Children learning more than one language (multilingualism)
Speaking more than one language is a good skill for your child and speaking more than one language is common all over the world. Being multilingual has lots of advantages including:
- Being a better language learner
- Communicate with extended family
- Access different cultures
Speech and Language milestones
Learning more than one language does not cause speech and language difficulties.
Some multilingual children may appear slower to talk. However, their first words and other milestones should still be around the same age as any other child.
Speech and language difficulties may affect some children. It doesn’t matter how many languages they speak. Children who speak one language or many languages may have difficulties.
Which language?
- Use the language/ languages you are most comfortable with.
- Using your own language means you will be able to give a good model to your child.
- Your child will have the opportunity to learn English at school. They will learn English more easily if they have a good knowledge of their first language.
Encouraging the home language
- Tell your child stories and rhymes in your own language/ languages.
- Read books together in your own language.
- Have fun, play games, and sing songs and nursery rhymes in your language too.
Keeping the home language going
- Start talking to your child in your home language from a young age.
- Don’t worry too much if your child doesn’t talk back to you in your language. This is very common when the language they hear around them is different.
- Don’t stop talking in your home language–your child will learn to understand it.
- Children need a reason to learn and use all their languages. Think about how you can motivate your child to use their home language. For example, playing with other children who use the same language.
- Show that you are proud of your language and culture. Share stories or food from your country at your child’s nursery.
- Do what is natural for you and your family!
- Children need to hear a confident language model that is fluent and natural.
- Switching between languages is OK. In fact, it is typical for multilingual speakers. Children may often switch between languages. This doesn’t mean they are confused about the language they are using. They may switch for many reasons. For example, sometimes a concept or joke may be better explained in one language.
