Bilingual education has many benefits

Being able to speak two languages has become a minimal expectation for parents in the UAE.

The immediate target is to teach children at least Arabic and English, and seek out the best ways to do this.

By the time children are eight months old, those raised in bilingual homes seem to have skills not possessed by those raised in monolingual homes. Research demonstrates that learning a second language can significantly enhance literacy skills development.

Never mind how well-spoken you might be now, you will never again be as adept with languages as the day you were born.

Indeed, the youngest person in any room is almost always the best linguist there too.

Maple bear programmes have been developed by experts in early childhood education that used the Canadian experience in English and French education to roll out several other languages worldwide including Arabic and English in the UAE.

By integrating the Arabic language and the Emirati culture, the programme has been enriched by combining the best of both.

Good bilingual education programmes recognise and build upon the knowledge and skills children bring to school.

They are designed to be linguistically, culturally and developmentally appropriate for students.

Students excel when they achieve learning outcomes in a safe, secure, intimate and caring environment while having fun and developing a life-long love of learning.

Bilingual educational systems should use a specially designed and proprietary curriculum, with the inclusion of specific lesson plans and learning outcomes.

It is vital that children build their vocabularies by being exposed to books and stories that enhance their learning experience and understanding in different educational ways.

By acquiring two languages, children in the UAE would be better suited to live and work here.

The author is executive director, Maple Bear UAE, a global school based on Canadian educational practices