How to Raise Your Child to be Bilingual

In order to raise your child to be bilingual, it is important that at least one parent have a familiarity with both languages that you hope to teach him. Bilingual parenting can be difficult because you must not relax into using only the more comfortable language. However, it is equally important that you do not overcompensate by not using your native language enough. In this article, we will discuss how to raise your child to be bilingual.

Things You'll Need

  • Index cards
  • Pen
  • Tape

Instructions

  1. How to Raise Your Child to be Bilingual

    • 1

      Establish bilingual routines. For example, if you say prayers at night, say the same prayer in both languages. Do the same for blessings before meals and any songs that you sing together.

    • 2

      Label household items in both languages. This will also help you remember to refer to things in both languages. For example, you might refer to "la mesa, the table" one after the other to make it clear to the child that "mesa" and "table" mean the same thing. This will also help if only one of the parents speaks both languages. If your child can already read, these labels will help her as well. You can make these labels by writing the name of an item in both languages on an index card and taping the card to the item.

    • 3

      Make rules about the times that each language will be spoken. If both parents speak both languages, then alternate which language will be spoken at meals. Even if a child is too young to understand what you are saying, they will still learn by hearing you. You also may wish to require that a report about the day at school be in one language one day, then another the next.

    • 4

      Make sure to refer to things in both languages. Even if only one parent knows both languages, both can learn to call rooms and foods by their names in either language. For example, "la cocina" and "kitchen" mean the same thing in Spanish and English, respectively. Even if you say the rest of the sentence in English, you can use "la cocina" for kitchen and vice versa.

    • 5

      Repeat common phrases in both languages. Because children learn by repetition and example, hearing consecutive phrases in different languages will teach them that the words mean the same thing. This will make them more comfortable with both languages as they mature.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How Do Youth Sports Help Kids in Academics?
      Children who participate in youth sports or physical activities may have greater academic performance. Charles Hillman, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Illinois, indicates that while participation in youth sports or physica
    • How to Tie Shoes One Handed
      Multi-tasking is something that really comes in handy when you are a parent. When you have young children, learning to do things with one hand while the other hand is occupied with a toddler or another chore is almost a necessity. Even small chores,
    • How Do Peanut Allergies Affect Children?
      Despite the name, peanuts are actually a legume, like string beans. The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology estimates at least 400,000 children are allergic to peanuts in the United States. Each child is different, while allergies ra