Thank You for your Emails!

Each month we will share an inquiry from parents just like you! Send in your answers, suggestions, tips and advice to the April question below:

(Following question is being reprinted with permission from author. First posted on Bilingual Families list)

Having started to read a bit about bilingual parenting, I'm now having doubts about the approach we've taken with our son. I explained in my intro that I'm native English speaking, DH is Japanese. Since birth I've been speaking Japanese to my son (now 10 months) in the belief that he needs as much exposure to Japanese as possible because we're living in Australia. I love speaking Japanese to him and it does feel quite natural. However, I am not fluent. My accent is good but vocabulary/grammar-wise I am probably intermediate level.

I'm reading a George Saunders book on bilingual parenting and it has made me start to think we should be following the OPOL approach. Is it too late to change? Will I confuse things by suddenly starting to speak English to my son where previously I have spoken Japanese? I have realised I would probably be speaking more to him in English than I do in Japanese simply from having more language.

DH and I mix our languages with each other - often in the one sentence, partly from habit partly due to not knowing the vocab. DH does it more than me and that's not going to change. If we follow OPOL, I've explained that he needs to be really diligent about only speaking Japanese to my son no matter what language he and I are speaking to each other and that I'm speaking English to my son. I'm more able to make conscious changes than DH but I guess we can work at it.

And if I change to OPOL, what about when I take Taiji to Japanese playgroup?

Thanks,
Filippa

Send your answers to Filippa's question to: info@biculturalfamily.org and we will publish them next month.

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April Features & Essays

Culture Clash
In the world of parenting, who decides who’s right and wrong? How does culture dictate U.S. conventional wisdom?

I Before Me
One father's heart-warming essay about his young son and language.

What to Do When He Won’t Speak the Language
A son, a diagnosis of SPD and giving the language another try.

Where My Home Is
An essay on finding home in more than one culture and language.

Maths - Not My Favourite Subject
Embracing our complexities and refusing to limit ourselves to the definitions others place on us.

Ethnopediatrics: Emerging field takes comparative look at parenting practices around the world
Not sure what Ehthnopediatrics is? As a bicultural family, you'll probably be surprised at how much you already know about it!

The Politics of Bilingualism
Do you have the right to speak your language in a public institution? Maybe not.

BBFN Columnists

The Single Language Spouse
Luckily Winnie the Pooh is bilingual too! Colleen shares with us her contemplations about media in the Single Language Spouse household.

Eurapsody
Clo's Two Timing Nanny brings language number four into the Eurapsody household.

One Family One Language
The One Family One Language household searches for ways to add more community language into their home.

Between Grandparent and Grandchild
Sharon shares her contemplations on the labels "bilingual" and "bicultural".

Multicultural Melange
Anyone out there dealing with the "Diga-diga Syndrome"? Alice shares her thoughts on speech development.

Stay Informed

RESEARCH
I Came Long Time Ago: Language Attrition in Long-Time Bilinguals
Two researchers from the University of Toronto share their current research findings with BBFN! What an honor!

TIPS & ADVICE
3 Steps Parents Can Take to Support Elementary Language Education in Their Communities
Is there anything a parent can do to support early childhood language education in their communities? Yes!

TIPS & ADVICE
Parents showing preferential treatment toword common-race children - what to do?
Harriet answers more questions from you - from race to extended family! Don't miss her next presentation on May 19th!

AGES & STAGES
"Parentese", Listening, Writing, Discussion
Read this month's information and tips on understanding and engaging our bilingual/bicultural children each step of the way.

HUMOR & FUN
Top 10 Reasons I Married a Foreigner
A humorous look at some reasons why we decide to pursue love across the oceans.

LOOK WHO'S TALKING
May Lecture and Seminar
Check out May Calendar of Events for information and to register for our May Events!

LOOK WHO'S TALKING
Meet Grace M. Libardo Alvarez
Grace, a Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist, has come on board with BBFN to provide expert advice, support and information for parents raising multilingual children!

Spotlights & Info

MARKETPLACE SPOTLIGHT
Becky's Favorites
Each month Becky shares her best kept secrets with us! Don't miss her April recommendations!

BOOK REVIEW SPOTLIGHT
The Bilingual Family - A Handbook for Parents, by Edith Harding and Philip Riley
Alice's review of this month's book choice: a book written to support families raising bilingual children.

NEWS SPOTLIGHT
News Around the World
See what is going on around the world with respect to language, culture and identity.

WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT
Voices
A BBC supported site with a fabulous compilation of information, discussion, audio clips and more - all about language, dialect and cultures.

WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT
Interview with Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah
Dr. Kwame Anthony Appiah is the author of the acclaimed book, "Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers". How can we better live in a world of blending cultures and customs while still retaining our unique identities? Read the transcript of an interview of Appiah with Tavis Smiley on PBS.

Mailbag

APRIL INQUIRY
Fillipa in Australia
Do you have suggestions or advice for Fillipa's question?

FEEDBACK FROM READERS
Aniko in the US
Thoughts on Hungarian and Finnish
Kristie in Brittany
Comments about the BBFN Newsletter and the BBFN "Oh No.." article
Hanna in the UK
Response to the BBFN Newsletter and information about a Polish online forum
Tommi from MM
Feedback from the Multilingual Matters publishing house in UK

Past Newsletters

March Newsletter
February Newsletter

Contact Us

Web:www.biculturalfamily.org
Email: info@biculturalfamily.org

Mailing Address:
Bilingual/Bicultural Family Network
P.O. Box 51172
Seattle , WA 98115