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| Baby Talk | Beech-Nut Mom | The Buzz |
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The Buzz |
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Time for a Second Language? Since your toddler is picking up new vocabulary words so quickly, it might be time to throw in a few from another language. Actually, there’s no better time than now. Here’s why: Children tend to learn languages more easily in their early years because their brains are constantly in the process of making new connections. And they can hear all the unique sounds of a foreign language even better than an adult. The Benefits Exposing your toddler to more than one language can help develop his language skills. In fact, by the time he’s in elementary school your child may have above-average vocabulary, sentence structure and comprehension skills as a result of learning two languages. He may also have an easier time learning other languages in the future. It’s important that while your child is learning two languages, you keep them separate. So if for instance your caregiver is speaking Spanish to your toddler, make sure it’s consistently Spanish and not a mix of the two languages. Also, it’s a good idea to have your little one spend more time with other children who speak English, if that’s your first language. A Bilingual Upbringing Children who grow up in a bilingual household tend to have smaller vocabularies in each language. But the total number of words they know is about the same as one-language speakers. Sometimes, children who are equally exposed to two languages have slightly lower test scores in both languages, only because they’ve had less practice in both. But this should improve as they get older. In the long run, your child should benefit from his bilingual exposure. Not Best for Some Children There are some instances where exposure to two languages could harm your child’s development. If your child has any documented speech-language disorders or delays, like autism, hearing impairment, Down Syndrome or others, focusing on just one language is best. For these children, hearing two languages on a regular basis could be confusing and frustrating. How to Teach It The best way for your toddler to learn a language is through conversation with a native speaker. Tapes or weekly classes aren’t as effective, because the face-to-face observations and repetition help most with learning. Your toddler is more likely to retain the second language if he is continuously exposed to it as he grows up. So if you sign him up for French lessons for only a couple of years, don’t expect him to speak the language when he’s an adult. But keep in mind, even if your child never becomes fluent in the new language, there may still be a brain boost — which couldn’t hurt! If you want to expose your toddler to another language and have a babysitter or family member who’s bilingual, encourage them to speak in their native language with your child. If you don’t have a native speaker available, try reading children’s books together in another language or watching bilingual DVDs together. That way, you can both learn.
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