Most Frequently Asked
Questions
By Suzanne Barron-Hauwaert
Suzanne Barron-Hauwaert, the author of Language Strategies for Bilingual Families: The One-Parent-One-Language Approach, shares her answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about raising multilingual and multicultural children.
 We travel a lot as a family, back to Europe in the summer to visit the families in England or France or around Asia as tourists. We often attract attention as people overhear us speaking English and French to our children and the children replying bilingually. People are curious as to where we are from and where we live.
Usually it is another bilingual family comparing notes or a family considering bilingualism, or someone who knows a family member or friend who is married to someone from another country. These brief chats in the cabin of a plane, waiting for a bus or in a queue for passports are inspiring to me. We bond quickly even though we may never meet again and exchange experiences. Whatever the languages and circumstances I try to give as much advice as possible. Here you can see several questions which come up time and time again; they apply to mixed-language couples, those thinking of bilingual schooling or teaching a language at home.
Which language will our child speak fist?
With mixed-language couples children usually speak the language of the mother first, simply because they spend more time with her in the beginning. Babies also need to bond with their mothers and do this by listening and watching her intently in the first year. So they copy and repeat the maternal language first. The father’s language will appear later, usually after the baby has begun speaking the mother’s language and there is often some overlap when the child might mix both languages together.
Will one language be affected by the other language?
Yes, there is often what we call language interference. This is when the sounds of each language might get mixed up or a child might use the grammatical structure of one language with another. Verbs might be in the wrong place or the pronunciation may be that of the other language. A stronger language may interfere with a weaker one with the child using the rules he learnt for the stronger one for the weaker one. This takes time and practice to work itself out.
What happens if one parent has less time with the child?
One issue that comes up a lot with mixed-language families or those teaching a language themselves at home is that one parent may be working away, at weekends or late at night and hardly sees the child. The child may not have enough time with the parent to be able to actively use their language. He or she might understand but not reply back which is called passive language use. So parents need to make one-to-one time with their children where the language is given chance to grow through reading, singing, watching films together, or activities like cooking or preparing for a festival.
What kind of school should we choose?
Bilingual families often worry over the choice of school knowing that this can have a big impact on their child’s language use. Studies show that the language of school is usually the first or strongest language for a child. They make friends and have a social peer group there which will influence their language use.
Your decision depends on the choice available. Some areas have good bilingual school, although they are usually private schools. Other families opt for a good local school which supports the language where they live. Otherwise you can choose a school which uses the child’s weaker language, so that will be given some support.
Parents must feel comfortable in the school themselves and be able to participate and help with homework and school activities.
How will my child adapt to a school in a language different to that at home?
Children starting a school with a language different to their home language will find it hard in the beginning and it usually takes three to six months for a child to adapt and become fluent in the school language. The teacher needs to keep on speaking the school language even though the child may not respond initially. Parents and teachers need to be reassuring and patient with the child, explaining why he or she is attending the school, and make efforts to communicate and work together.
What can we do at home to help our child become bilingual?
The parent’s attitude is very important. If you are positive and make efforts to be bilingual your children will follow. At home you can provide your children with as much reading, writing and games materials as possible. You don’t need to spend a lot of money; you can create your own, surf the internet, photocopy or borrow from libraries or from friends.
Should we be strict with languages in the home?
Yes, in the beginning young children like to know who is speaking which language. Once they have reached the age of three or four they have a good idea and will understand if you mix languages or talk to them in two or three languages. Older children prefer a more relaxed approach, changing languages to suit the conversation or group of people.
How can I learn more about Bilingualism?
There are several books for bilingual families available, and there are websites for information or to chat with other bilingual families. One of the best ones to start with is Colin Baker’s Parents and Teachers Guide to Bilingualism (Multilingual Matters) which answers many questions and is easily readable.
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Suzanne’s book on Bilingualism Language Strategies for Bilingual Families is available through Multilingual Matters- www.multilingual-matters.com
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