Jim Jam is a mainly English-language channel we watch on satellite
Now that Dylan is talking quite a bit in both languages, I've really begun to research bilingualism and the "best" method for raising a fully bilingual child. The predominant method now for raising a fully bilingual child (as opposed to a child who is passively bilingual, meaning he can understand the "minority" language but can't or doesn't speak it) seems to be "One Parent, One Language" (OPOL) and it means that each parent speaks to the child in his native language. I speak to Dylan in English and Cristiano speaks in Italian. We don't always follow this (Cristiano often slips into English with Dylan), but we try to. The hard thing for me is that I have to speak English to Dylan in all situations - even in public and even with Italian friends and family with whom I'd typically speak Italian. Sometimes I feel rude doing this, but it's important that Dylan see me as the English-speaking parent.
I've read and been told that if I only speak English to him at home, he could begin to "reject" the language as he gets older or feel embarrassed of it. I don't want him to feel like English is some secret language we speak at home behind closed doors. I've also been told not to correct him when he makes mistakes in English but to repeat the phrase in the correct way. If he says "I haved a good time at school," I should repeat "Oh, you had a good time at school? Great!" If he begins to feel like he's constantly being corrected in English, he could also reject the language and refuse to speak it. There is always the fear that the "minority" (meaning if we live here, English would be the minority language and if we live in the U.S., Italian would be the minority language) language will be rejected when he reaches school age and wants to conform to be just like his friends.
When Dylan is with me, I only speak to him in English and if we watch television or DVDs, we watch in English. When he's with Cristiano or my in-laws, he speaks and interacts in Italian. My confusion at this point is that I see that he's more advanced in English, and I don't know if I should "push" for him to get to the same level in Italian. Like in English, he counts to five. I don't know if he actually knows he's counting, but he repeats the numbers one to five like he hears on the Baby Einstein DVD. If I even say "one" (as in "Let's get out one of your trucks") he will finish the phrase with "two, three, four, five!" But in Italian, he doesn't count at all. If you say "uno" in Italian, he will scream out "two, three, four, five!" I think this is probably because we never watch Baby Einstein in Italian, and I wonder if I should play it in Italian sometimes even when he is with me. My inclination is not to and to stick it out with the English and not worry about his development in Italian. I think that will come with time - especially given the fact that we are in Italy now - and there's no reason to "push" him.
It used to be thought that kids who were raised bilingual would have learning disabilities or would be slower than other kids but newer studies show that being bilingual can be an advantage. It seems that bilingual kids are able to "filter" better than monolingual kids since they are having to switch back and forth between languages, and this gives them an advantage in some situations and subjects. We shall see. I know it's still early days. So far, it's been really fascinating to watch how Dylan is developing language-wise.
4 comments:
We are trying to do the same method. I am confused though about what to do when I will be with e and other Italian children. Should I speak in Italian?? Play dates will be tricky.
Hilary,
Yes, play dates get tricky. I think that's why you are supposed to seek out other bilingual kids to hang out with. :) In theory, according to the OPOL method, you should ALWAYS speak English even when out in public or surrounded by Italians. I find it uncomfortable, but I'm trying to do it as much as possible. I'm trying not to overthink it too much, but at the same time I really want him to be able to transition from English to Italian and vice versa fluidly!
I ALWAYS speak to S in english and i don't care where it is or who hears/ looks/ comments. Often it is during other conversations which can get a bit tricky but she seems to adapt fine. Michelle I wouldn't worry about D's italian while you are here. You are about his only english influence whereas the rest of his world is in italian so it will get stronger. I was pretty worried about S's italian after 2.5months away with NONE but after less than 2 months back here she has gone from speaking totally fluently in english (almost forgotten Italian) to totally fluent in Italian. Now to me she speaks an english version with quite a few italian words (ie within 2 months she has already lost her fluency). I'm not sure at what age they separate the two languages properly but to me the important language is always the minority one as that is the one you have to work on. From what I have seen so far it is interacting with other kids that seems to bring a good level of fluency and vocab in language. I've also heard that biligual kids speak later/ learn slower but that hasn't been my experience at all. I'm sure having a chatterbox mother helps!! Vanessa
I am going to try hard to do the same Michelle! I just can't imagine it though if while interacting with e, someone speaks to me in Italian, especially if it's another child. I am sure I am over thinking all this and it will come naturally.
Vanessa, you a chatterbox?! No way! hahahaa! It seems that we should start planning some play dates soon so s can pass along some of her skills. Too bad "D" lives so far away!
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