For Families
In an increasingly diversified world, more and more children find themselves in an environment where more than one language is used. With life changes that involve moving to different parts of the world, parents can feel overwhelmed by the linguistic demands on them and their children.
What can parents expect of their children? Do parents have anything to contribute to the process of early language development? Does it confuse children to learn two or more languages at once? Do children have to be especially intelligent to be able to cope with more than one language?
On this page you'll find research based answers to such questions and more so that your family can experience harmonious bilingualism.
Here you can get research-based insights from experts on early multilingualism and multilingualism in general.
Podcasts
Is there a language delay for young bilingual children?
Hello! This is Annick De Houwer.
For over 40 years I have been doing research into how young bilingual children develop language. It still amazes me that there are many people out there who think that hearing two languages from a very young age slows down the overall language development process. Let me assure you: it does not. Children who grow up bilingual and so hear two languages from an early age develop at least one of their languages at levels you would expect for their age. There is no overall language delay in young bilingual children. You do have to worry, however, if your child is not saying words in any language by the time she or he is one and a half, or if she or he is not stringing together words into little sentences in any language soon after the second birthday. Not speaking at all or not saying sentences can have several causes, but please, let nobody tell you that it is the bilingual setting that is causing that. A bilingual upbringing is never a reason for a slow language development.
Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for more podcasts about early bilingual development from HaBilNet!
Kletsheads, the podcast about bilingual children
Kletsheads is a podcast for parents, teachers and speech language therapists. What can you expect when raising your children with more than one language? What can you expect if you're raising your children bilingually? What's important? What will help your children's language development and what won't? In each episode, Dr. Sharon Unsworth, linguist and mother of two children (both bilingual, of course), discusses the science behind the language development of bilingual children with another expert. Along the way, there are practical tips, we hear from children about what it's like growing up with two or more languages, and we talk to parents and professionals about their experiences with bilingual children.
Topics include frequently asked questions such as "How do you make sure a bilingual child can read in both languages?" and "How do you know if a bilingual child has a language delay?" and popular topics such as "Bilingualism and academic achievement" and "Trilingualism".
The podcast started in 2019 in Dutch and an English-language edition was launched in October 2020. There are now four seasons of the Dutch-language podcast with a total of 43 episodes, and of the English-language podcast there are three seasons and 29 episodes. The final seasons (2023) were made with support of HaBilNet and conclude this highly popular series of podcasts. Don't worry, they remain available. Find out more here!
Videos
Speak to your children!
Adaptive and stimulating oral interaction between caregivers and young children can create the foundation for successful intergenerational language transmission and harmonious bilingualism.
Tweetalige kinderen
This is a video in Dutch showing how children can be bilingual from a young age. Made by Annick De Houwer, a researcher specializing in bilingual development in children. Thanks to the Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen for the technical support and to students there for recording material.
New book with advice for parents in bilingual families
An interview with its author, Jürgen Meisel
HaBilNet Director Annick De Houwer interviewed Advisory Board Member Jürgen Meisel about his recent book entitled Bilingual children: A guide for parents.
Les enfants bilingues
This is a video in French showing how children can be bilingual from a young age. Made by Annick De Houwer, a researcher specializing in bilingual development in children. Thanks to the Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen for the technical support and to students there for recording material.
Prof. Dr. Annick De Houwer about Inclusion and Participation
At the 4th IFP-Congress "Inclusion & participation – diversity as a chance and a standard" on 26. und 27. June 2013 in Munich, Germany, lecturers were interviewed. Here, Dr. Annick De Houwer, University of Erfurt, answers some questions (in German).
Articles and Links
Below you find short articles and links that will help your family on its way to harmonious bilingualism.
Hold on to your language!
Baby on the way….?
Note: HaBilNet usually does not endorse commercial products, but makes an exception for educational resources such as this one.
Learning how to Read and Write in Two Languages
A Blog Post from our Series "Consultants Sharing Insights"
