We are now living in a more diversified culture and society. It’s now
natural to find people speaking in at least two languages – these people
are bilingual. However, there are some parents who believe that teaching
their children a second language could make them more confused when
speaking their own national language. So, is teaching a second language
beneficial to our children?
Most of the time children who have
learned a second language find it to
be a huge benefit in their everyday
lives. There is little evidence to show
that teaching your children a second
language will have any negative
affect on their current language
development. There are many children who have grown up in bilingual
and even multilingual families and communities and have not developed
any language disorders or delays because of learning a second language.
Indeed, there are many linguists and child development experts who
recommend that children should be introduced to a second language
between the ages of birth and seven.
So, what as a parent can you do now if you want your children to acquire
a second language:
➢ Make sure your child is exposed as much as possible to the language
that you want them to learn
➢ Allow them time to learn at their own pace
➢ Introduce them to books, CDs and online courses
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➢ Children can become very enthusiastic when listening to music. So
foreign music can be another great learning tool
Remember also that languages are very closely linked to a child’s emotions
and identity. Some parents may stop responding to the child when they
are speaking in another language. Be aware that this could cause
behavioural problems with the child in later years.
The same is true for children who are not learning a second language in
the same house hold as a child who is. Make sure they receive the same
attention as those who are learning a second language.
If you feel for some reason that your child is not meeting the milestones
that a child should meet at that age, then don’t worry. You simply consult
the professionals. It may be just a simple hearing disorder or slow learning
difficulty. All of these can be easily overcome.