5 Benefits of Teaching Your Child Spanish

Introducing your child to a second language while they’re still young could be one of the best decisions you can make. Not only do children have a much easier time learning foreign languages, but you will also be opening up an entire world of opportunities for them when they grow up. 

When it comes to choosing a specific language, one of the most popular choices is Spanish. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language globally, only behind English, so learning it can be extremely beneficial. If you’re still unsure, we've compiled a list of some of the benefits that come with teaching your child Spanish. 

More social and career opportunities

As we already mentioned, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world after English. If your child knows both, this will open up many more opportunities for them, a social and professional perspective. According to data, there are currently over 500 million native speakers spread across the globe, so learning Spanish will open up a whole new world for your child. 

Improved academic performance

It may be surprising to some, but research has shown that bilingual children tend to perform better academically overall compared to students who only speak one language. In fact, bilingualism is believed to significantly improve children’s cognitive development, including multitasking skills, creativity and memory. 

More opportunities to travel

Although speaking the local language isn’t a necessity when travelling, knowing Spanish will make travelling to many places around the world much easier. To be more specific, Spanish serves as the official language of 21 countries globally, with the majority located in South America. Knowing the language allows travellers to fully immerse themselves in the local culture and gain a perspective that most tourists, who don’t speak Spanish, simply won’t be able to. 

Embrace a different culture

Learning a new language offers much more than just the language itself. Your children will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a completely different culture. Whether they try different foods like paella and tapas, take some Latin dance lessons or just learn about styles like flamenco, or read books from authors like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Spanish will open a whole new world for your child.

Spanish is easy to pick up

One of the best reasons to teach your child Spanish is that it’s pretty easy to pick up, especially for English speakers. Not only are hundreds of words virtually the same, but the grammar structure of both languages is fairly similar. Last but certainly not least, due to the popularity of the language, finding resources to help you learn Spanish is incredibly easy. Books, tutorials, videos, private Spanish lessons and apps. However you choose to teach your child, there will be plenty of options available. 

In conclusion, choosing to teach your child Spanish can be a very rewarding experience. Not only will they expand their opportunities to socialise and learn about different cultures, but it will also open up many career opportunities for them in the future. 

If you’re looking for private Spanish tutors nearby, then make sure to check out TutorExtra. We provide a wide variety of tutors who offer lessons in over 1000 subjects, including Spanish!