Growing up in the United States, it can be easy to forget that billions of people in the world speak no English at all. But with the World Cup in full swing, the diversity of our planet’s inhabitants is more visible than usual. Beyond opening up new avenues of communication, what are the benefits of learning another language?
Mastering a language can have powerful neural effects. Studies have suggested that students who master a second language also show increased cognitive control overall, which could lead to improved focus and executive function (e.g. Bak et al., Anderson et al.). Since language learning, even more than most other learning, requires daily habits of practice and different modes of study to be effective, it is also a great space for practicing the skills and tools that will empower students across the curriculum.
Elements of many languages will also improve a student’s understanding of English, for at least two reasons. First, since many commonly learned languages share etymological roots with English, which blends Germanic and Latinate ancestry, learning vocabulary in a new language can simultaneously strengthen vocabulary in a student’s native tongue. Second, the process of learning a new language requires students to think more explicitly about grammar -- the parts of a sentence, verb/pronoun agreement, direct and indirect objects -- in a way that can improve their written and spoken English as well. This new understanding of the mechanics of grammar is part of the reason why students who learn one foreign language are able to add another much more easily.
There are many digital platforms for language learners to explore, and the all-important element of interaction in the chosen language is already often available remotely. Tutors can guide students through a curriculum while making explicit the grammar and executive function skills they should be picking up along the way. Adding some form of challenge and/or incentive structure can make the experience both fun and effective, as students learn to describe and navigate the world around them through an entirely new linguistic framework.