English
Earlier Exposure to a Second Language Needed
Anne Marie Kodama Institute for International Studies
Both Japan and the United States formally begin teaching a second language in junior high school. I believe this is too late for most children to learn a second language without a great deal of effort and desire on the part of the student. Therefore, most students learn only what is necessary to pass an exam or graduate. They are not, however, able to use the language in day-to-day life. My children began learning a second language in preschool. They attend a multilingual/multicultural school for children aged 18 months to 12 years old. Each classroom has an English speaking teacher, Japanese speaking teacher and Chinese (Mandarin) speaking teacher. The teachers speak to the children only in the teacher's native language. Therefore, the children are immersed in the second and/or third language, which enables them to learn it as they did their native language. Although each child is in either the Japanese/English or Chinese/English programs, they are continually exposed to the third language. My children, who are in the Japanese/English program, have a basic understanding of Chinese as a result. They can follow simple directions, sing songs, and greet the teachers appropriately in Chinese. This exposure to other languages at such a young age enables the students to pick up other languages much easier even later in life. This can be seen in Europe where many people are exposed to second, and even third languages in elementary school. Many Europeans are multilingual as a result. Finally, by learning other languages so early in life, they are less self-conscious about making mistakes, which is very difficult for older children and adults.