Having spent ten years living in France, I always wanted my children to find languages easy. Now I’m back in the UK, with a talkative two-year-old, I’m finding that children do find language easy – so easy in fact, that it barely matters what language you’re using.
So what does it take to bring up bilingual children? Is it an extra burden on the family or does the child take on the extra language with ease?
Rule number one: don’t be afraid
We used to believe that children wouldn’t be able to handle more than one language, and even that they should master one before they attempt another. Researchers have proved otherwise, and we now know that children can handle multiple languages. There appears to be no limit when it comes to learning different languages.
Rule number two: take your time
What I’ve found, having lived abroad and spoken to many parents of bilingual children, is that they make cross-language mistakes that single language children don’t. While this appears unusual at first, it isn’t – it’s perfectly normal to mix the words of one language with the grammar rules of another, and this will pass. Some children appear slower in developing language skills, but this is only because they’re taking it in.
Rule number three: be consistent but flexible
If you’re going to introduce a second language, then be consistent about by whom and when. There is an approach called the ‘one-parent, one-language’ approach, where each parent takes on a language. However, this isn’t always possible, as the parents communicate in one of the languages with each other, which can cause confusion for the child.
Equally, social settings can mean that the parent has to switch language, so be flexible in your consistency. Perhaps there is a time and a place for the second language.
Rule number four: go beyond yourself
Get yourself access to children’s TV in both languages, for a start, and get as many books in each language as you can. There is no hard and fast rule about how you introduce and mix the languages, but your child cannot rely solely on you for exposure to the second language.
My own nursery allows children to learn French from the age of 2, and we’re actively seeking other sources for our daughter to gain exposure to the language.
Rule number five: relax!
It’s natural to stress about development, and it’s actually quite natural for the child to rebel against one language or the other (especially the language considered secondary in the home). Remember, you’re introducing a developmental stage that takes time, but can only be positive in the long run. Bilingual children are proven to do better at school than those with just one language, and more easily develop other skills quickly.
So, relax, and enjoy the challenges of bringing up a bilingual child!
About the author: Gareth Cartman is Dad to a talkative two-year-old who can now say ‘bonjour’ and ‘au revoir’, and works with Little Bundle of Joy, a fair trade baby clothes shop.
