10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior
You surely know that learning a second language is a necessity. but did you know one of the benefits of learning Spanish as a kid is improved behavior?
Spanish, in particular, is a frequent choice when deciding on a second language for your child due to its widespread use around the world.
8% of the world’s population speaks Spanish, and it’s the fourth most spoken language after English, Hindi, and Mandarin.
Therefore knowing Spanish obviously increases your child’s career opportunities.
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Benefits of Learning Spanish
Enrolling your child in Spanish classes can boost their cognitive, social, and emotional development and hence improve your child’s behavior.
And these are only a few of the advantages!
How your child behaves depends not only on their genes or other biological reasons but also on communication issues or emotional reasons.
Learning Spanish can improve cognitive functions, memory retention, critical thinking, and creativity.
It can also enhance cultural awareness and communication skills and boost your child’s emotional intelligence.
In this article, we will explain the benefits of learning Spanish for your child’s general conduct. Keep reading to know why and how!
10 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Child’s Behavior
Now that you know why learning a second language is important, let’s look at how learning Spanish can improve your child’s behavior.
1. Improve Cognitive Functions
Cognitive functioning refers to various mental skills, such as learning, thinking, reasoning, decision-making, and attention, among others.
Learning Spanish can benefit children’s cognitive development in multiple ways!
Research shows that bilingual children demonstrate more cognitive flexibility than monolingual kids. So, providing your child with opportunities to learn Spanish will enhance their cognitive abilities.
2. Increase Cultural Awareness
Learning Spanish can also increase cultural awareness in children.
It exposes them to Spanish-speaking cultures, traditions, and customs, expanding their overview.
Spanish classes can easily introduce children to Hispanic heritage. Kids can learn Spanish songs, play Hispanic games, and read books in Spanish.
It will slowly prepare them to appreciate diverse perspectives and to be open-minded global citizens who respect cultural diversity and inclusivity.
3. Increase Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage your own other people’s emotions.
It’s not a secret that emotional intelligence matters as much as IQ and can help you build stronger relationships and achieve your goals.
Empathy and self-awareness are some of the key elements of it.
You surely have guessed by now that learning Spanish enhances emotional intelligence and empathy.
It allows your child to deepen their cultural understanding and expand their analysis abilities, as I mentioned above.
Learning Spanish language and culture engages kids with the practices and values of different countries.
Bilingual kids learn how to interpret the emotions of others more accurately and also learn new ways to express themselves.
They know how to put themselves in the shoes of another person.
They’re better at reading mouth movements, facial expressions, and subtle gestures as they grow up in more complex learning environments.
4. Increase Creativity and Problem-solving Skills
Learning Spanish can also increase creativity and problem-solving skills in your child by providing them with new perspectives and ways of thinking.
Knowing Spanish will let your kid access new information, resources, and networks and inspire novel, creative solutions to problems.
Studies show that bilingual children are much better at solving problems than their monolingual counterparts since speaking two or more languages requires executive functioning and higher-level cognitive skills.
This is because learning a new language requires children to engage with complex grammatical structures, vocabulary, and cultural nuances.
5. Enhance Communication Skills
It is one of the most obvious benefits of learning Spanish for your child.
It enhances their communication skills by improving their ability to express themselves differently and connect with people from different cultures.
Your child will develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, essential for effective language communication.
Moreover, bilingual kids are better at switching between tasks which can help them to communicate effectively in different contexts.
6. Improve Memory Retention and Recall
Learning Spanish is practically a mental workout that exercises your child’s brain.
Your child will need to learn vocabulary, grammar, and new sentence structures, memorize, and use them in their daily conversations.
This repetitive and ongoing process of memorization and recall strengthens neural pathways in the brain responsible for memory and recall.
A more exercised memory has undeniable long-term benefits for your kid’s future academic and professional career!
7. Increase Self-confidence and Self-esteem
Learning Spanish will increase your child’s self-confidence and self-esteem by giving them a sense of accomplishment, pride, and competence.
Bilingual kids communicate more effectively and generally feel more confident navigating unfamiliar situations.
Children who feel successful at it will naturally improve their self-esteem and confidence.
When your kids grow up and choose electives in school, knowing Spanish will provide them with a competitive advantage and open up opportunities in the future.
8. Greater Adaptability and Flexibility
The brain of a bilingual child constantly exercises the ability to switch between languages and adapt to different contexts.
Increased emotional intelligence also improves their adaptability and flexibility.
In the future, your child will be more flexible and capable of adapting to a different culture, increasing their working opportunities.
It’s a necessary skill and mindset to thrive in our ever-changing world!
9. Improve Social Skills
Yes! You shouldn’t be surprised that learning Spanish improves your child’s social skills.
This process allows them to interact with different people and develop cross-cultural communication skills.
Knowing Spanish will help your child connect with Spanish-speaking kids in other countries and make new friendships and connections.
This will broaden their social network and make their life richer and more diverse.
10. Increase Academic Success
Last but not least, learning Spanish at an early age leads to increased academic success later on.
Your child will be able to excel not only in Spanish, although possible language electives and AP classes are definitely among the top benefits of learning Spanish.
Enhanced cognitive abilities, better memory, attention, and problem-solving skills translate into better school performance across subjects.
This is a direct way to academic success and, of course, a more attractive professional career.
Improve Your Child’s Behavior and Performance with Spanish Classes
Now that you know that learning Spanish has a positive impact on your child’s behavior, you should start thinking about enrolling your child in Spanish classes.
You can give it a try, sign up for a free trial class at HSA, and invest in your child’s education and behavior.
We know how to make our students happy, and parents have even voted us the “Best Overall Online Spanish Classes for Kids.”
Our student-tailored Spanish programs make it simple for your child to enjoy and thrive in their language-learning journey.
We can’t wait for you to join us!
Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these…
“This is the best way for your kid to learn Spanish. It’s one-on-one, taught by native Spanish speakers, and uses a curriculum.”
– Sharon K, Parent of 3
“It’s a great way to learn Spanish, from native Spanish speakers in a 1-on-1 environment. It’s been fairly easy to schedule classes around my daughter’s other classes. The best value for us has been ordering multiple classes at a time. All the instructors have been great!”
– Cindy D, Parent of 3
“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”
– Erica P. Parent of 1
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