A bilingual education is about more than just teaching children two languages. It goes beyond grammar and fluency and the ability to switch smoothly between ‘Good morning’ and ‘Guten Morgen’.
How bilingualism benefits your child
A dual-language curriculum gives children a host of life benefits – academically, personally and socially. In fact, bilingual education will put your child in the best position to thrive in today’s increasingly diverse and global environment.
Learning in two languages keeps the mind sharp
Research consistently indicates that children raised bilingually enjoy lifelong cognitive advantages. Students exposed to bilingual education are often linked to better academic results, especially in reading and maths. They also develop strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as improved working memory.
There is more to bilingualism than knowledge of two languages and there is a huge body of research on how bilingual brains are more amenable to multi-tasking, focused attention, problem solving and creativity.
Opening doors to more opportunities
One of the biggest advantages to bilingualism is that it equips children with strong inter-cultural and communication skills. And in our modern, globalised world, the ability to communicate with and adapt to multiple cultures is invaluable.
Bilingual students have an intuitive feel for language as a gateway to culture. A fluency in a second language and culture can open many doors for future study and employment opportunities. Bilingualism will also foster a love of lifelong learning and inspire students to become creative and confident participants in the international community.
Broadening the hearts and minds
Being exposed to another language also helps children be more curious and empathetic. When they learn to be culturally aware from a young age, students will grow to be more open minded and are able to take on a broader outlook. They are empowered to understand and embrace cultures that are not their own.
Bilingualism cultivates an interest in another culture and inspires a deep appreciation for diversity. It allows students to see the world from different perspectives. In a nutshell? A bilingual education supports the building of a generation that’s more accepting and appreciative of differences – paving the way towards social cohesion.
Join a strong community that shares a common bond
We offer a world-class bilingual learning program for primary school children. Our school’s immersion model of education enables students to pick up the German language through conversation and play.
And families don’t need to have prior German knowledge to fit into the community. In fact, a third of their students have no connection to Germany whatsoever.
We’re such a close community, and everybody is part of the family within no time at all. Multilingualism pulls us all together. And that’s another beauty of growing up in a bilingual environment. Your child gets to be a part of a global community in their own backyard.
By Bernice Ressel – Principal at Deutsche Schule Melbourne (DSM), Fitzroy North. To learn more visit dsm.org.au
