Bilingualism

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Bilingualism

• And Your Language

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Introduction

• Many Immigrant parents do not speak to their
  children in their native language. 
• Many Immigrant parents are fortunate to
  be bilingual, yet they are depriving their
  children from this gift of bilingualism.
• Unfortunately, many Immigrant parents just don't
  know what to do and therefore they lose their
  children to other languages.

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Bilingualism

• Benefits
• Being a fluent bilingual speaker has many
  benefits.
• Children who are fluent bilinguals actually
  outperform monolingual speakers on some tests.
• Children who are fluent bilingual speakers are
  potentially a tremendously valuable resource for
  the U.S. economy.
• It is highly advantageous to childrens
  professional lives if they spoke a second
  language.

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Bilingualism

• Language development
• The development of communication skills begins in
  infancy, before the emergence of the first word.
• The earlier a child learns a language,
  the stronger the language becomes a part of that
  child. 

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Bilingualism

• The optimal period is between the ages of 0-3.
• Critical period for native-like language skills
  ends gradually at around six or seven years of
  age.

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Disadvantages of Not Teaching Your Language

• Child is disconnected from the Immigrant parents
  motherland, heritage, and relatives.
• Child loses continuity of Immigrant parents
  culture, religion, and customs.
• Child is isolated from Immigrant parents local
  relatives and friends.

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Disadvantages of Not Teaching Your Language

• Child struggles with identity and character.
• Child feels that he / she is missing something.
• Childs self-esteem maybe impacted because he/she
  can not be like the immigrant parent.

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Disadvantages of Not Teaching Your Language

• Child assimilates rapidly into the local culture.
• Child struggles with the local culture, which the
  immigrant parent do not know enough about.
• Child looses benefits of being bilingual.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Decide what you want for your child (in terms of
  languages)?
• Establish a child mission statement What do you
  want your child to be like (in terms of language,
  culture, customs, etc.)?
• Stick to the mission and just do it. No
  Exceptions.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Must make your language an integral part of the
  child's life.
• Explain to the child the importance of speaking
  your language.
• Provide the child with the environment and
  resources to learn your language.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• First lesson  Never mix languages.  This is the
  single biggest mistake immigrant parents make,
  and unfortunately the most damaging one.
• Only speak your language to your child.
• Speak your language at all times, at home and
  everywhere. No Exceptions.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Second lesson declare the home your language
  only zone.
• It is not enough that a child understands your
  language. The child needs to speak it, read it,
  and write it. 

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Third lesson Be very persistent (0 tolerance)
  about your language.
• Again, never ever mix other languages with your
  language. The child needs to clearly distinguish
  between the two languages.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Speak your language normally.  Do not simplify,
  or baby talk your child with simple words. 
• Child needs to build his/her vocabulary over time
  to use a language effectively.
• Correct the child when he/she mispronounces a
  word in your language.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Translate words that are not part of your
  language (train, truck, etc.)
• Explain things which your child may hear or
  memorize.
• Use speaker phone when speaking your language
  with immigrant friends / relatives so your child
  can hear your language.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Ask your friends to speak your language with
  your child.
• Ask your child to speak your language with
  his/her friends.
• Ask your child to speak your language with
  relatives, Grandparents, etc.
• No Exceptions.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Other ways to help strengthen the immigrant
  language.
• use a baby sitter who can speak your language if
  possible.
• If youre NOT fluent in the native language,
  be-friend a family who can speak the native
  language with your child.
• Put child in weekend classes for your language as
  soon as possible.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Find a tutoring program, language club, etc. to
  enroll your child in.
• Buy plenty of children books in your language and
  teach them to read.
• It is not enough that the child can read and
  write your language.  The child needs to
  understand what he or she is reading or writing.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Buy children CDs (stories, songs, etc.) in your
  language and play at home and in the car.
• Buy flashcards, puzzles, game boards, sticker
  books, etc. in your language.
• There are many resources, locally and on the
  Internet (online stores, ebay, etc.)

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• If the child continues to resist...Last resort
  Sit your child down, just like you would with any
  major announcement that you would really like
  him/her to learn your language and to begin
  practicing to speak with you. 
• Explain to him/her that speaking your language is
  very important to you, and that it will make you
  very happy. 
• Continue to be persistent. No Exceptions.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• At the same time
• Do encourage your child to speak the local
  language (e.g. English) with neighbors, at
  stores, etc.
• Teach them to be polite and speak in the local
  language when they are around others who do not
  speak your language, even if you were standing
  there.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• In the summer before your child goes to pre-k,
  he/she can watch some educational programs in the
  local language such as Sesame Street. etc.
• For pre-school children, in the summer before
  he/she goes to school for the first time, begin
  to teach local language basics (alphabets,
  numbers, colors, shapes, etc.)

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Is it too late?
• No, Never!
• Even, if the child does not speak your language
  at all, you can slowly teach him/her your
  language.  Simply say every sentence in your
  language first, then follow it immediately with
  the local language translation. 

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Is learning another language difficult?
• Maybe, ...But kids are not stupid!
• Deaf people learn to speak a language even though
  they can't hear.
• Uneducated people learn to speak another language.

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What are Immigrant Parents to do?

• Children with developmental challenges learn to
  speak another language.
• Even animals can learn another language!
• You're basically under-estimating and insulting
  your child's intelligence!  Your child can learn
  another language much easier than you think.

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Things which Affect Bilingualism

• The following things greatly affect teaching a
  child another language?
• TV
• Video Games
• Internet

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Things which Affect Bilingualism

• 1) TV
• No TV whatsoever before two.  TV has very
  damaging effects on young children, and will
  reduce their chances of learning your language.
• After the age of two, max 1 hour of TV with the
  volume turned down where the child barely hears
  the words (just sound effects).  

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Things which Affect Bilingualism

• Absolutely no short cartoons (cartoon network,
  nick, etc.) or commercials. Again very damaging,
  and affects their ability to concentrate in
  general and their ability to learn your language
  in particular.
• Have plenty of children movies/tapes in your
  language.  These movies have a beginning, a plot
  (that teaches them something), and an ending! 
  Teaches children logic, sequence, and conclusion.

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Things which Affect Bilingualism

• Subscribe to TV channels in your language
  and keep one channel on frequently in one area of
  the house (as appropriate) so child can hear.

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Things which Affect Bilingualism

• Video games
• Also not healthy at an early age too exciting,
  addicting, affect childs concentration in
  general, and to learn your language.
• If you must, then a few video games (simple
  Gameboy, simple PS system, etc.), and only with
  educational games.

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Things which Affect Bilingualism

• 3) Computers, Internet, etc.
• Absolutely minimal Internet if any, with maximum
  supervision, and for educational purposes only.
• Again, only use for educational purposes.
• Buy software programs in your language and
  install on your computer. 

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Alternatives to TV, Game, and Internet

• Read stories in your language, even if the
  stories are written in the local language.
• Build a home library with a equal number of books
  in your language and the local language.
• It's ok to have books in the local language, so
  long they are educational, about your culture,
  religion, etc.

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Alternatives to TV, Game, and Internet

• Setup a reward system for reading books in your
  language.
• Reward with more children books in your language.
• Hang things in your house with writings in your
  language.

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Alternatives to TV, Game, and Internet

• Have your child write/paint a painting in your
  language and hang at home.
• Buy collectibles such as stamps, coins,
  banknotes, etc. with writings in your language.

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Again, Is It Too Late?

• Again, No, Never!
• Only speak in your native language.
• Repeat what child says into your language.
• Require your child to speak your language, at
  least for basic conversation.
• Do not turn learning your language it into
  something inflexible or onerous.
• Praise endlessly!

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Summary

• You will be doing your child a great favor by
  raising him/her bilingual.
• Being fluent in another language is a valuable
  asset in our multicultural society
• Each parent should stick to his or her native
  language.
• Give your child a bilingual environment.
• Dont ever give up! Be persistent and Stick with
  it. No exceptions.

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Alternatives

• Multi-Lingual Links
• http//www.mantralingua.com/
• http//forums.multilingualchildren.org