Interestingly enough, this method is pretty common, and many parents use it without even knowing that they are.

In our household, we started out using the Minority Language at Home approach, and we are slowly switching over to the mixed language strategy.

Over the past few weeks, I have been researching this strategy and I want to share with you what I have learned thus far.

With time, I hope to incorporate my own observations our mixed language strategy bilingual journey. Stay tuned!

What language strategy are you using in your bilingual household? Let me know in the comments below?

If you’re not sure about your bilingual parenting strategy, need guidance, or want to know more about raising bilingual kids, follow us on Instagram or Facebook. You can also subscribe to this blog for weekly bilingual parenting tips and free resources in Spanish!

Enjoy, now on to learn more about the mixed language strategy to see if it is suitable for your family!

What is the Mixed Language Strategy?

The Mixed Language Strategy is relatively straightforward. Both parents use both the minority and the majority languages with their child(ren).

Mixed language strategy is most commonly seen among bilingual communities such as immigrant enclaves or expat communities.

Unlike the other three bilingual parenting approaches— Minority Language at Home, One Person, One Language, and Time and Place, there are no set rules or guidelines for using each language with the mixed language strategy.

The languages are used interchangeably, in the most natural, organic way.

A dialogue might begin in the minority language and end in the majority language or vice versa. 

You might be thinking, well, won’t this cause language confusion? No! Language confusion is a bilingual parenting myth!

Children distinguish their languages from early on. According to Kendall King and Alison Mackey in their book The Bilingual Edge,

“Mixing languages is a normal phase of bilingual language development. It seems to be near-universal among bilingual children and is apparent even at the babbling stage; that is, long before children can say a word in any language.” (27)

As a bilingual myself, I mix languages in almost every sentence if I speak with another bilingual. Some phrases and words are just easier to say in one language over the other. (This mixing of languages, called code-switching is how new languages and dialects come about, like Spanglish— yes, it’s a language!)

Thus, with the mixed language stategy, the focus is not the separation of languages but rather the amount of input given in each language. 

This is where the mixed language strategy gets a bad wrap.

If there is not an adequate amount of input in the minority language, this can lead to passive bilingualism. However, if there is an emphasis on the minority language in the household, there is a 93% chance that a child will grow up to be full-fledged active bilingual. (Ruiz Martín 130).

We will get more into this further down in the advantages and disadvantages section of this post. 

What type of families use the Mixed Language Strategy?

Below are some examples of families that might use the mixed language strategy approach.

Example 1: A minority language expat family. Two German-speaking parents that have lived in London for several years now and have great control over the English language. They are raising their child in London in German and English.

Example 2: A second-generational immigrant family from Guatemala living in a Latino enclave in the D.C. Metro area. Both parents were born and raised in the United States and speak both English and Spanish. They are unintentionally raising bilingual children because they speak Spanish and English to their two children at home.

Example 3: One minority-language parent and one nonnative minority language speaking parent. For instance, in my situation!

My partner is from El Salvador, and I am a forever student of the Spanish language. We got together a few years back and committed to raising our children in Spanish first! Woohoo! Carlos speaks a good amount of English, and I have high competency in Spanish, and now that we have transitioned to this approach, you can find our conversations weaving in and out of Spanish and English. 

However, we made it a rule that the family conversations should be primarily in Spanish. Also, when our son Lennox speaks with his papi, it should be in Spanish. This allows for sufficient minority language input. Doing this lightens my nonnative load and allows me to indulge in my native tongue with my son!

Example 4: Two nonnative minority language-speaking parents. Two people fell head over heels in love with each other once they locked eyes in Italian class. They traveled and solidified their Italian over the years and decided to raise their kids in Italian and English in the United States.

Okay, so what’s the common denominator here? All of the parents in each scenario are bilingual! Maybe they didn’t grow up bilingual, but they all have an excellent command of the minority language and thus can easily communicate in that language with their children.

While some parents might intentionally be raising their kids bilingually using the mixed language strategy, others live in an enclave where mixing languages is a phenomenon that occurs naturally in the community.

Advantages of the Mixed Language Strategy

In her amazing podcast The Bilingual Parenting Podcast episode 007 “Mixed Language Families (FLP Series Part 4) “ Kaila Díaz goes into the advantages and disadvantages of the Mixed Language Strategy. In the next two sections, I will highlight her most important points!

• It is bilingualism in “its natural form.”

Parents are free to access both languages, at any time, on any occasion. It loosens the slack on exact rules and parameters.

• It’s low pressure for parents and kids

The mixed language strategy allows children and parents to interact naturally.

In my case, as Lennox grows and his speech develops, it gets more challenging for me, as a non-native speaker, to express myself naturally with him in Spanish.

In the past, when we were using the MLAH approach, I would feel a pang of guilt if I spoke to Lennox in English. However, now that we are transitioning to the mixed language strategy, I can relax and talk to Lennox in English when I am with him one-on-one, and in a family setting, we all speak Spanish.

Also, it allows Lennox to see me as my true self.

Did you know that some people have different personalities when they speak different languages? For example, I am a little wittier and more sarcastic in English, but when I speak in Spanish it doesn’t come out as such. So, therefore, I enjoy being able to show Lennox that side of me.

• It emphasizes communication instead of who speaks what, allowing the bilingual child to feel heard, rather than simply understood.
• The parents stand as an accurate representation of what adult bilingualism looks like and how it works.

Disadvantages of the Mixed Policy Language Method

Disadvantages of the Mixed Language Family Method

In her podcast, Kaila also mentions some disadvantages of the mixed language family.

• Lack of monolingual conversational skills. 

If the child is not receiving sufficient exposure in both languages, the child might experience difficulties having conversations with monolingual speakers.

That is to say that not everyone in the child’s life will be bilingual or bilingual in the same languages. Therefore if the child is constantly code-switching between languages, it might be challenging to converse in one language with a monolingual person.

Kaila recommends developing both of the languages in a “monolingual context, in addition to bilingual context” to “flex the linguistic muscle in both languages separately so that they’ll be prepared for future conversations with people that only speak one language.” (15’25)

• Parents might use this approach without a strategy or with a lack of intentionality.

Bilingualism requires lots of exposure and input in the minority language. Therefore, if a parent is not intentional about their child’s bilingualism, it could diminish their proficiency in the minority language.

It can also lead to passive bilingualism. Passive bilingualism is when the child can understand the minority language but cannot communicate in it.

Kendall King urges mixed language families to consider providing extra support for the minority language inside the home. He exclaims that a family should speak 80 percent in the minority language and 20 percent in the majority language for best results.

• A potential decline in bilingualism overtime

A family might nurture the minority language in the first years with their child. Still, with time, the child is more and more exposed to the majority language, which can cause a decline in their bilingualism, especially if the parents start speaking the majority language more to the child.

Furthermore, a child might grow to favor one language over the other and give pushback to speaking in the minority language with the parents.

Tips for using the family language strategy

• Be more intentional about nurturing the minority language at home as much as possible. 
• Add some structure or guidelines to your mixed language policy to ensure proper minority language input.

For example, in my bilingual family (my partner is from El Salvador with a native language in Spanish and me, a nonnative Spanish speaker), we speak in Spanish or Spanglish as a family. 

Both my partner and I are with Lennox for the same amount of time. I am a little more lenient and speak 50/50 Spanish and English when I am with my son. As the minority language speaker, my partner speaks in Spanish with Lennox as much as possible. 

At preschool, Lennox gets an entire 2.5 hours a day only in English.

• Monitor the quantity and quality of language input and exposure and limit technology for minority language input. When you do use technology, keep it in the minority language. 

Related: YouTube Channels in Spanish for Toddlers

• Be on the alert because the majority language will seep into every aspect of your child’s life. Try to foster the minority language as much as possible in the early years! From birth through the preschool years is when a child can soak up a language the best!
• Read in the minority language as much as possible.
• Keep the minority language fun and desirable. Let your child know how important it is for them to carry on the minority language by doing fun, family activities in the minority language. We offer a lot of free printable activities in Spanish that might do the trick!
• Carve out individual time for each language throughout your days/weeks/months. 

Well, I hope this introduction to the mixed language strategy will guide you in your own bilingual parenting journey!

Don’t forget to share your language strategy in the comments below!

Don’t forget follow us on Instagram or Facebook and subscribe to this blog for weekly bilingual parenting tips and free resources in Spanish!

Related posts you might enjoy:

• 13 Facts About Raising Bilingual Children
• Time and Place Bilingual Parenting Approach
• How To Read To Your Child in the Minority Language

The post Mixed Language Strategy: A Common Bilingual Parenting Method appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.

A huge thank you to Lorena for inviting me to guest post on her blog at Bilingual Beginnings! 

I’m Corrie, a former Spanish high school teacher, turned Spanish blogger and content marketer at Mama Llama Linguist.

Like Lorena, I’m a non-native Spanish speaker raising bilingual kids in a little cottage in San Diego, CA. We are calling it our Spanglish dream!

My passion for the Spanish language truly blossomed over a decade ago when I got to spend a year teaching in Seville, Spain. The culture, the food, the people, the language- I was totally hooked.  

My children are aged 5 and 3, and I always knew I wanted them to experience the joy of bilingualism, too.

My husband (also a non-native Spanish speaker) and I are now three full years into our bilingual parenting journey… so if you did the quick math, you will notice we didn’t start at birth with our first. 

I wish we had, but I spent most of that first year of motherhood in a fog and trying to survive! So, establishing a language plan just wasn’t on my radar!

Then when I did commit (when he turned 2 and my daughter was born), and I was much more comfortable and adjusted to mom-life, I made many many mistakes and almost….almost gave up.

My why was strong though and I am so relieved we pushed through because, 3 years on, we are finally seeing the fruits of the labor! 

Our Family Language Plan:

Early on, I realized that my toddler was very much a passive bilingual- meaning he understood when I spoke to him in Spanish, but would respond only in English.

Code mixing (mixing the languages) occasionally happened later- which I would count as a win since he was using at least some Spanish!

That was when I realized we needed a family language plan  and strategy if we were going to have long term success with our children becoming active bilinguals. 

If you are raising a bilingual child, you may know that there are a number of different strategies to navigate language use in and outside the home. They are called Family Language Policies. 

In summary, these are MLAH (Minority Language at Home), OPOL (One Parent One Language) and Time & Place.

It’s the latter that my family embraced in the second year of raising little linguists and that I have the honor of sharing with you today here on Bilingual Beginnings. 

How We are Raising Bilingual Children using Time and Place:

Time and Place is essentially choosing to speak English at home, but using Spanish (the minority language) strategically at specific times of day and in certain places.

This strategy is often heavily rooted in routines, language learning materials and external input. 

Here are just a few of the ways we raise bilingual children using Time and Place:

Time and Place Tip 1: Car rides

Tally up your minutes running errands and  getting to and from preschool etc. each week, and you will be surprised how much of our time is spent in a car.

We now take advantage of this sedentary time to listen to Spanish Nursery Rhymes on Spotify or tune into our absolute favorite podcast Eat Your Spanish.

Related: “Los pollitos dicen” Spanish Nursery Rhyme Printable Activities for Preschoolers

Time and Place Tip 2: Read Alouds

We read in Spanish every single day. I could share a whole post with you on the power of reading aloud to your children!

I am a huge literacy advocate and our bookshelves are overflowing but that is truly our happy place. 

For toddlers and preschoolers it’s important to select books that are beautifully illustrated to engage our listeners, and repetitive in nature.

One of our favorite series is the Toca Toca collection from Usborne Books & More. 

Poetry and nursery rhymes are also wonderful options for language acquisition. 

Related: How to Read to Your Bilingual Toddler in the Minority Language

Time and Place Tip 3: Spanish Activities

We weave in ‘Spanish Hour’ to our routine (usually early afternoon). This includes Finger Plays, Puppetry, and dipping into our Spanish Homeschool Curriculums. I share a round-up of our top picks here.

Time and Place Tip 4: Native Speaker Exposure

Finding opportunities to engage with native speakers allows our child to put their language learning into context. It also gives it meaning- something that they need especially in the early years.

My children attend a Spanish immersion preschool 3 mornings a week. This is target language input outside the home and allows them to experience listening to native Spanish speakers.

I realize this is not always available, or affordable for every family. Fortunately, there are many online options now for more affordable Preschool Spanish Immersion classes. My top picks being Bilinguitos and Spanish Playdates.  

5. Screen Time

We leverage screen time as much as possible by using Spanish apps like Gus on the Go and Spanish School Bus.

Apps require the child to engage and respond. This is much better than simply watching a TV show in Spanish as they are actively participating in the experience. 

Related: The Best YouTube Channels in Spanish for Preschoolers

The Time & Place strategy works really well for my family because my husband and I are both non-native speakers. We tried OPOL for a time (with me speaking Spanish and my husband speaking English) but it was too intense for us. 

You have to consider your family’s language goals, your relationships and choose the language plan that will work best.

So, you can see there are many awesome tools and strategies out there for raising a bilingual child even as a non-native speaker!

Whether you are fluent in the minority language or a beginner yourself, you CAN raise a bilingual child! 

The secret is establishing a language plan with internal and external input, gathering the best resources and staying consistent! 

Keep reading:

• 10 Misconceptions About Raising Bilingual Children
• 13 Facts Parents Who Want to Raise a Bilingual Child Need to Know
• Seven Ways That I Teach My Toddler Spanish as a Nonnative Spanish Speaker

Corrie is a blogger at Mama Llama Linguist where she shares content devoted to raising bilingual children and Spanish resources. You can also connect with her on Instagram @mamallamalinguist and follow her on Pinterest. 

The post 5 Tips for Raising Bilingual Children Using The Time and Place Approach appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.

Summer has almost arrived, and it is the perfect time to take language learning outdoors! In this post, I will offer 9 outdoor language learning ideas for bilingual kids. 

As a bilingual teacher and mom of three young children, I’m always looking for fun and simple ways to integrate Spanish learning into our daily routine.  This summer we’ll be taking advantage of family time outdoors in nature – and weaving in new Spanish vocabulary as we make memories together.

Language learning isn’t just about the quantity of language input our kids receive – it’s also about the quality of the language interaction.

Our kids need to be engaged in real-life, meaningful, and high interest activities in the minority language. Creating enjoyable moments using our target language should be a top priority as we raise bilingual kids.

The good news is we can build in quality, playful experiences in easy ways!  As Adam Beck says in his book “Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability,” “It’s vital to maintain a strong sense of humor and playfulness – particularly through the younger years – so that your children will come to feel positivity toward the minority language and be willing, even eager, to make this long journey with you.”

Today I’m sharing with you my favorite 9 outdoor language learning ideas for kids.  So you and your family can prioritize Spanish learning as well!  I hope you’ll utilize these ideas to get outside, have fun, and nurture a love of Spanish language learning in your kids.

1. Explore a theme

As you naturally plan exciting outdoor adventures, take time to explore a theme around where you’re going or what you’re doing. 

If you’re going to the farmer’s market this weekend, read some fun books about produce, farming, or markets around the world.  Before a trip to the zoo, head to the library to find interesting nonfiction texts about animals.

Related: 12 Zoo Animal Picture Books in Spanish for Preschoolers

When you’re heading to visit a relative in a new city, introduce your child to vocabulary words related to that city that they don’t know yet.  The key is utilizing a fun family outing for intentionally teaching your child new themed Spanish vocabulary!

In her book “Bilingual By Choice,” parenting expert Virginie Raguenaud encourages us to “keep speaking the language daily – during fun and varied activities and outings to broaden our children’s vocabulary.”

2. Go on an outdoor scavenger hunt in the minority language

Outdoor scavenger hunts are always a big hit with my kids!  And this idea can be used multiple times this summer!  As you go on a walk around your neighborhood or explore a local park or nature center, choose a focus for a scavenger hunt.

Get creative to challenge your kids with whatever Spanish learning goal is right for them – whether it’s colors and shapes vocabulary or insect names.  Your scavenger hunt might be for items in a rainbow of colors one day, ten different types of leaves another day, or fifteen different creatures the next time.

Read more: Sounds of Nature Scavenger Hunt in Spanish (Free Printable)

3. Make an outdoor nature journal in the minority language

With a simple notebook, your child can enjoy creating a nature journal this summer!  It can be a resource all summer long for art and literacy activities in Spanish.  Take the nature journal outside for some observation and note taking.

One day, your child might like to do some birdwatching and sketch the unique birds they see.  You might even check out a book about local birds from your library to name them all – don’t forget to learn their Spanish names together as well!  How about drawing animals they see, describing treasures they collect, or writing about a gemstone collection?

Related: 30+  Best Summer Books in Spanish for Children

4. Integrate science

Science learning will come naturally as you explore in nature.  To maximize science fun, think about your child’s interests and what would be most appealing for them.  Would they like to study rocks and minerals, find out how to compost, or learn about summer weather patterns?

Pick a science topic and go for it!  How about a flower study?  You might gather different types of flowers to name, sort and describe with colors, shapes, and sizes vocabulary.  Your child could draw or glue them in the nature journal, press them into flower bookmarks, or use them for crayon rubbings.

Related: Disney In Ice Escape Water Table STEM Activity for Toddlers

5. Make an outdoor language obstacle course

Every summer, my kids and I create dozens of obstacle courses in our yard and on the sidewalk.  You can too!  Take some chalk and draw a course on the sidewalk.  Don’t forget to label the verbs in Spanish!

You might draw lily pads for kids to jump on, then a bridge to cross, and a flat ladder they have to climb.  My oldest loves to use his rollerblades, so I’ll make zigzags for him to follow, and lines for jumps.

In the backyard, give simple Spanish instructions for the obstacle course (or let your kids design it).  “Circle around the tree, then run to the fence, hop all the way to the garden boxes, and finally crawl underneath the swings.”

Related: Mosaic Heart Chalk Outdoor Activity for Kids

6. Use family vacation time

If your family takes a vacation this summer, use it for Spanish language learning!  Before the trip, pick out a book or two from the library about the place you’re going to learn some key Spanish vocabulary.  On the way there, your child could take advantage of car time for a Spanish game, audiobook, or podcast.  And don’t forget about enjoying catchy Spanish music on the trip!

When you’re there, whether you can use Spanish the entire trip or not (my husband doesn’t speak Spanish!), you can choose a time or activity to prioritize Spanish.  This could be as simple as choosing an outing – like a morning at the beach – to use Spanish.  Think of all the beach-themed language learning you could do with your child!

Or it could be using Spanish as you seek out unique cultural resources at your vacation destination (a restaurant, museum, market, or cultural neighborhood…).  Truly, one of the best things about raising bilingual kids is the opportunity to cultivate awareness and appreciation of different cultures!

Related: 12 Ways to Become Fluent in Spanish Outside of the Classroom

7. Plan a picnic

Make your picnic time Spanish language learning time!  A picnic is an excellent opportunity to learn new food and cooking vocabulary.  Involve your child in planning, picking out ingredients, making the picnic food, and assembling it all in a bag or basket for your outing.  Discover some new books about food and cooking around the world.

Enjoy the meal speaking the minority language together, talking about the foods you’re eating, and your beautiful outdoor surroundings.  If you can take your picnic to a local park, give your kids some playground time and review some park-related vocabulary.

Related post: Language Learning with Kids in the Kitchen

8. Take reading and writing outside

Choose an easy activity – take story time outside!  Grab a picnic blanket and a stack of books to read to your little one outside on a beautiful day.  Or encourage your child to do their own reading and writing outside in a shady spot in the backyard.  Find helpful reading resources and a free summer reading bucket list here.

Take out a favorite book to read – add a stuffed animal and a beach towel for extra fun.  They can grab a notebook to write a story, poem, or list of all the sights and sounds around them.  Or, they can use a sketchpad to draw a picture of something that catches their eye outside!

Related: How to Read to Your Bilingual Toddler in the Minority Language

9. Create outdoor language learning memories

As Naomi Steiner, M.D., & Susan L. Hayes say in their book “7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child,” “Kids learn better and retain more of what they learn when they’re interested and engaged.  So when it comes to kids and language input, the attractiveness of the activities is every bit as important as the sheer number of them.”

Summer is the perfect time to weave minority language learning into exciting outdoor family adventures!  And it’s especially significant if you can capitalize on your child’s interests this summer as you plan in – or spontaneously create – quality learning opportunities!

I hope you’ll give one of these outdoor language learning ideas a try with your kids! 

Keep reading:

• 21 Loose Parts Outdoor Activities To Do With Your Kiddos Today!
• An Outdoor Nature Spring Scavenger Hunt in Spanish & English (Free Printable)
• 93 Spring Activities to Add To Your Bucket List this 2022

Find more language learning tips and bilingual parenting ideas at bilingualbalance.com.

Connect with Jenna Vislisel from Bilingual Balance on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Jenna Vislisel has been a dual language teacher and elementary reading specialist in three different states.  She is teaching her own three kids Spanish and English and is a bilingual parenting blogger.  Jenna is passionate about inspiring parents and teachers to make language learning fun and meaningful for kids.  Jenna shares advice, ideas, and resources to foster a love for language learning at home.  You can find her website at BilingualBalance.com

The post 9 Outdoor Language Learning Ideas for Bilingual Kids appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.

So, you are raising a bilingual child?

Amazing! You are doing something for your child that will have endless benefits for them in their future. Way to go, mom, dad, or caretaker!

Raising a bilingual child requires CONSTANT exposure in the target language, as well as CONSISTENCY and DEDICATION.

First and foremost, you need a plan. How will you raise your bilingual child?

If you are a native or fluent speaker of the target, or minority language, that is great! You have a head start in your bilingual parenting journey. 

Two of the most effective approaches for native and fluent speakers are the Minority Language at Home approach (MLAH) and the One Person, One Language (OPOL) approach.

If you are not a native or fluent speaker in the target language. DO NOT FRET.

There are alternative options, and if you find the proper support for additional input in the target language, you have a way to raise your child bilingually!

One approach that could work for your family is called the Time and Place (T & P ) approach.

Keep reading to learn more about this bilingual parenting approach and tips on tailoring it to your family!

What is the Time and Place Bilingual Parenting Approach?

The Time and Place bilingual parenting approach is pretty straightforward.

You choose between either a time or place to speak to your kids in the minority language.

Below are a few examples of how a family might use time as the parameter for this approach:

• In the morning, the family speaks in the majority language. At night, the family speaks in the minority language.
• During the weekdays, the family speaks in the majority language. Over the weekends, the family speaks in the minority language.
• On Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the weekends, the family speaks in the majority language. On Tuesdays, and Thursdays, the minority language.

Do you get the gist?

Bottom line, it’s your time and your family, so you have the advantage of creating your own time schedule that works best.

Below are a few examples of how a family might use place as the parameter for this approach:

• In the house’s main rooms (living room, kitchen, etc.), the family uses the majority language, and in the bedrooms, the minority language.
• At the grandparents’ house (who care for the children during the week), the children use the minority language and the majority language at home.
• T & P is the approach used if there is no minority language spoken by the caretakers whatsoever, but the children go to a bilingual immersion school. Thus, at school, the children would use the minority language and the majority language.

Who Uses the Time and Place Bilingual Parenting Approach?

“T & P is a grab-bag of “non-person” strategies that sounds like the “place” strategy of MLAH except that it is less a description of the family’s daily routine and more a description of fairly regular departures from it.”

 – Barbara Zurer Pearson, Ph.D
Raising a Bilingual Child

The time and place bilingual parenting approach is great for:

• For monolingual parents who want to introduce their children to a second language.

They can use the time and place approach by enrolling their children in immersion programs, hiring a caretaker who speaks the minority language, or learning the language together as a family.

• For parents who speak more than one language and want to separate the languages, contrary to the OPOL approach, where language is separated by person. For example, mom and dad both speak English, but dad speaks Spanish also. In the evenings on Monday through Friday, when dad is home, the kids speak in Spanish with Dad, but on the weekends, as a family, they all speak in English.
• For tri(+)lingual families. Mom and dad speak English, mom speaks Italian, and dad speaks German. On the weekday mornings, the kids speak Italian with the mom. In the evening, the family speaks English. And on Sundays, the kids speak in German with the father. Wow, it’s getting complicated now, huh?
• For parents who are not fluent enough in the minority language, but do not feel comfortable carrying out essential conversations in the minority language. yet still want to raise bilingual kids. The parents could carve out a specific time when they only speak in the minority language to their kids through activities and play.
• For parents with older children who have decided later on that they want to reintroduce them to their native tongue.

Advantages of the time and place approach

• The T & P bilingual parenting approach is an alternative for families who want to raise bilingual children but cannot do a more popular approach, such as the MLAH or OPOL approaches.
• Families can accommodate their language schedules to what fits best for their home and work life.
• If done correctly and consistently, children become the advocates of the language schedule.

Disadvantages of the Time and place approach

• There are not as many studies of the T & P approach as the MLAH, and OPOL approaches.
• It requires a high level of commitment and consistency.
• It can result in an unbalanced language exposure, with limited exposure in the minority language.

Tips and recommendations for using the time and place bilingual parenting  approach

I do not have any personal experience with the T & P approach, as we raise our son Lennox using the MLAH approach. Though I have come across other bilingual parent’s IG accounts using T & P , and I am completely fascinated by their dedication to this approach. Way to go!

If you are reading this and using the T & P approach, please feel free to share some of your best tips and advice in the comments section below! 

In my research, I came across Maria from Trilingualmama.com who uses this approach to raise her children trilingually in English, French, and Spanish. The father only speaks to the children in French. The mother speaks to the children in English for two weeks and Spanish for two weeks.

Here is a brief excerpt from her post about why she chose this time frame:                                                                                                      

“I started speaking English or Spanish with the children every other day. But I quickly realized the mental gymnastics this represented for all of us and somewhere I had heard that one family would spend an entire month in a language. This seemed like too long to me, but I liked the idea and thought that maybe somewhere between one day and one month might be a good compromise. We settled on two weeks. We tried it, we loved it and we’ve never looked back.”

I recommend checking out her post to get all of her excellent tips and advice, but to close out this post, I want to highlight a few of her best tips that can guide you in your bilingual parenting journey, should you choose this approach.

Maria’s tips for using the T & P approach

• Play around with different periods of time to find a rhythm that works for the who family.
• Commit to the language wherever you go.
• If you are on your calendar day to speak in the minority language, make sure to use it everywhere on those days. That way, you are maximizing language exposure and showing commitment to your language schedule.
• Use a calendar to remember your language schedule.
• Choose a setup day for switching, and allow a couple of days for the transition to set in.
• Inform your family about the upcoming switch of languages to keep them prepared and in the loop.

For more detailed advice on how Maria makes the T & P approach work for her family, check out her post here.

Well, amigos, that closes out the Time and Place bilingual parenting approach. I hope you are as intrigued by this approach as I. 

If you are using this approach or have used this approach, I would love to hear your story! Drop all the details in the comments below!

Keep reading:

• 5 Tips On Using the Time and Place Bilingual Parenting Approach
• 13 Facts Parents Who Want to Raise a Bilingual Child Need to Know
• 10 Misconceptions About Raising Bilingual Children

References:

Babin, Maria. “Raising Multilingual Children Using an Adaptation of OPOL.” Trilingualmama.com, 17 Mar. 2014, www.trilingualmama.com/raising-multilingual-children-using-an-adaptation-of-opol-switching-languages-every-two-weeks/.

Díaz, Kaila, Time and Place. The Bilingual Parenting Podcast, 22 June 2020.

Pearson, Barbara Zurer. Raising a Bilingual Child: a Step-by-Step Guide for Parents. Living Language, 2008.

Rosenback, Rita. “Time and Place – T&P as a Family Language Strategy.” Multilingual Parenting, 26 Mar. 2017, multilingualparenting.com/2015/04/29/time-and-place-as-a-family-language-strategy/.

The post Time and Place: A Bilingual Parenting Method appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.

This approach is more commonly known as One Parent, One Language approach, but in some cases, it is not always the parent providing the exposure to a language. It could also be a grandparent, caretaker or another outside source; therefore, I personally prefer the term One Person, One Language. 

Some examples of families raising bilingual kids using the OPOL approach:

• An American mother and an Italian father raising their kids in English and Italian in Italy.
• A Brazilian Father and an American mother raising their kids in Portuguese in the U.S.
• A French mother and a German father raising their kids trilingually in French and German in England. The kids learn English, the majority or community language, outside of the home.

OPOL is an excellent option for mixed-language families who want to raise a bilingual child, especially in families with a monolingual parent that only speaks the community language.  It is also the most natural approach for mixed families because, in most cases, each person is speaking their native language.

Until you try to raise a child in your non-native language, you do not understand how wondrous it is to talk to your child in your mother tongue..

According to Adam Beck in Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability, OPOL has a success rate of 74.24%. 

Now that we know the basics of OPOL, I would like to breifly talk about the history of OPOL. Then, I go into the pros and cons of OPOL. Then, I will conclude by offering some tips and advice on implementing the OPOL language in your household. 

*This site may contain affiliate links. To real the full disclosure, click here.

The History of One Person, One Language

The One Parent, One Language bilingual parenting approach has been around for a very long time, but it was coined in 1902 by French linguist Maurice Grammont who theorized that by separating languages by parents from birth, parents could prevent code-mixing.

Over the decades, many linguists used this theory, and OPOL came to be known as the most effective approach to raising a true, simultaneous bilingual child. 

However, this has been disproven over recent years. A study of 2,000 bilingual families conducted by Annick de Houwer states that 25% of the children raised with the OPOL bilingual parenting approach did not become bilingual.

Let’s take a further look into the pros and cons of OPOL.

Pros of the One Person, One Language Approach

• Exposure to two languages from birth.

  Exposure is the key to bilingualism, and through the OPOL approach, children can receive roughly equal language exposure to both the target and the majority language from birth. Nonetheless, this varies depending on the family and environment.

• It is relatively straightforward.

  OPOL is bound to few rules. One person speaks the target language, and another person speaks the majority language.

• Simultaneous bilingualism:

  With OPOL, the child continuously hears both languages from birth, unlike the Minority Language at Home approach where the child is raised speaking the minority language first, then adding in the majority language.

• A natural approach

  In most cases, parents are the native speakers of the language they speak with their children, making this approach more natural.

Cons of the One Person One Language Approach

• Children can become passive bilinguals.

  If children do not receive enough exposure to the minority language, then they can become passive bilinguals. Passive bilingualism is when someone can understand a language but cannot communicate in it. 

  An example of a scenario that might result in a passive bilingual is: if the father is a minority language speaker and works longs hours. He is only home with the child for a maximum of four hours a day, in which not all are interacting with the child in the minority language.  

• Exposure is rarely equal.

  Like I mentioned above, if there is less input in one of the languages, especially the minority language, the language will suffer. Here is another scenario where this might happen: Cristina, a fellow bilingual parenting blogger, is raising her children using the OPOL approach. She is German, living in England with her monolingual, English-speaking husband. She is with the kids, speaking the minority language, German most of the time, but she struggles to get enough exposure in the German language due to lack of outside support or resources. 

  Exposure to the minority language can also diminish once children start school and use the majority language more. The minority language parent will have to put in even more effort to level the imbalance. 

The family dynamic can be significantly affected

Tips for Using the One Person, One Language Bilingual Parenting Approach

I do not use the OPOL approach in my family. We use the MLAH approach, so I can only speak on behalf of my personal experiences when providing the following tips.

However, I can say that regardless of the approach you are using to raise your children bilingually, it is essential to:

• Be consistent! Pick an approach and go full force with it, on a consistent basis!

If you are doing OPOL, do not sway from the language you are speaking to your child, especially if you are the minority language parent. You ARE their exposure. It will get frustrating and tiring at times, but you are doing a remarkable thing for your child. They will be forever thankful for your sacrifice and hardwork.

• Supplement with outside sources

 If you are the minority language parent, look for outside support through a community group of people that speak the same minority language. Form playgroups, zoom calls, sleepovers, etc., in the minority language. 

If you have the means, find a caretaker that speaks the minority language . Have them use it with your child all the time. 

If you have family that speaks the minority language, invite them to over and ask them to talk about the minority language with your children. 

Browse the web for support groups. You would be surprised at some of the free resources you can find from fellow bilingual parentings trying to help, like myself =) 

• Travel

If you can, travel to a place where the minority language is spoken, and stay a white if you can.

When Cristina realized that the balance of English and German and her home was starting to lean more towards English, she decided to go live with her family in Germany for two years. She said that this did wonders for her children’s bilingualism.

• Talk, talk, talk with your child about everything in the minority language!

It gets tiring, I know, but your children are listening and learning from your every word! Make use of this while they still listen!

• Celebrate your child’s bilingualism!

Let your child know, and let them know all the time, just how important and unique they are for speaking more than one language!

• Read. Then read some more.

• Related: How to Read to Your Bilingual Toddler in the Minority Language

•  Play

Playing is one of the most resourceful learning tools. Get on the floor and play with your child in the minority language!

I highly recommend loose parts play when interacting in the minority language!

• Do not give in to critics

Don’t let anyone’s monolingual miseries get in the way of your capability of raising your bilingual kid! Use it as a time to encourage and educate these critics about bilingualism and its benefits. 

Well, I think I have covered everything that I needed to cover. Please let me know if I left anything out in the comments below. 

Also, if you are raising a bilingual child, I want, and I need to hear from you. Please send me an e-mail here and let me know your story! And if you feel really compelled, write me a story about your bilingual journey. I can add it to this blog as a resource for other bilingual parents that might be in a similar situation!

¡Gracias!

Keep reading:

• Minority Language at Home Bilingual Parenting Approach
• 13 Facts Parents Who Want to Raise a Bilingual Child Need to Know
• 10 Misconceptions About Raising Bilingual Children

References:

“Adapting The OPOL Language Strategy, Not All Families Can Stick to OPOL So Why Should They?” Bilingual Kidspot, 4 Feb. 2021, bilingualkidspot.com/2017/08/07/adapting-opol-language-strategy/.

Beck, Adam. Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability: Ideas and Inspiration for Even Greater Success and Joy Raising Bilingual Kids. Bilingual Adventures, 2016.

Grosjean, François. “One Person–One Language and Bilingual Children.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 1 Apr. 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/life-bilingual/201504/one-person-one-language-and-bilingual-children.

King, Kendall A., and Alison Mackey. The Bilingual Edge: Why, When, and How to Teach Your Child a Second Language. Collins, 2007.

Linguistic Society of America, www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/faq-raising-bilingual-children.

Pearson, Barbara Zurer. Raising a Bilingual Child: a Step-by-Step Guide for Parents. Living Language, 2008.

Rita, et al. “One Parent, One Language – OPOL Is Dead, Long Live OPOL!” Multilingual Parenting, 26 Mar. 2017, multilingualparenting.com/2015/04/15/one-parent-one-language-opol-is-dead-long-live-opol/

The post One Person One Language (OPOL): A Bilingual Parenting Method appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.

MLAH is the approach we use in our household, so I hold this topic near and dear to my heart <3 

Enjoy! In the comments below, please tell me a little bit about your ‘bilingual beginnings’ and which approach you use or plan to use!

What is the Minority Language at Home Approach

MLAH is when a family decides to speak the minority or target language inside the home and community language outside of the home. (This latter may vary depending on the family. Keep reading for more information. 

MLAH requires two parents that are native or fluent in the minority language. In most cases, MLAH families are composed of either migrants or expats.

There are also cases– such as mine, consisting of parents who are of fluent proficiency in the minority language.

Regardless, both parents speak the same minority language and decide to use that language inside their home.

Some examples of MLAH families:

• A Latinx parent and a Latinx parent located in the United States speaking Spanish at home.
• A parent of Brazilian nationality and a parent of Portuguese nationality living in England and speaking in Portuguese at home
• A fluent speaker of Russian from the United States and a parent of Russian nationality living in the United States speaking Russian.

The common denominator here is that BOTH caretakers speak the same minority language(s) and as a family decide to speak that language AT HOME.

In my case, I am a forever student of Spanish with a Salvadoran partner. We are both raising our son Lennox in Spanish.

Why I chose the Minority Language at Home approach

I chose this approach because I have witnessed first-handedly the dying of language throughout my education and personal experiences.

Many of my Spanish-speaking in-laws have children who have difficulty speaking Spanish due to the English tidal wave that hits home once children are school-aged. They lose interest in the minority language because it is not reinforced or prioritized at home.

In his book, The Bilingual Edge Kendall King talks about the “magnetlike pull” of English and how “even in the nation’s largest Spanish-speaking enclave (Southern California)… Spanish appears to be well on the way to a natural death by the third generation of U.S. residence.” (112)

As a linguist, this wounds my poor heart. When we lose a language, we lose parts of our culture and identity. We MUST push past this pull and instill our native tongues in our children!

I am very passionate about this subject, if you can’t tell! This passion is the reason for this blog and the reason why I have committed to making sure Lennox speaks Spanish and TAKES pride in doing so!

And I hope you can one day share this same enthusiasm.

Related: Ways to Read To You Child in the Target Language When You Don’t Have Books in the Target Language

     What about when you are out and about in the community?

Some families decide to speak the community language outside of the home.

Other families carry the minority language with them wherever they go.

I try to use the minority language outside of the home to get as MUCH exposure as possible.

However, there are situations where I switch to English.

Sometimes I switch to be polite. For example, if I am hanging out with a monolingual English-speaking friend(s), I will speak to Lennox in English.

I don’t want that friend to feel left out or feel like I might be saying something rude.

This concept of someone speaking in another language as being rude is a widespread mentality of monolingual speakers. For example, today, I was getting my nails done, and I saw a lady disgruntled at the fact that the employees started speaking in their minority language. As a linguist, I know it is easier for people to communicate in their native tongue. As a monolingual speaker, the lady most likely perceived their side conversation as rude. 

Consequently, around family and friends, I will switch and speak to Lennox in English. Yet, on a grocery trip, I will talk to him in Spanish.

Another scenario of when some MLAH families might switch to the community language, is when a bilingual child is around their friends. They might feel ashamed to speak the minority language.

 In this case, I recommend not pushing the minority language because it might cause a setback and disapproval of the minority language.

Go with the flow and speak with your child in the majority language, but make sure when you get home to talk about the importance and benefits of your minority language to your child.

Barbara Zurer, in her book Raising a Bilingual Child states that this embarrassment of the minority language might “be a signal that you have not been reinforcing your child’s self-esteem as a bilingual enough.” (144) She recommends that we “praise the child’s bilingualism.”

As much as I can, I try to have an open-discussion with Lennox about his bilingualism, how beneficial it is, and how unique he is because he is bilingual. Granted, he is a three-year-old, but I can see a sense of pride now when he recognizes Spanish out and about.

Advantages of the MLAH approach

1. Adam Beck, in his book, Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability, claims that the MLAH has the “highest success rate of 96.92% and has “the highest odds of success are gained when both parents use the minority language with the child and limit the use of the majority language.” (127)
2. It provides massive exposure to the minority language and culture as well.
3. The entire family can speak together in the same language, unlike One Parent One Language (OPOL) approach, where one parent speaks the minority language to the child and the second parent speaks the majority language.

Disadvantages of the Minority Language at Home approach

1. Both parents must be able to speak the minority language proficiently.
2. If both parents work long hours, then the child might not receive sufficient exposure to the minority language.
3. A lack of initial input in the community language can cause setbacks when they begin school.

In this case, you could start exposing the community language before the child begins school, but worry not. Children learn at such a rapid pace and will quickly—more quickly than you probably would like, pick up on the community language.

For example, two of my favorite nieces and nephews came from El Salvador when they were around 4 and 7. they spoke little to no English.

Fast forward three years later, and they speak English (very well, if I might add), and since there has been no reinforcement of Spanish, they are quickly losing their Spanish. I make sure to tell them all the time that being able to speak Spanish will be so vital for them in the future. I hope I am making an impact.

Tips and advice for parents implementing the Minority Language at Home approach

Exposure is the key to success and meaningful exposure at that! 

Here are some ideas for in-home exposure of minority languages.

• Books: Read, and read as much as you can. Here you can find collections of thematic books in Spanish for your kiddos, and if you subscribe at the end of this post, you will receive our monthly Library Lunes series, with a new list of Spanish books for kids.
• Through play! Play is the best way to learn. Period. Take advantage of open-ended, play-based activities to talk to your child about anything and everything in the minority language.
  • Here are some play-based activities I have up on the blog and,
  • Here is a list of open-ended toys that are great for bilingual kids!

• When you must, use technology, although it is not recommended for younger kids. YouTube offers excellent channels in Spanish for kids. We love El Reino Infantíl! If Spanish is not your minority language, drop recommendations in the comments below for other parents that might be raising their kids in your minority language.

Related: The Best YouTube Channels in Spanish for Preschoolers

• You can also set your preferences on Netflix and other applications to be in your minority language.

• There are many more resources you can utilize. I have a post on ways I raise Lennox in Spanish at home here that might help, and I recently did a guest blog post for LeapFrog on ways to encourage bilingualism in children at home that you can check out here.

Well, I think that I have covered everything that I wanted to cover. I hope this post enlightened your bilingual journey. Stay tuned for more details on the other three major bilingual parenting approaches that will follow suit shortly. 

That you so much, and if your minority language is Spanish. Don’t forget to subscribe below for FREE and fun resources delivered to your mailbox monthly!

Mil gracias!

More Bilingual Parenting Posts:

• 10 Misconceptions About Raising Bilingual Children
• Time and Place Bilingual Parenting Approach
• One Person, One Language Bilingual Parenting Approach

The post Minority Language at Home (MLAH): A Bilingual Parenting Method appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.

From concerns about speech delays to fears of confusion, these myths have circulated widely. However, I’m here to share my personal experiences and anecdotes, debunking each myth with real-life examples.

So, let’s dive in and explore the truth behind raising bilingual children. Join me as I shed light on the benefits and misconceptions of bilingualism, empowering parents like you to navigate this rewarding journey with confidence.

And remember to connect with me on Instagram for daily bilingual parenting tips and a wealth of Spanish resources! Together, we’ll unlock the full potential of bilingualism for our children.

A little background first

If you didn’t know already, I have been raising my son, Lennox, in Spanish. 

I am not a native Spanish-speaker myself, but I do have many years of Spanish education under my belt.  

Speaking Spanish with a child is a whole different ballgame. 15 years of studying Spanish, traveling and living with a Latino did not prepare me to raise a child in Spanish. I am learning a whole new aspect of the language right along with Lennox— new vocabulary, onomatopoeias, gestures, babbles, and more.  Its quite fascinating.

Related: 12 Ways to Become Fluent in Spanish Outside of the Classroom

Since I switched my blog to focus more on bilingual parenting, I have realized there are so many studies and approaches when it comes to raising a bilingual child. Hence, I have put more thought into the ways I will bilingually parent Lennox.

Bilingual Parenting Myths

One bilingual study that I am reading is called The Bilingual Edge by Kendall King, Ph.D., and Alison Mackey, Ph.D.. It is such a great read and it has answered a lot of the questions and concerns that I have had in the past two years of raising a bilingual child.  

My main concern before reading The Bilingual Edge was Lennox’s speech delay. I blamed it on his exposure to two languages thinking that maybe he was confused with which vocabulary to use and when.

My biggest fear was that my nonnative Spanish wasn’t doing the trick. 

I had this lingering doubt that Carlos and I were doing something wrong as parents. That doubt grew when I would hang out with other moms, with children the same age as Lennox who were already speaking in full sentences.

Lennox being a delayed speaker has not been my only concern throughout my bilingual parenting journey. Reading The Bilingual Edge has made it clear that my worries are valid, but I should not be discouraged.

That is why I wanted to dedicate a post to outline King and Mackey’s chapter two Called Myths and Misconceptions about Learning a Second Language: What’s the real deal. In this chapter, the authors debunk 10 myths about second language learning. I want to add examples from my personal experiences to add further clarity. 

Myth 1: “Bilingual children will have a speech delay”

Over of the past couple of weeks, Lennox has turned into a loro, a parrot. I am not longer worried about a speech delay because this kid never, stops, talking. The majority of his words are in Spanish and let me tell you how amazing this makes me feel. 

Finally, all of my hard work and dedication to only speaking Spanish to him is paying off. 

Raising a bilingual child is not easy. It requires planning, time and a solid approach. In our household, we speak to Lennox only in Spanish. This approach is known as the Minority Language at Home (MLAH) approach. 

Related: 13 Facts Parents Who Want to Raise a Bilingual Child Need to Know

This approach works for us because I have studied Spanish for quite some time now, and I feel comfortable only speaking in Spanish to Lennox. However, that does not mean that you have to be bilingual for your kid to be bilingual.  

There’s another approach called One Parent, One Language (OPOL) which is when one parent speaks in their native tongue, and the other in their native tongue. Experts say that this approach is the most beneficial because the child is constantly being exposed to two different languages. 

If your family is monolingual, maybe you could try the Time and Place bilingual parenting approach.

There are so many opportunities and resources available nowadays to raise your child bilingually.

According to King and Mackey, “Bilingualism is increasingly seen as a highly desirable asset.” (20) Maybe you have a nanny who always speaks to your child in a second language. Or, you send your child to a second language school. Even better, you can learn a language alongside your child by reading, going to events, traveling, etc. 

Related: Seven Awesome Baby and Toddler Books in Spanish

The whole idea here is that it is possible to raise a bilingual child if your family is not bilingual, or if one parent is not bilingual. It simply requires effort and planning. 

As for the second part of the myth, “bilingual parents always raise bilingual children”, I know plenty of families who speak two languages, but do not make it a priority for their children to learn both. 

King and Mackey state that this can happen for three reasons.

           1. In the United States, there is a monolingual norm.

           2. The English language is seen as a high-status, high-prestige language. 

           3. Children are aware of the status encoded in the language.

In the past, these reasons have caused many immigrant families to give priority to English causing a switch to monolingualism over the generations. 

From my personal experience, I know many first-generation Latino immigrants whose children grow up speaking Spanish, go to school, learn English. Their parents do not push for their children to speak Spanish and overtime they lose it. It is so heartbreaking to witness because there is so much beauty in being able to speak two or more languages. This is one of the main reasons for my blog. To advocate bilingualism! 

Myth 2: “You have to start very early for second language learning or you will miss the boat”

A young child has an enormous advantage over learning more than one language. They learn at such a quick pace, they are less anxious to make mistakes, and they are innocent of stereotypes and prejudices.

However, this does not mean that an older child or an adult cannot attain bilingualism.

I am proof of that.

I may be slightly obsessed with languages and traveling which was a driving force behind my language learning, but anyone that sets their mind to it can learn a language.

Myth 3: Only native speakers and teachers can teach children second languages.

I am not a native speaker of Spanish, nor am I a teacher.

Even though I do worry at times that Lennox may pick up on some of my grammatical and vocabulary errors, King and Mackey assert that “these sorts of imperfections do not harm or impede children’s language learning.” (23)

As long as a child is exposed and interacting with a second language, they will develop the ability to use it.

With that being said, if you are not a native speaker or a teacher, there are many ways that you can interact with your child in the target language. “The value lies in the interaction” (ibid) Interact with your child through books, music, food, culture and more.

Do not let this myth be your discouraging factor.

Myth 4: “Children who are raised in the same family will have the same language skills as one another”

Even though I am very proud that Lennox understands and speaks Spanish, I know that he will soon go to school and pick up English very quickly.

Once I have a second child, I will not have as much one-on-one time with that child as I do with Lennox now. Also, even though it will be a rule in our home to speak Spanish, there will be times when Lennox might be interacting with his sibling alone, and in English.   

I’ve witnessed this with my Latino nieces and nephews. The first-born children have great dominance in Spanish, whereas the younger children are highly influenced by the English spoken by their older siblings and cousins.  

Myth 5: “It is important to correct errors as soon as they appear in grammar and vocabulary (to prevent forming bad habits)”

According to the authors, “error correction should be done selectively.” (25) If you overcorrect or correct your child in a way that may embarrass him or her, it can result in a lack of confidence.

This myth was new to me and It makes so much sense.

All children make mistakes in language, whether they are monolingual or know more than one language.

Making mistakes is one of the best ways of learning.

In my personal experience, a lot of my learning took place through my bravery of speaking up, listening, and making mistakes. Sometimes I would get corrected, however, if I was corrected for my every mistake, I might have become disheartened from trying to keep learning.

Myth 6: “Exposing my child to two languages means she will be a late talker.”

As I mentioned in the introduction, this was my biggest concern with Lennox. King and Mackey argue that this is not the case. They say that in general, this is a wide variation in the ages that children speak. While it may be possible that bilingual children take longer to develop their speech (they are taking in two languages, two vocabularies, two grammatical structures) learning two languages itself is not the cause.

Lennox has been an extremely active child from the womb. He was born with a determination to move. He even rolled over at eight weeks. 

As an almost-three-year-old, he is extremely athletic. Now, as much as I may have been discouraged that at the beginning of his preschool because some of the other kids were speaking full sentences, I didn’t realize how advanced Lennox was in terms of his motor skills. He can kick a soccer ball better than I can!

In Lennox’s case, he has been way too busy to form words and sentences, but now his speech is unstoppable.

 Follow us on Instagram to see how talented he is! Mama’s bias =) 

The bottom line, all children develop differently. Some become little poets by two-years-old, and others may be lining up to be the future Messi. 

Myth 7: “Mixing languages is a sign of confusion, and languages must stay separate.”

This was another worry of mine. There are some words Lennox says only in English. For example, thank you, I love you, and blue. 

At first, I was worried he was confused, but now I realize he has a preference for some words in one language over another. I can easily ask him to go get his carro azul and he will bring it back and say “blue car.”

According to the authors:

“Mixing languages is a normal phase of bilingual language development. It seems to be near-universal among bilingual children and is apparent even at the babbling stage; that is, long before children can say a word in any language.” (27)

It is a short-lived phase.

Myth 8: “Television, DVDs and edutainment, like talking toys, are a great way to pick up languages”

Or so I thought at the beginning of my bilingual parenting. 

In actuality, there are no proven benefits of screen-time for infants and toddlers, monolingual or bilingual. The Pediatric Academy recommends no television at all for children under two. (29)

Now, if you read my 7 ways I teach my toddler Spanish post, you know that we do use technology when I have to get things done around the house. That said, when I do use screen-time, it is absolutely in Spanish. 

Infants and toddlers need human exposure to a language. They need to be able to pick up the tones of a language, mimic the phonetics, and experience the non-verbal gestures that go hand-in-hand with language.

There are some bilingual interactive toys that are great for language learning. Check out this post here which mentions some great interactive toys that are great for bilingual children.

At home, we try to read a lot in Spanish. We also do a lot of play-based learning with loose parts to evoke conversation and introduce new vocabulary.

Related: How to Read to Your Bilingual Toddler in the Minority Language

Looking for some FREE activities in Spanish for your kids, I have a whole compilation you can check out here!

For older children and adults, technology can provide a fun and positive connection for second-language learning. In my 12 ways that I learned Spanish outside of the classroom post, I mention that one of my favorite ways to learn Spanish is by watching shows in Spanish, while simultaneously reading the subtitles. I learned a lot of new vocabulary, especially slang, this way.

Myth 9: “Bilingual education programs are for non-English speakers”

King and Mackey explain that bilingual education has “radically shifted” in the last decade. In the United States alone there are now more than “350 dual-language schools.” (ibid)

One of my plans is to start up a Spanish immersion play-based preschool. I think starting dual language acquisition early is so beneficial, and I would love to put my education and experience into making this country more bilingual.

Myth 10: “Two languages are the very most a very young child should be exposed to”

The more languages the merrier. According to the authors millions of children grow up learning three or more languages, and there are no negative effects. The only thing they recommend is to make sure the child receives adequate exposure and meaningful interaction in each language.

I studied Italian and Portuguese in undergrad, and I hope one day to pass on these languages to Lennox as well. We shall see.

Well, thank you if you made it to this point. I hope you enjoyed this post. For more information, I highly recommend purchasing The Bilingual Edge. It is so informative. If not, stay tuned because I know I will be referencing it in future posts.

To see Lennox’s Spanish skills up close and personal, follow us on Instagram and/or Facebook. For more bilingual parenting tips and free Spanish activities for kids, subscribe to our blog below! I don’t spam, promise.

Related posts you might enjoy:

• Time and Place Bilingual Parenting Approach
• One Person, One Language Bilingual Parenting Approach
• Minority Language at Home Bilingual Parenting Approach

The post 10 Must- Know Misconceptions About Raising Bilingual Children appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.

Or, perhaps you simply love languages and/or know the benefits of being bilingual and want to jump start your child during the early stages of their language acquisition years.

Regardless of your background, you are here because you want to know more about raising a bilingual child, and you have come to the right place. 

Today, I am going to share 13 facts parents who want to raise a bilingual child need to know.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram for more bilingual parenting tips and advice!

First, let me tell you a little bit about my bilingual parenting background.

I was born and raised by monolingual parents in the United States. As a requirement, I started learning Spanish in high school. I had no prior interest in learning languages.

When I was 15, I traveled to Nicaragua on a mission trip where I fell in love, not only with the language but also with the culture. It was a real amor a primera vista (love at first sight).

Never in my life had I felt so passionate about something. I felt on fire, and I wasn’t going to put out that flame until I conquered the language.

Later. I went on to college, and even though my mom wanted me to study business, I was not interested in anything but learning Spanish and traveling. In college,I studied abroad in Panamá. After that trip, I decided that Spanish wasn’t enough. I wanted more. So, I started learning Portuguese and Italian.

Then, in 2011, my life came to an abrupt halt when I met my Salvadoran partner, Carlos.

Carlos fascinated me, especially his Spanish. I was always listening for new words, and I loved hearing the different tones of the Salvadoran dialect. 

I was obsessed with his culture. Especially his food. Oh, the gloriousness of Salvadoran food—pupusas, carne asada, ceviche, pescado frito, and the list goes on and on with savory delight.

Meeting Carlos is when my “bilingual beginnings” began. I was able to put all of my education and experience into everyday use. After the first few years of our relationship, I realized that I no longer needed to think before I spoke in Spanish, which was a triumphant feeling.

Related: 12 Ways to Become Fluent in Spanish Outside of the Classroom

After six years, Carlos and I settled down and decided to expand our love and bring our family. So, in 2017, I delivered my precious ball of sleepless and colicky joy to the world.

I couldn’t wait to raise a little Spanish-speaker. 

Lennox is three now and speaks more Spanish than me! 

Since birth, we have raised him bilingually using the Minority Language At Home (MLAH) approach. That means that we use Spanish at home and out and about as a family as much as possible.

*Updated September 2021: Now we raise Lennox using the Mixed Language strategy! This strategy is a little bit different than MLAH, but we still nurture the minority language as family!

Raising Lennox in my nonnative language has been far from easy. As fluent as I consider myself in Spanish, they don’t teach you nursery rhymes or onomatopoeias in Spanish class. Un perro hace wau wau, not woof, woof. 

Hence it has been a learning process for me as well. 

Related: Free Spanish Printables for Kids

To quit boring you with my background, I hope to shed some tips on you if you are in the process or plan to raise a bilingual child. These tips are not meant to discourage you from your bilingual parenting journey. 

As Kevin Wong states:

“though raising children is often a thankless job, bilingualism is a gift that they will undoubtedly thank you for one day.”

If you stick with it, you will never regret it.

Leave me a comment below with your experiences with bilingual parenting, and make sure to subscribe for weekly bilingual parenting tips and advice.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 1: Raising a bilingual child requires a lot of hard work

Raising a bilingual child is not easy and requires a lot of research and planning about how you are going to raise your child bilingually.

There are multiple approaches to raising a bilingual child. Two of the most common are

• One Person, One Language (OPOL). With the OPOL approach, one parent speaks one language to the child, and the other parent speaks the other.

If I used this approach, Carlos, who is a native Spanish speaker, would speak to Lennox is Spanish, and I, a native English speaker, would talk to Lennox in English.

Using this approach, children get used to hearing both languages on a daily basis. I read a recent article that says that this approach is the “most effective and successful” way of raising a bilingual child.

The second most common approach is MLAH, Minority Language at Home. In this approach, the non-dominant language is spoken only at home. This way, children get a solid foundation of the language at home, and in society, they pick up the dominant language.

This is the method we use in our household, and it is very effective.

Another less studied approach is the Time and Place (T & P) approach that is great for parents who might not be fluent in a minority language, or want to introduce a language to their older children.

There is also the mixed languages strategy which requires two bilingual caretakers of the same language. If done right, this strategy can be highly effective!

Bilingual Parenting Fact 2: Raising a bilingual child requires massive exposure

Raising a bilingual child requires constant and massive exposure to the non-dominant language.

In-home exposure through reading, singing, talking, music & play.

At home, I often read to Lennox. I am building up his Spanish library, but books are not cheap. Click here to see ways that I read to Lennox without having books in the target language.

We also play different types of Latin and Spanish music, and we do a lot of in-home Spanish activities.

Check out our free activities in Spanish here

Sometimes, I need to tend to my motherly duties and do occupy screen time. However, I have changed all of our cable settings to broadcast in Spanish.

Even though technology might seem like a useful resource for language learning Perri Klass, M.D states that:

 “in order to foster language development, the exposure has to be person-to-person; screen time doesn’t count for learning language in young children — even one language — though kids can learn content and vocabulary from educational screen time later on.”

Exposure outside of the home is valuable too.

Spending time with family and friends that speak the target language. Going to cultural events and activities. 

Experts say that “If children are exposed to a language in a variety of circumstances with many different people from the time they are born, and if they feel they need the language to interact with the world around them, they will learn it.”

Related post: 9 Outdoor Language Learning Ideas for Kids

Bilingual Parenting Fact 3: Consistency is key

Whichever method you choose to raise your bilingual child, you need to stick with it.

This is difficult for me as a nonnative speaker, because sometimes, when I’m flustered or preoccupied, it’s just easier for me to say what I need to say in English. However, I try my hardest to always speak to Lennox in Spanish.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 4: Parents need to encourage the language

If parents do not push for a need to speak the less dominant language, it is very easy for a child to go from being bilingual as a baby/toddler, to only speaking the dominant language once they begin school.

Unfortunately, this happen too frequently among first-generation immigrant families, especially in the Latino community. I see parents who speak zero to little English and their children who struggle to speak Spanish.

Not only does this cause hindrance in family communication, but it impairs the child from learning either language to the fullest potential.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 5: The earlier you start, the better

It’s never too soon to start speaking to your child in the target language. In fact, the earlier, the better.

In second language acquisition research, critical period hypothesis states that the first years of a child’s life are the most important to acquire a second language when presented with the appropriate amount of exposure. After the first few years, it becomes more challenging for a child to gain full command of the language and grammar.

Related: 20+ Interactive Bilingual Spanish Toys for Babies & Toddlers

Bilingual Parenting Fact 6: Don’t forget about the culture

If you are not exposing your child to the culture behind the minority language, there is no point in trying to raise a bilingual child. Expressions are cultural, sense of time is cultural; everything about a language is cultural.

Brian Oaster states it perfectly: “ If we look at language as simply a network of words and phrases, language learning becomes lifeless and robotic. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but such an approach would omit layers of meaning behind the words.”

Besides language and culture being inseparable for language acquisition, exposing children to diverse cultures impacts the way they think, behave, and affects their relationship with others.

The Conversation has a great article that goes further in detail about the connections between culture and language. It is a topic I would love to research more in detail because, from my point of view, traveling and living in other cultures was the motor behind my language learning. It also made me more empathetic and understanding of the world and the reality that third-world countries face.

To this day, I still learn new cultural distinctions in the way Carlos talks, moves, acts, eats, etc.. For example, sometimes, when he is signaling something, he uses his lips instead of pointing as I would have done. This is a nonverbal cultural difference, and understanding it is just as valuable as understanding verbal and written communication.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 7: Be playful

Adopting a playful parenting approach will be very beneficial in language learning. I find that when I am on the ground, playing with Lennox, he is at his calmest. It is also a great time to talk in the target language, about anything and everything. Act out a car chase, play with barbies, build a house, etc.

Karen Banes from Rose and Rex describes how playful parenting is beneficial in all parenting situations and that it has the following benefits; play fosters respect, lightens the mood, allows for the right type of attention, and sends a message.

One of our favorite types of play to encourage communication is loose parts play and sensory activities.

Related: 20 Loose Parts Outdoor Activities for Toddlers

Bilingual Parenting Fact 8: Code-switching is a thing

Code-switching is when you adopt words from one language when speaking another. A great example of code-switching is Spanglish.

Do not worry;

this is not a sign that your child is confused. Sometimes it is just easier to say things in one language, and it is the preferred word choice.

For example, Lennox has a hard time pronouncing gracias, so instead; he says, “tank you”. The same goes for por favor. He understands por favor and gracias; however, he has taken a preference for “tank you”, and “pwease”.

Related post: 10 Misconceptions About Raising Bilingual Children

Bilingual Parenting Fact 9: It may result in a delayed language development

Your child will be learning two vocabularies and cultures instead of just one, so this may cause delayed language development.

In Lennox’s preschool class, I would say Lennox is one of the quietest, verbally speaking. However, his actions speak way louder than his words. At a little past two-and-a-half, he is starting to form sentences that I can understand. From a bystander perspective, it might just sound like babbles. I had a friend ask me two days ago, “when is he going to start speaking?” This is a remark I get quite frequently.

*Update November 2020: Lennox never stops talking! He prefers Spanish but can easily go back and forth between languages. He also understands that he speaks two-languages and can compartmentalize each language.

Do not let a language delay discourage you from cotinuing your bilingual parenting. Some kids need a period of time to observe, but they are absorbing everything they hear.

Here’s some advice:

Be patient. Unlike monolingual children, bilingual children are learning two vocabularies and two cultures. Naturally, it is going to take more time to process and compartmentalize each language.

Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk as much as you can about everything. One of my favorite places to induce conversation is in the car. Lennox cannot run from me in his car seat, so I like to ask him about what he sees, or sing songs, etc. Find little pockets of quiet time throughout your day to talk.

Explain and Encourage. Due to delayed communication, some bilingual children will grunt, hit, or bite to protest. Get on eye-level with your toddler and explain the situation and encourage him to use his words to express himself. This tactic works to calm Lennox and to share his thoughts.

Repeat. Focus on different learning activities times and repeat the words over and over again.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 10: Your child might not be interested in speaking the target language

This is why it is vital to introduce culture and make the language learning experience fun. This will deter your child from loosing interest in speaking the minority language.

Establish norms around the house. For example, when Lennox says something to me in English, I celebrate his bilingualism, but I remind him that in our household, we speak Spanish.

I’m not sure what the future will entail, but I hope that he will follow my wishes and only speak Spanish at home. I will let you know in a couple of years.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 11: Siblings might not be as bilingual as the first born

Siblings might be exposed more to the dominant language through firstborn, which will then consequently cause the siblings to be less bilingual.

I have witnessed this phenomenon with my in-law’s children. Their oldest children speak Spanish very well, but once they start school, they bring home the dominant language and speak it around the younger siblings who are eager to emulate.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 12: You will receive pushback

There are so many myths and misunderstandings about dual language acquisition that you will get pushback from family, friends and society in general.

Don’t let this discourage you, let it add fuel your fire, and remind yourself of the many benefits of being bilingual.

Bilingual Parenting Fact 13: Lastly,

Thanks for sticking with me thus far. The last and best fact you need to know about raising bilingual children is that…

it will be the absolute best parenting decision you will ever make.

You are setting them up to be more successful, diverse, compassionate, and open-minded. They will grow up to be so thankful for your perseverance and dedication in their journey.

I am just so excited for you and want to take part in your journey. Please leave me a comment below with your thoughts/opinions/experiences on bilingual parenting, and don’t forget to subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter.

Related posts you might enjoy:

• Seven Ways That I Teach My Toddler Spanish as a Nonnative Spanish Speaker
• 10 Misconceptions About Raising Bilingual Children
• Strategies to Raise Bilingual Children

The post Raising Bilingual Children? Here are 13 Facts You Need to Know! appeared first on Bilingual Beginnings.