Bilingual education is becoming increasingly popular in schools globally. Many schools in Singapore follow a bilingual curriculum. It is an essential part of their curriculum. Bilingual education sets students up for long-term instructive benefits. Furthermore, it has a profound effect on the brain of children and can make them excel in academics. It can also give them a great head-start in their careers. This article discusses the importance and benefits of bilingual education.
Why do Singapore schools follow the bilingual curriculum?
Most international preschools in Singapore incorporate two languages into their curriculum. Bilingual education helps students develop an appreciation for cultural disparities. It will give the students the ability to engage with people using bilingual ways of writing, speaking and reading. The bilingual education of international preschools in Singapore leads to meaningful educational exchanges.
Bilingual education also improves the executive function of the brain. It is a command system that can direct the concentration processes. Students can use it for preparation, solving problems, and completing other demanding tasks. Bilingual students are better capable of sorting out pertinent information from immaterial information. It means they can focus better on their studies. They can also think better and make informed decisions.
Benefits of Bilingual curriculum
1. Bilingual education boosts the cognitive growth of students
The bilingual curriculum offers several cognitive benefits to students. They can learn a second language in their schools paying the same secondary school fees. They can complete tasks effectively that require creative thinking, problem-solving, and pattern recognition. Young students can also develop greater linguistic consciousness.
2. Bilingual curriculum helps students excel in academics
Students can improve their academic performance through a bilingual curriculum. It improves bilingual learners’ brain function by helping them identify challenges and solve them effectively. Bilingual learners can converse in two languages. Students choosing bilingual education can also have better achievements than their single-language counterparts, as they will be more advanced in reading, speaking and writing in dual languages.
3. Students can have improved memory through bilingual education
Students who learn a second language have better memory and retention power. They will be more creative than their monolingual peers. Research has indicated that bilingual students generally remember directions, names, and things better than their monolingual peers.
4. Bilingual curriculum offers students amplified economic opportunities
In this modern world, there is an increased necessity for a multilingual labour force. The world needs people who can do business in more than one language. Bilingual students hold higher ranks and earn better proceeds. They will stand out more than their monolingual business counterparts.
5. Bilingual education makes children more adaptable
Language is just not about learning sets of grammar and words, it’s more than that. Bilingual education provides children with a broader outlook. It brings them closer to diverse cultures and nationalities. Children who can engage with different cultures will have more advantages and opportunities in life.
