This is so relatable. I'm an ESL speaker and would love to raise my children to be bilingual, too. And yes, I do find myself wondering a lot if it's realistic to expect them to speak English fluently without it being my native tongue.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Are you thinking of passing on your native tongue to your children?

@josuegarcia8008

Жыл бұрын

@@MultilingualFamily Absolutely! Either through me or my partner. I don't really know much about all the methods there are, though.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Here I created mini-courses where I explain the most effective language learning methods and much more: www.multilingual.family/courses I also have some free videos on my channel where I explain that.

@josuegarcia8008

Жыл бұрын

@@MultilingualFamily Thanks a lot!❤

Very interesting thank you for these valuable tips!

As someone who grew up bilingual, I don't agree with this- language is a very personal expression of the soul. It hurt me very deeply when my mom wouldn't speak German with me because she thought it would tarnish my English, but German was my mother's language, that's why I wanted to speak it with her. So, when she wanted to stop speaking it with me because she thought English development was more important, that really hurt our relationship & our communication - then, I only had my grandparents to speak with when they would visit or when I would insist my Mom speak with me, because I didn't want to lose my maternal language living in America - language is very connecting to culture & spiritual wellbeing, so a child should not be deprived of the language they feel connected to, just because their parent wants them to learn a certain one.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Exactly! That's what I mean by saying that it's not ag good idea to speak another language with children just because of fear that they won't develop the majority language well enough. That's usually a mistake. Your case is an example. Thank you for sharing.

@StrawberryK11

Жыл бұрын

@@MultilingualFamily oh I see. I will listen to the video again, because I must have misunderstood something

@StrawberryK11

Жыл бұрын

@@MultilingualFamily I have also met immigrant parents who are afraid to speak their native language with their children for fear they can't learn a new language, so they are strict about not developing the native language because they think it will make their children weak, so I thought you were meaning that way. I think my Mom just didn't want me to struggle living here, & not thinking so much about my connection to her, but my survival without her. Language expresses so much more than words.

@Mac_an_Mheiriceanaigh

Жыл бұрын

Andrea and other experts all agree that you should always speak your language to your child. So your mother should have spoken German to you. Speaking your native language to your child is always good. Speaking a language you have not mastered to your child is not. Although your mother's choice is her own and we don't know her circumstances, generally speaking, experts would have advised her to speak German to you and not English.

@StrawberryK11

Жыл бұрын

@@Mac_an_Mheiriceanaigh she would speak it with me sometimes but she was always really stubborn about it, so if I said something in German she would just answer me in English, because she wanted me to not get confused in school or start speaking German in school, but my Dad was American, so I don't know why she thought my English development depended on her,but it's like she decided in her mind "I want my daughter to be a perfect English communicator & she doesn't need to worry about German because we're in America & I don't either"

What's the right age to introduce my conlang to my child? It's a personal conlang to be used between us like a secret language.

@MultilingualFamily

9 ай бұрын

Yesterday was the ideal time, today is the next best time 😊

Hi Andrea, I have watched a few of your videos looking for support and I am really glad I found you because I now have at least a starting point. But I still have one question the answer to which I might have missed: I am from Spain, my mother tongue is Catalan (one of the 4 languages spoken in Spain) and my learned at school, tv (...) language is Spanish. My husband was born in the US to Portuguese speaking parents and went to Portuguese school in the US. We live in the US and even though we constantly switch languages because we understand each other's languages perfectly, our main relationship language that we speak to each other 90% of the time, is English. My plan would be to: 1. I will speak to our child in Catalan using OPOL. 2. I will use Spanish in specific situations (games, books, songs, playdates and other external support), using a visual item like a hat. 3. My husband and his parents will speak to the kid in Portuguese using OPOL. 4. MY QUESTION: What language should me and my husband use when we speak to each other and to the kid or the kid is around?

I am cooperating with both Spanish and English because, at one year, research has shown that more exposure to a variety of languages helps the baby connect languages and have better listening at picking up differences.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Sure, but not coming from the same person.

@luzperez4759

Жыл бұрын

Why wouldn't it work if it's coming from the same person?

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

@@luzperez4759 It really depends on many factors. One important point is weather you can keep the language input at a high level, meaning avoiding a mixture that is either ES nor EN. If you use both languages using proven language learning methods (like the OPOL together with the OSOL or the 2P2L method) you are for sure on the safe side.

Hi Andrea, thank you for you videos. I'm wondering what's your opinion on our situation. We have 4 languages in our family and our daughter is almost 2 years old. My strongest languages are Bosnian and English, and I'm also fluent in Swedish. My husband's strongest languages are English and Arabic. Our daughter goes to preschool for 6.5 hours a day where her teachers are all native Swedish speakers. I have mostly been speaking Bosnian to her when we are alone and when the three of us are together we speak English. My husband has also been speaking English to her because he's afraid that introducing Arabic will be too much for her, as he wants English and Swedish to be her strongest languages. He feels that I speak too much Bosnian to her so he feels like there's no space for Arabic. Every night I choose a different language to read books for her. She also interacts with my mom in Bosnian (video and irl) and my husband's side of the family speak Arabic to her but only via video chats, since they live far away. My questions are if 6.5 hours at a Swedish daycare are enough for her to learn the language well enough? Do you think I should speak 80% English to her and then maybe read books in Bosnian and Swedish for the remaining 20%, so that her dad can focus on Arabic? Any other spontaneous thoughts about our situation? Thanks in advance :)

@leha4718

2 ай бұрын

That's the same with our family. I'm Vietnamese, my husband is Bosnian, and we live in Germany with main language in our daily life being English (at home, at work, social life). He does speak Bosnian, English, German fluently; while I speak Vietnamese, English, intermediate German, some Chinese, and starting to learn Bosnian. We were discussing about how to raise our kids multilingual in the future without overwhelming them. My husband believes German and English should be priority for their development, yet I disagree and think English can be passively learned at home as it's our family language, and German will come along the way at kindergarten and school anyway. On the other hand, if we don't actively speak to our kids on our native tongues, they will only have limited sources from grandparents and relatives (mostly video calls), and that would be a pity they don't get to develop that special connection with the cultures of both countries where we're from. We still couldn't reach an agreement on how to tackle this for the future. But from my opinion, I fully support you to continue cultivating your child's Bosnian. Kids are languague geniuses. If she is already 2 years old, introducing the fourth language (Arabic) now should be a good time. Both Bosnian and Arabic are beautiful and I hope she will grow up cherish these 2 at the core of her heart :)

@gemabrett5065

Ай бұрын

Hi Andrea, I'm seeing this question now and I thought about giving you my two cents (I'm raising three bilingual kids, I'm a Spanish teacher to 546 primary students and I'm a Bilingualism Specialist in a country where 107 nationalities coexist together -the beautiful Cayman Islands ;) Here's what I think: Language Exposure: - Swedish Preschool Exposure: With the extensive exposure to Swedish at preschool, it's likely that Swedish will become her strongest language. This is a positive aspect as she will be fluent in the majority language of her environment. - Home Language Use: - Mom-Girl Interaction: When it's just you and your daughter, continue to speak in Bosnian. This one-on-one time in Bosnian will help her develop a strong foundation in the language and maintain a close bond with her Bosnian heritage. - Dad-Girl Interaction: Similarly, when your husband interacts with your daughter individually, he can use Arabic. This focused Arabic input will help her become familiar with the language in a comfortable setting. - Family Conversations: When all three of you are together as a family, you can use English. This will be the language of communication for your family unit. Reading Books: - Family Reading Time: Rotate between reading books in Emglish, Bosnian and Arabic at home. This way, she gets exposure to these languages in a structured and enjoyable activity. - School Reading: At preschool, it's perfectly fine for her to only engage in reading activities in Swedish at her school, she's still very young so this exposure will be sufficient for her. This will complement her learning and provide reinforcement of the language she hears and speaks during the day. Language Balance: - Distribution: This distribution of languages ensures that each language has dedicated time and space in your daughter's life. - Consistency: Consistency is key in language learning. By maintaining these language patterns, you are providing a stable and predictable environment for her language development. Language Identity: Your daughter will develop her own language identity over time. Emphasizing the value and importance of all languages in your family will support her in embracing her multilingualism. - Mom-Girl Interaction: Bosnian - Dad-Girl Interaction: Arabic - Family Conversations: English - Reading Time at Home: English, Bosnian and Arabic - School Reading: Swedish This plan takes into account the strong Swedish exposure she gets at preschool, ensuring she becomes fluent in the community language while also nurturing her connection to English, Bosnian and Arabic. Trust in her ability to navigate these languages with your support and encouragement. Best wishes on your multilingual parenting journey!

Great channel... good luck

@MultilingualFamily

8 ай бұрын

Thanks for the visit

Hi, I found this video a bit confusing and discouraging. I am a stay at home homeschool mom. My daughter will be 5 in August. I have been speaking English, French, Serbian and Spanish with her (Spanish least of all). English is the majority language and the language her dad and I speak to her in mostly. Serbian is my parents' language (I'm very good at it but was born here so English is my strongest language). She understands it very well and can speak back but needs some help. My French is very strong (I did all my education in French) so I'm trying really hard to develop it. Im even wondering whether to start homeschooling in that language. We live in the French province of Canada but hear mostly English still. She understands French well but again struggles to speak. She says it in English and I say it in French and have her repeat back. Spanish is on the back burner. My Spanish is also very good. I spent a lot of time in Spanish speaking countries and did some education in Argentina. My question is how to do this so she can get the benefit of all my languages when I am the only one teaching them to her. I am confused and discouraged and you keep repeating that planning is needed or it can be more harmful than good. Can you give me any tips or recommend any excellent resources (books etc?). We are a one salary family so we are cost conscious too.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Hi Nevena, I understand your point of view. One of the biggest hurdles for us, multilingual parents, is time. So if we divide our time into exposing the child to 4 languages ourselves, the child will take much longer to become fluent in them because our days only have 24 hours. That's why this approach might benefit the child's pronunciation ability at some point, but it can also become frustrating for the child not to be able to express her needs at an age-appropriate level in any language. That is the risk. What are your goals? In any case, you need to find more resources to support the language development of your child. Doing it yourself in 4 languages won't be enough. Ideally, other native speakers are needed, who can build a relationship with your child in those languages. Which is your strongest language? In which language does your child speak to you the most? What other resources do you have (grandparents, aunts, play dates etc.) in the other languages? I can help you readjust your strategy. Drop me an email if you are interested (contact@multilingual.family).

@simonelavigne8618

Жыл бұрын

Bevels, kudos to you. That sounds like a ton of work. Are you in Quebec? If you are in the English school track, continue to homeschool in English. Participate in free library activities in French and in French homeschool groups. Include French books and audiobooks and movies and games into your daily routine. If she goes to school later, she will likely study French but give her a foundation young, even if it is one activity per week and one lesson per day. For Spanish, teach her how to roll her letter r, and have a Spanish game or kids movie that you play often- maybe every other week. It is okay for Spanish to be on the back burner. You are just one person. I am most concerned about Serbian. That is at risk bed she is not in a Serbian community. I encourage frequent contact with family and Serbian friends, to make Serbian speaking natural instead of something forced. If you can’t find any local families or businesses, use online groups and videos. Sone people do a language day or activities such as only Serbian every Tuesday afternoon, complete with a craft, traditional meal, book or movie. Make it fun Try not to stress too much. Four languages is a lot. I am also working on four with my six year old. Hang in there!

I’m glad that i found u before I decide in which language i need to go with my child.. but he’s almost 3years now n as we live in italy they speak italian.. @ home we talk in English n native language (sri lankan) my child speaks English as well & bit of italian.. im worried, if he couldn’t catch italian because of my fault 😢 now he’s mixing both languages when he talks bt i think he knows the difference between the language bcouse if i ask something in italian he responds in italian language.. bt it will be okay in the future or im doing it wrong?? Im really worried.. help please!!!! Thank u!!!!! ❤

Hi Andrea, I try to repeat myself in two languages with my child. I had shared this with you and you had okayed it so now I am surprised that you are saying in this video I should speak only one language.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Hi Semi What I'm trying to say is that it's important to have one main language, one language in which you want to have a relationship with your child, and then use the other ones applying the OSOL or T&P method. What's important is to use proven language learning methods and avoid mixing unconsciously the languages. Do you mean repeat yourself when reading a book? Or when building the vocabulary? That is a conscious choice. I remember our chat, and I think you asked me if it would hurt to repeat some words in other languages. I said it doesn't hurt if you are doing it with a purpose, in your case it was to build the vocabulary. Right? It is probably exhausting to repeat yourself all the time. How is that going? In what language is your child speaking back to you? What are your goals going forward? How well do you want your child to be able to speak each language by 6? It's important to revise and readjust our strategies every couple of years. Let me know if I can help you with that. To deepen your understanding of how to combine methods, consider taking the mini-course Modules 2 and 3 (www.multilingual.family/courses). Contact me if you need anything else. Kind regards.

Super

@user-vv4hg7me1q

4 ай бұрын

Agree with all you say

Andrea, thank you for your videos. Recently I notice that the videos are getting a bit repetitive and stretched. Any chance you could consider being more concise? Maybe start with the main point and then elaborate?

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Sure, what topics interest you?

@ArchenGold

Жыл бұрын

​@@MultilingualFamily i think once a month it may be beneficial if you did an example lesson. A sort of preview to your premium content.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

That's a great idea! Thank for the feedback. I'll consider it in my planning.

English my second language. I speak my child only English to train his English.

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

It's better if you speak your first language with him.

@sutriyankibeti7205

Жыл бұрын

@@MultilingualFamily Why?

@MultilingualFamily

Жыл бұрын

Because children need high quality input of proficient speakers to learn the language well, otherwise they learn mistakes that are later hard to get rid of. Besides it's not possible to build the same quality of relationship in a language that is not fully developed. Science shows over and over again the importance of developing a strong L1 to have a solid foundation to build the other languages on. It is possible to have more than one L1 though. Which one is your strongest language?

@sutriyankibeti7205

Жыл бұрын

@@MultilingualFamily Dakni Urdu

@StrawberryK11

Жыл бұрын

@@sutriyankibeti7205 it really helps the emotional stability of the child as well to speak the mother language & stronger bond to the parent. My mom had the same mentality of wanting to train my English, but it really hurt my connection to her & now I need therapy for it lol