The 1990s have been a decade of renewed interest in language learning. As always, political and economic concerns play a major role in the nation's perception of the value of learning a second language. In addition, there is now a growing appreciation of the role that multilingual individuals can play in an increasingly diverse society, and there is also a greater understanding of the academic and cognitive benefits of learning other languages. During the past five years in particular, researchers, policymakers, educators, employers, parents, and the media have reexamined the advantages of foreign language learning.

In 1989, a presidential resolution declared the 1990s the "decade of the brain," resulting in an increased level of research on brain development throughout the 1990s. Some of this research has analyzed the effect of language acquisition on the brain. The results of these studies have generated media interest in how early learning experiencesincluding first and second language acquisition promote cognitive development. For example, the Spring/Summer 1997 special issue of Newsweek magazine was devoted to the critical first three years of a child's life, indicating that there is a window of opportunity for second language learning that begins when a child is one year of age. Numerous other magazines, journals, and television programs have also explored the importance of early language learning.

Most experts are in agreement that making it possible for children to learn a second language early in life is entirely beneficial. A summary of the many benefits of learning a second language follows.

An obvious advantage of knowing more than one language is having expanded access to people and resources. Individuals who speak and read more than one language have the ability to communicate with more people, read more literature, and benefit more fully from travel to other countries. Introducing students to alternative ways of expressing themselves and to different cultures gives greater depth to their understanding of human experience by fostering an appreciation for the customs and achievements of people beyond their own communities. Ultimately, knowing a second language can also give people a competitive advantage in the work force by opening up additional job opportunities.

Some research suggests that students who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems than those who do not. Other studies suggest that bilingual individuals outperform similar monolinguals on both verbal and nonverbal tests of intelligence, which raises the question of whether ability in more than one language enables individuals to achieve greater intellectual flexibility.

Parents and educators sometimes express concern that learning a second language will have a detrimental effect on students' reading and verbal abilities in English. However, several studies suggest the opposite. For example, a recent study of the reading ability of 134 four- and five-year-old children found that bilingual children understood better than monolingual children the general symbolic representation of print. Another study analyzed achievement test data of students who had participated for five years in immersion the most intensive type of foreign language program.
The study concluded that those students scored as well as or better than all comparison groups on achievement tests and that they remained high academic achievers throughout their schooling. Numerous other studies have also shown a positive relationship between foreign language study and achievement in English language arts.
All of these results suggest that second language study helps enhance English and other academic skills. Some studies have found that students who learn foreign languages score statistically higher on standardized college entrance exams than those who do not. For example, the College Entrance Examination Board reported that students who had averaged four or more years of foreign language study scored higher on the verbal section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) than those who had studied four or more years of any other subject.
These findings, which were consistent with College Board profiles for previous years, suggest that studying a second language for a number of years may contribute to higher SAT scores.

Bilingualism and multilingualism have many benefits to society. Americans who are fluent in more than one language can enhance America's economic competitiveness abroad, maintain its political and security interests, and work to promote an understanding of cultural diversity within the United States. For example, international trade specialists, overseas media correspondents, diplomats, airline employees, and national security personnel need to be familiar with other languages and cultures to do their jobs well. Teachers, healthcare providers, customer service representatives, and law enforcement personnel also serve their constituencies more effectively when they can reach across languages and cultures. Developing the language abilities of the students now in school will improve the effectiveness of the work force later.

Research has shown that second language study offers many benefits to students in terms of improved communicative ability, cognitive development, cultural awareness, and job opportunities. Society as a whole also profits economically, politically, and socially when its citizens can communicate with and appreciate people from other countries and cultures. Parents and educators would be wise to take advantage of the many available opportunities and resources for second language learning for the benefit of children coming of age in the 21st century.

Kathleen M. Marcos, Assistant Director, ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics Center for Applied Linguistics. Adapted from "Second Language Learning: Everyone Can Benefit," K-12 Foreign Language Education: The ERIC Review, Volume 6, Issue 1, Fall 1998 (http://www.accesseric.org/resources/ericreview/vol6no1/ langlern.html#1). Find out more about CAL by going online to: http://www.cal.org