Language learning is the gift we must give our children

June 14, 2026 — 5:00am

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Learning a language is a lifelong gift. It enriches our lives, giving children and adults an understanding of other cultures and deepening our understanding of our own.

Yet fewer students are enrolling in language courses in Australian schools than ever.

As education editor Christopher Harris writes, research has consistently shown that studying a second language comes with broad cognitive benefits for children.

Language teacher Emilia Crino told Harris: “The literature on learning another language is there, and it’s been shoved down our throats, and we’re ignoring it.”

Learning a second language helps with maths skills, pattern building and even improves English literacy, Crino says. In-depth study of a second language’s grammar,........

© The Sydney Morning Herald