Importance of Bi-Lingual Education

The subject of Bi-lingual education has picked up some traction over the past couple of decades and certainly has caused some debate. On one hand, some people feel that individuals coming to America should learn English and others feel that given the current global context that Americans should begin to adopt other languages. How to go about implementing this is where most of the debate is sparked and where emotions get fueled. However, if you were to take emotion, culture and politics out of the equation and focus on an individual’s growth, bi-lingual education certainly can be a positive because the only true way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in it.

Perhaps it is because some people view this subject as Spanish versus English, but when you think of a global context, other countries understand the doors that are being open by being bi-lingual. An example could be someone in China, learning Arabic.

The obvious benefit of being bi-lingual in this current global market is that it places you in a pool of being more marketable during your job search than someone who only knows one language.  And depending on where you are in the country, it will depend on whether you are even working. For examples, many positions in South Florida are not even listed as ‘Fluent Spanish Preferred,’ as a qualification but ‘Fluent Spanish Required.’ It also helps being bi-lingual because it improves the dynamic of the organization you are a part of as it makes you flexible to work with diverse populations. This is especially true with Government jobs as well because of the diverse populations that they work with.

You may also be in line to receive better pay as a bi-lingual professional because the company is rewarding you for being an asset to their organization. Researchers have shown that employers pay people who are bilingual more than those who know only one language. If one is fortunate to rise to an executive position in a company, a bilingual executive can look forward to earn anywhere to over five percent more than the employees who speak only one language.

Stepping outside of the business world and reiterating the individual’s development, research has shown that students who learn more than one language have greater analytical and problem solving abilities, much like a student who can play an instrument. Such children are much more creative, confident and have a higher IQ than their peers who know only one language. Students who are multilingual have better vocabularies and can express themselves in a number of ways. With the knowledge and understanding of a different cultures and language, the perspective of the individual grows. Bilingual education does nothing other than opens up opportunity for the individual.