Bilingual and Polyglot families: Is there a preferred method, and/or age for introducing each language to?

Question

your chíldren?We live in a German-speaking country,my husband is native, but my native languages are spanish and english. So, he speaks German to our baby (shes 11 months old), and I speak English and Spanish to her. She can say words in each language and is responsive to all 3. But, a Dr. Told me today that a child should only be started out on 2 languages, and when she turns 2(or when at least 1 language is well established), to introduce the third, otherwise she would have speech impediments or have trouble in school later.
So; do any of you think this is true? Please tell me your experiences, advice,please. Thank you!

Answer 1

i dont know about 3rd language. my hubby english i am turkish we talk our 18 months old son with our own native language. my son now can speak and understand both languages. i think 3 rd language is Not necesarry at the moment. give her a break!

Answer 2

I don't think it really matters. As long as you speak one language at a time. Don't mix all three languages in one sentence but I'm sure that doesn't happen that often.

I've been bilingual since birth and have never had a problem with it in school. Same with my siblings and most of my relatives and friends. Most people I now are bilingual. As long as the problem is not with the pronunciation. Any problems will quickly be resolved within the first month of school.

I went to a French school and there was often a child or two that would start the year know English only. By the end of the year they had no problems.

Answer 3

there are many many differening opinions on how to introduce language to infants and toddlers

i actually think you should be speaking to her in ALL 3 languages....it is proven that infants recognize their native languages from birth and then begin to lose the ability to recognize and learn it from about 8 months....THAT young

we are a bi-lingual family also

she will not have speech impediments nor trouble in school....she might feel compelled to mix the languages but will soon learn not to do that if she is constantly corrected to speak only one language at a time....our daughter is 5 and mixes English and Spanish and i continually correct her to speak only language to express herself

i say read up on the net about this.....doctors are frequently mistaken and NOT the last word on this

Answer 4

I speak english to my baby and my husband spanish....the only problem I see in your situation is that you (mom) don't speak in only one language but mix 2 (sp and eng) My dr told me that each parent should talk in one language so the baby doesn't get confused...when she's older introduce the 3rd. My baby is only 4 months old so I don't know how this is gonna work out.

Answer 5

IN my family we speak only Spanish to our daughter and at school she gets only English, she is 22 months old and she has understands both languages perfectly, at home she speaks Spanish with a spattering of English and vice versa. The doctor may just be trying to be careful but if your daughter understands all three then you should keep doing what you are doing.

Answer 6

I think that makes sense. After all, there is a critical period in which a child is able to pick up more than one language and speak them with equal fluency. That being said, though, I can't help but think that if you only use two instead of three languages with her, it would be better, because she would then have an easier time becoming fluent in more than one language.

Answer 7

What I like approximately Dora is that she's a well position mannequin due to the fact that she not ever argues or fights with anybody and he or she continually desires to aid others. But I do not like the truth that she maintains blending up 2 languages always. My husband and I are elevating our children in 2 languages (French and German) and we are residing within the US, so they are uncovered to 3 languages, and the great approach to get youngsters to be bilingual or trilingual is to make use of the "one character/one language" approach. Otherwise, how in the world are they intended to understand wherein one language stops and wherein the moment begins. All linguists agree that that is the great approach. The key to bilingualism is be very constant and to maintain languages very separate.

Answer 8

dont matter