I’ve found that I belong in a minority of people in the US, as a person who can speak two languages. An average American is overly impressed when they discover I speak French as if speaking another language is a superpower. Americans are a minority in the world. Most people in other countries speak several languages. Every country where English is not a native language teaches their children in school how to speak English. Because of our privilege of being born in a country where English, the international political language, is the mother tongue, there is a trend of Americans dismissing learning another language. “It’s too hard,” we say. “Everywhere else speaks English,” we reason. “I don’t have the time,” we argue. Here’s the truth: yes, it can be difficult, but it’s an immensely rewarding process. When I read French, I read it as naturally as if I’m reading English. That’s one of the most amazing feelings. Yes, it takes time to learn a language, which is why I started learning at the age of six or seven. In fact, the best time to start learning a second language is as a child. The younger a child starts learning a second language, the more easily they will pick it up. The brain is very malleable in young children, meaning that they can easily grasp a new language and learn it right alongside their first language.

Learning a foreign language at a young age makes it much easier to pick up a third, fourth or fifth language down the road. Once your brain has learned how to adapt to a second language, it becomes easier to learn a third. In a world full of so many different languages—roughly 6,500 different ones—being able to communicate in more than just English is an incredible skill. It opens travel and education opportunities, as well as the ability to have friends from different countries. Plus, if you start learning a language as a child, then you’ll probably be an even better communicator, both in English and in other languages.

Here’s a quick overview as to why: according to an article published by the BBC in 2016, native English speakers who don’t speak a second language are among the worst communicators in the world. They don’t understand the nuances of different languages, and therefore can’t tailor their speech to be accessible to everyone. Due to the dual nature of many English words, it can be very difficult for a non-native speaker to understand what message an English speaker is trying to convey. In situations where non-native speakers are interacting with native English speakers, this translates to the native English speaker being the most difficult one to understand. As a result, either native English speakers tend to exclude non-native people, or the native English speakers are excluded because they cannot communicate well. Clearly this does not create an ideal situation for communication.

However, if you start learning a language at a young age, you are also likely to be a much clearer English speaker. Anyone with an understanding of how another language is formulated and how to communicate in it will speak their first language better and will have the added value of being able to communicate with people who speak a different language. How cool is that?

Still not convinced that children should learn a new language when they’re young? Well, if the benefits haven’t convinced you, then think about how fun it is. As a kid, in my language classes, we played games, watched movie clips, and read the most adorable French stories (called Le Petit Nicolas). I always had more fun in language classes than in any other class at school. And what if your child’s school doesn’t offer foreign languages? No problem, take them after school. It’s a better activity than watching TV all afternoon, right?

À bientôt!

Shannon