Why students need to learn a foreign language

Have you ever been in a situation where you are in another country trying to
ask someone, who speaks a totally different language from you, directions to a
place? Most likely, you must have probably used some quick craft sign
language to ask for the directions. After that experience you were probably
thinking less of yourself of not having enough knowledge. Some people might
say to themselves “if I took classes on this language, I wouldn’t have looked so
foolish.” Now let me take you on a dive to why students should learn foreign
languages.

Firstly, learning another language as a child can improve cognitive and

communication skills. It is easier to learn a broad topic, such as new language,
quicker and easier as a child than an adult, because a child’s brain is more
open to new processes and they have more time to learn. If they were learning
two languages at once, it will be an advantage for them in life as they will
become able to multi task more efficiently and will improve auditory skills.
Furthermore, a study performed by the NCBI shows that children who are
multilinguistic have a wider attention-span and task switching capacities, hence
making their cognitive skills develop much more and faster than monolinguistic
children. I too agree with this study because in previous school I have
attended, I was only thought English and I wasn’t very academically stable until
I started learning other languages. I felt I was able to process things faster and
it also made me think a lot more.

Speak multiple languages is healthier for their brains. It is proven that when
the brain is not tasked for prolonged periods of time it tends to shrink and get
weaker. This is a major cause of neural diseases occurring early in the body.
People, who speak two or more languages are constantly keeping their brains
working as they converse in multiple dialects, this will reduce their possibility
of getting these brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, by 4-5 years.
Imagine living with any of these diseases, would you want to?
Speaking two or more languages as a child can create a lot of career
opportunities. As the world changes requirements for jobs change too. Many
jobs nowadays require employees to multilinguistic; this will give them an edge
over their monolinguistic counterparts. Universities also value students who
are multilinguistic as too many people can do the same thing but they look for
those who are good outside of academics.

Finally, it can make travel and relaxation more enjoyable. They will be able to
converse in the local dialect of different locations, which in turn gives a more
rich and fruitful vacation as they are able to better understand the history of
many places the way it is meant to be told.
I hope you have been informed about the advantages of becoming
multilinguistic and the disadvantages of being monolinguistic. I hope you will
choose the right path.