Our Short Film is Based on a True Story... hopefully it can open up dialogue for Bilingual Education in Public Schools.
Since the 1960s, studies have shown that the best time to begin the study of a foreign language is in elementary school. Because children at this age show a better mental flexibility, more creativity, divergent thinking, listening and memory skills, it enables kids to process language early on.
The Center for Applied Linguistics discovered that most countries have mandatory foreign language requirements for children beginning at eight years old. However, in the United States, most students do not begin to learn another language until ninth grade, or the age of fourteen.
“Studying another language, any other language, will help you understand the issues faced by Americans who speak languages other than English, will help you understand the immigrant experience, may help you understand your neighbor, your family, or yourself. And look at the world: America is less isolated […] and the world is more interconnected than ever.” ~ Rutgers-Camden
