Becoming bilingual when access to the minority language may be compromised

Abstract

Between September and December 2023, Babylonia collected questions from parents regarding their children's language development. This article aims to answer the following questions:

We want our daughter to be fully bilingual - with such a high dominion of each language that people question whether she speaks any other language at all. Both my husband and I speak Spanish and English in this way, having grown up in Mexico going to an English-speaking school and then moving to the US for university and the rest of our adult lives. The actual question: how can we recreate this for our daughter, knowing that she is in the US and will not be immersed in Spanish the way we were when growing up. Plus finding Spanish-speaking child care is hard—- is two days on the weekend and evenings in Spanish enough to have her be bilingual? What would you recommend we do so that we set her up for success in both languages? She is 8 months today.

I am a non-heritage speaker of another language (Spanish). I can speak fluidly but still make errors that native speakers do not make. My husband and I would like our daughter - currently 2 months old - to be fluent in the second language (Spanish) and plan to enroll her in a bilingual learning environment once she is old enough. In the meantime we join a once per week bilingual storytime, and try to read her stories in Spanish at home. My question is: for language exposure & acquisition, is it better for me to try to speak Spanish to her at home if my Spanish has errors, or just wait, stick to small exposures for now, and let her learning come primarily once she has started daycare/preschool?

[Summary generated by Poe - we refer the reader to the full article in PDF format for a complete answer]

This article discusses the challenges of bilingual development in children particularly in contexts where access to a minority language, such as Spanish in an English majority context, may be compromised. Interaction with fluent speakers is essential for language learning. It is beneficial for parents to speak the minority language at home and create an environment in which its use feels natural. Regular exposure, even if limited, supports the development of language skills, and exposure to varied contexts and diverse speakers is encouraged.

The author recommends access to the minority language through interactions with other adults and children who speak that language, and continued use of this language even once the child starts school. Additionally, enrolling the child in a bilingual school or a school where the minority language is used as a medium of instruction can be beneficial. Finally, she notes thatparents play a key role in creating a rich language environment and promoting a positive language learning experience.

In summary, the author recommends that parents:

• Use the minority language at home and create an environment in which it is natural for the child to use it.
• Expose the child to other adults and children who speak the minority language.
• Continue to use and expose the child to the minority language once they start school.
• Consider enrolling the child in a bilingual school or a school where the minority language is used as a medium of instruction.
• Don't give up, as there may be occasional ups and downs in the child's uptake of the language.

[Resumen generado por Poe: remitimos al lector al artículo completo en inglés en formato PDF para obtener una respuesta completa]

Este artículo aborda los desafíos del desarrollo bilingüe en los niños, en particular en contextos en los cuales el acceso a un idioma minoritario, como por ejemplo el español en un contexto de mayoría angloparlante, puede estar limitado. La interacción con hablantes fluidos es esencial para el aprendizaje del idioma. Es beneficioso que los padres hablen el idioma minoritario en casa y que creen un ambiente en el que su uso se sienta natural. Una exposición regular, incluso si es limitada, apoya el desarrollo de habilidades lingüísticas, y se recomienda la exposición a contextos variados y a hablantes diversos.

La autora recomienda el acceso al idioma minoritario mediante interacciones con otros adultos y niños que hablen ese idioma, y la continuidad en el uso de dicho idioma incluso cuando el niño comience la escuela. Además, inscribir al niño en una escuela bilingüe o en una escuela donde se utilice el idioma minoritario como medio de instrucción puede ser beneficioso. Por último, señala que los padres desempeñan un papel clave en la creación de un entorno lingüístico rico y en la promoción de una experiencia de aprendizaje de idiomas positiva.

En resumen, la autora recomienda que los padres:

• Utilicen el idioma minoritario en casa y que creen un ambiente en el que sea natural que el niño lo utilice.
• Expongan al niño a otros adultos y niños que hablen el idioma minoritario.
• Continúen utilizando y exponiendo al niño al idioma minoritario una vez que comience la escuela.
• Consideren inscribir al niño en una escuela bilingüe o en una escuela donde el idioma minoritario se utilice como medio de instrucción.
• No se rindan, ya que puede haber altibajos ocasionales en la adopción del idioma por parte del niño.