Suggestions
for Parents
Language in the first 10 years of
life is very
important for academic and social success. Here are some ideas to help
you help
your child learn to speak more than one language:
·
Use the language that seems most natural to you and your
family in each situation. It is OK to
mix languages.
·
Read books with your children in each
of the
languages that are important to their lives.
·
Talk to all your children in the same way.
For
example, do not use one language with one child and another language
with
another child. If you speak to your children in different languages,
some of
your children may feel excluded.
·
Do not suddenly change the language
you use to
talk to your children, especially when they are younger than 6
years old. For example, don't suddenly speak English to them if you
have been
using only Chinese.
·
If you feel strongly about your children
using one
particular language with you, encourage them to always use it with you.
Ask them to repeat what they said in the
language you want them to use; or gently offer them the
words in the
language you want them to use. It is similar to asking your child to
say
"please" before giving her a cookie.
·
Do not make
language a problem. Do not
punish children for using or not using a certain language.
·
If you feel worried about your child’s
talking or not
talking in the preschool years, ask the doctor to test your child’s
hearing, Follow your own feeling about what is best for you
and your
family.
·
Make sure your children hear both
languages
often, in many different situations.
·
Make it possible
for your children to use all of the languages they hear.
Reference
Romaine,
S., (1995). Bilingualism (2nd
ed). London: Blackwell.
Based on the
article-
Two or More
Languages in Early Childhood: Some General Points and Practical
Recommendations
By Annick De
Houwer, University of Antwerp and Science Foundation of Flanders,
Belgium
(edited by B. Domin and K.Burnell 2005)
|