How to Raise Bilingual Childrens.

Your toddler may think that he or she’s a complete superhero when it comes to language acquisition, and its actually true! In particular, compared to adult language learners. As easy as acquiring multiple languages is for small children, the single most important factor in language learning is the quantity of spoken languages addressed to the child. In this article I’ll be giving you 9 easy tips to boost your kids inherent superpowers for the learning of a second language to Raising Bilingual children. We are also reviewing some myths about this topic, myths that are not true, however, parents usually prefers not to teach their kids a second language because of them. Ready? Let’s begin.

First let’s review the most common myths that parents have when raising bilingual children so you can stay away from them.

1. Your child will be confused by learning more than one language.

This belief is prevalent in monolingual countries and has far more politics than science to back it up. Rest assured that your child’s little brain has more than enough neurons firing to cope with two languages (or even more) without frizzing out. On the contrary, decades of research in countless studies actually show significant cognitive advantages to being multilingual. And what about the experience of millions of families around the world where multilingualism is the norm, not the exception? Just look at Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and Finland to mention a few.

2. Two languages, maybe, but more than that is too much.

Considering how much babies have to learn in their first years of life, another language really doesn’t add much to the load. As long the child is getting regular interactions in the second (or third) language, there wont be problems. There is a reason why a two-year old child has fifty percent more synapses than an adult! Also, even if your child does not end up speaking all the languages, don’t underestimate the value of a passive language, i.e. understanding it but not yet speaking it. If you already understand a language it is magnitudes easier to learn it later in school or as an adult, compared to someone who’d never heard it before. So, even just understanding another language is definitely not a wasted effort.

3. Your kid is going to get all these languages mixed up.

It is true that some mixing will occur, but that is both harmless and temporary. As the child builds her vocabulary in each language, this phenomenon automatically disappears. How many monolingual children automatically fix mistakes after correct usage has been learned?

For example, children begin by saying things like Me want, when they mean “I want.” And how many of them are still saying, Me want, at five? Eventually, the multilingual child learns correct usage in the same fashion as any other child. If you don’t mix languages in your own conversation, it’ll make it much simpler for your child to remain consistent as well.

4. Why start now? Later your kid will pick it up in no time.

For all those who think its a huge intellectual burden on your child to grow up with multiple languages, there’ll be those who will tell you how easy it is. Just go to a Spanish playgroup once a week. You don’t have to speak it yourself to her all the time! This is highly unrealistic. Studies indicate that children need exposure to a different language about one third of their waking hours to become actively bilingual. They’ll understand a lot with less interaction, but they probably wont be able to speak it themselves. Learning a second language is simple for children, relative to adults, but a child needs to hear a word thousands of times in all kinds of contexts before it sticks unless its a bad word, then miraculously you only have to say it once

5. Reading and writing in several languages? Some kids cant even handle that in one language.

Its true that many children have difficulties reading and writing well. However, reading and writing is a coding / decoding process and is not linked to the number of languages a child speaks, as such although it could involve multiple alphabets, and then be a bit more work. Interestingly enough, access to multiple languages actually makes it easier for children to understand the nature of language itself, which, in turn, improves overall literacy skills. Research supports what many parents have long felt: that multilingual children have better-developed linguistic understanding.

Still, if you are in a hurry or find that politely ignoring the groundless opinions thrown your way doesn’t work, you can always ask if they think Einstein’s intellect suffered growing up with both German and Italian. And, he didn’t start talking until he was three years old either, but he certainly seemed to make up for lost time.

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So here you have the 9 Tips for Boosting a second Language for raising bilingual children.

1. Join (or start) a playgroup with kids that speak a different language.

Children of all ages will learn from each other; there simply are no better language teachers than other kids. An added bonus will be that you will connect with other parents of bilingual children.

2. The importance of Books.

Of course you know how vital those precious one-on-one moments are, but remember that they can be infused with language learning also. Books are the most effective tool for teaching language, and so I advise all parents: Start reading at birth and never stop! A good way to add to reading time (and make it really personal) is to create a dialogue, encouraging your child’s comments, responses, and elaborations. Talk about what the characters are like and what they might be doing next.

3. Besides books, add video, television and games to your daily routine.

There are a multitude of aides towards fluency. In particular, games that use rhyming will make the most of language memory, but I Spy, Bingo and Memory with picture cards will also playfully build vocabulary.

4. Don’t forget about Music, Singing and dancing are very helpful.

Children absolutely love music, but don’t rely solely on recorded music; your own singing, even if it is off-key, will still serve to unite melody and words for your child more surely than any professional recording ever could. Melody is also a fantastic memory aid. Think about how much easier children learn their ABCs when they sing them, compared to just reciting them. And, the combination of music with movement and gestures will enliven it all as well as provide a nice outlet for squirmy toddlers.

5. Consider Tapping into their interests.

Whatever your child’s enthusiasms may be whether a love of soccer, dance, or horses make an effort to involve these passions in the learning process of a second language.

6. Encourage creativity.

The trick is to give the child lots to talk about, so draw out that conversation! Encourage them to make up their own stories, play dress-up and pretend in the second language. Even painting, working with sidewalk chalk, or molding clay usually creates more vocabulary than art!

7. Consider hiring a bilingual Baby sitter.

Find a college student who speaks the language. Or for something more consistent, try a nanny that speaks multiple languages, and encourage her to speaks to your child in different languages.

8. Visits other language speaking countries.

The ultimate language boost is to visit the country where it is spoken. Total immersion for a couple of weeks has an amazing effect. And visits from friends or family also provide a valuable boost.

9. Positive feedback, avoid criticism.

While the quantity of spoken language is the most important factor in learning a language, the second most vital ingredient is the amount of positive feedback the child hears. Early on, when a child is struggling to get those first syllables out, resist the urge to correct it can actually inhibit language skills.

Related posts about parenting you might like to check.

How Parents Can Teach Their Children To Live a Healthy Life.

How to be prepared for a new baby. 4 tips for new parents.

The basics for Baby Parenting.

Positive parenting tips to start practicing today.

Final thoughts about raising bilingual children.

Its clear to most of us that speak multiple languages is a good thing, and learning multiple languages in the early years is a nearly effortless means to fluency. Your multilingual child will have a head start in schools during a time when more and more of them are requiring a foreign language. And once your kid knows two languages, the move to three, or four is much easier. It’s known that the effects of growing up bilingually include superior reading and writing skills in both languages, as well as better analytical, social, and academic skills.

So there’s no doubt that multilingual children have more advantages, but it can feel a bit overwhelming to someone already struggling with diapers and feeding schedules; however, I haven’t yet meet a single parent who regretted the decision.

I hope you find inspiration in this article for raising bilingual children. I’ll see you next time.

Zadi, xo