So you decided to study English or French in Montreal with EC. You wanted to discover a new city and learn a new language. That is a good enough reason but we bet you didn’t know that researchers at the University of Edinburgh and York University have come up with 10 benefits to being bilingual! They make a very convincing argument as to why everyone should know at least two languages!
- You’ll read faster: Learning words and concepts in two different languages forces one to become more familiar with both languages’ lexicons, leading to faster reading times and comprehension.
- You’ll speak better: Bilingual individuals have improved verbal fluency. They are able to pronounce and speak words at a faster rate while still being completely understood.
- You’ll improve your multi-tasking skills: Knowing more than one language constantly makes your brain choose between different words and phrases, while actively keeping the other language out of the way. This improves ones’ brain function like attention, selection and inhibition, all being high-level processes used when one multitasks.
- You’ll stay young: Individuals who speak more than one language build up cognitive networks in the brain’s frontal system, the part of the brain that’s first to degrade once you get older. However, with a solid base acquired with the knowledge of another language, the effects of aging will lessen. This means that the chances of acquiring dementia will diminish.
- You’ll be more intelligent: If you learn a new language gives your brain a great workout that will improve your memory and problem solving skills.
- You don’t need to practice every day: no difference was found between active and passive bilinguals. People subconsciously activate both languages even if they aren’t using one of those languages regularly.
- You can learn a new language at any age: The studies have shown that cognitive improvements are still evident in those individuals who learned a new language later in life.
- The effects of bilingualism do not discriminate: whether you are a male or female, rich or poor, from any country in the world, bilingualism will be a great boost to your brain.
- When you measure pros and cons, evidence shows that there is no negative side effect to being bilingual.
- You shouldn’t stop at two languages: studies show that the more languages you speak the stronger the cognitive effects will be.
What are you waiting for? Join us at EC Montreal and participate in our Bilingual programme to add two more languages to your list! Your brain will thank you!
Follow the link if you want to learn English in Canada!