當馬克遇上莎莉

In our multi-cultural society lots of babies are raised in homes where more than one language is spoken.

The great news is that babies don’t get confused when they hear two languages – although they may switch between languages mid-sentence when first learning to talk, studies show they can separate the two languages by age two.

The earlier your baby hears the two languages, the easier it will be for him to grasp them. By 10 to 12 years of age a child’s ability to grasp a second language starts to slow down, and adults find it much harder to learn new languages.

Most studies reveal that introducing two languages to your child as a baby could delay his speech slightly – but bear in mind that he is trying to process two different languages at once so this is entirely natural. He’ll soon catch up with other children his age and being able to speak a second language will be a huge bonus in his life. For moms and dads it offers the advantage of being able to communicate to your children in your own language – and there’s also the benefit of passing on your family heritage and giving your children the ability to communicate with older generations of your family. Read gurgle's article on speaking to your baby for more tips.

Bilingual baby tips

1.If you and your partner both speak different languages stick to the ‘one parent, one language’ rule – choose which parent speaks which language to your child and stick to it.  

2.If your whole family speaks another language, set some rules such as only speaking one language at home and the other at school or when you’re out in the community.

3.If neither you nor your partner is fluent in the language you’d like your child to learn it shouldn’t be a problem but you should have grasped it to the extent you can teach it well and not confuse your child.

4.You can use toys and books in the language you wish to teach your child to enhance bilingual learning. 

5.If you know any other bilingual speakers, especially other children, arrange for them to spend some time talking to your child. 

6.If you’re looking for a babysitter or caregiver consider finding one who speaks the language you wish to teach your child. The same goes for daycare, although if your whole family speaks one language at home it’ll be useful for your child to go to a daycare with caregivers who speak the common language of the community you live in. 

7.Sing nursery rhymes to your child in both languages – most rhymes use the same tunes around the world. Your local book store will have books and CDs to help the language learning process. Consider playing a language tape in the car on a long journey and encouraging the whole family to join in.