Moving to Ensenada, Baja California, with my family, life became different. I mean, new faces, sounds, and languages.
Spanish wasn’t just something we heard, it surrounded us. My wife and I stumbled through it, learning one awkward phrase at a time, while our boys soaked it in effortlessly.
Within months, they were chatting away, and fluency became second nature. While I felt like an imposter in the house.
But here’s the twist, it was in Mexico when we discovered that one of our sons had a speech delay. And like many parents raising bilingual kids, I started hearing the whispers.
“Maybe learning two languages is confusing him.” Let’s clear this up right now. That’s fiction. There’s a big difference between a speech delay and the natural process of growing up bilingual.
It’s time to separate the myths from the truth once and for all.
At first, Ezra, who has a speech delay, managed surprisingly well with both English and Spanish. Even though his pronunciation and vocabulary are still developing, he has made surprising progress in his proficiency with two languages.
I remember vividly a few unsuspecting heart-warming moments when he would speak in full sentences in Spanish to his brothers or sing songs he learned at the bilingual school they all attended.
While these moments felt surprising, they weren’t entirely unexpected since we actively followed his schoolwork and encouraged his social interactions, like his friends’ birthday parties and all that good stuff.
Honestly, he goes through phases of being self-conscious about his speech, but his ability to not let it get the best of him in a bilingual environment has been a pleasure to witness, especially given the benefits of his speaking more than one language.
I mean, not being able to speak 100% fluently, moving to a new country and not knowing the language, a new school, and not knowing anyone.
Even though the fact that kids were mean because of his speech and he would still attempt to make friends. I was his main chairleader all along, but it was not easy for me to watch, he was strong, and he thrived through it all.
Proud dad here.
Is bilingualism a cause of language confusion or language disorders? Research shows this is not true.
Being able to speak multiple languages does not cause or affect language disorders or specifically speech delay, but actually the opposite.
It provides cognitive advantages and social benefits compared to children who only speak one language, another plus for bilingualism.
If you are raising a bilingual child or planning to add a second language, make sure you understand what bilingualism means and how it influences language development.
Bilingualism Vs. Multilingualism: Speech Development Explained
Being bilingual is the ability to speak and understand two languages fluently, a key aspect of bilingualism. On the other hand, multilingualism refers to the ability to speak and understand more than two languages.
Learning to speak two languages usually happens naturally in homes where the languages are spoken.
In our case, Spanish surrounded us outside the house. At home, we mostly spoke English. I took Español lessons, and the boys heard other languages in class and with friends.
Like accents, fluency builds through steady, everyday conversation.
Bilingual Milestones to Watch For
Bilingual children often reach language milestones at different rates compared to monolingual children.
It’s proven that bilingual children generally develop language skills at a similar pace as monolingual children, supporting healthy language development.
It is common for bilingual children to mix and match languages when speaking, especially in the early stages of learning a language.
This is a normal part of bilingualism and learning two or more languages; depending on how you look at it, it may be referred to as code mixing or code-switching.
How the Brain Works: Bilingualism
Children who learn two or more languages early in life naturally acquire life skills and qualities, such as sharper problem-solving skills.
They gain greater mental flexibility along with enhanced executive functioning and more creativity.
Bilingual children can usually focus and multitask better.
Compared with monolingual peers, they keep stronger thinking skills well into later life.
Speech Delay: Myths vs. Facts
Common Misconceptions About Bilingualism and Speech Delay
1. Myth: A child should learn a language fully before learning another.
Fact: Learning both languages can occur at the same time with no problem.
2. Myth: Parents of children with speech delay should only speak to the child in one language.
Fact: Children with speech delays or language difficulties can communicate in two languages. It is encouraged for parents to continue teaching them both languages.
3. Myth: Children who mix languages in their early years will continue to do so later on in life.
Fact: Children will stop mixing the words as they improve their vocabulary and build a stronger vocabulary overall. Mixing words happens because they do not fully know how to express themselves using one language.
4. Myth: Parents who only speak one language will have a difficult time raising a bilingual child.
Fact: Children learn to speak from consistent language input through repeated experiences and by expressing themselves. As long as they have the exposure, they will continue to learn the language.
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School and Home in Bilingual Speech Development
Educational programs that promote multiple languages usually provide a supportive environment for bilingual children to develop.
It is also necessary for parents to maintain the home language to preserve the child’s cultural identity.
In bilingual households, it is common for one language to be dominant over the other, but both languages can develop equally in a bilingual child, regardless of which language is dominant.
For better results, it is better for parents to allow equal exposure to both languages to ensure balanced language development, while continuing to nurture the home language for lasting cultural ties.
Environmental Influence on Bilingualism
Cultural Identity
For many individuals, language has close ties to their cultural background. This is particularly true for multilingual families where English is their native language at home.
In our home, living in Mexico, our children developed a sense of cultural identity for both languages they spoke, and we made an extra effort to support that.
In the United States, for example, the diversity of cultures and languages is reflected in the bilingual population. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the country, and many individuals who speak Spanish also identify as Hispanic or Latino.
There are many official languages in Europe, and individuals may identify with a particular language and culture based on their geographic location.
Bilingualism Across Different Regions
Multilingualism can vary greatly across different regions. For example, India has over 22 official languages, and many individuals are multilingual, speaking up to seven languages.
In Africa, over 2,000 languages are spoken, and many individuals are fluent in multiple languages.
In Asia, the quantity of language exposure may vary greatly depending on the region.
In countries like Japan and South Korea, English is often taught as a foreign language through structured language learning, and many individuals may have some knowledge of English words and phrases.
In contrast to countries like China and India, English is often taught as a second language, and many individuals may be fluent in English.
Bilingualism can also vary within a single country.
It was not until I started writing and exploring Mexico that I found out that Spanish is the de facto official language, not the official one.
Many individuals also speak numerous indigenous languages, such as Nahuatl or Maya. In some regions of Mexico, individuals may be bilingual in Spanish and an indigenous language, which supports bilingual child speech development by facilitating learning new words in diverse linguistic environments.
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Supporting Bilingual Language Development
Strategies for Parents and Educators
There are ways for parents and educators to support children’s bilingual language development.
One strategy is to provide children with ample opportunities for language exposure, especially in cases of simultaneous bilingualism from infancy.
This can include reading books in both languages, listening to music, and engaging in everyday activities in both languages.
These approaches help bilingual children reach key milestones, like producing their first words and forming two-word phrases, at typical times for bilingual infants.
The Role of Speech-Language Pathologists
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are key partners in bilingual language growth. They can evaluate a child’s skills in both languages, then design targeted support when needed.
SLPs also coach families and teachers with practical strategies for building strong communication in two languages.
They need training to assess and treat dual language needs, and they should be fluent in the languages the child and family use.
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Have a question or want more clarity? Contact our support team about bilingualism or speech delay, and we’re happy to help.
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