Jaguars Cub Club Newsletter Cub Club Newsletter April 2017 | Page 8

Spring 2017
Myths abound that being exposed
to two languages at the same time
can cause language delays. The good
news: These myths are untrue. In fact,
it’s just the opposite.
“Being bilingual does not hinder
language development,” said Yvelisse
Earle, MS, CCC-SLP, a bilingual speech-
language pathologist with Wolfson
Children’s Rehabilitation. “It’s
actually good for a child because the
brain benefits from speaking two or
more languages.
“Studies show that children who
are bilingual have better attention
spans, more empathy, better school
performance and later on, it seems
to help protect their brains from
dementia.”
What typically happens is that while
a child’s vocabulary in each language
may be smaller at first, the combined
vocabulary of both (or more)
languages adds up to the same size as
that of a child who only speaks one
language.
“Typical language development should
involve socially shared rules that
include the meaning of words, how
“Being bilingual does not hinder language development...
It’s actually good for a child because the brain benefits
from speaking two or more languages.”
to make new words, putting words
together and using the right word
combinations, and that goes for
developing bilingual children, too,”
said Giselle Feliciano, MS, CCC-SLP, a
bilingual speech-language pathologist
at Wolfson Children’s Rehabilitation’s
Jacksonville Beach location.
If you suspect your bilingual child
has a speech delay, Earle and
Feliciano recommend an evaluation
with a bilingual speech-language
pathologist, who can determine
whether the problem is a language
disorder, delay or is related to
language-specific differences that are
considered typical.
It could also be that a child’s first
language is just developing at a
quicker pace than the second one.
To schedule an appointment, call
Wolfson Children’s Rehabilitation at
904.202.1884. You’ll need a referral
form completed by your child’s
physician.
5 Tips to Encourage Your
Child to Become Bilingual
1. Use everyday activities to provide
exposure to the second language.
Daily routines in the home like
bath time, family meals, getting
dressed and playtime are great
opportunities. Using books,
educational videos, play groups
and family visits are also helpful.
2. Instill in your child a sense of
pride and need for the minority
language by keeping it constant
in their everyday life.
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Cub Club Quarterly
3. Fluctuation between the two
languages is normal as the child
learns how to move through them,
so be persistent and don’t lose
hope.
4. When beginning to teach a second
language, it’s best to avoid mixing
between the two while the child
becomes somewhat proficient in
the minority language.
5. If your child makes errors,
continue to model correct
vocabulary and sentence
structure.