Is it possible to teach my toddler two languages at once?
Children soak up languages the best when they are between birth and three years old and being bilingual is a great life skill to have.
According to research, children begin to learn linguistic sounds even before they are born. A mother’s voice is one of the first sounds an unborn infant hears in the womb. Newborns cannot only tell the difference between their mother’s language and another language by the time they are born, but they can also distinguish between languages.
Many parents in South Africa choose to teach their children two languages – often times their home language and a second language. The good news is young children can and do acquire two languages simultaneously.
If you are teaching your child to speak two languages there are a few things to keep in mind. We speak to Educational Psychologist, Kristen Strahlendorf to understand the pros and cons of frequently switching between languages.
Bilingualism and home languages
Bilingual children may say their first words later than children who speak only one language. “Children often imitate and copy what we do and say. This is part of your child’s learning as well as developing their vocabulary” says Strahlendorf.
When frequently switching between languages while speaking to your toddler, we may confuse their understanding of word-object associations. Strahlendorf recommends that if your child is having trouble grasping both languages, you should rather try to be consistent with one language, and if your child is experiencing a speech delay, you shouldn’t hesitate to consult with a speech therapist or audiologist.
As children become older, they are able to identify and switch between languages. Generally, children who study multiple languages have a higher ability to focus as switching between languages builds more neural pathways. Some medical practitioners believe speech delays are triggered if bilingualism is implemented at too an age, whilst others believe it to be a myth.
The importance of home languages
Home languages are important for cultural identification and should be promoted. Socio-cultural factors need to be taken into account when parents decide what language to teach their children.
Parents should communicate with their children in the language they find best and only once the child has developed their speech should parents promote learning additional languages.
