Si, Oui and More – Bilingualism in Child Development
Nancy Saraiva
Strolling down a bustling New Westminster street, there is a Chinese restaurant up ahead displaying the special of the week in the Chinese language. Next, there’s an Indian sweet shop and the Hindi language advertising the delicious treats. Further down the block, is a sushi establishment with a menu written in Japanese characters, posted on the door. If you are a parent in the Vancouver area, being exposed to multiculturalism and bilingualism is an everyday occurrence.
It is not unusual to find a classroom filled with bilingual and sometimes trilingual children. Perhaps this is due to the vastly multicultural society we live in, with greater and more frequent connections to other parts of the world, or it’s a means of keeping one’s culture or heritage alive. Whatever it is, parents are catching on that bilingualism has a tremendous affect on speech and language development.
As Pam Galloway, Registered Speech-Language Pathologist says, “More recent research has shown us that children who are learning more than one language do better not only in long term facility with languages, but also with academics overall.” And, as Lindsay Coombe, Registered Speech-Language Pathologist at New Westminster Children’s Centre says, “Studies have shown that children who are bilingual may be better able to focus their attention on relevant information and ignore distractions.”
There are two types of bilingualism–simultaneous, where a child learns two languages from birth or is introduced to a second language before the age of 3, and sequential, where a child learns a second language after a first language has been well established (usually after the age of 3). It’s never too late to introduce a language into the lives of children, but as early as possible is the recommendation. “The brain is most able to be flexible and can accommodate different languages from 0-5 years,” continues Galloway.
One aspect to stress is that children can still learn a new language while speaking their native tongue at home. “It is recommended that parents speak to their children in the language they are most comfortable with,” says Coombe. “In addition, if parents attempt to speak the majority language to their child and they are not fluent themselves, interactions and conversations do not feel natural.” As Galloway says, “It is also very important for children and parents to share a language in which they can talk about personal, emotional things as the children grow and need support and guidance.”
Living in a vastly colourful city and being exposed to numerous festivals and cultural community events, provides parents with the endless opportunities to introduce bilingualism to their children. Having a second language can open the door to many opportunities in work and travel and can provide enriching experiences in a child’s lifetime.
For more information:
- Lindsay Coombe, Registered Speech-Language Pathologist
New Westminster Children’s Centre, 604-521-8078 - Pamela Galloway, Registered Speech-Language Pathologist, 778-323-047
- www.hanen.org