Dual language immersion programs do more than enhance students’ language proficiency— they help foster cultural competence, enabling them to communicate effectively in diverse settings. These programs promote critical thinking and adaptability by teaching students to navigate complex challenges in multiple languages. They also cultivate empathy and social awareness, which are important skills for future global citizens and leaders.
For more than 20 years, researchers and educators have documented the benefits of dual language programs. Learning more than one language increases cognitive dexterity and improves key brain functions. In addition, students in dual language (DL) programs enjoy increased academic achievement. This is true across all student populations, including multilingual learners.
Curious about how these programs can transform students’ educations? Keep reading to explore the many benefits of dual language education.
Increased Cognitive Abilities and Problem-Solving Skills
Neuroscience research shows that studying a second language increases brain density and executive function skills, as well as protecting against Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments later in life. Juggling two languages increases the brain’s ability to direct, control, and manage attention, as well as focus on completing tasks while ignoring distractions.
These cognitive benefits lead to improved working memory and increased attention, as well as a boost to problem-solving abilities for students. These skills are not only useful for learning a second language—they are essential to a student’s education as a whole, as well as their future career.
Dual language programs also act as a signal to colleges and universities that students have not only excelled academically, but that they have also done so with the added challenge of simultaneously learning another language. All 50 states in the U.S. award a Seal of Biliteracy to students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. This designation can help students as they move into postsecondary opportunities.
Studies indicate that people who speak more than one language earn higher salaries and have more job opportunities than monolinguals. Since 2020, there has been a 30 percent increase in bilingual remote jobs, and nine out of ten employers rely on employees who can speak languages other than English. Preparing students for this future is just one of the many benefits of dual language programs.
Enhanced Communication Skills
Another benefit of dual language education is that it leads to enhanced communication abilities in both native and second languages. Children who are exposed to more than one language at an early age have more perspective-taking skills, and they can communicate effectively in a wider variety of contexts.
Mastering a new language also helps students understand more about how language works. They are reaffirming the abilities they learned as infants, when they acquired language skills for the first time. Essentially, they are learning how to express themselves in new ways: how to form sentences, which words to use, and how to be clearly understood by their audience.
They will also gain confidence in their ability to speak in public, whether that’s in their second language or their first. As students become bilingual and biliterate, they will learn to express themselves in a greater variety of ways. These enhanced communication skills will better prepare students to compete in the global marketplace as adults.
Greater Cultural Awareness and Diversity
One of the many lifelong benefits of dual language immersion programs is that they give students greater cultural understanding. Learning a new language is about far more than just acquiring new vocabulary; it gives students a better understanding of new cultures. They will learn about everything from societal norms to history and local cuisine along the way. Language not only allows us to understand each other in everyday interactions, but it also gives us insights about the cultures of different countries around the world.
Learning another language also opens students up to cultural experiences and diversity they may not otherwise experience. Virtual exchanges with other classrooms around the world, greater ability to communicate with people in their community, and exposure to diverse perspectives are just some of the opportunities for bilingual students.
As students build their cultural awareness, they also develop global leadership skills like curiosity, empathy, and flexibility. These and other durable skills are essential for succeeding in life beyond the classroom. Students will use them to work effectively in teams, communicate across cultures, and adapt to changing environments and technology.
By participating in dual language immersion programs, students not only enhance their language skills, but they also develop essential global leadership competencies that empower them to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.
Strengthened Self-Perception and Identity
Language is at the very core of our identities. It’s how we relate to our past, our family, our culture, and our upbringing. It’s important to remember that, while dual language programs teach students a new language, they do so while building upon their native one.
Heritage speakers and multilingual learners benefit from dual language environments, especially when the target language matches their native one. These students show greater English proficiency than multilingual learners who are in more isolated environments separate from English-speaking peers.
There is also enormous value in retaining a strong grip on one’s identity. It is a huge boost to self-esteem, and it helps students remain connected to their own culture even while they experience a new one. The process of becoming bilingual through dual language education empowers students. As they strengthen their voice and identity in their first language, they also develop their voice in the second language.
Effective and Engaging Learning Method
One of the many benefits of dual language education is that it helps students to master language through relevant, real-world contexts, which leads to more engaged learning. Students are not taking a class specifically to learn a new language in small increments. Instead, they master that language while learning science, math, social studies, and language arts at the same time. They also use the language to develop relationships with peers and teachers.
In other words, students use language in relevant and real-world ways. For example, in a dual language classroom, students might engage in a hands-on science lesson in the target language. They may practice their writing and speaking skills by doing virtual exchanges and letter-writing with a class from another country.
In this way, learning becomes even more purposeful and relevant to students. They will become more invested and motivated to achieve academically while learning a new language at the same time.
Participate Learning’s Dual Language Programs
The benefits of dual language immersion programs have been well-documented and studied for decades, clearly indicating positive outcomes for students from all backgrounds. Enhanced cognition, problem-solving skills, and communication abilities give students what they need to succeed in our interconnected world. In addition, dual language students benefit from greater cultural awareness, positive self-perception, and identity.
Ready to unlock the full potential of dual language programs? Download our ebook Building Bilingual Education Programs to learn how to implement bilingual education in your school or district.
Originally published: March 19, 2019
