The Lost Art of communication
Guiding our children to navigate a globalised, rapidly changing world confronts parents with daunting, multifaceted challenges.
Managing the negative effects of excessive screen time, resisting peer pressure, processing bullying, and surfing the ever-evolving social networking and digital wave often leaves a parent at a loss as to how to best equip their child for the extreme demands of contemporary reality.
One answer put forward by Rohan Lourens, founder of the French Cultural and Language Learning Centre of the Garden Route, is the necessity of learning an additional language from as young an age as possible – indeed, he says – language learning is the ultimate non-negotiable survival skill.
Research shows that multilingual children often outperform their peers in problem-solving, memory, and multitasking, while also developing empathy and social confidence. Additional language learning strengthens cognitive skills, boosts academic performance, and enhances cultural awareness, preparing them for a complex and uncertain future.
Introducing children to a supplementary language early can give them a competitive edge in school and future careers while helping them connect meaningfully with diverse communities. In the longer term, multilingual students are better prepared for global communities and job markets where 21st-century skills are an asset.
In response to which language to add, Rohan suggests French. In addition to historical links with the European country, the French business presence in South Africa is firmly on an upward trajectory.
There are 29 African countries where French is spoken as a main language, with 21 officially recognised as Francophone nations. Approximately 321 million people worldwide speak French, 61.8% of whom live in Africa. French is the 5th most spoken language globally and the 4th most used language on the internet.
Assuring the future of our children, equipping them for the increasing demands of the modern world, and enabling them to effectively use the advantages of a digital age while managing associated negatives is the daunting responsibility of any parent.
Education should not only enable children to excel academically but also equip them to communicate and interact with tolerance, preparing them for a multi-faceted and constantly changing world. The key factors of successful education in today’s shifting landscape are communication, adaptability, and tolerance.
Teaching children to speak, understand, and communicate clearly forms the solid foundation upon which their future development can be built.
The CCLF operates in cooperation with the French Embassy South Africa, the French Consulate Cape Town, the Honorary Consul Patrick Ceiller and the Alliance Française of Port Elizabeth .
