What is the right age to learn a new language? Jetzt! Ora! Maintenant! Ahora! Nu!

Scientists have shown that words learned before puberty are stored in a different part of the brain. That's just one reason why it's a good idea to start learning languages early. Kids possess their greatest ability to absorb and retain languages until the ages of 12 or 13 when their brains begin losing plasticity and they become more self-conscious. It's easy to get started in a family where the adults already speak more than one language. If you are not so lucky, try ordering cartoon books in a language you are interested in, to make learning that language fun. You can also get a bilingual children's dictionary and make a game of finding the meaning of words you can't recognize.



The Blue Lake take on it:

Just as we believe that a child's first reading experiences should be low-pressure and build confidence, we recommend approaching new languages the same way. Join a foreign language playgroup. If you can't find one, The Multilingual Children's Association has some helpful tips for starting a language immersion playgroup.