Our experiences as immigrants have allowed us to appreciate the varied cultures that make up these great United States, and delight in the benefits of living in international hubs such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The communities that make up our cities, suburbs, and towns reflect the richness in art, food, and people found around the globe.

Learners deserve to experience our increasingly interconnected world through language. And language taught well should involve a deep understanding of culture. As global borders become more porous and economies more intertwined, our education system’s current approach to language learning deserves thoughtful reconsideration.

We’ve observed many school districts treating world languages as supplementary rather than core curriculum. When budgets tighten, language programs are often among the first to face cuts. As a result, our graduates enter a global workforce at a disadvantage, often unable to communicate effectively with international partners. Meanwhile, students in Europe and Asia commonly graduate speaking multiple languages. But this isn’t solely about economic opportunities. It’s about preparing our children adequately for the world they’ll inherit.

The research supporting multilingualism is compelling, yet it hasn’t significantly influenced our educational policy. World languages are fundamental to developing adaptable, creative minds capable of navigating our complex global reality. They help improve cognitive skills, drive academic excellence and boost empathy. When a child learns a second language, their neural pathways multiply, cognitive flexibility expands, and problem-solving abilities are enhanced. Children who are multilingual move between languages with remarkable ease, switching mental frameworks effortlessly.

The academic benefits extend beyond language arts. In mathematics, language learners demonstrate enhanced spatial reasoning and abstract thinking. In science, they show greater cognitive flexibility when approaching complex problems. In social studies, they bring nuanced cultural understanding that enriches classroom discussions.

We’ve witnessed struggling students find new confidence when given the opportunity to learn in multiple languages. A child who feels challenged by English reading might discover success when approaching literacy through Spanish or Mandarin. These alternative pathways to knowledge represent valuable tools for educational equity that deserve greater implementation.

Read the full article about language learning by Jean-Claude Brizard and Mengting Hou at Getting Smart.