7 main benefits of Bi-lingualism in Early Years

Let’s begin with an introduction to bi-lingualism, what is it really? To put it short, it means you are capable of speaking and using two languages fluently, for example Mandarin and English. Believe it or not, bi-lingual education in early childhood comes with an assortment of benefits, so here are some main benefits of bi-lingualism in early childhood.

1. Greater Problem Solving Abilities
Being bi-lingual can enhance problem solving abilities due to the fact learning a different language will build up skills in many areas such as communication, comprehension and organisation which are used very often in the process of problem solving. This allows them to have an academic advantage as many tasks require some form of problem solving.

2. Increased Communication Skills
Learning another language allows for picking up new vocabulary and also expands your social circle as you can communicate with a wider range of people who speak in different languages. It also boosts your confidence and just opens up a whole array of social opportunities.

3. Easier time learning another language
It isn’t much of a surprise that being bi-lingual also benefits learning new languages. This is because the individual is aware of the process they need to take when learning other languages, as well as a better understanding and experience.

4. Increase in creativity
Not only does being bi-lingual help out in academic aspects, it is known to also boost skills like creativity! This is due to the fact that picking up a skill like a different language pushes the mind to think outside the box and come up with new solutions to difficult scenarios.

5. Better Memory
Bi-lingualism benefits memory due to how language relies on remembering words and set of rules like punctuation, sentence structure and so on. This strengthens the capability to memorise other things as well because of how the individual has to train their memory in order to learn a language.

6. More opportunities in the future
Whether it be job opportunities, or school applications, having two languages that you can speak fluently is a very valuable skill. It’s super useful for communicating with others at school or the workplace. And especially important if the job requires translating or communicating with clients who speak other languages as well. Overall, being bi-lingual looks good on your resumé and could make you stand out from the rest!

7. Better at Multitasking
Bi-lingual individuals are known to be better at multitasking, this is due to how they need to switch between different languages for each scenario as well as being required to be more attentive. They need to be able to make a decision on which language to use at any given moment.

As a conclusion, bi-lingualism can benefit in a wide range of aspects. Learning a language tends to also be easier as the child is still developing at a fast pace, this is even known as the critical period which is why it’s so much easier for a young child to become bi-lingual. 

References

1. https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/council-services/education-schools/bilingual-education/advantages-of-being-bilingual/#.ZBz-bXbP25c 
2. https://unuhi.com/10-benefits-of-being-bilingual/ 
3. https://www.mondly.com/blog/benefits-of-being-bilingual/ 
4. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160811-the-amazing-benefits-of-being-bilingual 
5. https://multiculturalkidblogs.com/2021/07/12/10-childhood-benefits-of-being-bilingual/ 
6. https://tessais.org/importance-bilingualism-early-education/ 
7. https://www.middlebury.edu/language-schools/blog/why-you-should-learn-second-language-and-gain-new-skills#:~:text=Learning%20a%20new%20language%20pushes,use%20them%20in%20contextual%20situations. 
8. https://www.leadwithlanguages.org/why-learn-languages/top-ten-reasons-to-learn-languages/#:~:text=The%20many%20cognitive%20benefits%20of,multitask%2C%20and%20better%20listening%20skills. 
9. https://tessais.org/children-learn-languages-faster-adults/#:~:text=It%20is%20because%20of%20the,as%20the%20%E2%80%9Ccritical%20period%E2%80%9D. 
10. https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/being-multilingual-helps-with-multi-11-02-18/#:~:text=But%20it%20turns%20out%20that,language%20for%20a%20given%20situation.