Celebrating the Bilingual Child
Posted by STAIR-Annapolis on October 20, 2021
October is Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month!
Kids who learn two or more languages in early childhood have been shown to have greater empathy and social understanding, are more adept at problem solving and multitasking, demonstrate more concentration, and learn faster visual processing than their single language-speaking peers.
There's a common misconception, though, that bilingual children have difficulty learning to read in their non-native language. That just isn't true!
Studies have proven that kids who are read to in their native language actually have an easier time learning to read in their second language. And children who develop strong literacy skills in their first language are better equipped for reading success in a second language.
There are lots of ways for bilingual families to support literacy both in a child's native language and second language. Check out some of these suggestions from our friends at ¡Colorìn colorado!
- Read native language books every day.
- Talk about stories together.
- Play rhyming games and sing songs in your native language.
- Keep plenty of native language reading material around the house, like magazines and cards from loved ones.
- Encourage kids to practice speaking and writing in your family's native language.
- Visit your local library for books in your native language, your child's second language, and bilingual books, too!
To learn more about the benefits of bilingualism for children and ways to support second-language learning, check out this article from Parents.com or visit www.colorincolorado.org.