Frequently asked questions (and bite-sized answers) about raising bilingual children

What is the best way to raise a child with multiple languages?

There is basically no “best way” to do it. The important thing is that you are consistent without being rigid about language. So you should have clear structures for how the languages are used in your family and you need to provide input and exposure to the multiple languages over a period of many years. People often say “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”, meaning: language learning takes time. It takes commitment and you need to keep at it. It’s a work in progress!

How much input/exposure is enough to make my child bilingual?

Research has found that a child should at least spend 20-30% (about 15-25 hours) of her waking hours a week exposed to the minority language (Pearson, 2008). But then, that is a ballpark figure that is no guarantee because the quality of the input and interaction matters a lot as well.

How do I know if my child gets enough exposure to and interaction in a language?

Unfortunately, we can’t measure language development like we measure body temperature. All we can do as parents is to observe our child’s language and gauge progress or stagnation that way. If you see steady progress in all your child’s languages, that is a good indicator that you are doing a god job of providing a comprehensive language environment.  

Do I have to be bilingual myself to raise my child bilingual?

No, but it helps. A major aspect of children becoming bilingual is their interaction with the different languages. If you are a speaker of the different languages, then you can provide the input and interaction. If you do not speak the additional language, you have to create opportunities for your child to be exposed and interact with native speakers of that language (e.g., through a bilingual school, a nanny, playgroups, friends etc.). The fact that you will have to rely on others does not make it impossible, but probably more challenging.

How many languages can a child learn? 

It is nearly impossible to give a specific number because there are multiple factors that need to be considered. First, the number of languages a child can learn is usually limited by time. Acquiring multiple languages (to the extent of conversational fluency) means that a child needs to have enough exposure and quality interaction in each of her languages during the time that she is awake. Therefore, time is a limiting factor. Second, it depends on what is meant by “learning a language.” Receptive skills such as listening may be more easily developed than speaking abilities. So in theory children can grow up with 4-5 languages without getting confused. But these languages are then developed to varying degrees. That means that the child can maybe speak 2-3 languages, but can only understand some things in the other languages.

Is one-parent-one-language (OPOL) approach the best? 

No approach is necessarily “the best”. Every family has to find the approach or model of bilingual living that works for them and their situation—whether it’s OPOL, minority language at home or mixing languages. Professor Annick De Houwer followed more than 2,000 families and found that “only” 75% of the children who grew up in OPOL families became fully bilingual. So it’s not a guarantee for success and much depends on how strictly OPOL is followed. A problem with OPOL, for example, can be balance. If one parent speaks the majority language, the minority language speaker will always have to work a bit harder to provide the same rich language environment.

I didn’t start at birth. Is it too late now? 

In general, it’s never to late to learn a language. But as a parent you will need to find a good transition into suddenly introducing a new language with your child. For example, if you have been speaking English for the first 4 years of your child’s life, and decide that from tomorrow on you want to speak German only, there is a good chance that your child will resent German and it may become a struggle. Ideally, the introduction of a new language should be done in a smooth, fun, and playful way. For example, you can use songs, nursery rhymes, books, and games to break the ice. An important aspect when introducing a new language: try to do it in a consistent way. For example, at first, use the new language during a certain time of day only.

If I expose my child to another language from birth, will my child become bilingual just like that?

Probably not. Research has found that in order to develop any language it takes interaction. Just putting your child in front of a TV screen having her watch shows in another language will most likely not lead to her picking up the additional language. 

Do you have other questions, shoot me an email (contactATbilingual-babies.com) or leave a comment!

References:

• De Houwer, A. (2007). Parental language input patterns and children’s bilingual use. Applied Psycholinguistics 28, 411–424.
• Pearson, B. Z. (2008). Raising a bilingual child: A step-by-step guide for parents. New York: Random House.