Keys To Raising Bilingual Children
In the globalized world we live in, being able to speak more than one language is a great value. In this article we share some keys to raising bilingual children.
Advantages of raising bilingual children
First of all, being bilingual offers you the possibility to communicate with more people and in more places in the world. But beyond this obvious advantage, there are many cognitive, academic, and social benefits.
Learning or being exposed to more than one language stimulates children’s language development. In addition, they tend to get better grades and are able to find more creative alternatives when solving problems.
All this without forgetting the greatest and richest job opportunities that clearly open up when a person is bilingual.
Childhood as a crucial stage
Early exposure to a second language is especially relevant when it comes to acquiring the facility to produce the sounds of that language.
The ability to distinguish and produce these subtle differences in pronunciation is maximized in the first years of life, being more difficult to acquire new positions of the tongue or lips once our hearing has become to the sounds of a specific language.
Brain plasticity has its greatest potential during preschool. However, up to 10 years of age there is still a great capacity for learning.
Keys to Raising Bilingual Children
Decide what you are going to raise bilingual children and how you are going to do it
Teaching a child another language is challenging and requires a conscious effort on the part of the parents, as mere occasional exposure to the language will not be enough.
Choose the method
The circumstances of each family are different and therefore you have to decide which form of teaching is best suited to your situation.
- One father, one language. It is aimed at those families in which each parent has a different native language. In this way, each parent will always address the children in their mother tongue and they will learn to communicate with each of their parents in one language.
- A context, a language. If both parents are fluent in the two languages to be taught, different situations can be defined for each language. For example, the minority language (the one that is not spoken in the country where you reside) is always spoken at home. The whole family uses that language to communicate at home. And the other language is acquired and practiced outside the home, as well as at school and with friends.
- Classes, courses and programs. In the case of families in which neither parent is fluent in the language to be taught, it may be beneficial to resort to schools that provide training in a foreign language within their own country. After-school classes, foreign travel programs, or hiring a native-born babysitter can also be helpful.
Use complementary resources
Search for cartoons, internet videos, apps, books or songs in the language you want to teach your child. In this way, you will be incorporating sounds and meanings in a fun and effortless way.
Having a supportive community can also be very helpful. Contact other parents who are taking on the same challenge to share concerns and advice.
This contact can be made through internet groups or, preferably, in person. In this way, the children will have a group of friends with whom they can communicate in this second language.
Correct course
Teaching our children another language is not an easy task. Difficulties will arise and even, at times, children will reject this teaching. You need patience and positive thinking.
Do not force children to use this other language but do try to show them the benefits and what it can mean for them. Create a need for that language by bringing them closer to places or groups of people who communicate in that language.
And, above all, turn to your creativity. For example, giving a pet that “comes from another country and may feel more comfortable if they speak to you in your language” can encourage them to learn.
