What If I Don't Speak a Second Language,
But I Hope My Child Will?
More and more parents are eager to raise their children to be bilingual. They know what an important asset this ability will be for their children down the road—opening doors in higher education, the business world, politics, law, science, the arts and many other fields. In a world that is only getting "smaller" or "flatter" as technology bridges nations, learning another language will give the children of today the preparation and the broader outlook they will need tomorrow.
Fortunately, a growing number of parents now recognize that their children are ready to learn a new language. They know that children are uniquely situated to be quick and exuberant learners, "locking in" cognitive benefits—sharper reading skills, greater creativity and problem-solving skills, and greater overall awareness of language—while having a blast exploring the fun new sounds and words they're playfully encountering.
Children are naturally open to language in a way that often amazes their parents. Less self-conscious and less anxious, they see a new language as a wide open field to do the things they already love to do—rhyme, make up words, create imaginary friends, try out funny sounds. We all could take a page from a child's ready sense of wonder and adventurousness.
Along with a child's natural sense of awe and inquisitiveness is an incredible and often adorable capacity for imitation. Parents often try extra hard to present a good example—taking care to greet people properly and being more polite, for instance—because they know their habits will be picked up by their children. When it comes to learning a second language, however, this readiness to imitate concerns some parents—even some who have quite good conversational skills in a second language. They worry that if their language skills are a little rusty, or their accent a little too noticeably American, their children will pick up some bad habits and start off on the wrong foot.
However, even if your second language vocabulary is limited to an uncertain "hola" or imperfect "gracias," every parent should take an active and participatory role in their child's language learning.
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Sincerely,
Katie Lagana
Early Advantage |