If you are currently on the fence about what primary school to enroll your little kiddies in, these findings might be of interest to you.
According to the Union of Students in Ireland, new studies have proven that sending children to a bilingual school will give them "significant cognitive advantages", as juggling two languages on a daily basis will provide the kids with a greater degree of mental agility. Meaning, they will be able to learn new things quicker, and will be used to thinking about things from different angles.
Apparently, the advantages of bilingualism extend beyond the ability to speak two languages, with a growing body of research indicating that students in bilingual schools outperform their monolingual peers in other cognitive areas. A 2011 study by the University of Limerick found that learning mathematics through the medium of Irish at primary level may enhance long-term mathematical understanding and attainment in English-medium second level education.
And if that's not impressive enough, studies also show that bilingual students in second and third level with high ability in Irish and English outperformed their monolingual peers in mathematics, even when assessed through English - their second language of learning.
“The mental gymnastics needed to constantly manage two or more linguistic systems increases cognitive flexibility and makes learning easier,” said Dr Dora Alexopoulou from the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics in the University of Cambridge, to the Irish Times.
The USI want to encourage parents to enroll their children in Gaelscoileanna as figures from the Department of Education show a marginal fall in Gaelscoil attendance from 2013/2014 to 2014/2015. Highlighting the advantages offered by the development of literacy in two languages, USI president, Kevin Donoghue, explains:
"Bilingualism has numerous positive effects for students including increased understanding of maths concepts and problem-solving, resistance to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and a greater cultural awareness.”
Are YOUR children attending a local Gaelscoileanna? Why did YOU opt for this when it came to choosing a primary school? Join in the conversation with us on Twitter at @Herfamilydotie
