How pre-school provides an essential introduction to English for kids
Nursery years are a crucial time for your child, providing the foundation for learning and development. Introducing English early on can have huge benefits, not least because young children acquire language much faster and more easily at this stage. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why children should start learning English before school.
The benefits of early language learning
Boosted cognitive development
During pre-school years, your child’s cognitive processes (for example, imagination, attention and memory) are actively developing. When children are immersed in a language-rich environment, they are able to absorb and sort through vast amounts of information, picking up early English skills without any of the psychological barriers we encounter as we get older. This equips bilingual children with advanced problem-solving abilities, concentration and multi-tasking skills.
|
Free guide to your child’s English language learning journey - Everything you need to know to support your child’s English language learning |
Empathy and tolerance
Children who learn a second language at an early age have been found to demonstrate greater empathy and tolerance towards others. Exposure to other languages nurtures cultural sensitivity and curiosity, as well as positive attitudes towards difference.
A love for learning
Pre-school children discover the world through play in a safe, supportive and happy environment. They are uninhibited by fear of making mistakes – an ideal headstart for their lifelong learning journey. By seeding a curiosity for English and encouraging skills at a young age, many children will develop a deeper connection with the language as they mature.
Inquiry skills and creativity
Bilingual children grow to see the world through different perspectives, stimulating their natural curiosity for the world around them. Guided by their teachers, children are encouraged to be inquisitive as they actively explore their new language, giving them a sense of agency in their learning experience that will continue in their school years. The same skills also promote creativity, as children are more easily able to ‘think outside the box’ and use imagination to achieve a task.
Improved confidence
One of the most significant benefits of introducing English at nursery is the opportunity to turn curiosity into confidence. Social interaction enables children to learn positive communication with other children and teachers, developing their skills as they talk and play. Having a grounding in English will also give your child an advantage at school, which will help them to feel confident in their abilities from the start of their educational journey.
About the British Council Pre-school
Designed to provide your child with the best of Singapore-UK pre-school education, the British Council Pre-school offers a bilingual English-Mandarin curriculum in both nursery and kindergarten.
Our tried-and-tested teaching approach offers children an exceptional foundation for learning, by exploring language and literacy, music, numeracy, discovery of the world, and more. We believe in developing the whole child, socially and academically, so that they will naturally begin to acquire the core 21st century competencies needed to thrive in our globalised world.
Learn more about the British Council’s approach to English for kids and book a Pre-school visit today.