Sending your child off to Kindergarten is a daunting process. In the five boroughs, this includes going through a lengthy application process, putting your child through a series of interviews and placement tests, and waiting anxiously for placement letters. This week, many families learned that their children have been placed in one of the city’s growing number of dual language programs. This can introduce a new set of worries before your child begins their new adventure in the fall. Is my child smart enough for a dual language program? Will I be able to help my child learn? What if my child falls behind? Rest assured that these are all common concerns, and your child will be in good hands.
Language Development
By the time a child gets to Kindergarten, they have a strong foundation of language skills. They can identify most of the objects in their surroundings, can follow multi-step directions, and can speak in full sentences. Now, sending your child off to Kindergarten to learn a new language, you might think “Won’t that be confusing?” Children are well-equipped to learn multiple languages. Their brains are still plastic, or flexible, and it is easier to make connections between words they already know and new words. New information that is learned can be transferred to a second language more easily as a child starts to become fluid in the new language. Be patient with your child as she starts to incorporate her new language. Remember, children need to develop their receptive language (identifying and understanding) before they can start to use language expressively (speaking) and this process can take some time. Research suggests that Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, or BICS, take 2-3 years to emerge, while Cognitive Academic Language Processing Skills, or CALPS take closer to 5 years to be fully developed.
Kindergarten Basics
Kindergarten is not the playground that it used to be with a strong focus on learning letters and sounds so that kids can be successful readers early on. Learning to read can initially be more difficult for a bilingual learner, because they are learning two separate sets of sounds. Don’t be discouraged! Allow your child the opportunity to discover the difference between the sounds in each of his/her languages. Try to read books that are full of words that are the same in each language, called cognates, so that your child can get used to hearing the difference. Many children’s classics come in bilingual versions, so you can see the language written in each language on an opposing page. These books are great for children to begin to see the difference between the two languages.
Code-Switching
Parents should not be alarmed if children begin to “confuse” their two languages, as in “Shut the puerta” (Shut the door). This is called Code-Switching, or mixing words from two languages, and is a typical part of becoming a bilingual child. It is mostly seen in conversational speech, rather than with simple responses. This quick switch is our brain starting to become metalinguistic, or aware that we have two languages to share our ideas.
Benefits of Bilingualism
There are many long term and short term benefits of bilingualism. A recent article in the New York Times reported that bilingual children even have superior social skills when compared to their single-language learning peers. By learning two languages, we are providing the brain with opportunities to build executive functioning and working memory skills, which are the foundational skills underlying organization, focus, and reading abilities. These are the skills that help a child succeed in reading, writing and problem solving tasks.
Supporting your child at home
Even if you don’t speak your child’s new language, you can continue to support your child at home. Learn with your child, so that you can point out things throughout the day, and allow your child to be the teacher. Encourage your child to have playdates with the language learners and native speakers in their class to reinforce their new language skills. Have your child act out stories when you read together to encourage overall language development. We are so fortunate to live in New York City, where the entire world is only one train stop away. Embrace the culture of your child’s new language and seek out food, clothing, and events. For example, if your child is learning Spanish, celebrate Tres Reyes with una rosca (round bread) with your family and your child’s new friends.
Hopefully now you can relax, knowing that your child is about to embark on an incredible journey, with you right there to completely support them.
If you would like more information of bilingual language development, you can contact Jocelyn M. Wood, M.A. CCC-SLP, Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist (mailto: jocelyn.m.wood@gmail.com).
Jocelyn is a bilingual speech language pathologist who works in NYC Public Schools and has a private practice. She has spent years perfecting her Spanish language skills and learning about the positive effects of bilingualism across the lifespan. Jocelyn is available to consult with parents about any and all concerns about raising a bilingual child and works with families to encourage language development in any language.