Giving Compass' Take:

• Writing for Education Dive, Florida school leader Jeannette Acevedo-Isenberg shares her opinion about the importance of bilingual education and how it helps prepare young students for a multicultural world.

• How can teaching different languages in school prepare children for more employment opportunities in the future? In what ways does it encourage more diversity and cultural aptitude?

• Read more on the benefits of foreign language learning. 

Our world is more multilingual and multicultural than ever before. Studiesshow that the earlier a child is exposed to a second language, the greater the likelihood he or she will gain proficiency. Recent studies also show that students in bilingual education programs outperform their peers in attention and reading. In one study covering six states and 37 districts, the researchers found that, compared with students in English-only classrooms or in one-way immersion, dual-language students have higher test scores and also seem to be happier in school. Attendance is better, behavioral problems are fewer, and parent involvement is higher.

Bilingualism broadens a child’s cognitive control, allowing for improvements in subjects like science, enhancements in problem-solving skills and increases in spatial abilities. Bilingual education paves a way for a child's future, providing better employment opportunities and preparing them for life in our diverse society.

Read the full article about bilingual education by Jeannette Acevedo-Isenberg at Education Dive.