by Riley Sandoval ‘22

School has been anything but normal lately, and how we learn is completely different than before. As we begin to undertake the process of safely returning to school, it may be the ideal time to reconsider what we are learning and teaching. The coronavirus pandemic has provided us with the opportunity to improve learning once we return in-person. One method that can be incorporated into schools, is teaching a second language as early as kindergarten. 

At a young age, children are equipped with the instinctive ability to grasp the concept of language. Hence, why they are able to speak and understand language quickly. However, children can only pick up language with ease during what is called the critical period. This period lasts from infancy to when children reach about 7 years old. During this period children are masters at picking up certain aspects of language. Learning a language gradually becomes harder after this period concludes. If a child is not exposed to a language before their critical period begins to close, they will not be able to understand or effectively speak that language without constant exposure and practice. 

The brain’s motto is to “use it or lose it!” Our brains are like landscapers pruning away the parts we never use. If we learn a new language, but never use it, that bush will be trimmed away. I have taken several years of Spanish classes, beginning in sixth grade, but without frequent use or practice, it is difficult to quickly form sentences and recall what words mean. 

If it is so hard to remember and learn a new language after the critical period, why not teach languages earlier? It is unrealistic to start teaching a language in middle or high school, after the critical period is already closing, and to expect students to fully understand the intricacies of language. 

Countries like the Netherlands and Japan teach students English as early as kindergarten. In the Netherlands, it is a requirement to learn English in primary school alongside their native language, Dutch. Not only do students need to learn it to graduate, but they also continue to use and practice English literature throughout the rest of their education. While English is their only required language, they also teach French and German. Likewise, in Japan students can begin learning and practicing English in first grade, although the majority of students take English classes starting in fifth grade. Japan’s English classes are not as extensive as in the Netherlands, but they still help students get a jump start in learning the language before their critical period is over.

In the United States, foreign languages are not offered in public schools until middle or high school and are often electives instead of required classes. In Montgomery County, students are required to take at least two years of a foreign language in high school, but with only two years of instruction, and little exposure afterward students will not be able to remember the language. As we have had to rethink the way we learn during the coronavirus pandemic, now is the time to start teaching a language at an earlier age when we resume in-person instruction.