Being bilingual in the United States has not been a goal for most Americans in the past. Unlike most other parts of the world, one language – English – is sufficient enough to get by in the U.S. Even in today’s globalized world, this is still true, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t benefits of being bilingual. Recent studies have discovered that there are numerous benefits of being bilingual, and people are beginning to sit up and take notice.
As globalization spreads, it is more desirable now than ever to speak more than one language. Many parents know the numerous benefits their children gain from being bilingual; currently, 21% of school age children speak a language other than English at home, and that number is only growing. It isn’t just the number of bilingual children that is growing, either. Adults are realizing that it is never too late to learn a second language, and are taking advantage of the benefits that come from bilingualism. For example, if you enjoy reading, entire new cultures are opened to you through novels and short stories, or if you like music, you have an opportunity to study artists from another country, study their style, and learn how music is viewed in other places around the world. There are many additional advantages that come from speaking a second language, and here are five of them:
- Education
- Health
- Employment
- Communication
- Cognition.
At the University of California, a study was conducted that found the age at which a person starts experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s is directly proportional to how bilingual they are, that is, how long they have been bilingual and how often they speak in more than one language. Studies have shown that bilingual children are better overall learners than monolingual children. Young children who speak more than one language are better able to detect rhyming words, understand shapes and patterns, categorize words, and stay focused on learning for longer periods of time. Other educational benefits of being bilingual are quite simple. Once you know a second or third language, it becomes much easier for you to continue learning others, and students who know more than one language generally do better on standardized tests such as the ACT or SAT.
In today’s globalized world, it is obvious being bilingual will help you get a job. Almost every job sector offers special positions such as interpretation and translation positions to people who are bilingual, and as globalization grows, so will the number of job sectors that require bilingual workers. If you are a fan of world culture and enjoy reading literature from other countries and traveling abroad, then becoming bilingual is ideal, as it helps readers to better understand foreign literature and also prevents communication difficulties when traveling abroad.
Studies show that learning or knowing more than one language has a physical impact on the brain, and helps to fight off Alzheimer’s. Whether or not the second language is being used, evidence suggests that it is still active, and forces the brain to focus on which language is being used, increasing mental focus and concentration. Having more than one set of vocabulary at hand also increases the number of word connections at your disposal, which helps negate the effects of degenerative brain disease. So whether you’re looking to improve your mental health, prepare your child for an Ivy League education, or just discover a new language and culture, everyone receives benefits from studying another language.
