How to Raise Bilingual Children

There are many studies pointing out to the advantages of children learning or speaking another language. In fact, we have written blogs about it entitled Why you Should Encourage your Child to Speak Another Language and The Perks of Being Bilingual.

Now that you are on the journey of raising bilingual children, what should you do so that your children will become adept not only on his or her first language but also their second?

Here are some tips we’ve gathered for you:

• Be proactive from the start If you want your little one to develop a good balance on their bilingual ability, you need to introduce them to their second language earlier. Laura Clark wrote a blog listing the most appropriate ages a child should learn a second language, given with different circumstances.

  Experts believe that children learn new languages better than their adult counterparts. This is because of the following reasons:
  1.Young brains are more primed for language acquisition than adult brains.
  2.Their primary school uses the major language which may hinder the development of the second language.

• Make it a priority If you consider developing your child’s second language a family priority, then you should make it a priority. If you do not, there are chances that your child will only use the first language and completely forget the second one.

  For some parents, teaching their child a second language or the language they grew up with becomes their main concern. Some Spanish-speaking families even give their children a chance to experience Spanish bilingual immersion in Washington DC.

• Never let the whims of chance decide the result You should be active in shaping your child’s learning and do not leave it to chance. Your little bilingual learner should receive a lot of input from their second language as much as they received input from their first language in the community.

  Enrolling them in a Preschool in Virginia that prioritizes bilingual education can be a major step for the child to learn his or her second language.

• Set your goal In order to achieve what you want regarding your child’s bilingual education, you have to set a goal. Ask yourself if you want your child to be fluent in the language or if you want him or her to learn more skills like writing in their second language.

  No matter what your goal is, you have to match it with your efforts. If you want your child to read and write well using the second language, there has to be a diligent commitment not only on the part of your child but also on yours.

Early Steps Bilingual Preschool helps parents teach bilingual education, especially Spanish, to young children who want to learn the said language. If you want to ask for more tips on teaching a kid another language, leave us a comment.