Five Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language

The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers. Learning a foreign language provides a number of incredible psychological and physiological benefits that extend way beyond being able to ask directions abroad.

1. Brain growth

At the Swedish Armed Forces Interpreter Academy, young recruits learn a new language at a very fast pace. By measuring their brains before and after the language training, a group of researchers have had a unique opportunity to observe what happens to the brain when we learn a new language in a short period of time.
Young people are offered to study Arabic, Russian or Dari in 13 months. Just after three months of active studies the students had certain parts of their brain increased in size. In particular, the researchers found the "growth" of the hippo-campus - the deep structure of the brain responsible for the development of new knowledge, orientation in space and the consolidation of short-term memory into long-term memory. The students also showed changes in three areas of the cerebral cortex.

2. Improve decision-making

Speaking a foreign language improves brain’s functionality by challenging it to recognize, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. Bilingual people focus on relevant information better and ignore irrelevant information, and therefore perform better in tests of intellectual abilities.

3. Increase attention

Bilinguals have stronger control over their attention and are better able to limit distractions. Studies have shown that multilingual people are better at observing their surroundings. They are more adept at focusing on relevant information and editing out the irrelevant. They’re also better at spotting misleading information.

4. Improve memory

Educators often liken the brain to a muscle, because it functions better with exercise. Learning a language involves memorizing rules and vocabulary, which helps strengthen that mental “muscle.”

5. Better understand your first languageSince learning a second language draws attention to the abstract rules and structure of language, it can make a person better at their first language. Learning a foreign language draws attention to the mechanics of language: grammar, conjugations, and sentence structure. This makes us more aware of language, and the ways it can be structured and manipulated. Language speakers also develop a better ear for listening, since they’re skilled at distinguishing meaning from discreet sounds.