• Are there advantages to start learning a second language at an early age?

Learning a language at any age is beneficial, but children have the capacity to develop new languages more naturally than do adults. Some studies have shown that the human brain is more open to linguistic development during the years between birth and pre-adolescence and that children who learn a language before the onset of adolescence are more likely to develop native-like pronunciation. When children have an early start to a long sequence of language instruction that continues through high school and college, they will be able to achieve levels of fluency that have not been possible in the past due to the late start of most language programs.*

*Why, How, and When Should My Child Learn a Second Language?
Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington DC www.cal.org

Any exposure to a second language and culture is beneficial, even if native-like proficiency is not the goal or the outcome. Whether a bilingual child is just dipping their toe into a second language, or actually swimming in it, that child is experiencing to some degree the richness of another language.

• What are some reasons why parents want to have their child learn a second language?

There may be as many reasons as there are parents for why they want their children to learn a second language. Some common reasons are cultural, educational, greater number of career possibilities and fostering better world citizens.

• Many parent want to bring a heritage language into the home in order to foster a deeper understanding of their own culture.
• Other parents may want to introduce a second language to let their child have access to a greater number of career possibilities.
• Some parents want their children to be exposed to other cultures to become more aware and tolerant of others or to bring a richness to their lives other cultures can give.
• Academics is another reason for introducing a second language to a child at a young age. Verbal scores are higher. In addition, the average mathematics score for individuals who had taken 4 or more years of foreign language study was identical to the average score of those who had studied 4 years of mathematics. Some evidence also suggests that children who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems.*

*The Benefits of Early Language Learning
Kathleen Marcos, ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics

The reason you choose to raise your child to be bilingual may be personal or common. Either way, raising a bilingual child will be richly rewarding for you and your child and the benefits to society are many.

• Does my child have to become fluent in a second language to obtain the benefits of bilingualism?

Whether a bilingual child is just dipping their toe into a second language, or actually swimming in it, that child is experiencing to some degree the richness of another language.

Children that are exposed to more than one language, even if they never fully learn that language as children, have a higher capacity for foreign language learning as teens or adults. Just trying to speak whatever you know of a second language to your infants and young children will help their minds expand linguistically in a way that will give them an educational advantage later.*

*Brigham Young University, Humanities
Renée Johnson and Kristina Shurts

• How can I help my child as she is learning a second language when I don't speak it well
• or even if I don't speak it at all?

The question shouldn't be as to the parent's ability to speak the second language well or at all, the question should be does the parent have the desire to help the child learn a second language. There are many parents who have limited abilities or none at all in speaking the second language which embark on raising a bilingual child. In most cases, the extra opportunity you provide for your children to practice the language outweighs the potential inconvenience of their picking up your errors. You, too, will have a great opportunity to improve your language skill as you learn together. The message is, "Start now. Now is better than later, and also better than never."*

*Raising a Bilingual Child
Barbara Zurer Pearson, Ph.D.

• What are some of the most important things I can do to help my child as he is learning
• a second language?

In Raising a Bilingual Child, Barbara Zurer Pearson's research has come up with twelve steps that promote bilingual development. Although all of these are important, we've found that for infant to preK children our favorites are play and repetition. Children learn best through play. Take pains to make it fun to use the second language. Use song and activities and active movement to the hilt. Remember praise, praise praise. And repetition, repetition, repetition.*

Here are Dr. Pearson's 12 steps that promote bilingual language development.
Step 1: Be Consistent.
Step 2: Be gently insistent.
Step 3: Make the second language especially rewarding.
Step 4: Beware of being punitive.
Step 5: Use lots of media.
Step 6: Direct interaction is the key.
Step 7: Don't make fun of your child's mistakes.
Step 8: Don't ask children to "perform: in front of others.
Step 9: Do not correct overtly.
Step 10: Take advantage of bilingual education.
Step 11: Use secondary supports.
Step 12: Give the language a broader context than just your nuclear family.*

*Raising a Bilingual Child
Barbara Zurer Pearson, Ph.D.

• Would it be easier to put in a language DVD? Why do I need to be involved?

Studies have shown that DVDs or even talking story books as primary source of language acquisition is limited at best. The reason for this is the passive nature of these forms of media. Media could be used, but only as a backup to language learning. Concentrate on real live interaction. If you do use media, use it together. Use it as an opportunity for complex talk back and forth.

Studies have shown that children learn best through play. Keep it light and fun. When you want to be more "teacherly" do it in very small doses.*

Understanding how children develop at different ages will help you understand the importance of being involved in their learning.

*Raising a Bilingual Child
Barbara Zurer Pearson, Ph.D.