The Best Way to Raise a Bilingual Child
Both you and your partner speak English and let’s say, Spanish, at home. You really want your children to speak both languages too. However, you have no idea of how to start it and make it successful.
Below are some tips to help you…
- Start speaking to your child using both languages or multilanguages earlier. The sooner the better. Children’s brain is like sponges. It absorbs everything.
- Just speak to your children. Use the languages normally without worrying whether they would understand them or not.
- It is better for your children to learn the languages if you are consistent at all times. You talk with them in English, while your partner speaks in Spanish.
- However, sometimes it’s difficult to be consistent. You just mix up the languages. Don’t worry if you think your children will get confused about it because they will learn better later in life.
- Don’t stop at letting them hear what you say. Encourage your children to use the languages. The more they hear and practice, the better they communicate.
What about your story, mamas? How do you teach different languages to your children?
November 1st, 2006 at 10:35 am
My husband and I are not bilingual but our kids are going to be! Sounds silly but in Canada, it is a bilingual country. Government jobs and part of the nation demand bilingualism, so we want our kids to have the best
Guess I will need a french tutour too!
November 1st, 2006 at 10:34 pm
Wow, that’s very interesting, Chelle. I think other mamas should follow your idea.
Hope your have a great day!
November 3rd, 2006 at 3:12 am
My kids are bilingual. We speak English as well as Afrikaans. We did exactly that - I speak Afrikaans to them, while my dad (who is English and the say him daily) speaks only English to them.
November 3rd, 2006 at 3:19 am
Oh.. I didn’t know you speak Afrikaans to your children. How do they manage the bilingualism? Do they enjoy it?
Thanks for sharing, Melany.
November 3rd, 2006 at 4:27 am
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September 20th, 2007 at 1:42 am
I have a question for mom’s who are raising their kids bilingual, but am not sure if this is the correct forum. If anyone has suggestions as to where I can pose a question, could you reply? Sadly, my kids speak only one language (as do their parents), but we have many friends and family members who are bilingual and I have a question that I’m looking for some inut on.
Thanks!