We believe that learning a foreign language in elementary school is an essential part of a child's education and development. Scientific studies indicate that there are sound physiological and psychological reasons to initiate foreign language study with children at an early age. Research states that the learning window, when the peak acquisition of a foreign language occurs, is between birth and ten years of age. Yet, for most students, foreign language is introduced and formally studied when they are twelve years of age or older. Academic research also supports teaching of a foreign language at the elementary school level.

These studies indicate that the benefits of early foreign language programs go beyond language acquisition. These benefits include the development of students' creativity, memory, and listening skills. There is specific research to suggest that the child who learns a foreign language at an early age makes greater progress in the acquisition of English language arts, specifically, in the areas of reading and writing, than the child who has not had experience with a foreign language. Studies also show that students who have studied foreign languages attain higher scores on the Scholastic Achievement Tests (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT), especially in the verbal areas. Learning a foreign language benefits all children, regardless of academic ability. Research also indicates that children studying a foreign language have an improved self-awareness and sense of achievement in school.

Specific Benefits:

• Enhancement of cognitive skills. Multiple studies have shown that foreign language learning enhances cognitive development and basic skills performance in elementary school children.
• Development of a global attitude. During their elementary school years, children are open to ideas of global understanding. Study of a foreign language and culture can serve as an important vehicle by which to expand their intercultural views. In our increasingly global economy, a deep understanding of one’s own and other cultures can provide access to a greater number of career possibilities.
• Enhancement of communication skills. While children are developing the ability to communicate in a different language system, they learn to see language as a phenomenon in itself. Children become aware that language and its objects are independent of one another, and that there are many ways in which to refer to one object. The study of foreign languages has also been shown to have positive effects on memory and listening skills.
• Achievement of proficiency. Studies show that there is a direct correlation between the amount of time devoted to language study and the language proficiency that the students attain. Therefore, children who begin in elementary school have a better chance of developing a high level of foreign language proficiency than do students whose foreign language instruction begins in the post elementary school years.