I am a parent raising a bilingual child with delayed speech and have come across some of the concerns from others about potential speech delays and bilingualism overlapping and being a problem. First off, it is fiction and it’s a must that we’re able to separate fact from fiction regarding the two.
Let’s debunk these myths and facts surrounding this topic in a second.
When my family and I moved to Baja California, Ensenada we were naturally immersed in the local language—Spanish. While my wife and I found learning Spanish a very steep uphill battle, our boys picked it up in no time, fluency was inevitable.
Our youngest, 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.
There were a few unsuspecting heart warming moments when he would speak in full sentences in Spanish to his brothers or sang songs he learned at school.
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 so forth.
Sometimes, he does feel a little self-conscious about his speech, but his ability to navigate a bilingual environment has been a pleasure to witness.
Myth number 1, is that bilingualism causes 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 positive cognitive and social benefits compared to children who only speak one language.
What is Bilingualism
Bilingualism Vs. Multilingualism
Being bilingual is the ability to speak and understand two languages fluently. 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, or taught in a classroom setting, similar to acquiring accents when we speak. It is acquired by constant communication.
What Are the Bilingual Milestones?
Bilingual children may reach language goals at different rates compared to monolingual children. It’s proven that children learning more than one language generally develop language skills at a similar pace as monolingual children.
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 learning two or more languages and depending on how you look at it, it may be referred to as code-mixing or code-switching.
Bilingualism, How the Brain Works
Children who learn multiple languages at an early age they naturally acquire life skills-qualities such as improved problem-solving skills, greater mental flexibility, and more creativity. Bilingual children can usually focus and multitask better.
A greater margin compared to their counterparts reduces these kids’ mental decay in later years.
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 disorders can communicate in two languages. It is encouraged for parents to continue teaching them both languages.
3. Myth Children who mix language 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. 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 language from repeated experiences and learn to speak by expressing themselves. As long as they have the exposure they will learn the language.
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Findings on Language Delay
When a child cannot communicate through understanding and expressing their feelings verbally (speech) or nonverbally (body language) it is referred to as a language delay. It is important to note that language delay is not caused by bilingualism.
Research has also shown that getting help for bilingual toddlers in the early years of speech development is key to treating language delay.
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Role of Education and Home Language
Educational programs that promote multiple languages usually provide a supportive environment for 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.
Environmental Influence on Bilingualism
Cultural Identity
For many individuals, language is closely tied to their cultural background. This is particularly true for multilingual families where English is their native language at home.
In this family setting the children would usually develop a sense of cultural identity associated with each language they speak.
In the United States, for example, the diversity of cultures and languages are 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, 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. In Mexico, Spanish is the official language, but many individuals also speak indigenous languages such as Nahuatl or Maya. In some regions of Mexico, individuals may be bilingual in Spanish and an indigenous language.
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Supporting Bilingual Language Development
Strategies for Parents and Educators
There are ways for parents and educators to take steps to support bilingual language development in children. One strategy is to provide children with plenty of opportunities for language exposure.
This can include reading books in both languages, listening to music, and engaging in everyday activities in both languages.
The Role of Speech-Language Pathologists
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play an important role in supporting bilingual language development. SLPs can assess children’s language skills in both languages and provide intervention when needed. SLPs can also guide parents and educators on how to support bilingual language development.
It is important to note that they should be trained in learning how to assess and intervene in dual language situations, and should be fluent in the languages spoken by the child and family.
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