3 LANGUAGES YOUR CHILD MUST BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
Let your child learn how to speak three languages fluently.
As the world becomes increasingly globalized, it is becoming important for children to have the ability to speak more than one language.
The following are three languages your children should be able to speak:
1. Your local language.
Everyone has roots. No matter where we find ourselves on the globe, we all originate from somewhere. Children’s ability to speak their mother tongue is crucial for them to learn other languages and is also important for cultural identity.
2. English
According to Statista, in 2023, there were around 1.5 billion people worldwide who spoke English either natively or as a second language, making it the most spoken language in the world. Your child’s ability to command the English language will provide bigger global opportunities for them. Not only that, it also helps in education.
I remember when I was an assistant head of school for a school in Nigeria, students who performed better in class were those who could speak English well enough. It makes sense because the language of instruction in schools is English; hence, the need for your child to be able to speak the English language.
3. Arabic
Yes, Arabic made it to the list here. This is specifically for Muslim children. Understanding the Arabic language will help them understand their religion (Islam) better. This is crucial as in the days ahead, there will be more religious confusion, and only those with mastery of their religion will survive such confusion.
Understanding Arabic will also help your child mingle with religious people wherever they find themselves. Imagine your child getting undergraduate admission to study in the UK; their Arabic-speaking skills as well as religious understanding will make your child a darling of Muslim communities in such countries, thereby keeping them in the community of good people.
In conclusion, the benefits of being able to speak multiple languages cannot be overemphasized. In fact, psychologists suggest that your ability to speak multiple languages actually makes you smarter.
According to an article by the Association of Psychological Sciences (ASP), “…….. But in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people.
Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter.” Therefore, just like you focus on school, providing your child the opportunity to speak the three languages above will have a profound positive effect on their future success.