Why Being Bilingual Is A Good Thing For Students

Does your child ever ask you why they need to know both English and their mother tongue language? Or are you struggling to provide enough support for your child to learn both languages? Understanding why bilingualism is an important skill is helpful in motivating parents and students to work towards fluency in two languages.

In this article, we expound on the benefits of being bilingual, especially in our local context, and hopefully that will spur you to look out for great bilingual educators to support your child in their learning! If you are looking for Primary English Tuition or Secondary Chinese tutors in Singapore, don’t forget to consider our tutors here at Future Academy!

1. Bilingualism is valued in the local education system

Need we say more? To all the pragmatic parents out there: Your child needs to be bilingual to excel in the local education system! At every major exam, both English and the Mother Tongue language is part of the core subjects – so doing poorly in either language will be detrimental to one’s grades.

For those who do well enough, they can also be rewarded with more opportunities and incentives. For example, the Bicultural Studies Programme (BSP) offered by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in some Junior Colleges are for those who have a strong interest and aptitude in both English and Chinese. Singapore citizens taking BSP are also eligible for the BSP scholarship.

If you score at least a B4 in Higher Chinese at the O Levels, you can also be exempt from studying Chinese at the JC level, freeing up your time and attention for other pursuits instead.

2. Bilingualism has advantages for language learning and the brain

For a long time, researchers have been studying the effects of bilingualism on one’s cognitive functions. Simply put, knowing two languages or more can have advantages on one’s brain to be better at controlling their attention, remembering things, inhibiting unwanted actions, and thinking flexibly.

People who know two languages are also likely to find learning an additional language easier than someone who is monolingual. Knowing multiple languages makes a person more aware of how different languages can be so different, and be more flexible in picking up different grammatical rules and words of another language. If learning a third or subsequent language is on the books, it’s worth it to start by mastering two languages well!

The cognitive benefits of bilingualism goes beyond what one enjoys in their youth – it also has wonderful implications for old age. Studies suggest that knowing more than one language keeps the brain active in a way that can delay the onset of age-related cognitive decline, like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

3. Bilingualism connects us to our heritage

Besides pragmatic reasons, one of the reasons for the government’s bilingual education policy is so that we would retain some of the cultural identity and heritage of our forefathers. While English is important as a world language that would allow us to communicate easily in most parts of the world, our mother tongue is what connects us to our historical roots.

Not everyone will agree that it is important to preserve one’s ancestral culture. However, it can have advantages like teaching our children to be more culturally-aware, empathetic, and respectful towards others. Learning a language is like a door to its culture, and being culturally-aware is a vital skill in our hyper-connected, globalised world. You never know who you will need to meet and work with, including people from various backgrounds, nationalities, and ethnicities.

Conclusion

Bilingualism offers a multitude of advantages, extending beyond language proficiency alone. The importance of bilingualism in the education system, its impact on language learning and cognitive development, and its ability to connect individuals to their cultural heritage make it a valuable skill in today’s world. Whether for academic success, career opportunities, or personal growth, embracing bilingualism can unlock doors to new horizons, fostering understanding, empathy, and global engagement.

Want your child to enjoy the benefits of bilingualism? Look for our bilingual tutors here at Future Academy! We provide English and Chinese tuition classes, and our bilingual tutors can offer additional support by supplementing classes with explanations in both languages. For effective and approachable language tutors, contact us to schedule a class!