| Did you realize that ninety percent of our brain is | | | | up the syntax of that new language. |
| developed by age five? Have you heard how the | | | | Guess what my friends, my amigas and amigos? |
| first five years of life are the most crucial to the | | | | You need not worry that you cannot roll your r in |
| cognitive development of a human being? Even if | | | | Spanish or that your morning greeting in French |
| you do not have the time to read the latest | | | | sounds just a bit Southern in its accent! |
| statistics or scour the journals reporting on the | | | | Interaction is the main key here for new language |
| most recent research of brain development, I | | | | learning. As with all learning with your very young |
| hope to share with you just how much of a | | | | child, it is important that you engage the child with |
| difference you can make as a parent during the | | | | human interaction and not simply plopping them in |
| very early years. | | | | front of a TV set to introduce the new skill or |
| As I travel our country speaking on the topic of | | | | the new concept. Oh really? What a surprise as a |
| introducing a second language to young children | | | | mom of three! I never knew I had to be involved |
| prior to elementary school age, I find it amazing | | | | in the process. (Just kidding!) |
| how many fellow educators still do not realize the | | | | Make the new language learning fun. Make it easy |
| many myths surrounding language learning. I | | | | on you, your daily routine and you and your child |
| wonder how many of you still think that | | | | will want to do it again and again. And as a |
| introducing a new language to a young child will | | | | teacher I stress all the time that repetition is the |
| confuse him and cause him to be language | | | | key to learning anything at any age! The more |
| delayed? | | | | you and your family have fun learning those days |
| In the book titled The Bilingual Edge written by | | | | of the week in Spanish or counting to ten in |
| Drs. Kendall King and Alison Mackey there are | | | | Mandarin, the more apt you are as a group to |
| many pages and sections that speak specifically | | | | want to venture even further on your second |
| to this fear many parents, teachers, and even | | | | language journey. |
| pediatricians have held onto for years. There | | | | Choose products that are bilingual themselves in |
| exists no scientific evidence supporting this | | | | their presentation. I doubt you will love listening to |
| widespread myth that children learning two | | | | a CD that sings only in Spanish or watching a |
| languages will experience language delay. In fact, | | | | movie that speaks only in French if you yourself |
| research has been conducted proving that bilingual | | | | speak only English as the parent. Plus the latest |
| children acquired both languages on the same | | | | research suggests that while a child is still acquiring |
| timetable as monolingual children. | | | | skills in her native language; do not replace the |
| Do not fall prey to these myths that surround | | | | native language with the new one for learning. |
| language learning. You need to assert yourself as | | | | You should however place the new language right |
| a parent of modern times, knowing that the | | | | alongside the native language for quicker learning |
| English only mentality can no longer prevail, and | | | | and longtime retention while providing a great |
| take charge of the future of your children by | | | | point of reference for both child and adult. |
| providing them awesome tools to acquire new | | | | Should you choose to ignore the language learning |
| languages. | | | | myths that surround us daily and hop on board |
| In this great book written by Drs. King and | | | | with the savvy mentality of making a difference |
| Mackey, who also happen to be raising their own | | | | in the future of your children, you will find you |
| children to be bilingual, parents will discover that | | | | have a lifetime language learner on your hands! |
| being a native speaker of the new and targeted | | | | This is a child who respects other cultures and |
| language is not a requirement to give the gift of | | | | languages and will be a spontaneous language |
| that language to their own children. Once again the | | | | learner later in life. All the while this child will thank |
| myth has existed that told us we would mess up | | | | the adults who chose to introduce new languages |
| the new language learning for our children my | | | | early in his life. Make a difference today for the |
| mispronouncing the words or perhaps by messing | | | | future of tomorrow. |