Why should we learn French at an early age?

Language is one of the greatest inventions of mankind. It’s a tool to communicate, to share one’s thoughts, to understand one another, to socialise and overall, it’s a power to become human. There are over seven thousand known languages and among them several are spoken everywhere in the world. Everyone is born with at least one native language which is acquired and learned mainly by the surroundings while a child grows up. Other languages are learned generally through a methodical approach or from a change of surroundings.

Why at an early age: It is said that a language is learned best at an early age. But the question is why do children learn languages faster and better? The answer is simple. Babies are said to come to the world with a state of “tabula rasa” – which means, a clean state without any preconceived ideas or predetermined goals. In other words, contrary to adults’ brain which is resistant to change, a child’s brain is malleable with enormous possibilities of moulding. Which means, learning multiple languages is not difficult but, in fact, much easier as these minds are free from any perception and open to all possibilities. Also, children love to imitate. They learn through imitation well beyond infancy. Therefore, learning a second or a third language is not giving extra effort for them, but, if started at an early age, it becomes a regular part which he/she can cherish for life.

Benefits of learning a language: Now the question that arises is the importance of learning multiple languages, or at least, one more language, other than the native language. As Bill Gates once said, “I feel pretty stupid that I don’t know any foreign languages”[1] it is a proven fact that bilingual or plurilingual children are much more apt, if not smarter than their bilingual counterparts. This is because of many factors which are associated with it.

First of all, language learning helps to increase our memory capacity. More we nurture our brain, the better it becomes. With continuous practice of various language skills such as pronunciation practice, memorising vocabulary or simply concentrating to learn a new language, an urge is created to develop the brain and consequently, the memory capacity improves to a greater extent. And as a result, children who learn multiple languages are generally better in academics and also in co-curricular activities than their monolingual counterparts. Then comes the multi-tasking skill, which is one of the most important skills in today’s world. As language learning makes children speak multiple languages, their multitasking skill develops. Also, according to a study of the National Library of Medicine, USA, Bilingualism is associated with less racial bias in preschool children.[2] This is because learning another language, especially a foreign language, makes us acknowledge and appreciate other cultures & unites us as a one human race.

Why French: This is one of the most important & most asked questions that we come across. There are multiple reasons behind learning French. Firstly, and most importantly, our school belongs to the Mother and Sri Aurobindo and the French language is intrinsically associated with them. The Mother was French and all her written work is in French. Sri Aurobindo, being a French scholar wrote many works in French. We expect our students to read them in the original language in order to imbibe their philosophy better in their own life.

Next, with more than 280 million speakers all over the world, French is one of the most spoken and useful languages in the world. Therefore, learning French will not only improve their learning skills, but it will open the door to a greater possibility in terms of future prospects such as study abroad or career choice. Indo-French collaboration is one of the best in the world in terms of political relations, strategic partnership, educational programmes and so on. French universities & business schools are one of the best in the world and at times inexpensive compared to some Indian universities but with a lot more opportunities.

Finally, we should not forget the fun that every child deserves. Learning French is easy & full of fun. Being in tune with a French nursery rhyme, exploring French bakeries, virtual visit to a French Art Gallery or celebrating the French National Day bring the joy of learning this language and French eventually becomes not so “foreign” to them.