| We are now living in a very diversified culture and | | | | Apparently, according to Italian researches, a |
| society. It is natural to find people who are | | | | baby or child that learns how to speak two |
| speaking at least two languages, are bilingual. But | | | | languages could actually make the brain more |
| there are some bilingual parents or even those | | | | flexible. Experts also discovered that the ability of |
| who are not, that are afraid that their teaching | | | | children to acquire language easily would decline |
| their children two languages would make them | | | | when they reach puberty. |
| confused. Is learning two languages beneficial to | | | | If you are a parent who wants to have a bilingual |
| our kids? | | | | child then there are something that you can do. |
| Most of the times, these children who have | | | | • You can make your children exposed as |
| learned two languages find it as a necessity in | | | | much as possible to the language you would like |
| their environment and community (Houwer, 1999). | | | | them to hear. But make sure that they would be |
| There are some cases that children would grow | | | | given time to hear both language. You could start |
| up in communities where most of the people who | | | | reading them books. Tapes and CDs will also help |
| speak in two languages on their everyday tasks. | | | | in language learning. Children can be very |
| This would have impact on how children would | | | | enthusiastic with music, so try singing too. |
| acquire and later on, speak these languages. | | | | Watching television, video tapes and DVDs are |
| Not all parents are happy with their children | | | | also great ways to introduce them to the |
| learning to speak two languages. There are | | | | language. Some parents would even enrol or |
| speech therapists who believe that learning two | | | | encourage their children to be a part of language |
| languages could actually cause language delays. | | | | programs like language camps. |
| They would say that children would end up | | | | • Remember that languages are closely linked |
| confused. In some cases, they would even | | | | to emotions and identity. There are some children |
| suggest that parents make way for the dominant | | | | who develop a sort of trauma whenever their |
| or major language, and drop speaking secondary | | | | parents would stop responding to them just |
| languages. They believed that acquiring the main | | | | because they use a different language. So be |
| language of the environment will be better if there | | | | conscious when talking to your children too. Do |
| are no other languages to compete with. | | | | not use language exclusive with just one child, the |
| On the contrary, these claims by speech | | | | others may feel excluded and later on develop |
| therapists still remain to be unproved and without | | | | problems with their behaviour. |
| any supporting scientific evidence. There are | | | | • Some parents tend to be too strict when |
| many children who have grown up in bilingual even | | | | teaching their children to learn other languages. Do |
| multilingual family and community, and they did not | | | | not punish, humiliate and rebuke you children just |
| develop any language disorders or delays. | | | | for using a different language when talking to you |
| Some linguists and child development experts | | | | or to other people. If you feel that you kid is not |
| would even recommend children to be taught with | | | | catching up with the speech milestones a child |
| foreign language between birth and age 7. There | | | | should meet, then do not hesitate to consult |
| are studies showing that children can say about | | | | professionals. Sometimes it could be |
| 50 words, whether they are monolingual or | | | | hearing-related issue. |
| bilingual, by the time they reach 18 months. | | | | |