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Language Learning in International Schools

    A survey earlier this year carried out by the British Council of 2,083 pupils completing their first year of secondary school in the UK found that nearly 90% felt that languages would not be necessary for a career post school whilst some also thought that it was not beneficial to learn a language at all. Although only a snapshot of what is happening in the UK in regard to language learning trends, this is somewhat at odds with the importance placed on language learning in the international sector. A representative from the British Council has suggested that this may be due to the perceived difficulty of learning a language by some as well as the lack of value placed on language learning both by students and their families. Therefore, is there something that the national sector in the UK can learn from the international sector?

    Index:

    What are the benefits of learning an additional language?

    From the survey by the British Council, although most students did not see the importance of language learning in the long term, nearly three quarters felt that in the primary years, students should have the opportunity to learn a language whilst just over 45% of those surveyed stated that they liked or loved learning new languages. So, although the long-term benefits are perhaps not recognised, there is an indication of language learning as a joyful experience. 

    If we are to look at the science of learning a second language, there are a number of studies which state the cognitive benefits. One by the universities of Reading and Georgetown in 2020, found that those children and young people who were able to speak a second language had developed more grey matter in their brains as compared to those who could only speak one language. Grey matter is what helps us to process and communicate information; therefore, this could suggest a heightened ability in these areas. Also, as grey matter declines in adult life, having more grey matter as a child could result in longevity in brain function.

    Another cognitive benefit of learning an additional language is that it can help develop an individual’s ‘executive functioning skills’. Executive functioning skills are the capacity to be focused and attentive, plan and work towards goals, demonstrate self-control, follow multi-step directions, and the ability to move easily from task to task. Being able to move between languages requires a high level of concentration and the ability to language switch at speed. Thus, this flexibility and focus helps develop executive functioning in all areas of an individual’s life.

    There is also the suggestion that those children who can speak two languages are more creative and better problem solvers than their monolingual counterparts. According to a study by the University of Strathclyde, these benefits in creativity and problem solving appear not only in language tasks but also in arithmetic. Bilingual children are more likely to see patterns and can think ‘outside the box’ more readily.

    Speaking a second language is also said to impact social and emotional development. Social and emotional skills include how an individual regulates their emotions, the personal relationships that they develop with others, their ability to empathise, and the ways in which they deal with life’s challenges. Through learning another language, individuals learn to see things from other perspectives, they build stronger connections with others, their confidence increases, and they can empathise more.

    Language is also a route to enhanced cultural awareness, a factor which is highly important in the internal school sector. Cultural ideas and stories are expressed through language and therefore learning a language, allows us a looking glass into how other cultures think, what is important to them, and how they are the same or different. The benefit of this is not only seen in our wider knowledge but also in our socio-emotional skills where we learn to communicate effectively with a wider range of people. We can empathise more and learn to reflect on the validity of our own thoughts and ideas. 

    Finally, language learning opens up new doors. Although the children surveyed in the British Council survey did not recognise this, on the whole, being able to speak a second language is desirable in many workplaces. The world has become increasingly mobile and there is a high chance that the children of today will find themselves interacting with individuals from the opposite side of the world. Being able to communicate effectively in a second or third language will help build relationships, assist in business interactions, as well as enrich lives.

    Factors influencing an individual’s ability to learn an additional language

    Some children will naturally become bilingual or trilingual because they are exposed at an early age to two or three languages. However, in general, there are a number of factors which will affect the acquisition of any additional languages, and this will vary amongst individuals. 

    The first is the age of acquisition. It is generally accepted that the younger a child is, the easier it is for them to acquire a new language, hence the fact that many schools now teach a modern foreign language in primary school as opposed to leaving it to secondary school as it once was. Secondly, the first or native language of an individual has a great impact on the learning of a second language. Overall ability in the first language is usually a sign of ability in the second language, and if there are similarities between the two languages, it will generally make it easier to acquire the language (‘positive transfer’), with the opposite also being true (‘negative transfer’) when the languages are quite different. Thirdly, the amount of support an individual receives will also affect the acquisition of a second language. This applies to home and school and is seen in the opportunities to use the language with family, teachers and peers, and the quality of the instruction received. Lastly, as with all types of learning, individuals must want to learn the language. If the motivation and need is there, acquisition of the language will happen much faster. 

    Language learning in international schools

    Language learning and home language celebration are fundamental aspects of the international school experience and the development of international mindedness. It is important for students to retain their cultural identity whilst working in a second language and so opportunities to share their home language are exploited on a frequent basis.

    Although in many international schools, the primary language of instruction is English, students will also, from the start of the primary years (earlier for some schools), learn the language of their host country. This allows for students to assimilate into local life as well as increase their understanding and respect for their new community. Students receive a number of weekly lessons which are usually differentiated so that those who are new to the host country are taught the early fundamental skills required for basic communication whilst those who have been in the country for longer or who are natives of the country will work at a higher level in order to maintain and develop their language ability. All children are exposed to the traditions and celebrations of the host country through their language lessons and whole school events.

    As students get older, in many schools, they will have the opportunity to learn another language in addition to the host country language. Some schools also offer lessons in a number of languages which represent the school community so that students can continue to develop their home language if this is different to the host country language. 

    Some international schools, and there are a handful of them in Tokyo, also offer bilingual programmes where a child might spend half of their week working in English and the other half working, for example, in Japanese. When equal time is given to both subjects, the hope is that they will be equally developed. In Tokyo, there are schools offering English/Japanese programmes, English/French programmes and Japanese/French programmes, amongst others.

    Conclusion

    Being able to speak more than one language is generally perceived as being advantageous. It is ascertained to have cognitive benefits in regard to multi-tasking, creativity and memory (recent research has shown that it also delays the onset of Alzheimer’s disease), and it is also suggested that bilingual students have an academic advantage over their monolingual peers. Bilingualism increases the understanding of other cultures as well as creating a greater sense of one’s own identity, and it is quickly becoming a desirable quality for employers, therefore providing more job opportunities for those who can speak multiple languages.

    Therefore, perhaps the UK national system could learn something from the international school approach to additional languages. Language learning needs to be valued, both at home and at school. Students and communities need to be taught about both the cognitive and cultural benefits and see the opportunities that can arise from learning a language. 

    For further reading on bilingualism and multilingualism, visit our Educational Content page.

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