Speaking Beyond

Your Native Tongue

By:Emily Batista

Are you bilingual?Being bilingual

means that you can efficiently carry out conversation, read, and write, in more

than one language.

How is this beneficial?

Why should you speak more than one language?

•Easy traveling•Exposure to different cultures•Expanded vocabulary•Increased knowledge

Traveling

When traveling you can gain the most out of an experience if you can communicate with natives.•Allows you to relate to others•Allows for better transportation and services• Is efficient in more than one area, potentially more than one continent.

Different Cultures

We are constantly surrounded by other cultures. Learning another language exposes you to:

New ideas and methods Different jobs from around the world The everyday lives of others New ways of completing everyday tasks Life’s many natural advantages and

disadvantages

VocabularyLearning a new language is a wonderful way to expand your vocabulary. It allows for:

•Learning new words and root words•Many languages have words that are similar in root or stem. Such as English and Spanish.

KnowledgeOverall experience and exposure that comes with learning a new language can make you very knowledgeable. Research has proved that bilingualism develops:•Classification Skills•Concept Formation •Analogical Reasoning •Visual-Spatial Skills•Creativity•Other Cognitive Gains

Why is this important?Learning new ways to communicate is always helpful, but the benefits of learning a new language may help you:

•Expand and network your thoughts •Create lasting relationships with people who share your skills•Stand out to employers•Get into colleges/universities•Impress your authority figures/ native speakers of other languages

Networking

Communicate ideas to foreigners, or people in other countries

Spread awareness about a cause or issue

Influence a crowd

Create lasting relationships with other bilingual people

Communicate with others who are not proficient in English at work or school.

Making Impressions

Communicate with a wide range of people at work

Impress, or even help, your boss by using another language

Stand out from co-workers

Be impressive on college applications

Have the ability to study abroad

Explore college majors or minors in other languages

Personal Benefits• Speaking another language

provides you with more options including:• More reading options• More benefits from traveling• More ways of expression through culture• New ideas or ways of thinking • Adoption of new customs• Slang, choice of language, habits

Cognitive Benefits• The Executive Control

System • Concept of the executive control

system is the same concept of paying attention.

• Utilizing this system occurs when• Paying attention to more than one thing,

such as when switching between languages.

Academic Success• Popular beliefs state that learning

another language may deteriorate your English skills, however research has proven the opposite to be true. • Learning a new language makes you

think in a new way, thus you may apply what you learned to different subjects.• Problem-Solving Abilities• Improved Grades

Future Success

Expanded job opportunitiesMore competitive due to skill

Extended opportunities to travel abroad

Becoming BilingualPrograms have spread across the globe that influence children and adults alike to get involved in learning new languages.• Immersion Schools• Working Overseas• After-School/After-Work Training Programs • Mandatory Study Abroad Programs in College

Many StepsThere are many steps in considering how long and hard you will have to work to learn a new language, this includes:• Do you want to be proficient?• What is your current language

background?• How will you learn?• What type of learner are you?

“Being exposed to the existence of other languages increases the perception that

the world is populated by people who not only speak differently from oneself

but whose cultures and philosophies are other than one’s own. Perhaps travel

cannot prevent bigotry but by demonstrating that all people cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try to understand each other, we may even become friends.”

- Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now

Root Word FunActivity Instructions:1. Divide into 3 groups. Each group will receive

one bag, containing words from one language. 2. Take the words in your bag and using the hints

below, do your best to arrange the words into a sentence.

3. When you are done you will find a “Thank you!” message written to you in your language, raise your hands for me to approve your message, then one person will write it on the board.

4. What did your message mean? I will translate the messages into English once each group has completed the activity.

Activity Hints • In Spanish, “Hablar” means “to talk”• “Mas” means “more”.• “Idioma” sounds like “idiom” • In Portuguese, “Espero” means “to

hope”• “Meu” means “mine” • “Projeto” sounds like “project”• In French, “Apprendre means to

apprehend” • “Nouvelle” means “new”• “Difficile” sounds like “difficult”

Learning a new language may be

difficult, but that is life. Learning more than one

language is very important. I hope that

you enjoyed my project!

Works Cited

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Bilingual by Choice - Springer. Day Care Council

of America, 1982. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.

Hickson, Alessandra. "Education Nation: The Real

Benefits of Being bilingual." NBC Latino. NBC

UNIVERSAL, 27 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.

Steiner, Naomi, and Susan L. Hayes. "Becoming

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Becoming Bilingual :: Articles :: PARENTGUIDE

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