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I have a friend whose son learned sign language before he was two years old. He was signing before he was speaking. Her son is not deaf, but she felt it was a skill he would someday benefit from, so she taught him. I was amazed at how quickly he was able to pick it up, and it made me realize that there really is no right age to teach a child anything, including a second language.

There are children who learn quickly and at young ages, to do many things; speaking, walking, swimming, and so forth. There are also children who take a bit longer to develop the skills necessary to help them learn those same things.

Having the skill of a second language is something that everyone should attempt, as there are so many situations when it can be useful to be bilingual. The earlier we teach our children to speak another language, the easier it will be for them to learn, and the more opportunities they will have to use the skill throughout their lives.

I would not recommend a child learning a second language before learning his or her first language, because it is possible that there might be confusion as to which to use most often. The child might also become frustrated when he or she does not get ready responses when speaking. However, once the child masters speaking the native tongue, I believe the parents, if possible, should jump right in with language number two, whether they teach it themselves or with a tutor.

In certain states in our country, many Canadian provinces, and several countries in other parts of the world, it is mandatory to learn another language. In certain parts of California and Texas, because they are so close to the Mexican border, it is required that children learn Spanish. In Ontario, Quebec, and Montreal, English and French are the spoken languages and children learn both at the same time. In parts of Holland, people must learn to speak English as well as French and Dutch and the same with the Philippines when it comes to learning English. It is mandatory in many parts of that country as well as other Asian countries.

I am 41 years old and have had the hardest time trying to learn Spanish. I have been studying it off and on for over ten years and struggle much more than I would have had I learned it at a younger age. If I had been taught young, it would have been second hand to me by now, and I believe I would have had an easier learning process.
I also believe many doors that are closed to me now would be opened up in the job market, as well as socially.

Almost any state in the United States has a large population of people who come from other countries, practice different cultures and speak other languages. If we do not teach our children at an early age to communicate with these people, then we are segregating them and taking away opportunities on both sides. Children are walking, talking, reading, and swimming at such young ages. We have no reason to believe that they would not have the capacity to learn a second language at just as young an age, and the earlier we teach them, the easier it will be for them to learn.

Learn more about this author, Debbie N.
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