Learning Foreign Languages

Learning a new language is more than learning how to say or write things in another language. It opens you up to whole new worlds as it gives you access to new cultures, people, and ideas.  For this reason, encouraging your children to learn foreign languages during this lockdown is a good idea.  In fact, you might want to learn languages with them so that you all can practice speaking with each other.

Most of all, learning a new language is fun.

There are numerous language learning resources online.  There are downladable apps that teach languages through games and quizzes. (WARNING: Some have the feature of enabling users to practice conversing with native speakers. Please make sure your children know how to protect themselves from the potential dangers involved in contacting random strangers over the Internet. Also, some language learning materials may have mature content.)  There are also online language courses such as this one for Spanish and this one for Japanese.  Some of them require fees, but learning a new language is such a useful skill that such fees are worthy investments. Finally, this blog of Benny Lewis, a.k.a. "the Irish polyglot", has many tips on language learning, links to even more language learning resources, and motivational articles.  (He even debunks the common views that language learning is harder for adults, and that some people have special aptitudes for language learning while others do not.)

While on lockdown, it is easy to forget that there is a wider world beyond the four walls of our houses. Learning a foreign language helps us remember.