Nowadays, some people believe that children should start learning a foreign language in primary school rather than in secondary school. This essay believes that the advantages of this development outweigh its disadvantages.
On the one hand, people who oppose this view point out several drawbacks of learning a foreign language at an early age. The first disadvantage is mental and physical fatigue. When children have more subjects and homework, they may become tired and lose interest in studying. Another drawback is that some children may experience difficulties managing a large amount of information. Learning a foreign language while also developing skills in their native language could be challenging for some young learners and may create additional pressure.
On the other hand, the benefits of this trend are considerable. First of all, children can learn a foreign language more easily in primary school than in secondary school because their brains are more adaptable and receptive to new information. Moreover, they are more likely to develop natural pronunciation and use the language more confidently in the future. Another important advantage is that learning a foreign language from an early age can strengthen children’s cognitive abilities and make future academic tasks easier. As a result, they may feel less pressure when studying more advanced subjects later in life. For example, in Uzbekistan, English is introduced to many children at a young age, which has contributed to a growing number of students achieving high scores in international language examinations such as IELTS.
In conclusion, although there are some disadvantages to introducing foreign languages in primary school, the benefits are far more significant. Therefore, I believe that starting to learn a foreign language between the ages of seven and nine is a beneficial decision for children.