America is one of the few countries that does not have a national language. We are also the same country that does not require foreign language in curriculum from a young age. Other countries’ children have almost reached fluency in more than one language by the age of ten.

So why don't our children learn this in school?

The most common reason you will find is that there is a lack of funding which is very true. However, it is not until high school when a student is exposed to the possibility of being bilingual. Lack of funding goes along with the lack of qualified teachers. Basically, if you don't have enough money, you can’t afford to pay a qualified teacher.

A child that learns two languages from an early age does not just get their development from the classroom. It also requires the interactions of the parent in both their native language as well as the foreign language. This also poses a problem, because parents just do not want to put the work in to assure their child will be bilingual. Parents also fear their will be a speaking delay as well as language confusion.

These fears have both been declared myths.

The speaking delay does happen on occasion, but not for the reason the parents think. It happens because the child is learning two languages at once and they are absorbing what they are being taught. Language confusion is when the child will merge their knowledge of both languages into one. This happens when the child might not know the word in the language they are speaking, but know it in another.

So, why even bother with teaching your child another language if there is all this hassle? Well, the positive things an additional language has on the mind is quite interesting and unexpected. Not to mention, it helps you to bond with your child in a different way.

Bilingual children show to be less likely distracted than their monolingual peers tend to be. They excel in other subjects better than a monolingual child would through what cognitive neuroscientist Ellen Bialystok calls the bilingual advantage, which allows the individual to exhibit "higher cognitive processes."

Since we are on the topic of academia, a child being bilingual also gives them a better opportunity to study abroad and learn from other cultures. A study has shown that bilingual youth have less anxiety and anger. They are also less likely to feel lonely. It is also easier for them to pick up a third or fourth language. These aren’t exclusive to children however, adults who learn another language also receive these benefits as well.

The population of non-English speakers in the United States is rapidly growing, and we are constantly expecting these individuals to learn our language. But if we teach our children their languages, it would help everyone involved. It would help prepare our children to grow up in the constantly changing world. There will always be excuses made but if there is a will there is a way. So many other countries expect their children to be fluent in multiple languages. Shouldn't we catch up with the world?

Sources:

Is Bilingualism Really an Advantage? http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/b...

The Bilingual Advantage http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/science/31conver...