People often assume that children learn new languages easily and effortlessly, regardless of their situation. But is it true that children know language like sponges?
Research has shown that children are very successful long-term learners when exposed to a new language. Like immigrant children who are surrounded by a new language every day. In such a scenario, children master the new language much more than adults in the long run. But if the amount of language children is exposed to is limited, such as in classroom language learning, children are slow learners and generally no more successful than teenagers or adults.
Exposing children to language learning at an early age has many long-term benefits. Studies show that "bilingual children outperform monolingual children in problem-solving and creative thinking skills." Realizing the many opportunities for those who speak multiple languages should motivate you to foster this learning at home.
Vocabulary is one of the aspects of language that should be emphasized in teaching and learning foreign languages, so vocabulary is a key component in teaching a second language. Lack of mastery of vocabulary leads to weakness in other language skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing, so vocabulary should be followed in language activities to improve students' language skills.