Bilingualism and Language Development

For many families who are bilingual or who are considering introducing a new language to their child, there can be lots of questions about whether it’s the right decision. Multilingualism has many benefits for children, including introducing them to their culture and helping connect with family and community.

There are many myths about bilingualism and language, particularly for little ones with language delays. These myths can sometimes be repeated by other people, including health professionals and GPs, and can leave parents feeling unsure or guilty about their child’s language.

Language delays

One of the most common myths is that bilingualism slows a child’s language development, or causes a language delay. The good news is that this is just a myth. Bilingualism does not cause language delay. Research has found that children learning two languages develop language at the same pace as children learning one language.

A language delay can still be present in a bilingual child – just as a language delay can still be present in a monolingual child. However, bilingualism is not the cause. In fact, when parents only use their second language around the child, it can sometimes contribute to a language delay, because it limits the quality and quantity of language the child is exposed to.

Mixing languages

Another common concern for multilingual families is that their child is mixing languages. This is known as code switching, and is common among multilingual children. Using two languages in the same sentence is a natural part of language development for multilingual children, and is not a cause for concern.

Code switching can happen for a few reasons. It may be that the adults around them code switch as well, which is common for many multilingual adults, and the child learns from them. It can also be because the child does not have access to the same vocabulary in both languages. For example, in one language they may have the vocabulary for ‘car’, but not ‘fast’, so they draw from their other language to be able to communicate their message to the listener. This is not a delay. It shows great problem solving to build sentences from a mix of languages.

Strategies to support multilingual children

If you are raising a multilingual child, there are some strategies you can use to keep their language developing. Many of the strategies are the same as what we use to encourage language in monolingual children (see Getting your toddler talking for three strategies to use with your little one). Three more strategies to use at home are:

• Create opportunities for your child to hear language. This could be reading books, listening to music or watching shows in both languages the child is learning, and speaking in both languages throughout the day. There may be environments where one language is used more than the other. For example, a family gathering may be a great place to expose your child to your first language, while out at the playground may be the perfect place to work on English (or the language being used in the wider community).
• Repeat words and sentences with correct language. Just as we would with a monolingual child, if your child is talking and makes an error, repeat it back with the correct words and sentence structure. This can also apply to code switching. If your child says a sentence and code switches part way through, this may be a sign that they don’t have the vocabulary for particular words in their other language. Say the sentence back to them in one language. This gives the child a chance to learn new words and expand their vocabulary. The expectation is not for them to say it back, but rather to increase their exposure to language.
• Model language. Children learn language through listening and imitating. The more you talk, the more likely it is your child will pick up language. Try adding language to routines throughout the day: mealtime, bath time, bedtime, getting into the car, going to the park, getting dressed, brushing teeth. There are so many chances to add language to everyday activities.

If you have concerns about your child’s language development, consider getting an assessment with a speech pathologist, who will be able to provide you with individualised advice and strategies.