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Your Child’s Education
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Second Languages for Young Children
A
ccording to language experts, six-month-old babies babble using 70
different sounds that make up all of the languages of the world.
Children are not preprogrammed with the language(s) of their
parents; they learn the language of their environments. For example, the
child of parents who consistently speak multiple languages in everyday
conversations will naturally speak both languages.
Learning a second language is not as challenging for a young child as
you may think. Teaching a one-year-old the word “red” and the Spanish
version, “rojo,” is similar to teaching the words “stone” and “rock.” There
is nothing confusing about this for a young child.
The key to teaching your child a second language is to immerse him or
her in the language. Your child’s teacher probably does this throughout
the day by labeling and referencing items and actions in the classroom in
different languages. You can work with your child’s teacher by referencing
these labels and incorporating the language into your child’s play at
home. With your participation, the immersion is complete.
Remember, there are many forms of communication. Introducing
young children to second languages such as Spanish, French and sign
language encourages brain development in areas that would typically
fall dormant. (Sign language can also demonstrate an infant’s listening
vocabulary and fine motor development.)
Second languages celebrate cultural diversity and help to create an
understanding of the written word. A second language can open doors
and unleash curiosities of the world.
Whether your child is an
infant or a preschooler, immersing
him or her in a second lan