By Laura Bone
As a parent, I am always looking for ways to help my children grow into the best people they can be. Like it or not, we probably all have a wish list of character traits we hope to instill in our children. It isn’t easy to intentionally parent and choose between the good, better, and best.
If you have looked into dual immersion programs, you have probably done the research and found the amazing benefits for children to learn another language. The earlier you can learn another language the better, but it is never too late. As children develop, the brain is learning and wiring itself, and learning multiple languages helps the brain flex its figurative muscles.
In addition to learning another language, exposing your child to different cultures has numerous benefits. Siva Pasefika created this infographic that shows us that children who are exposed to other cultures have a greater sense of fairness, an increased willingness to learn, more compassion, and less judgmental attitudes. Sign me up! I hope that my children learn that having advantages is a blessing, but unfair advantages and taking advantage of others isn’t right. A willingness to learn, and learn from someone who may look and speak differently than you, is a large factor in how successful of an adult you become. Not to mention that in a world so full of hate, what we could all use is more compassion and less judgements.
As depicted below, there are some easy and other not so easy things you can do to help expose your children to other cultures. You can look for cultural dance or fitness programs, watch foreign films (search for a language on your streaming platform and you can find TONS), eat in ethnic restaurants, and attend events or your religious services in another language. These are all easy things you can do on a weekly basis. You could even choose to focus on a different country every month.
On a larger scale, enrolling your children in a dual immersion program is a great way to have a significant impact for your child. Those who stay with the program generally graduate high school one credit short of a minor in their chosen language. Traveling is tricky these days, but if you decide to travel with your family those early exposures to other cultures will be something they never forget. Lastly, hosting a foreign exchange student and creating the opportunity for your child to live with and learn from someone who has been raised differently will be something the whole family enjoys. There are programs in which a student stays with you for the entire school year, and other programs where students stay with you for as little as a week.
Thanks Laura, for your contribution and support to our dual immersion program!
To know more, check www.sivapasefika.com
Majestic DLI 