Raising a Bilingual Child in Un, Deux, Trois

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One statement that I sometimes hear from parents when they find out that I am a French tutor is: “I took French in high school! I wish I could still speak it, so that my child could be bilingual.” This is usually followed by, “Is my child too young to learn?” The short answer is, no. There are so many cognitive and social benefits to raising a bilingual child. It can be the best of two worlds. If you’re lucky enough to have the resources, you can raise your child to speak more than two languages!

So, how can you raise a bilingual child? Here are some steps you can take in…un, deux, trois!

Start the language learning process early. 

When it comes to learning a language, early exposure is best. While my daughter was in utero, I read to her all the time in French. Books in the target language are the best for young children as they also learn to love books as well. If you are a non-native speaker, you can play songs or a movie in the language. Before I play a movie in English, I always check to see if there is an audio version for French. Your child won’t understand all the words, but young children will begin to notice, and be able to reproduce more easily, any sounds specific to the language. In French, there is the guttural “r” sound, while in Spanish, the “r” rolls off of the tongue. A quick search for chansons françaises on Spotify will also bring up kid-friendly songs that your child can dance to while learning!

Be consistent and repetitive. 

Consistency and repetition can be the most challenging steps with parents’ schedules, but it is important to follow. There are many different ways to expose your child to another language. Sometimes, one parent will speak one language, while another parent will speak the other language. If neither parent speaks the target language, you must consistently expose your child to the target language. If you have a tutor, it’s best if the language classes take place at least once a week. If you choose to play songs or movies for your child in the target language, schedule it for the same time each day. Once you have a plan, stick with it. Children do well with routines, since they know what is expected of them.

Make sure your child is enjoying it. 

This is the most important step in the language learning process. If you aren’t having fun learning, chances are that your child isn’t either! Kids need to be active. Younger children learn better in short bursts. For example, a good morning song is a great way to start the day! If you can find games to incorporate new words, kids love those as well! For older children, there are also online games that help to challenge children in a fun way. 

Learning another language can open doors for your child in the future. I find that knowing another language can also make you aware of other cultures, something that needs to be more prevalent these days. Raising a bilingual child may seem like a daunting task, but it can be effective and fun as long as you are both enjoying it! Bon courage!

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