Language is a very crucial element when it comes to interactions and relationships. The beauty of language though is the fact that an individual has the ability to acquire and master more than one language. In essence, the acquisition of more than one language is intriguing considering that an individual can do so at an early age, which is recommended. However, there are numerous debates regarding the practice of teaching multiple languages to young children who are in their formative years. While there are those individuals who support this notion, especially when children are growing up others feel that it may interfere with language acquisition in a child. In fact, teaching a child two languages at the same time may instead lead to delay in language acquisition and mastery. Nonetheless, there are numerous benefits associated with bilingualism and which cannot be dismissed as will be established in the analysis.
Benefits of growing up bilingual
It is natural for any individual to at know at least one language usually the mother tongue, which he can use to relate to the immediate family, friends, or community members. However, there is usually a need to learn and master another language with an aim of widening the communication scope. This is where the idea of bilingualism comes in. In essence, research indicates that an individual who grows up as a bilingual has more benefits as compared to those individuals who learn a second language when they are old enough. This proposition is especially true when it comes to children, as many parents are increasing desiring their children to learn several languages when they are still young. According to King and McKay (2007), a child who grows up as a bilingual has a higher chance of becoming more creative and flexible in terms of brain capacity. In essence, such an individual can be said to possess a competitive edge as compared to monolinguals when it comes to test scores. Moreover, such individuals tend to possess social advantages as they have cross-cultural competencies, which enable them to relate to others in a better manner.
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Does raising a child bilingual cause language delay?
Raising a child bilingual is shrouded in various myths one of them being that it causes language delay. However, research establishes that a child who is raised up bilingually understand the languages in the same manner. Interestingly the children that are raised bilingual have similar challenges as children who are raised monolingual (King and Mackey, 2007). In essence, both of these categories of children will go through the same language acquisition procedures such as babbling, saying their first word, and mini sentences. Moreover, it is a general global trend for children to grow up in the bilingual environment from infancy and this does not lead to language delay.
Explaining the contradictory arguments in favor of French-English but against
Spanish-English bilingual programs
When it comes to bilingualism, there are several issues which regarding how children can make connections between L1 and L2. In essence, there are languages, which tend to come in the way of learning new languages depending on their semantic structure. The most common example is English, Spanish, and French as they are considered the most common languages of instruction in the US. In this case, there seems to exist varied opinions regarding which language between French and Spanish is easier to earn for native English speaker. As it is, French-English programs are more favorable as compared to Spanish-English programs. According to Cummins (2000), this assumption is negatively skewed as it has to do with prestige and legitimacy associated with a particular language. On one hand, French English bilingual programs are considered more prestigious and legitimate as opposed to Spanish-English bilingual education, which should not be the case. However, this should not be the case considering that all languages are equal as they serve the same purpose at the end of the day. Perhaps of the greatest importance is to adopt the right instruction policies and procedures to ensure an efficient L1 to L2 transfer.
Real Outcomes of Bilingual programs
As established the concept of bilingualism sparks many debates regarding its benefits and effects when it comes to language acquisition. In essence, many parents have not yet embraced bilingual programs, especially in the US. However, it should be noted that bilingualism is necessary especially in this era of global interactions thanks to widespread technological innovation and advancement. As it is English is and has been the main language of instruction in almost all of US learning institutions and has become a dominant and widespread language. Consequently, most parents feel that introducing children to a foreign language such as French and Spanish may come in the way of proficiency in English. These fears may sound genuine as they are fueled by a lack of understanding of how bilingualism works. Nonetheless, it is vital for these parents to understand that learning a new language does not come in the way of the first language. In fact, a second language tends to complement the first language in more than one way (Cummins, 2000). A learner with two or more languages is able to make sound judgments regarding issues which then enrich his or her first language. Moreover, a second language helps a learner to make explicit connections between English and the second language. In as much as bilingual programs are essential, care should be taken to ensure that introduction of the minority language is done well. Here the teachers and parents must provide their learners with sufficient oral and written models of each of the languages. In doing these the second language will not interfere with English and students will still maintain high English proficiency levels as desired.
References
Cummins, J. (2000 ). Language, power, and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire . Sydney: Multilingual Matters.
King, K. A., & Mackey, A. (2007). The bilingual edge: Why, when, and how to teach your child a second language . New York: Collins.
