Feature
Internationally-Minded Developing dual-language skills in children by Ellis Friedman
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n a world in which multilingualism is a prized skill, children living in Beijing are in a prime position to become proficient in one or both of the necessary languages of the future: Mandarin and English. The boom in bilingual programs in Beijing is a response to the demand for bilingual education. But raising a bilingual child is not as simple as throwing him or her into a classroom for a daily dose of Mandarin. Raising a bilingual child takes patience, effort, and structure. Luckily, there are a myriad of schools and support systems in Beijing that support dual languages.
The Perks of Multilingualism
28 beijingkids
School Choice Guide 2013-2014
What’s Right for Your Child? Parents considering a bilingual program for their child should step back and consider their plans and goals. “Know what your expectation is going into a [bilingual or] dual immersion program,” says Amy Loveday Hu, principal at 3e International School, which offers a dual immersion program. “If you’ve got a long-term goal of maintaining both the languages, then it’s a good choice,” says Loveday Hu, but she cautions that for families planning under two or three years of exposure to either or both of the languages, a bilingual or dual immersion setting may not be the ideal situation. “It is quite stressful for children if they come in not understanding [one of the languages], and they’re not going to maintain fluency if they’re only here for one or two years. Then they’ve experienced a lot of stress that is possibly needless.” Another factor to consider is the age of your child. “The earlier, the better,” says Helbringer. Virtually all educators agree that the younger a child is, the easier it is for him to grasp new languages. Once a child is about 6 years old, or just after kindergarten, it gets harder to place
photo: courtesy of 3e
The most obvious benefit of multilingualism is the prospect of future opportunities in either language. There is plenty of research that shows there are numerous cognitive benefits to being raised in a bilingual environment, and cognitive flexibility is one of them. Cognitive flexibility is the ability to mentally switch between two ideas, or think about multiple things simultaneously, and bilinguals outperform their monolingual peers in these tasks. James Helbringer, the assistant principal at Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA), explains, “Bilingual children are able to use both sides of their brains, so they’re able to think simultaneously in different languages.” Additionally, studies have shown that bilingual children exhibit greater executive control throughout childhood and adulthood. Such functions include focusing attention, self-control, and strategizing.
Because bilingual brains are adept at switching languages, they are more adept at switching tasks, learning additional languages, and efficiently processing information. The benefits extend throughout life, from early childhood brain development, and potentially even into older age, as bilingual brains are able to better stave off age-related cognitive decline.