New research has shown what many of our schools already know: bilingualism in young children helps develop better executive functioning skills (via The Daily Beast).
The exact mechanism for the benefits are not yet defined, but benefits of higher executive functioning include being able to better “focus in the face of distraction, decide between competing alternatives, and disregard irrelevant information.” Bonus: second language skills stand out in college apps.
Several STC schools have remarkable language programs, here’s a couple stellar examples:
Academy of the Pacific Rim. Hyde Park, MA. 6 years of Mandarin is required for all students to graduate, and many students participate in a China Exchange Program.
Bruce Guadalupe School. Milwaukee, WI. With a largely Hispanic population, students are brought to proficiency in English while maintaining faculty in Spanish.
STC Schools, tell us about your language programs in the comments!