience of the language yes, there would be some confusion, but over time that confusion will subside. Just like all things, including your primary language you are speaking now, you learnt how to speak because of hearing it and being introduced to it. This also isn't just exclusively English speakers as well, this is the case for all languages. The languages you grow up with are the languages you find the easiest. So introducing 2 languages to someone at the start of their coginitive ability may seem difficult at first but it will help them with becoming multilingual.
i think that learning different languages is very important, for many reason, not only could someone be a transfer to your school you could communicate with them with the said language if you have learned it at an earlier age.
I think learning new languages is super important in general just because then you can communicate and understand if you run itno issues. I think we should teach it at a younger age because eeryone else does and they are way ahead of us all I think maybe intermediate as children.
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