ASK what it means to be a global citizen and you will get a plethora of different answers from whatever source you choose. And if like us, you use Google, well then “About 24,500,000 results in 0.31 seconds” to be precise!

From “the idea of embracing an international perspective and lifestyle” (The World Economic Forum) to “someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building this community’s values and practices” (Global Citizens Initiative), the definitions abound!

Global Citizenship, that is a sense of solidarity between citizens across the world, is increasingly important in today’s society. And is about more than simply acquiring a set of skills; it’s  about a lifelong process, a way of “being” in the world.

For many people, regrets are a simple fact of life, but there’s one that seems to crop up time and again: language learning.

It seems that as we grow older, many of us can start to regret having not learned a foreign language when we had the chance. If you need a great example of this, billionaire software mogul Bill Gates recently said that he wishes he’d learned French, Arabic or Chinese. So it really is something that affects all of us – even the global elite! One of the best ways to avoid this particular regret, and to have the best chance of mastering a language, is to start early. So let’s look at why learning French or Spanish at primary school age with LCF Fun Languages can be a fantastic ‘no regrets’ approach to bilingualism.

Global Citizenship is increasingly important in today’s society  and preparing our children by giving them the opportunities and tools that will enable them to succeed in a global environment – one that is thoroughly connected by modern technology, and economically, socially and politically interdependent – is one of the best ways we can equip them for this interconnected future.

So, the question is, “What does that preparation entail?”

One of the central tenets of global citizenship is Global Citizenship Education (GCED).

In today’s globalised society, our kids will benefit immensely from the ability to communicate and work with a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds, all with varying perspectives and experiences. And since a classroom is in effect a microcosm of a larger world, and one in which we see a lot of diversity of gender, ethnicity and language, it provides a perfect starting point for creating “global competence”.

The overarching requirement of GCED is, first and foremost, to inspire in our children a curiosity of the world and to instil an awareness of, and appreciation for, people across different cultures and in other countries around the globe. We must teach our children not only to understand these cultural differences but to also embrace them.

Thinking about your child’s language learning? Here is some food for thought…

It’s interesting to consider what your school’s language learning strategy is, what their LOTE (Languages other than English) objectives are and whether they have considered some of the aspects listed below in providing a program to inspire little linguists?

Economic aspects: how are bilingual programs / LOTE study financed and resourced (time/people/money); which governmental institutions have a role to play and what support can they provide; how will bilingualism and LOTE study be financed in the future; which language/country to choose as your target language/cultural connection; language learning policy in education – between states and nationally; the benefits of language for career, business and communication.

Political aspects: the politics of bilingualism in Australian and beyond; election campaigns and bilingualism; immigration and bilingualism.

“So what did you do in language club today, darling?”

“Nothing” says your child, as you bundle them into the car. And any further attempt to elicit any form of foreign contribution to the conversation is met with a blank stare and … silence.

I have been there myself with my own children. And I apparently did it to my German mother, particularly when I started school.

If this sounds familiar, let me assure you that the SILENT period is a perfectly normal stage in second language learning.

Over the many years that I have been teaching languages to young children in Australia and other parts of the world, I have come across many parents who wonder if they are doing the right thing by introducing their child to a second or third language….or, heaven forbid, maybe even damaging them.

The more they expect to come out of the child’s mouth, the more silent they become.

Language learning at any age can be affected by the child’s temperament and motivation but there are four defined stages of language learning.