Three Benefits of Learning a Second Language

In today’s connected world, it is more important to understand, speak and write in a second language than ever before. As children learn a language in addition to their mother tongue, not only does it develop their brain power and memories, it opens career paths, makes traveling safer and helps them become truly international.

When choosing an international school for your children, it’s important to look at the importance placed upon learning additional languages. Before delving into your school research, however, it’s important to comprehend the benefits of having an additional language.  

Provides Insights and Appreciation

Exposing students to languages other than their mother tongue provides an insight into and an appreciation of other cultures, and an awareness of other perspectives.

The acquisition of an additional language is key to promoting an international understanding. At the International School of Tanganyika (IST), for example, all students must learn Kiswahili during their first year of modern language instruction.

Learning Kiswahili within the host country opens the door of communication between people of different cultural backgrounds and develops a better understanding of the Tanzanian society, history, culture and traditions, allowing IST students to create a deeper connection to the their local community.

Opens More Career Doors

When you graduate from university, job prospects will look at where you attended school, your extra-curricular activities, any volunteer work and whether or not you are multi-lingual.

Applicants who speak more than one language are more highly desirable  because we live in a globalized world. The more customers and clients an applicant can communicate with, the more appealing they become.

Enhances Brain Power

The acquisition of a new language requires an understanding of foreign rules, structures, cultural concepts, vocabulary and sounds. It requires students to start from the beginning and patiently work through the basics.

At IST, language lessons are animated and enhanced with songs, rhymes, stories, games, films, role-playing, cooking and local cultural events as it helps students absorb more information.

Individuals who learn a second language are also better at observing their surroundings, according to a study out of the Pompeu Fabra University in Spain. Multi-lingual individuals are quick to spot anything that is irrelevant or deceptive.

As evident above, multi-lingual individuals have more opportunities than people who are monolingual. It’s no wonder more than 80% of students at IST are multi-lingual.

Language acquisition is just one of the many things to look for in an international school. We understand the expat lifestyle means your family is often uprooted and it can be a daunting task to find a school to provide a stable framework for your children. Our new checklist will help cut through that clutter that occurs while researching possible international schools. It outlines the things to look for in an easy-to-use list. Download our free checklist today!