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A common question that I am asked as a pediatric speech-language pathologist is, “Will teaching my child two or more languages put them at risk for developing a language delay?” In short, the answer is no! Let me explain…
First things first, a language delay is a type of communication disorder where an individual has a difficult time using and understanding language in comparison to their peers.
If you think about it, the majority of the world speaks two or more languages, and the majority of the world does NOT have a language delay.
It is a common misconception that exposing a child to two or more languages will confuse a child, and make it more difficult for them to use language to express their wants and needs - which is already tough to do with one language.
While it is true that a child may mix languages or have a “quiet period” in their language development, the child is at no higher risk for developing a language disorder simply because they are exposed to two or more languages.
Furthermore, while they are learning and potentially mixing languages or learning how to code switch (switching between different languages depending on the context or conversational partner or situation), we must recognize that this is simply a language difference and NOT a language disorder.
It is also important to note that if a child is exposed to two or more languages, then we can not expect that they will speak as if they are monolingual (speaking one language) times two or three.
For example, if a two year old child has 10 words in English and 40 words in Spanish, their total number of words that they have in their expressive vocabulary is fifty words. We must give children credit for their skills in every language that they speak, and add them up!
At 24 months of age, the minimum number of words that we are looking for as a milestone is fifty words in a child’s expressive vocabulary, therefore, this child has met the milestone for the number of words that we expect a child to be using at this age.
It is no wonder that it is a common misconception that children who are exposed to two languages will have a language delay if we have the same expectations for every child, regardless of considering the number of languages they are exposed to.
For instance, if a monolingual peer of the 24 month old bilingual child described above has 60 words in English (their only language), and is in the same daycare class as the bilingual child, then the child who is bilingual may appear to be “behind” at having 10 words in English.
This will be especially true if English is the primary language spoken at the daycare! However, we must acknowledge that there is a wide range of "normal" in terms of word count, communication skills and language milestones. So, in this instance, both children’s number of words would be considered to be within the average range for what we would expect of a 24 month old child.
We must give a child credit for being able to retrieve, access, make speech sounds and put words together in appropriate contexts, across all languages. Talking is hard work!
Additionally, while some bilingual children DO have language delays, we must recognize that this delay did not occur because of the child being exposed to two or more languages.
Teaching a child two or more languages actually can offer many potential cognitive benefits including improvements in attention overall and attention to detail, task-switching capacities, problem-solving skills, protection against age-related decline, better metalinguistic awareness, better memory, visual-spatial skills, and even creativity (Shook et al., 2012).
Additionally, teaching children their family’s native or heritage language can help families bond and can help a child feel a stronger sense of identity.
If a parent is on the fence about teaching their child two or more languages, I always discuss these potential benefits. Giving your child the ability to understand and use another language is such a gift and I always tell parents, if you can do it, go for it! No one ever regrets being taught a second language!
There are a few different approaches when it comes to exposing a child to a second language.
One strategy is the OPOL strategy, which stands for One Parent One Language. This is when each parent speaks in a different language to the child. For example, usually that parent’s own primary and native language. This approach would work well if the mother speaks English and the father speaks Italian, per se.
If both parents spend the same amount of time with the child, the idea is that the child will get equal exposure to both languages. Plus, each parent feels the most comfortable communicating with their child in their primary language. However, if one child tends to spend more time with one parent, then it will be important to consider which language the family would like their child to be exposed to the most.
Another strategy is the minority language at home strategy. This is when a child is exposed to their primary or majority language at school or in the community, and the minority language is spoken at home.
This can work well for families who wish for their child to speak the language of the country they reside in, but still want their child to be exposed to the minority language as much as possible, therefore, their family will speak this language at home.
A third strategy is what is commonly referred to as the time and place approach. This is when a family decides in what contexts they will speak which languages.
For example, they might speak one language during mealtimes, but then read books and listen to music mostly in the other language throughout their daily routines. The family may attend school and use one language but then attend a church where they are speaking and listening to the other language.
Lastly, perhaps the most laidback and casual strategy is the natural mixing languages approach. This is when families decide what works for them as the situations occur naturally, without strict rules.
The idea is that the family members speak however they feel the most comfortable depending on the situation and conversational partners. Critics of this approach argue that many times, a child may end up preferring one language and abandoning the other.
Research suggests that language learning may be more challenging with time, so when teaching language, earlier really is better as our brains are wired for language learning from birth.
Additionally, some research suggests that there is an “incremental decline in language learning abilities with age” (Birdsong et al., 2001). As a speech-language pathologist, I always tell parents “earlier is better” when it comes to early intervention and building good habits, so it makes sense that this would be true for learning a second exposing children to another language as well!
If a child does appear to have a speech-language delay, the first step a parent should take is to schedule a speech-language evaluation. This can be done through an early intervention program if in the United States, or at an outpatient clinic or private practice that employs a licensed speech-language pathologist.
When scheduling the evaluation, be sure to inform the provider of the child’s primary and secondary languages. It is ideal for the child to be evaluated by a provider who speaks their language, but if this is not possible, then it is important to get an interpreter so that the child can be accurately evaluated in their primary and secondary language.
In summary, bilingualism in early childhood will NOT cause a language delay, and parents should choose an approach that works best for their family when deciding to raise a bilingual (or even trilingual!) child. There are countless cognitive benefits that come along with knowing two or more languages and giving your child the gift of learning a second language is truly a priceless gift!
References:
Birdsong D, Molis M. On the evidence for maturational constraints in second-language acquisition. Journal of Memory and Language. 2001;44(2):235–249.
Marian V, Shook A. The cognitive benefits of being bilingual. Cerebrum. 2012 Sep;2012:13. Epub 2012 Oct 31. PMID: 23447799; PMCID: PMC3583091.
Guidance from the Danish Health Ministry, translated in full to English.
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The full recommendations from a working group of over 70 nursery chains in the UK.
Please note: here at Famly we love sharing creative activities for you to try with the children at your setting, but you know them best. Take the time to consider adaptions you might need to make so these activities are accessible and developmentally appropriate for the children you work with. Just as you ordinarily would, conduct risk assessments for your children and your setting before undertaking new activities, and ensure you and your staff are following your own health and safety guidelines.
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