Should Foreign Language Learning Start Early

Should Foreign Language 

                                   ؟  Learning Start Early

It is now well established that young children

tend to absorb relatively easily any language

that they are surrounded by, and they

appear to learn to speak a new language

more easily than adults do.

an older student, a child’s language learning

advantage is greatest in the area of pronunciation,

somewhat weaker in the area of

grammar usage, and slight when considering

the size of their vocabulary. Still, the apparent

overall benefit of early learning is leading

many to implement foreign language

programs in elementary school or even earlier.

Is this the best or even an advisable use

of resources, especially children’s time? The

answer depends on what you want to

achieve and how much you are willing to

invest. A few hours a week of foreign language

instruction focusing on learning

words, songs, and a few ritualized

exchanges is good for cultural exposure and

appreciation, but do not expect real mastery.

Compared to