Introduce your young children to a second language, and you give them
a chance at greater fluency and access to countless professional
opportunities later on. Spanish, a language spoken from the streets of
Madrid to the foothills of the Andes, is one of the most popular
languages for children in the US to learn today. Here are ten ways that
teaching your children Spanish will expand their minds and enrich their
lives.
Talk to more people. According to census reports, Spanish is the second
most-spoken language in the world. With 387 million native speakers,
more people on earth speak Spanish than English. The opportunities for
Spanish speakers across the globe are endless!
Develop early language skills. Take advantage of the critical time in early
development when acquiring language skills comes naturally and easily.
A child’s capacity to pronounce unfamiliar, foreign sounds and to absorb
new grammar rules is highly enhanced prior to age six.
Get an academic advantage. Spanish is the most commonly taught
second language in public and private schools, and it’s offered as an AP
test and SAT II subject test. Start your kids early, and they’ll ace their
clases de espanol.
Understand English better. Both English and Spanish share roots in Latin.
Studying Spanish increases children’s understanding of the English
language and how different languages evolve, which can also help with
learning English vocabulary.
Get to know your neighbors. Spanish is also the second most-spoken
language in the United States, with more than 35 million speakers across
the country. Cities like New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Chicago brim
with Spanish speakers and Spanish culture.
Increase opportunities for travel. Spanish is the official language of 21
countries worldwide, and those countries are home to many exquisite
and fun travel destinations. If you speak Spanish, you can stray from the
tourist path and explore local culture with ease. Travel stress is also
minimized when you understand directions and menus, and countless
doors open to travelers who speak the native language of the country
they’re visiting. Prepare your child for aventuras!
Broaden cultural horizons. Give your child access to Spanish films, music,
and literature. World-renowned singers like Juanes and Gloria Estefan,
filmmakers such as Pedro Almodovar, and writers like Gabriel Garcia
Marquez are all native Spanish speakers. Knowing Spanish will help your
child understand and appreciate other cultures and Hispanic cultural
contributions.
Expand future employment options. Knowing Spanish is always a bonus
when looking for a job. The earlier children start learning, the easier it will
be for them to become fluent.
It’s easier than you think. Hundreds of words are the same in both
English and Spanish. Animal, hospital, actor, color and doctor mean the
same things in English and Spanish; they’re just pronounced a little
differently. For English-speaking children, there’s no easier second
language to learn than Spanish.
http://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/learning-path/articles/10-benefits-of-teaching-your-child-spanish
