The importance of mother tongue is studied because when children develop their mother tongue, they are simultaneously fostering a whole host of other essential skills, such as critical thinking and literacy skills. It is these skills that they take with them into formal education, and research tells us that any skills and concepts gained in the learner’s home language don’t have to be re-taught when they transfer to a second language.

For example, if a child has developed the ability to guess the meaning of a word through its context, or to infer meaning by reading between the lines, these skills are easily transferred when they begin studying in a second language. It is much harder, however, to teach these abstract skills directly through a second language.

The importance of mother tongue was studied by Professor Jim Cummins from the University of Toronto in Canada. He explored why it is so important that parents speak their own mother tongue to their children.

His research uncovers the link between a child’s development and their mother tongue. He found that children who develop skills in two or even three languages grow up to have a deeper understanding of how to form sentences and expressions, making the use of language as a whole a lot easier.

Children speaking just one mother tongue language have a fixed mind-set on how to communicate what they want or need. He also found that children with only one mother tongue did not know how to use the language in the same depth as children using two or more mother tongue languages.

He discusses how children that speak multiple languages have more advanced critical thinking as they have to explore how to phrase and use the language of choice at that moment in time.

Furthermore, Cummins found that children with a strong mother tongue found it easier to pick up a second language and develop their literacy skills.

Role of mother tongue in child development
It’s also well known that a strong mother tongue foundation equips children with the skills they need to learn additional languages, allowing them to transfer their understanding of the structure of language to several new languages. The intuitive understanding of grammar that develops when children learn their first language can easily be passed on to other languages.
With multilingualism becoming an increasingly sought-after attribute within the workplace, this advantage cannot be overstated; globalisation and increased co-operation between nations mean that, in many organisations, it has become a requirement to have language skills in addition to being a specialist within a particular field.

Language and mother tongue also play a huge role in the development of personal, social and cultural identity. Children with a strong foundation in their first language often display a deeper understanding of themselves and their place within society, along with an increased sense of wellbeing and confidence. Naturally, this flows down into every aspect of their lives, including their academic achievement.