Since I published this blog, two bloggers that I know and love to read have posted their stories and their take on the OPOL issue, so I thought I’d share them with you.
Stephanie Meade of InCultureParent shares her family’s OPOL experiment here: Why OPOL Doesn’t Always Work.
Annabelle Humanes of the piri-piri lexicon tells of her journey from OPOL researcher to OPOL parent here: From linguist to mum: looking back
I’d love to hear your OPOL stories if you’d like to share them too.
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I am participating in the organistion of the DRONGO festival of multilingualism, being held in Amsterdam on September 28, 2013 (2nd edition).
We are looking for Saturday/Sunday Heritage language schools, to participate in multilingual children’s activities. In particular, we are holding a multilingual reading of Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. We’d like to have as many languages represented as possible, so if you belong to, or know of a language school, please contact me at eowyn@crisfieldeducationalconsulting.com
Also, if you belong to any other organisation that might like to participate, please let me know – we are trying to include the international community this year, and there will be events and activities in English, alongside the Dutch stream.
Thanks in advance for spreading the word!
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Over the weekend, I spent many hours running the canteen at an Irish dance “Feis”. My daughter is a dancer, and every year they host a competition, attracting dancers from various parts of Europe. Over the weekend, I spoke to people from Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Finland, England, Ireland, the US and Canada. The most satisfying part of the experience was being able to help people in their own language. People say that English is the global language, and that if you speak English you don’t need anything else. I disagree, and this weekend was a good example of why. When people approached my canteen counter, I could often tell they were hesitant to order – worried about which language to use, and not wanting to get it wrong. I quickly figured out that the best way to put them at ease was to offer “English, francais or nederlands?”. I only speak a little German, but there was a German woman helping out and she took over the German side of things. It was such an amazing experience to see how people relax and feel more at ease when someone offers them linguistic options – and communication becomes an act of inclusion rather than exclusion when both people are making an effort.
But watching my daughter do the same was equally moving as well – she speaks English and French fluently and her Dutch is reasonably good, but she is shy about using it. Having the opportunity to use all three languages, sometimes in the same conversation was something that really brought home to her how lucky she is to have the opportunity to be multilingual, and how powerful it can be to speak to people in their own languages, rather than always through the medium of English.
The whole event was surrounded by an impressive linguistic atmosphere, with people speaking in many languages, and moving back and forth between them to achieve the best communication. Germans speaking French with Belgians, and Belgians speaking English with Italians and so many other combinations. It led me to reflect, once again, on the idea of “translanguaging” in bilingualism. Once we move past our ideas that a language is static and must be used as such, we realize that language is infinitely changeable and malleable and that we can do whatever we want with it to promote communication and inclusion. Seeing translanguaging in action was a brief insight into what communication could be like if we all make an effort to use the languages of people around us.
Next week: An introduction to translanguaging for bilingual education and bilingual families.
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I’ve been thinking about this issue for a while, and was finally motivated to write about it by a post on a parenting board. A Spanish-speaking American mother was considering her language use with her children, and how much Spanish she does or should use with her children. This sparked a discussion with some other children of immigrants, and even from that small sample, the trends of language use in the US came through. Statistically, by the third generation, Americans have lost the language that came to the country with their grandparents. Despite the recent increase in xenophobic panic and “English only” movements, this trend is still firmly in place (Source). First generation immigrants tend to arrive with limited English, so they continue to speak to their children in their own language (Mother Tongue, heritage language, first language, community language…). The second generation grows up bilingual, in their parents’ language and in English, but they raise their own children, the third generation, to be English monolinguals.
Why is this? Is it something we should be worried about? Is there anything that can be done? The answers to the first and last questions are quite clear-cut. The answer to the second one, however, is much more personal.
The reasons for the shift away from bilingualism can’t be described in one short post, but in a nutshell, I think the most important elements are language status and lack of information. You can read more about language status here but basically, home languages in the US are viewed as unnecessary and not worthy of serious effort to sustain. On the flip side, in Canada, where “Heritage Languages” receive government support, in policy and in funding, the results are quite different. Over the last 50 years, the number of immigrants succeeding in transferring their language through three generations has increased greatly (Source. The difference in perceived value and institutional support helps immigrants maintain their language, and pass it on to their children. So, that’s the “why”, in brief (and only for a certain situation).
Now let’s look at what can be done. Firstly, every immigrant, migrant, refugee needs to understand the value of the language and the culture they bring with them. You can be American, or Canadian, and be bilingual, or not speak English perfectly. After all, the first languages of these countries were hugely diverse, and none of them were English. Secondly, there needs to be a better transmission of knowledge about the benefits of bilingualism. There are so many potential cognitive, linguistic and social benefits to bilingualism that people don’t always know about, or understand. There needs to be a better societal and educational understanding of why bilingualism is beneficial, to refute the on-going discussions about bilingualism being a threat. This starts with everyone who works with parents and small children – doctors, nurses, health clinics, social workers, teachers – these people all need a better understanding of why bilingualism should be encouraged, and how to do so.
And now the stickier question – should we be worried? In my opinion, absolutely, but of course I am going to say that. In reality, every family facing the choice of moving to a new monolingual standard after immigration, or keeping bilingualism alive in their family has to make their own choice. For families who arrive in a new language location with young children, the best choice is to maintain bilingualism. The potential risks of “dropping” a language for a child are great – these populations are at risk of not “mastering” any language and therefore suffering academically. But for families who are raising the third generation, parents who can speak English (or the main language of their new home) fluently, is there an imperative to pass on the “old” language and aim for bilingualism? And if this choice is made, is it possible to pass on another language when faced with the juggernaut of English in the US (or Canada, or the UK…)? Yes, it is possible, but it takes dedication and planning. Do some research, and understand first all of the really great things your kids will take away from being bilingual. Consider how hard it will be for them to try and learn another language later, through an imperfect education system. Consider also the benefits that you, yourself, have had from being bilingual- linguistic benefits, but also the contact with your culture and your heritage. If all of these combine to make you sure that you want to pass your language on, then make a plan that will get you there. You need to consistently expose your children to the other language, you need to have resources for reading, and encourage other family members and friends to use the language with your children. You need to bring the language alive for your children, so that they can understand and communicate and feel a part of the people represented by the language.
For more information on Family Language Planning you can read here.
For more information on minority language support you can read this post about creating monolingual situations to support minority language growth, and this post for families where only one parent speaks the minority language.
In my opinion, not only as a specialist, but also as a bilingual who worked very hard as an adult to become bilingual, it’s absolutely worth the effort and planning to pass another language, and a cultural heritage, on to a new generation.
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As a Canadian, I am very aware of the political nature of bilingualism in many places. Historically, language has been used to dominate and assimilate, and to include or exclude certain groups from mainstream society. Language is not only about communication, but also about culture and thought and how we interact with others. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#atop) forbids discrimination on the basis of language. Yet still, in the 21st century, language is used as a political weapon.
A few weeks ago a good friend in Canada (hi Ian!) directed my attention to an article about the Quebec language laws, and plans to restrict English further. (http://m.publishing.rogers.com/macleans/share/2012-35/08a_nat_patriquin.html). I’ve been gone from Canada for a long time, but I lived in Quebec for almost ten years, and became bilingual in Quebec, and felt a strong sense of belonging in my “francophone” life there. It saddens me greatly to see that politicians in Quebec are still restricting access to English, for reasons that are entirely political and not at all pragmatic. For people who aren’t aware of the language laws in Quebec, Bill 101 lays out what activities can happen in English in the province, and under what conditions, including in the field of education. Generally speaking, the only people who have the right to English-language schooling for their children must also have been schooled in English themselves, at the primary or secondary levels. This was done to prevent immigrants and refugees from choosing English-language schools for their children, to increase the numbers of French speakers. A worthy end-goal, but certainly a vinegar approach rather than honey. In the new legislation, they would extend these limitations to post-secondary education as well, meaning that francophone students would no longer be allowed to attend English-language colleges (CEGEPS).
I absolutely understand the desire to maintain the French language as the language of Quebec, both emotionally and functionally. However, I abhor the use of language to segregate and marginalize. When I was teaching in France, my students often mentioned that it must be hard to teach such low-level learners, after teaching in Quebec, where everyone surely spoke English very well. Unfortunately, not true. Years of politicking about language and restricting language learning and use has led to a great divide in Quebec, as one of the only places in the world that I can think of where people actively refuse the use of a second language.
Far from learning from our past, when linguistic minority groups were routinely discriminated against and eliminated, language discrimination seems to be once again on the rise. From the Quebec situation to activist groups in the US pushing for “English-only” legislation, we seem to be celebrating bilingualism on an individual level, but still can’t deal with it on a societal level in many places. Europe has a “language rich Europe” program, but speakers of minority or immigrant languages are still routinely discriminated against. School children are still being forbidden the use of their home language at school, and being forced to use only a language that they do not master. And politicians are still using the emotional power that language stirs up to promote their own nationalist, discriminatory agendas.
There is not really one thing we can do to change this, except to keep advocating, not only for our own families, but for everyone’s families, the benefits of bilingualism and the understanding that comes with using the language of another.
In the next weeks I am going to spend some time looking for online resources to help share the message of positive bilingualism, please share your resources as well.
/end political diatribe…
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Continuing in the spirit and theme of helping your children fit in with a new culture, I’d like to talk briefly about the benefits of having your children acquire a “temporary” language. These days, more families are moving to other countries/cultures with their children, for a few or several years, and then moving either home or on to the next posting. How should parents decide if a language is “worthwhile” or not?
In my opinion, it is almost always valuable to have your children learn the host-country language, as least to some extent. How much time and effort to put into it depends on the family situation – schooling options, age of children, length of posting and other languages in the family.
Firstly, let’s consider very young children from monolingual families. Any family moving with children who are under school age should consider day care/play school/preschool options in the local language. There are demonstrated benefits to acquiring two languages from a young age (cognitive, linguistic, social), so if you have this opportunity for your children, why pass it up? At most, they will go on to become fluent speakers of the language, and to have improved abilities to learn other languages later in life. At worst, they will have developed their language-learning facility and broadened their phonetic repertoire – even if they don’t maintain the language after leaving the host country. In addition, it sends a powerful message to children about the value of learning other languages – an especially important message in families where both parents speak the same language.
For school-age children, the decision is affected by different factors. I have seen school-aged children “dropped” into local schools, and have great experiences and come out “bilingual” in a few years. However, I’ve also seen school-aged children struggle with the transition to being in an environment where they are not linguistically competent. At this age and stage, much depends on the personality and motivation of the individual child. If the child is willing and able, they can absolutely benefit from a few years of school in another language, and if they become literate in the language they have the means to sustain it after leaving the host country. For other children, the compromise to academic achievement, confidence and social skills is too great, and the sink-or-swim method is not appropriate. A best-case scenario is sometimes a local school that has programs in place for language learners and support for the home language as well. In the (frequent) absence of such a school, an international that teaches in the home language but emphasizes learning of the host country language is sometimes the best option.
For older children – secondary school age – immersion in a local school is generally very difficult. The weight of academic content at the secondary school level leaves very little time for learning language to the level children need to function in academic classes. Therefore, the best choice again is often a school that teachers in the home language, but that also has strong support for learning the local language.
Overall, children of all ages can benefit from learning a language that they may not ultimately maintain throughout their lives. For younger children, the benefits may be more linguistic and cognitive in nature, while for older children the benefits may be more attitudinal, but there is almost always a case to be made for helping your children learn the local language in your travels.
Last night I had the pleasure of spending the evening with a very diverse group of parents. All of them had children who will grow up with two languages, and many had children growing up with three or more languages. A few of the families are lucky enough to have multilingual partners, who speak each other’s languages and can use a variety of bilingual strategies. However, most bilingual families, mine included, have parents who share one common language, but do not master the language of their partner. In a lot of these situations, each parent speaks his/her language to the child, and together they speak English. This dynamic makes it trickier to support a minority language, because it can be used only by one parent.
Last night there were several parents who are transmitting to their children minority languages with small numbers of speakers. The hard task in front of these parents is not only how to provide enough language input for the children to acquire the language, but they also have to try and support the status of the language, so the children will want to speak it. The question then is what tools and techniques can parents use to promote the acquisition and use of a language which seems insignificant in a child’s world. Without visible institutional and community support (TV, school classes, community groups) it can be a daunting task.
One of the most valuable sources of support comes from within families. Having the dominant-language partner involve themselves in the process of supporting the minority language sends a powerful message to the children about language status and language usefulness. For example, if the mother is the only Polish speaker (Hi Olga!), the father may not be able to learn to speak Polish fluently (no time, aptitude, desire or other), but he can certainly enter into the discussion about why Polish is useful and a good thing to learn. He can also learn a few words of Polish – either from his wife or from the children – to engage in some some small way with the minority language. Even if it’s just learning how to say “I love you” and “good night”, it’s a visible and tangible reminder of the place of Polish in family life, and that Polish is valued by both parents.
So, if you are a family with a very minor minority language, consider how your actions may be helping or hindering the place of that language in your children’s eyes and think about what steps you can take to create a home in which all languages are valued and supported.
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Well, I promised a post from Parma, and here it is, almost a week later. It was such a whirlwind conference, book-ended on each side by long days of travel, that I’ve hardly had time to settle into the experience.
Here are a few thoughts:
1. It’s really, really hard to try and function in another language. Being in Italy was a good reality check for me – very few people spoke English and I had to work hard using all my multilingual skills to be understood and understand. This included at the conference, where several of the panelists spoke in Italian and French. The French I can handle, although it’s been a long time since I did any “serious” comprehension in French, rather than day-today stuff (domains of use…). The Italian was hard work! I chose not to get the translation head phones, as I wanted to live the experience of being a student in a classroom who doesn’t master the language – mentally difficult, socially marginalizing, and emotionally challenging. I’ve renewed my dedication to bringing training to school teachers who work with language learners in the classroom – these kids need the best support available.
2. There are so many truly multilingual people in this area of the world – some of the panelists spoke in four languages or more at different points, using their language skills to help include those who didn’t master the main languages of the conference (English, Italian and French).
3. Alexander Rawlings – Most multilingual student in the UK. Alex Rawlings looks like a typical young English man. He is a student at Oxford, and enjoys travel and chatting with people he meets – in 11 languages. Yes, you read that right, he speaks 11 languages, at the age of 20 years old. How? Well, the best way to find out is to watch this clip:
What I was impressed with was not so much his linguistic abilities, but more his linguistic motivations. He didn’t learn to speak so many languages to be cool (is being multilingual cool?) or to impress people, he did it out of a desire to communicate with people and understand them through their own languages. He brought a friend along to the conference, Sam (sorry Sam, I can’t remember your family name!) who is also studying languages (French and now Russian), and to meet young people who are dedicated to learning other languages is a breath of fresh air. All too often these days, people think (especially English speakers) that English is “enough” and don’t bother with other languages. That’s a shame in many ways, and meeting students like Alex and Sam renews my hope that people haven’t given up on learning foreign languages.
So, those are my initial thoughts from Parma, although I still have a lot to ponder on…
And now for a more practical matter; Next week I am co-hosting a parent seminar with Delft Mama and Nomad Parents.
This seminar is a 2-hour introduction to the theory and practice of raising bilingual children, and is taking place in Delft, on November 28.
For more details (there are a few open places left) follow this link:
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vOne of the most difficult problems parents can face when raising children with more than one language is the difficulty in getting accurate assessments and support if a child needs speech therapy. Unfortunately, most training programs for speech therapists do not address bilingual speech development, and few therapists have access to resources for bilingual children.
When advising parents with concerns, I always emphasize two aspects of this issue. Firstly, you need to have the child evaluated in both/all languages, to get a clear picture of their development. It isn’t as easy as you may think to determine the child’s “strongest” language – they may have more vocabulary in one, but better grammar in the other. The best case scenario is one speech therapist who can evaluate/support in both languages. That is usually not possible, so the next best choice is two or more speech therapists, working in their own languages. In this case, it’s important to work with speech therapists who are “bilingual friendly”, so that they don’t treat your child as a monolingual. However, finding local therapists who can work in other languages isn’t always easy.
A few months ago, I was introduced to a new system of telespeech, an online platform called “TinyEYE”. TinyEYE was created in Canada, where there are many remote populations where children have no access to speech therapy services. It provides professional services via Internet, with a qualified and trained speech therapist assigned to each child. This is a fantastic development not only for remote populations, but also for the international bilingual community.
TinyEYE is now working in Europe, based in the Netherlands. At this time, they can offer online therapy in Dutch, English and French, and are working on translating the materials into other languages. The breadth and depth of the therapy options available through the platform are impressive, as is the tracking system which allows parents, teachers and therapists to collaborate through the platform. An extra bonus is that it is great fun for kids, so getting them to participate should be easy.
If you are a bilingual family having difficulty finding a qualified speech therapist local to you who can work in one of these languages, it’s worth a visit to TinyEYE to see if they can help you. TinyEYE also works with schools, so if your child’s school needs access to therapists working in other languages, this could also be useful for them.
I’ve been working with bilingual families for many years, and this development is one of the most positive I’ve seen in terms of helping families access resources for their children. And that will only improve, as TinyEYE increases the number of languages available in their system.
NB This is not a paid advertisement – I’m writing about TinyEYE because I think it is a great resource for families.
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For any interested parents:
There are still a few spaces available for my “Raising Bilingual Children: Six steps for Success” seminar, October 17, in The Hague. More details can be found at: http://www.passionateparenting.nl
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