Are you raising, or planning to raise, bilingual children?
That’s fantastic! You’re giving your child an incredible gift that will benefit them for a lifetime.
If you’re just starting your bilingual journey, it’s important to choose a family language plan that fits your needs!
Check out the four more-studied family language plans below:
Minority Language At Home
This approach is ideal for two parents or caretakers who both speak the minority or target language and want to nurture it at home.
One Person, One Language (OPOL)
OPOL is an excellent option for mixed-language families who want to raise a bilingual child. This approach is most common in families where one parent is monolingual or does not speak the target language.
Time and Place
The time and place approach is ideal for monolingual parents who want to introduce a second language at home. It also works well for mixed-language families looking to introduce a third language or more. Additionally, this approach is perfect for monolingual families who want to learn a new language together!
Mixed Language Policy
The Mixed Language Strategy is relatively straightforward: both parents use both the minority and majority languages with their children. This approach is common in bilingual communities, such as immigrant enclaves or expat communities.
Once you’ve chosen your family language strategy, explore the following posts for more information on childhood bilingualism.
And if you haven’t picked a strategy yet, don’t worry—these approaches are flexible and can be tailored to fit your family’s unique needs.
Now that you have a guide, let’s get playing & learning languages!
Follow along with us as we share weekly bilingual parenting tips & play-based activities on our Newsletter, Instagram & Facebook!
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¡Hola soy Lorena!
As a bilingual mom, i’m navigating the world of raising my intense and witty son, Lennox, in my non-native language, Spanish.
Discover helpful tips and strategies on parenting a bilingual child, explore free Spanish activities for kids, engage in play-based activities for toddlers, and much more!
Join us on our bilingual journey and embark on your own Bilingual Beginnings.