Poll: What age should children start learning a foreign language at?

Guest

Children should, if possible start learning a foreign language as early as possible. The older they get the more difficult it is for them to learn and produce the specific sounds every language has

Tam

I I have read your web and I would like you help me find more a bout researeches on what age should start learning a foreign language. I have been learning and teaching English myself at Ca Mau Province Children's House in Viet Nam. My opinion is that I agree with what you have on your website. Now I have been researching on this issue to find out the best way to teach my pupils. Please help me,
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours Sincerely
Best Wishes
Tam
Duong Ngoc tam

mimi

I work in the kindergarten and I can tell you that 3-5 is the right age for learning foreign languages. Children adopt new words easily especially through activities, chants, fun...They find it interesting, like a little game.They have healthy competitive spirit and always want some more.

Anastasia

Children can learn and sepaprate with impressive efficience two languages from the first time they ever start speaking. Being exposed to two languages results in learning both sepaprately. It's really quite good.

hafsat

any children can start to learn any foreing language at the age 1-2 why not?

Iana Cos.

Children should start to learn a foreign language as early as possible. It helps a lot later in life. It's from my own experience.

Jennifer

Personally I remember that I was still trying to get the hang of my primary language at age 5-6 (I mean, with a great grasp.) Mixing it up might make children confuse words from the foreign language with their primary language and it might become solid in the memory that way into later in life. I suggest waiting until around 7 or so, depending on how well he/she has finally grasped their primary language. It is amazing that when I am feeling a certain way, a word (in my primary language) that I do not immediately know the meaning of and generally do not recognize means exactly what I am feeling. I find this out by looking up the word. I was never taught a second or third or more language during my childhood. But the good thing about that is that I will definitely remember English no matter what other languages I learn (I have had two years of German and two of Spanish (throughout high school) it was not a hard class and I did not continue to practice the languages so I do not remember much but, I remember some from both, but I always, without thinking about it, refer to my primary language in the process!) Children need (in my opinion) one specific language to call their own, instead of feeling confused and torn between two or more, which will happen if they learn both languages at the same time as they are growing up. Maybe some can handle doing that. But it needs to be done very carefully and only if the student is showing cognitive and other brain function developmental progress. If they don't at least remember one language 100% because they get two languages mixed up, they are going to be in a world of hurt when they are older and in the adult world on their own. This is my advice.

Megan

I think children should be exposed to second language learning early. Parents are their first teachers. If mom or dad can read basic English, they can teach their child

Nebbie

Research mainly using immigrants with children has shown that beyond age 7, you won't master a new language like a native speaker.