Two Languages are Better than One
Our world has changed dramatically in the last few decades
and is moving closer to becoming fully interconnected. Succeeding for our children will require new ways of thinking, strong language skills and an open mind. Learning another language is a step towards joining the global community. Today, ore than half of the world’s population is bilingual, making mastering a second language an increasingly important way of interacting with the world.
Research shows that students with fluency in multiple languages consistently outperform their monolingual peers on standard language and academic achievement tests. Furthermore, students who master more than one language develop stronger cognitive skills, including heightened creativity, adaptability, analytical skills and multi-tasking abilities. Many bilingual students show not only the ability, but a desire to learn a third language. Finally, attending class in a diverse cultural and socioeconomic environment has been shown to positively affect relationships, attitudes and behaviors.
In addition to being a valuable résumé builder and competitive edge in the academic and professional markets, recent research demonstrates that bilingualism may also improve early brain development and the ability to focus in distracting environments, decide between competing alternatives and disregard irrelevant information.
Website resources regarding French Immersion Schools and Benefits of Bilingualism:
En français :
Le Ministère Français de l’Education Nationale/The French Ministry of National Education
Association of French Schools in North America (AFSA)
Réseau des Ecoles à Programme Français en Amérique du Nord / French Schools in North America
Multilingual Children’s Association
English:
“6 Potential Brain Benefits of Bilingual Education” – NPR
“Babies’ ability to learn 2 languages…” – Business Insider
“Why French?” – United States French Embassy
“Why Bilinguals Are Smarter” – The New York Times
“The Bilingual Advantage”- The New York Times
“Being Bilingual May Boost Your Brain Power” – National Public Radio/NPR
“Bilingualism Good for the Brain, Reasearchers Say” – Los Angeles Times