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Tools To
Raise Bilingual Children
Presented by Beth Butler/Creator of the
BOCA BETH
Program
You want your child to be prepared for this very
global economy, yet struggle with the best way to bring a new
language into your home and your daily routine. Read on to gather
tips on how best to introduce a new language to your child.
You are not bilingual. You skipped high school Spanish
class one too many times! Now you have your own children whom you
realize need to speak more than just English, but you have no clue where
to start. Based on a book titled The Bilingual Edge by Dr.
Kendall King and Dr. Alison Mackey you are just fine to give your child
a jump start on learning a second language.
These two Doctors, who happen to be moms themselves, do a terrific job
dispelling all of those second language myths that have held many
parents back from just jumping right into a second language journey with
their own family. Both Dr. King and Dr. Mackey assure all parents that
they do not have to be bilingual in order to help their child acquire
the skills to become bilingual.
First of all they suggest you not listen to all of those myths that
people try to share with you about introducing a second language to
children under the age of five. Be it your pediatrician who states that
you best stick to only one language at home unless you want a confused
and language delayed child or your mother-in-law who gasps when she
hears your little darling recite a color word in Spanish! Both mean
well, but their mind set and pre-conceived notions are based on nothing
even close to scientific evidence.
In fact, the most recent research suggests that children who receive two
languages woven into their daily routine end up reading sooner than
their monolingual peers and perform better on the math and verbal
sections of standardized tests. Even the SAT, college entrance exam
board, has stated that students taking this exam perform better by many,
many points if the student has had the equivalent of four years of
second language study.
Why not begin those four years of a new language for your young child
today? As the Doctors who authored the book The Bilingual Edge so
wonderfully remind us, we can do this even if we ourselves are
monolingual. Read the book some day soon, and arm yourself with the
knowledge, belief and motivation that any adult can give the gift of a
second language to young children because interaction is the key.
The second thing you must do is to interact with your child on this
second language journey. Whether it is listening to the new language
together on a music CD as you drive over to the mall or watching a few
minutes of a DVD that features the new language right alongside your
native language or reading a book to your child where some simple words
in your new target language are sprinkled into the text (with an easy to
use pronunciation guide included). As all of us realize, it is the
quality of the interaction we have with our children that will promote
future success in learning.
Thirdly, as the adult bringing a new language into your daily routine
with your family, you should attempt to remain positive and upbeat as
much as possible during the language time you share together. Our adult
brain is wired differently than that of a child, and it can be
frustrating at times when you feel as if you do not even get it. You in
turn begin to wonder and question how you can even kid yourself into
believing you can give this gift of a new language to your child as you
struggle with it yourself.
The truth be told, all your child wants from you is a smile, a sense of
confidence that this is fun and easy, and a true demonstration from you
that you respect and value the learning of another language. It may not
be fun at times for you, and you may feel very far from smiling, but
your child is depending upon you to introduce him to this new language.
We have all witnessed the parent who screams at their preschool aged
child to speak in one language or another, sometimes even refusing the
request of the child until he speaks in the demanded language. Do these
parents truly feel their ranting and raging about the ability of their
child to perform in one language above another is going to help this
child become successful later in life? I think not!
Parents are always the first teacher a child ever has in her life. Then
the formal educator steps onto the scene, and what a wonderful gift this
child now has! Two teachers – one at home, one at school. Both teachers
are able to provide second language learning for young children. It is
simply a matter of believing first of all that you can do it, and then
interact with that child in a positive manner in order to make the
learning relevant and meaningful.
You will find a variety of tools to bring whatever new language you
choose to introduce to your child into your daily routine. Mixing up the
learning process by exposing your child to variety of learning styles
will increase his chances of success. Mix in visual learning in the
forms of DVDs and books with auditory learning via upbeat and
easy-to-follow bilingual music CDs along with some puppets, musical
instruments, and coloring and activity books that highlight both native
and new language. These language learning tools will combine to create a
language classroom right in your own home every day!
About the Author:
Beth Butler is the creator of the BOCA BETH Language Learning Series for
young children. Find out how fun and easy it can be to raise a bilingual
child. Sample the BOCA BETH bilingual music and movies for free at
http://www.bocabeth.com
Call toll free 1.877.825.2622 or 1.813.244.1432 |
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