The Benefits of Being Bilingual
Waldorf has long recognized the value of immersing students in a multilingual experience. Starting in he first grade students learn both French and German. In the high school students complete a four year course of study in a language and may choose from French, Spanish, or German. High school students also have the opportunity to take Mandarin Chinese as an elective and to participate in an exchange program to further hone their language skills.
Being bilingual makes your brain more efficient and could stop you getting dementia. Researchers believe this could explain why bilinguals are better equipped at staving off the signs of cognitive ageing. It has been observed that bilingualism has a concrete impact on brain function and that this may have a positive impact on cognitive aging.
