December 2006
Bilingual/Bicultural Family Network Newsletter
 Season’s Greetings Bilingual/Bicultural Families,
Winter holidays are upon us and with them come a whole range of emotions, especially for bilingual and bicultural families. Many of us will be spending the holidays away from extended family members. Some will be trying to balance traditions the best they can as family members come for a visit. Whatever your situation, we hope you will be able to continue passing on the holiday traditions to your children that are most meaningful to you.
Hope everyone in the northern hemisphere is staying cozy and warm and those in the southern hemisphere are enjoying the sun and heat of the winter holidays.
Best Holiday Wishes,
Corey Heller and Alice Lapuerta
www.biculturalfamily.org
What’s Inside?
 In this month’s newsletter, we will start by sharing a delightful essay from Suzanne on her first Thanksgiving in the US and a look forward to what Christmas will be like in snowy Chicago.
We will also give you a sneak peek at what you can expect in our January-February 2007 issue of Multilingual Living Magazine which focuses on “getting started and staying motivated in raising bilingual and multilingual children.” Sarah has written a wonderful article for us packed with tips on how to go about this without pulling out too much hair.
Just scroll down to read Suzanne's and Sarah's essays.
Multilingual Living Magazine – get your FREE issue!
 You won’t want to miss our January-February 2007 issue!
Read Fred Genesee's Guide on Bilingualism, Madalena Cruz-Ferreira's answer to a mother's concern on teaching her bilingual child to read, followed up with Tracey Tokuhama's tips on how to develop multiliteracy skills. "Multicultural Mayhem", anyone? Read Marina's column in which she shares with us the trials, challenges and joys of raising a multilingual child. And what is is REALLY like to be a Third Culture Kid - are you raising one now?
These are just some of the many wonderful articles that we are publishing in the January issue! If you aren’t yet a subscriber, check out a FREE sample issue.
Sponsor Spotlight: Language Land
 Our sponsor spotlight this month is Language Land (www.languageland.co.uk), a family-run business in the UK which carries an extensive line of multilingual and multicultural products to keep language learning fun in your home. Presently they carry products in English, French and Spanish and will soon add German, Italian and Portuguese. Kate, the owner, is a delight and will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have or to help locate a special request. With holiday shopping in full swing, it is very possible that Language Land has just the products you have on your list (or aren’t yet sure you are looking for). You can find them at: www.languageland.co.uk.
SEMINAR: Raising Bilingual Children
 Live in the Seattle area? Then sign up for our January seminar on raising bilingual children!
Want to raise your child bilingually? Not sure where to start? Afraid of making mistakes? This three-hour seminar will prepare parents, grandparents and other caregivers in the rewarding choice to raise their children bilingually and/or multilingually. Included is an overview of research on bilingual families, tips and strategies on getting started, activities for keeping multilingualism alive in your family as well as plenty of participant discussion. CLICK HERE for more information.
Season's Greetings from Suzanne...
Suzanne Barron-Hauwaert is a true expert in raising bilingual children. Being that she is also raising three of her own means she has first-hand knowledge of what works and doesn't work for multilingual families. She shares with us her first taste of American traditions: Thanksgiving in the US...
A Real Christmas!
By Suzanne Barron-Hauwaert
We have just celebrated our first Thanksgiving in Chicago where our French/English family now lives. We were invited to eat with our French friends who have lived in America for two years. They love Thanksgiving. Although I found it strange eating what tasted like a traditional English Christmas lunch in November. We ate late in the day too, after watching the downtown parade with a huge crowd. Banners wish everyone Happy Holidays, which I find curious. I would usually wish people happy holidays in the summer months.
This Christmas is exciting one for our children. We lived in Malaysia for the last three years and we can hardly remember snow! Our 3-year-old, Gabriel, has lived all his life in Asia and never known winter. Our Christmases were spent on tropical islands, with Santa appearing on an elephant in Thailand, surfing the waves on Bali or arriving in a sea-plane off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
There were Christmas decorations and presents and Christmas parties, but still it seemed rather unreal in the sunshine! Our modern condo had no chimney and in the heat the tree had to be artificial. So Chicago promises us cold air, proper crunchy white snow and a real pine tree for a treat! This year Santa will most definitely arrive by sleigh pulled by reindeers, and squeeze down the brick chimney!
Best wishes to all the bilingual families around the world!
Suzanne Barron-Hauwaert is the author of Language Strategies for Bilingual Families which is available through Multilingual Matters: www.multilingual-matters.com. Read more of Suzanne’s essays in Multilingual Living Magazine: www.biculturalfamily.org/magazine.html.
And now a word from our sponsor...
Looking for multilingual products for your family? Been searching for just the right holiday gift for your own multilingual munchkin or maybe a friend or family member's child? Or maybe you want something for a spouse or yourself to keep language learning fun?
Visit Language Land and find what you have been searching for: www.languageland.co.uk.
Sneak Peek...
Until the next issue of Multilingual Living Magazine arrives, we are giving you a sneak peek with the following essay from Sarah Dodson-Knight, of Lafayette, Colorado who teaches French to college students and preschoolers and is even teaching French to her year-old nephew! Below is the beginning of her article – you can continue reading her entire article HERE.
Raising Bilingual Kids: Getting Started & Staying Motivated
By Sarah Dodson-Knight
So, you've decided that you don't want monolingual children. You've determined which languages you want your kids to learn and why. You've even talked your in-laws into it! Now it's time to put these ideas into practice. But how? Discuss it thoroughly with your partner--indeed, with your children--beforehand so that you can start with confidence and concrete ideas of how to carry it out. Here are some answers to common questions:
Which parent will speak which language?
How can I motivate my children?
How do I teach a language to my child?
What resources should I invest in?
CLICK HERE to read Sarah’s article which answers these questions and more…
What is on your mind?
We are always delighted to receive feedback from you. Send your thoughts, ideas, questions and suggestions to: info@biculturalfamily.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you have a question for one of our experts to answer in a future issue of Multilingual Living Magazine, send it to: editor@biculturalfamily.org.
Want to receive this bimonthly newsletter as well as other news from the Bilingual/Bicultural Family Network? Then sign up for our mailing list on our main homepage (bottom left side). Our newsletters are sent out every two months and in the alternate months we send out an announcement about the publication of Multilingual Living Magazine.
|
