Re: How to prime kids to learn 3+ languages?
- From: Seán O'Leathlóbhair <jwlawler@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2007 06:54:24 -0700
On 2 Oct, 01:37, pkeb...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
We’re looking for methodologies and materials to prime child from 3
month of age for multiple language acquisition.
I remember being exposed to multi-language priming in first grade.
However I can’t find any structured materials.
Now I’m raising my own son whom we’d like to prime for these
languages:
French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, German, Russian, Japanese,
Portuguese, and English.
Unfortunately, we speak only 4
If anyone knows of any good sources or other materials, or systems –
please let us know.
Any feedback is highly appreciated.
My personal experience of children growing up in a mixed language
environment is mixed. I am not making any particular point here just
offering these stories as data for others to use or explain as they
wish.
As I expect most of us do, I know many children who have grown up in a
multi-lingual environment and become fluent in multiple languages.
Here is one such story. A cousin lived in Algeria while his children
were very young. They learnt English, French, and Arabic. One time
when they were visiting, I was played a game with them. In the game,
we went shopping. When we were "at home" or between shops, they spoke
English. When we "went" to a shoe shop, they switched to French,
apparently without realising it. I was able to continue the game in
French but when we went to the market they switched to Arabic and I
could not continue. Again they seemed to be unaware of the switch and
were puzzled that I could not continue the game. Today, many years
later, they still speak English and French well, and they have learnt
some other languages, but have forgotten their Arabic.
On the other hand, I know many children growing up here with one Asian
parent (mostly Filipino or Thai but also some others) and one European
(mostly but not only native English speakers). Usually, but not
exclusively, it is the mother that is Asian. Few of these children
have learnt anything but English despite considerable exposure to
their parents' other languages. As most children here do, the older
ones are learning French at school, they don't seem to find it any
easier than the other British children. So, exposure to multiple
languages at an early age does not necessarily make you multi-lingual
or particularly good at languages. In a few cases, the children have
acquired a useful competence in their mother's Asian language but only
in the cases where they have spent a considerable time in their
mother's country. The occasional vacation of a couple of weeks is not
sufficient to help.
An intermediate case is a boy with a French father and Filipino mother
growing up in France. His French is perfect of course. His English is
good but far from native. His Tagalog is non-existent. He was
surprised when I spoke French to him and asked asked me if I was
French. This was a rare compliment, only a young child could mistake
me for French. I said no and he said: "But you speak French". I
said, "you are not English but speak English". He said: "everyone
speaks English" with the implication that only the French speak
French. His own mother proved this wrong but maybe he considers her
to be French.
--
Seán Ó Leathlóbhair
.
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