Comments on: Early Literacy and Bilingual Kids

By: Allen Marten

Allen Marten — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:12:26 +0000

Darn, sorry about that! I changed it back to allow anyone to comment. Thanks for pointing that out!!

By: babylovesbooks

babylovesbooks — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:40:54 +0000

@Allen, Thanks for the mention. Tried posting a comment on your blog, but it required me to sign in?

By: Allen Marten

Allen Marten — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:24:48 +0000

I had to add this to my blog as well. I hope others read your post!

http://frontrangedad.com/2009/11/talk-to-your-baby/

By: babylovesbooks

babylovesbooks — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:21:27 +0000

@ Allen, Thanks for your comment. Yeah, the more languages and sounds a baby is exposed to, the better. It’s great that you and your wife are giving your child this experience out of your own interest. I’m sure it will be beneficial to her in many ways.
I grew up surrounded by people who spoke different languages. Although we spoke our mother tongue at home, I had the opportunity to hear at least 3 other languages being spoken around me. I remember being able to learn words and phrases in a new language fairly quickly as a child. But, the important thing is to keep using the languages we learn, otherwise – well, we’re bound to forget them over time. ( I used to know 4 languages besides English as a child…I now know only the 2 that we use everyday)

By: Allen Marten

Allen Marten — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:17:42 +0000

I don’t have a bilingual child, but I do think your ideas are still relevant to just about everyone. We are taking our child to foreign language classes in our area just to expose her to non-native language.

We hope this can give her some exposure to sounds so that learning a language, which we will encourage later, will be easier to handle.

We also try to speak to her in French which is a language both my wife and I know (from college). I hope it helps!

We are sort of taking the reverse steps that you mention above.

Thanks for posting the NY Times article.

By: admin

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:31:31 +0000

@Pina – Yes, music is a powerful tool to teach almost anything from times tables to science formulas to a new language. And you’re doing it very effectively with your sons. Learning traditional songs in one’s mother tongue is great, but making up songs relevant to your lives is even better. You’re giving your boys the gift of a wonderful learning experience. All the best!

By: pina madera

pina madera — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:33:40 +0000

We are working hard at teaching Spanish, my family’s language, to our 2 boys, ages 5 and 7. It’s hard, but we’re following a similar path as the one you and Karen both mention…trying to incorporate it into what we’re already doing. We’ve written countless songs about our normal activities (my boys will even suggest topics, now for songs we need to add)…because like Karen mentions above, singing is a wonderful way in. It’s joyful. And that’s what language learning should be! Thanks for your post.

By: babylovesbooks

babylovesbooks — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:19:35 +0000

Thanks for your valuable comments, Karen. I will look into the resources you have suggested. The material you recommend sounds very interesting. Also, it’s nice to see popular English books translated into various languages so kids who are already familiar with the English version can enjoy the native language version and vice versa. I like your idea for language classes to be incorporated with art or music lessons. Some of the classes I know do incorporate music and a spiritual or moral component with story telling and verse singing etc…but it would be even better to treat it as a ‘culture’ class rather than a language class.

By: Karen Nemeth

Karen Nemeth — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:03:28 +0000

This is a lovely piece! I enjoyed seeing a glimpse of your wonderful family life. Thank you for mentioning my work here. If you don’t mind, I’d like to contribute some additional suggestions in addition to the valuable ideas you have listed. You might want to look up the work of Lily Wong Fillmore. (Wong Fillmore, L. (1991). When learning a second language means losing the first. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 6, 323-346.) I know a website that sells children’s books in Tamil: http://www.languagelizard.com I do agree that reading stories in your native language will enhance that fascination with the richness and tradition. Another way to support that is with music – silly songs and sophisticated pieces. I also wish that language specialists might think about venturing away from native language ‘classes’. What if they taught art lessons or dance or karate – speaking only in the native language? Then it wouldn’t make the language seem so much like extra homework! Thank you so much for sharing your experience!