Written By: Nidhi Patel, M.S., CCC-SLP
Fact or myth? Speaking multiple languages at home may cause a child to have delays in their speech or language development. MYTH! This is a common misconception that impacts many families. About 20% of children in the United States speak a language other than English at home. They may be confused initially about the differing grammar rules or code switches in and out of different languages. However, this is typical for bilingual language development. Learning another language in the first few years of life is ideal due to the brain’s plasticity at those early ages. Here are some ways to support bilingual language development in your home!
Expose Your Child to Both Languages Consistently
Creating consistent opportunities for your child to listen to others speak and use both languages across various settings is key to developing their language skills. This is especially true when they can make meaningful connections with others in both languages while integrating their cultures.
- Read books in different languages to your child. Talk about the characters, pictures, plot, and sequence of events, and relate to personal experiences.
- Listen to music and sing in different languages! Discuss the lyrics, introduce different artists, and translate the lyrics to understand the meaning.
- Cook or eat with family who are native speakers. Name various foods, comment on the taste, and sequence the steps of making the dish.
- Watch TV and movies in different languages. Many children’s television shows are available in different languages. These can help teach your child the same topics such as counting, letters, colors, and words in multiple languages. Turning on the subtitles for school-aged children will also benefit connecting both languages.
- Participate in language-learning programs such as camps, clubs, or dual language programs. These will allow children to utilize their multilingual skills in social contexts with other children.
Avoid Mixing Languages With Sentence Formulation
It is great to expose your child to both languages to help increase their vocabulary and improve their language skills. However, when the child is learning to link words to express their wants, needs, or ideas, it can be confusing to hear code-switching being modeled while they are learning. To facilitate language expansion and sentence formulation, avoid switching between languages within a sentence. Instead, model in one language, then repeat the sentence in another language.
Be Positive and Patient!
Bilingual children might develop their language skills differently. Many bilingual language speakers have a dominant language, which can change over time depending on their exposure and use of each language. Be patient and celebrate all attempts in both languages with positive reinforcement! There is a trend in the United States that a bilingual child’s dominant language will become English instead of the language spoken by their parents. Though this is true, it is important to note that this does not mean they are not truly bilingual. Practicing speaking, writing, and reading in both languages will aid in retaining both languages for the long term.
Support Your Bilingual Child With Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center
If a bilingual child has a speech or language delay, it will be seen in all languages they speak, and this is not a result of them learning multiple languages. If you do notice concerns with your child’s language development, it is recommended that you speak with your child’s physician to be referred to a speech-language pathologist for evaluation and recommendations. For more information about language development, reach out to our team, and let’s chat!
info@enrichmenttherapies.com
740 Community Drive, Unit A
North Liberty, IA 52317
319-626-2553
infodm@enrichmenttherapies.com
5530 West Pkwy, Suite 300
Johnston, IA 50131
515-419-4270
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