Undoubtedly, the importance of mastering the English language is widely acknowledged by parents. However, despite this recognition, only a few take proactive steps towards early English education. Such a reluctance stems from various factors: the lack of free preschool language programs and the additional commitment of taking children to classes amid their busy schedules.
Many opt to wait until school to introduce extra classes, assuming it to be more convenient.
Nevertheless, initiating English learning early offers a multitude of advantages that foster academic, social, and future career success for children.
Here, we’ll delve into these benefits, urging parents to consider the advantages of starting language education at a young age.
So, without any further ado, let’s begin.
The Psychological Benefits of Learning English for a Kid
Some of the core psychological benefits of English literacy classes for a child can include —
1: Increased Need for Socialization
As kids grow, their social world expands.
They develop a heightened desire to interact and connect with others. This need arises from their evolving cognitive abilities and emotional development. They begin to seek out new friendships, drawn by the excitement of meeting peers with similar or different interests.
This stage usually marks a pivotal moment where children actively seek social connections to share experiences, learn from one another, and develop crucial social skills that will shape their interactions in the future. And, this is only possible when the child has no language barriers.
2: Minimal Psychological Barriers
At this age, children experience a reduced sense of inhibition when it comes to socializing.
Their growing confidence, coupled with a better vocabulary and more developed communication skills, helps lower psychological barriers. They become more open to engaging in conversations, sharing thoughts, and expressing themselves freely.
This transition often leads to more talkative and expressive behavior, fostering an environment conducive to making new friends and expanding their social circle. So, if a child knows English, it will be much easier for them to communicate with new people and converse properly.
3: Increased Interest in Learning
Most children become keenly aware of the vast world around them, brimming with endless possibilities. Their innate curiosity drives a surge in interest to explore and learn about new things. This insatiable thirst for knowledge pushes them to venture beyond familiar boundaries.
They test limits and boundaries in their quest for understanding, seeking to satisfy their growing curiosity. This phase tends to lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning, encouraging them to question, experiment, and absorb information from their surroundings.
The Physiological Benefits of Learning English
Like the psychological ones, there are several physiological benefits of learning english language for kids as well. Keep reading to know more about it.
1: Language Clarity and Mixing
When a child has a clear grasp of their mother tongue, it typically means they’ve established a solid foundation in its vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.
However, when learning a new language, there might be instances where they unintentionally mix the two languages.
This mixing is a natural part of the learning process called “code-switching.” It can happen as they navigate similarities and differences between languages.
With consistent exposure and practice in the new language, this tendency to mix languages tends to decrease over time.
2: Speech Organ Flexibility
Children indeed possess remarkable flexibility in their speech organs.
This flexibility allows them to mimic and reproduce sounds more accurately when learning a new language. Mimicking a teacher’s pronunciation helps in refining their own speech patterns, gradually improving their accent and overall fluency. Practice and exposure play crucial roles here, as repeated attempts allow them to hone their pronunciation skills.
3: Learning Principle Similarities
The way children learn their mother tongue, through immersion and constant exposure, serves as a potent strategy for acquiring a new language.
They rely on context, repetition, and imitation to absorb new vocabulary, phrases, and grammar rules. Their brains naturally make connections between the new language and what they already know, aiding in the retention and recall of information.
Regular practice reinforces these connections, making language constructs more accessible and easier to remember.
4: Developing Cognitive Processes
In children, cognitive processes such as imagination, attention, guessing, or memory are actively evolving. And it keeps doing so till they are 18.
Hence, creating an environment conducive to learning—through engaging activities, interactive experiences, and repetition—helps them absorb and retain large amounts of information.
Memory, especially in younger children, is often facilitated by visual aids, storytelling, songs, and games. These methods leverage the brain’s natural inclination to retain information that is presented in engaging and memorable ways.