4 Ways to Raise Bilingual Children
Bilingualism has so many benefits cognitively and socially that it would be a shame to deny our children the opportunity. It is difficult raising children monolingually, let alone bilingually. However, there are different strategies and methods for doing so that make it a bit easier for parents. It is important to start by taking into account all the varying linguistic environments in which the child is being raised. Are you native English speakers living abroad in Germany? Is only one parent able to speak a second language? It’s enough to make your head spin!
I think it’s important also to distinguish between the two manners in which bilingual children can acquire both languages. Simultaneous acquisition occurs when a child is raised bilingually from birth. The child goes through the natural acquisition process of both languages simultaneously before the age of 3. Sequential acquisition is achieved when a child learns a second language after the first language, usually after the age of 3. This can happen when the native language is spoken at home before going to school where the community language is used or when a child has immigrated to a new country.
There is a language choice that parents must make in raising their children bilingually. This has been referred to as a “family language policy” (Schwartz & Verschik, 2013). Parents need to make a conscious decision and be on the same page about who uses which language around the children. Also, they need to be aware that bilingual situations may shift where the dominant language may change and parents will need to readjust their family language policy. Flexibility is key.
Parents should also know that children rarely fit neatly into categories and that each child is unique. The most typical experience for bilingual children is a combination of hearing one parent speak only one language while the other parent speaks both languages more regularly (De Houwer, 2009). There will usually be an uneven distribution between the two languages. It is rare that bilingual children become perfectly balanced bilinguals, and that is perfectly okay!
Here are a few specific strategies that have been implemented by families around the world:
1. One Parent - One Language (OPOL)
This method is pretty self-explanatory, but it definitely deserves some discussion. OPOL has been viewed as a highly successful method, but not without its flaws. In this approach, one parent speaks one language while the other parent speaks another. For example, one parent speaks English and the other speaks Korean - the community language. Yet this method incorrectly assumes that each parent will spend an equal amount of time with the child. It is common that one parent works outside of the home and the other becomes the main caregiver. It can also be taxing on the family to effectively follow this family language policy. Since it is such a rigid and structured language plan, it goes against the dynamic and natural ways languages are used.
2. Minority Language at Home (MLAH)
In this approach, the child acquires one language at home and another when out in the community. However, there is an abundance of variation within this method. Both parents could use the same language in the home, but it might be the case that one parent is using their second language with their child. For example, for a family living in Russia, you have a parent who is a native Russian speaker who uses English with their child because the other parent speaks English natively. This may be challenging and arduous for the parent speaking a second language with their child. It is obviously easier and more natural to express yourself in your native language, so it may be more difficult to bond with your child in your second language.
Furthermore, trilingualism is more easily achieved through this method if the parents decide to implement the OPOL method within their home with a third language in the community. For example, a family living in France where the community language is French and, in the home, one parent speaks English while the other speaks Spanish.
3. Mixed Language
With this method, both languages are spoken by both parents to the child. Translanguaging is encouraged with this approach. Translanguaging is the process of letting bilinguals use whichever language best helps them communicate in the moment. There are no restrictions about when to use which language or with whom inside of the home. Children are surprisingly adept at knowing to translanguage only with bilinguals and not with monolinguals. However, there are some particular contexts that have expectations of separate language usage such as work or school, so it would be important to impress on your children the importance of recognizing their linguistic environments.
4. Delayed Introduction
This approach is similar to MLAH but with more of an effort to ensure a strong foundation is built into the heritage language before the community language can become pervasive. This would include making sure all books and other media are in the heritage language as well as the language spoken at home for the first few years of the child’s life.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to raising a bilingual family. You need to speak openly and honestly with your spouse about what your family language policy will be. It is important to try to stick to that plan as best as you can, but also to realize that you are human, and humans make mistakes! There is no such thing as a perfectly balanced bilingual!
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