Second Language Skills Help Students with Standardized Tests


There are many things that parents can do to help prepare their children to
excel at school and standardized tests later in life. According to the non-profit
Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), one of the most surprising ways that parents
can help their children to raise SAT scores in the future is to have them learn
a second language. Not only will it benefit their children in the long run by
making them more prepared to excel in the workforce as part of the new, global
economy, but it also gives them improved learning and retention skills.

According to CAL, students who averaged four or more years of foreign language
study scored higher on the verbal section of the SAT diagnostic test than those
who studied other subjects. This can help students with one of the most challenging
portions of SAT and AP tests preparation: using their critical thinking when
taking the verbal, English-language driven portions of the tests. Understanding
the concepts of other languages also makes students more aware of how various
elements of the English language works.

CAL also cites research that children who learn a second language are more
creative and better at solving complex problems than children who only speak
English. This information suggests that finding a child education franchise
which allows your child to learn multiple languages could be a major boost to
their long-term academic success. Along with a PSAT tutor, it might be a good
idea to find a second language tutor as well.