Singapore Tamil Youth Conference 2018 Toolkit Toolkit 2018 Final | Page 11

Families
•
As the domains for Tamil use continue to
decline, the home is one of the few domains
remaining in which native speakers of the
language are found (Kadakara, 2011).
Therefore, families play a critical role in
shaping one’s mindset towards Tamil and in
encouraging the speaking of Tamil in their
children.
•
•
• Studies have shown that the period
from birth through age 10 is the best
time to introduce new languages to a
young child (Ghasemi and Hashemi,
2011)
Although the family is not the only
stakeholder responsible in ensuring that
future generations continue to speak a
language, (Canagarajah, 2008), language
use within family members is the most
critical factor in determining language
transmission across generations (Dorian,
1981; Edwards, 2004; Fishman, 1991).
• In 2017, the Tamil Language
Learning and Promotion Committee
kick started a two-day programme
titled “Thamizhodu Inaivom” in
which parents and children from
non-Tamil
speaking
families
participated.
A favourable attitude towards the
language becomes important for a
successful bilingual policy and practice.
Thus, it remains the responsibility of the
family and community to preserve the
language
for
intra-ethnic
communication and intergenerational
language transmission.
• The
programme placed high
emphasis on how Tamil should be
spoken at home first for it to
continue to live as a language and
how parents have a huge role in
influencing their children to speak
Tamil.
When English becomes the first
language children are exposed to at
home, their lack of exposure to Tamil
makes it difficult for them to cope with
Tamil in school.
•
•
Moreover, if children do not learn to
speak a mother tongue at home, there is
little probability that they will learn to
speak it fluently, given the age limits on
language learning (Krashen, Long, and
Scarcella 1979; Pinker 1995).
Even when parents adopt the “One
Person, One Language” strategy,
children often only become passive
rather than active bilinguals (Döpke,
1992, 1998; Yamamoto, 1995, cited
in King & Fogle, 2006).
Exposure to Spoken Tamil at home
makes it easier for children to learn
the formal language as Tamil is a
diglossic language.
•
This lack of exposure to Tamil,
results in them losing interest in the
language
and
lacking
the
appropriate vocabulary to speaking
the language well.
For instance, if a parent speaks to
his/her child in Tamil, the child
only listens to the parent speak but
does not actively respond to the
conversation in Tamil.
Given the right motivation, most youth
will be able to continue communicating
in Tamil without forgoing their abilities
in English.
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