How to make your child multilingual
There are several advantages to conversing with your kid in a language other than English at home with them. Beyond the fact being multilingual that they will be able to communicate with you and your family in a language that you are more comfortable with, experts have found that children who learn more than one language have improved cognitive development, better memory, and concentration, and are better problem solvers in their later years.
Better communication and employment chances in an ever-expanding global market are just a few of the practical advantages your kid will enjoy. In this article, we’ll share some advice on how to raise a bilingual or multilingual kid with you.
Early start
Begin as soon as the birth. The potential to acquire many languages by just hearing them is believed by linguists to be present in children even when they are too young to speak a single word. They can pick up any new language far more quickly than an adult.
Some specialists think that newborns may comprehend their mother’s language. It is while they are still in the womb. Since it is the most significant voice, they hear throughout that time period. In addition, following birth, they are truly capable of distinguishing between their mother’s voice and that of others and can even comprehend the differences between the languages spoken.
Multilingual baby tips
When all of the world’s languages are combined, there are perhaps 800 or so sounds. Each language has just roughly 40 distinct language sounds, also known as ‘phonemes,’ that differentiate it from the other languages. According to research, a newborn is born with an extraordinary gift: the ability to distinguish between the differences between the 800 different sounds. When they are exposed to one or more languages, they begin to recognize the differences between the languages they have encountered.
When you’re at home, speak to your youngster in your own language. Speaking to them in your own language at home can help them distinguish and grasp the differences between the two languages, even if they will learn English at school or at child care.
If you have parents who speak different native languages/mother tongues, you may use the OPOL approach (One Person, One Language) to help them communicate. As strange as it may seem, both parents and even grandparents should talk to the newborn in their chosen language or mother tongue rather than in English.
Make learning two or more languages enjoyable for them by reading to them and singing to them in your original language or in the language(s) of their choice. You may even be able to persuade them to watch movies in your own tongue. Make plans to have social gatherings with youngsters who are learning to speak the same language as you.
Finally, enroll them in a language-learning program. As much as speaking to your kid in your native language may help them comprehend and speak their native language. If you want them to be literate in their native language but don’t have the time to impart them yourself. In this case, a language class can be beneficial.
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