We live in a small world today where in a matter of hours we can be in a different country where a different language is spoken and unknown customs are practiced.  Why not give a tremendous advantage to our children who are growing up in this brave new world?  Besides the benefits of higher test scores and greater vocabulary, children who speak foreign languages have a special understanding and acceptance of foreign cultures, practices and customs.

 

Studies show that the optimum age for language acquisition is between the ages of 0-6.  From ages 6-12 it is still a favorable time to acquire a second language, however the capabilities slowly start to diminish.  By puberty, a child, although still capable of acquiring another language, will almost certainly never obtain the foreign accent.   In other words, he or she will always have an accent in their native tongue no matter how fluent he or she becomes.