Brenda is worried about having her six-year-old daughter learn Spanish, because she fears that learning a second language will interfere with her daughter's mastery of English. What advice should you give Brenda?
A) Children should not try to learn languages from different families (e.g., English and Chinese), but because Spanish and English are similar, learning a second language should have little negative effect.
B) Learning a second language during childhood is actually beneficial to the development of language skills.
C) Children younger than four years old should not be exposed to a second language, but it should not affect a six-year-old.
D) This is a good strategy; children should not try to learn a second language until their preteens.
Answer: B
Rationale: Research indicates that learning two languages simultaneously during childhood is advantageous—not only for mastering the languages, but also in providing some cognitive advantages in other areas.
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