It is argued that primary school students should learn foreign languages as part of
the curriculum. This essay will explore the advantages and disadvantages of doing
this and why the merits prevail over the drawbacks.
To begin with, there is a considerable disadvantage to teaching foreign languages
to primary school students. The main one is it adds to their already burdensome
volume of schoolwork. Since these primary school students are often subjected
to a hectic curriculum with mounting homework and in-class assignments, the
addition of a foreign language may make it even more difficult for students to
study effectively. For example, the Japanese Ministry of Education recently
attempted to incorporate English into the national curriculum for elementary
students. However, it was met with backlash from parents as they complained that
their children are already encumbered with a heavy workload from other core
subjects.
However, there are some major advantages a primary school student can gain in
learning foreign languages. First, they can be exposed to new and diverse
cultures. As language is a defining characteristic of a nation’s culture, students
can subsequently acquire a greater understanding of how people of that nation
typically communicate with each other and by extension how their society
functions culturally. Second, learning a foreign language can assist in developing
primary students’ cognitive abilities. In doing this, they will learn how to
recognize complex patterns and use critical thinking skills to make sense of the
new knowledge they are acquiring. Hence, such skills are beneficial for a child’s
education as they serve to expand the thinking abilities of the brain.
In conclusion, while learning a language can add to the
already cumbersome amount of schoolwork, I assert that it is more advantageous
for primary schools to teach their students foreign languages as they can serve to
expand their knowledge about new foreign cultures and they help sharpen
their cognitive skills.
Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign
language at primary school rather than secondary school.
It is believed that a foreign language should be taught to children at primary school
rather than secondary school. This essay will show the advantages and
disadvantages of doing this and the reason why the downsides outweigh the
upsides.
It is apparent that there are several advantages of studying a foreign language at the
primary level. Firstly, pupils are at an early stage of learning and therefore tend to
be very open to new ideas. That is to say, they are less likely to find different
pronunciations or grammar of a foreign language strange and difficult than their
counterparts at secondary school. Secondly, young students can be exposed to new
and diverse cultures. As language is a defining characteristic of a nation’s culture,
students can subsequently acquire a greater understanding of how people of that
nation typically communicate with each other and by extension how their society
functions culturally.
Despite the positive aspects mentioned above, I think that there are more
drawbacks. First, studying a new language at primary level may greatly increase
young pupils' workloads. One more language to learn means more classes to take
and more schoolwork to do. In fact, many students have to cope with participating
in some extra English classes as their parent’s requirement. I think this puts young
children at a great disadvantage because at their age, they should spend more time
enjoying leisure activities rather than burying themselves in endless academic
tasks. Another disadvantage is that they are not mature enough to understand
multiple meanings of a new language. They are too young and lack knowledge,
experience, and life skills so it is pretty hard for them to study and remember.
In conclusion, although primary school-aged children seem to be good at acquiring
a foreign language, I believe this advantage is far outweighed by the disadvantages
that come with it.