So you’re a World Language teacher, you’re about to have a child, and you’re thinking about doing “the bilingual thing”, huh? Congrats! It’s an exciting prospect!
When I found out a baby was on the way, one of the first things I considered was whether or not we would attempt to raise our child bilingually. Actually, one of the first questions I got from friends and family was whether or not that was the plan!
In my experience, there is one overwhelming question for non-native speaking World Language teachers:
Am I capable of doing this?
The short answer is yes, you are capable of doing this! That doesn’t mean it’s easy to wrap your head around though. Follow a few simple tips to get started:
1. Ask people who have done it for their input
Ask colleagues what they have done–or not done–and why! Talk to other language teachers who have raised their children bilingually, and ask their advice. The most important question I would ask is If you were to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
2. Be a parrot
If the other parent says “It’s nice out”, repeat that in the second language (L2). If the sibling says “Let’s go for a walk”, repeat in L2. Watching Sesame Street, repeat what the characters say. This takes pressure off the L2 parent to come up with “new” ideas; instead, we shift the focus to repeating. A bonus of this approach is that the English-speaking (L1) parent is always in the loop! In fact, this approach helps the L1 parent learn L2 vocabulary!
3. Build a library
Hop on eBay, and hunt for the “lots” of used L2 books. (A “lot” is a bundle of books.) These are usually quite cheap, and they’re a simple way to keep the L2 visually present in your house. If you have L2 books at the ready to read to your child, it simplifies your job as a parent because you don’t need to produce new/original language. Instead, you read what is already there which, in turn, improves your own L2! Start a reading routine the day you bring your child home. For example, in my house, we read 3-5 books before nap time and before bed time. Papa reads in English, and Maman reads in French. Lastly, apply these same library-building ideas to music and movies. All are L2 input and all don’t require you to produce a thing–just follow along, repeat, and learn!
4. Simplify
We don’t have to talk to kids like we talk to adults. Sentences can be shorter, less complex, and include a lot of repetition. For example:
-Point things out. Everything you see that you know the word for, tell your child what it is. Give the color, describe it, and say what it’s used for. Say to whom it belongs.
-Circumlocute. Say you don’t know the word for bib. Call it the thing around your neck until you have time to look the word up. Your child won’t judge you until he/she is a teenager, so take advantage of this time!
-Repeat yourself. Above, I discussed repeating what other people say in L2, but it’s also important to repeat yourself. Repetition is key for language learning, so keep repeating to build those neural connections.
5. Be easy on yourself
For so many World Language teachers, the language we teach is not our native language. This can cause us to wonder if we have the skills necessary to exclusively speak L2 to our kids.
Perfectionism will kill you here. Perfect implies an endpoint. What we want in our students (and should want in our own language ability) is continual growth. Furthermore, perfect is boring! Teaching your child your non-dominant language should be a learning process for both of you.
There are some things you just might want to do in English, and that’s okay! Grant yourself permission! For example, every night at bed time we have our reading routine in English and in French, but after that we sing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Pat-a-Cake”….and I’m not going to even attempt to translate those. I’m going to sing them in English, all together with my family, and I’m not going to think twice.
Choosing to raise your child bilingually can be a challenge, and it certainly is frustrating at times, but the reward for both parent and child is substantial. The first time I realized my son says doudou instead of blankie my heart just melted. It was then that I realized it was all worth it. So if it’s right for you and your family, just do your best. It’s a process, and a fun one at that!
Are YOU raising a bilingual child? Comment below to share your favorite tips!
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