1. By Angela pack zia, think bilingual austin
Why Language Learning Should be an Important Component in Your Child’s Education
By Angela pack zia, think bilingual austin

2. “It isn’t that people don’t think language education is important
“It isn’t that people don’t think language education is important. It’s that they don’t think it’s possible.”
--Richard Brecht, University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Study of Language.
Common Excuses for not incorporating language learning other than English in primary education:
1. Everyone learns English, why learn another language since English continues to be the dominant language in trade?
2. The belief that a second language in the US adds little to no benefit.
“I learned French, but never used it and so I lost it.”
3. Idea that STEM and Language Learning exist in separate realms.
“Language is a nice thing to know, but I want my child to focus on STEM related disciplines.”

3. Common Excuses Continued…
4. “What is the point of studying a language when you still can’t speak it?”
The “I took two years of Spanish in high school, and I still couldn’t speak it” excuse.
5. The idea that it is easier to learn a language when you are older and can be immersed in the language by living abroad.
“My child can learn a second language if he wants by living abroad when he is older.
6. Idea that technology will make language learning obsolete.
Why learn a second language when we will have technology to translate everything for us?
7. For parents: “It is too hard as a parent to raise a bilingual child in a monolingual society.”

4. Debunking Excuse #1: Everyone learns English, why learn another language since English continues to be the dominant language in trade.?
FASTED GROWING JOBS IN THE JOB MARKET FOR BOTH SKILLED AND NON-SKILLED LABOR ARE FOR BILINGUALS!
Demand for bilinguals in the workforce in US has more than doubled over the past 5 years -Report by New American Economy (NAE)
Combination of larger immigrant community and increased globalization of markets
Across Skill Levels: From High School to Post Graduates
60% of online bilingual jobs were for those bilinguals with less than a Bachelor degree; however, the most growth for bilingual jobs was in the sectors that required higher education.
27% growth for “High Prestige” jobs such as Financial Managers, Editors, Industrial Engineers, Physical Therapists
18.2% growth “Highest Prestige” for Web Developers, Software Developers, Lawyers, Physicians and Surgeons
NAE Report, Lost in Translation, review from

5. Debunking excuse #1: continue…
THE RISE OF OTHER DOMINANT REGIONAL LANGUAGES: SPANISH, MANDARIN, ARABIC, HINDI
“If I send US nationals into another country, I want them to acclimate and assimilate quickly,” Tom Birmingham, Korn/Ferry’s managing director of global accounts.
Mandarin is the most spoken native language at over 1 Billion native speakers followed by Spanish at 400 Million.
Spanish is a global language spoken in 22 countries and across three continents
Global Enrollment at the Instituto Cervantes centers in 87 cities: 4x increase from
China, emerging as major supplier in global financial and investment capital, has begun to make significant investments in Latina America. (China’s Investment in Latin America, David Dollar from Foreign Policy at Brookings)
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences recently released a report claiming that the lack of bilinguals can lead to an economic and social disadvantage in an increasingly global and multilingual society.

6. Positive Self Identity
Debunking Excuse #2: The belief that a second language in the US adds little to no benefit.
Social Intelligence
Empathy
Perspective Taking
Self Expression
Positive Self Identity
SOFT SKILLS:
Language Learning in a positive environment along with cultural understanding helps develop interpersonal skills related to:
Collaboration & Coordinating with Others
Social and Emotional Intelligence
Negotiation
Active Listening
People Management
*The very skills that World Economic Forum has included in their list of top skills required for the current and future workforce.

7. Cognitive Load Management
Debunking Excuse #3: Idea that STEM and Language Learning exist in separate realms.
Cognitive Load Management
Ability to discriminate and filter information. Better and faster decision making.
Problem Solving
Ability to outperform in solving certain types of mental puzzles and problems
Sense Making
Decoding, Using Context and Information to Make Sense of Information and Data
Creative Thinking
Searching for ways to express yourself or to convey knowledge
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS:
Language Learning Exercises the Brain similar to that of learning music and other activities that require a great deal of concentration and sense making.
It should not be an “either/or” question for language learning and STEM disciplines but rather a question of “How can we incorporate language learning in through the use of other disciplines?”

8. Traditional Public Education Lacks Intention:
Debunking Excuse # 4: What is the point of studying a language when you still can’t speak it?
Traditional Public Education Lacks Intention:
Less than 1% of adults are proficient in a language that they had studied in a classroom (The Atlantic, May 10, 2015)
Only 7% of bilinguals attained the second language from a classroom setting. The vast majority learned it from their home environment. (Pew Research Center)
BUDGET SHORTFALLS, LOW POLITICAL PRIORITY, FOCUS ON STANDARDIZED TESTING has created a large shortfall in skilled bilinguals needed in the workforce where one in five jobs are related to international trade.
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF LANGUAGE INPUT
The earlier language instruction is introduced, the more likely fluency will develop before reaching adulthood.
Most US schools do not offer second language instruction in primary years.
The best age to introduce a second language is before the age of 11
For native like accent and more efficient internalization of the second language.
REQUIRES POLITICAL WILL, CHANGE OF METRIC STANDARDS, AND STRONG DEMAND BY PARENTS.
Will require effort to make language learning accessible beginning in primary years with continued development throughout middle school and high school years.

9. Debunking Excuse # 4: Continue…
Where do we stand today?
Benefits of studying language even if proficiency is never attained:
Encourages Perspective Taking: Being exposed regularly to a second language develops multi-perspective taking even if not bilingual.
Fosters Growth Mindset: If exposed to second language after the age of three, more awareness of learned process vs. inherent trait.
Develops a strong basis to become proficient later: The earlier a child begins learning the language, she is more likely to internalize the phonetic structure which will make it easier to become more fluent when older.
Develops Metalinguistic Awareness: “The ability to objectify language and dissect it as an arbitrary linguistic code independent of meaning” (Roth, Speece, Cooper, & de la Paz, 1996, p. 258.

10. Debunking excuse #5. The idea that it is easier to learn a language when you are older when you can be immersed in the language by living abroad.
Yes, you can learn a second language at any age and still attain fluency. However, disadvantages exist for starting later.
The Second Language Learned Occupies a Different Part of the Brain:
Language/s learned as a child occupies the Deep Motor area of the brain. Adult who learn a second language never internalize the second language in this key region; but rather access other regions to compensate.
Will likely to always have a non-native like accent.
Fluency can come as an opportunity cost.
The time commitment to learn a second language could come at an opportunity cost to other areas of learning and career development; whereas, had the student learned the language while growing up, he would have already mastered a high level of proficiency.

11. Debunking Excuse # 6: Idea that technology will make language learning obsolete.
Actually, the literature shows the opposite is true:
More technology is increasing the demand for more multi-linguals to make technology user friendly across languages and cultures.
AI is still highly limited in the nuances in a language and its cultural context.
Phrases and words can have different meaning in different contexts and in different cultures that speak the language.
Language is also dynamic and always changing.
The growth in technology is helping people to learn language.
Online digital and mobile learning continues to grow with one estimate putting the industry at $5B.

12. Debunking Excuse #7: For parents: it is too hard as a parent to raise a bilingual child in a monolingual society.
It is not without its challenges, but it still can be done successfully
--especially if language learning is part of a child’s education.
REQUIRES:
Commitment & Action Plan to Follow: See the Parent Bilingual Passport and Weekly Checklist of Fun Activities by Think Bilingual Austin
Community Support
Family, Meet-ups/Play Dates, Teacher/Tutor/Mentor
Resources
Music, Books, Videos, Apps
Focused Activities to Incorporate Language
Cooking, Projects, Excursions, Games
Good News: We live in a diverse and information-rich society where many of the resources needed are accessible.

13. Want to learn more?
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See website for details
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14. Thank you!
And Think Bilingual Austin!