How and when should I start helping my child to be bilingual?

Question

I speak English and French, and I want my child to also. The only problem is I don't know when or how to initiate both languages to my child.
Has anyone else taught there child more than one language?? Does anyone have any tips on when and how to do this??

Answer 1

do it as soon as possible!! MAny people do this!! Start talking to ure kid in both languages!! Your kid should be able to oick it up as the kid grows old!! I hope this helps!! Bie

Answer 2

If you live in an English speaking environment, speak French at home. If in a French environment, speak English at home. Studies show that the earlier a child is exposed to other languages the earlier and easier the child learns. The best multiple language speakers have backgrounds where the family spoke one language and the child went to school in another language.

A lot of school districts are using language immersion to teach a foreign language. They don't teach the language, they simply teach 1/2 of the day IN the foreign language. This has been shown to be very effective but needs to be started young.

Answer 3

The earlier the better, i would introduce it at a ratio of twenty percent or more to be the secondary language and english the first. But hearing, watching demostrated languages can be easily developed at an early age, they dont know that the are learning it. For all the child knows its the natural language.

Answer 4

I would say try to introduce both languages as soon as possible. That's what I plan on doing when I have my first child in December. It's good that they (kids) become familiar with both languages (I think) as early on as possible so that the languages can come more naturally to them. (again, this is just something that I believe, I'm not a linguist or doctor of any kind)...

good luck with raising a bilingual child!!!

Answer 5

Start speaking both languages to the baby even before it's born. Starting early is easier for the child to learn.

Answer 6

My native tongue is Russian. All of my kids were born in Russia, but we moved shortly after the birth of my 3 and last child. We spoke Russian in our house until my english speaking girlfriend moved in with us. My son speaks just as well as his sisters did when they were his age. Start from the beginning, they won't know the difference. He used to try and talk to kids his age in Russian. He didn't understand that not all children speak 2 languages like he does.

Answer 7

I would speak french at home and English outside so they here both languages from day one. That is how I am bilingual... Spanish at home and English outside... You can hardly notice my accent.

Answer 8

Yes....start immediately....my daughter learned Spanish at her babysitter's...and at 2 years of age she was happily babbling in Spanish....and neither myself nor my husband are bi-lingual....to this day (she's 12) she has retained some of it, and she picked up French very quickly as well.

You're never too young to learn.....try speaking in french when it's just and your child alone....switching to English when there's more than just the two of you in the room. Your son/daughter will adapt quickly.

Good luck!

Answer 9

When they start using words. I have frriends where one parent spoke one language and the other parent spoke another language...by 4 their children could speak 2 manguages, and knew which language to answer in when you taklked to them.. They are like sponges when they are young

Answer 10

My husband and I started with our children at age 5. We felt that if any earlier it would only cause confusion. I suppose some parents decided, when they feel that their child reaches a certain level of understanding and concept.

Answer 11

You should start as soon as possible. The younger kids are, the more accepting they are of learning another language.