Raising a Bilingual Child When You Are Not Bilingual.
It is possible to raise a bilingual child even if you do not speak a second language yourself. It will be a challenge that needs motivation and patience but is not impossible. Being bilingual is a gift and a skill you are giving your child that would pay off. Starting when they are young is better since they can master another language as a native speaker without interfering with their native tongue.
Enroll your child in a bilingual school
Children soak up languages the most between birth and three years old. So start teaching them the new language as soon as they are born. Maximize the exposure to the language by enrolling them in bilingual school or a language immersion program after school. You could also have an au pair or nanny. Organize playgroups where your child will have to speak the language.
Find a bilingual playgroup.
Look for playgroups that focus on the second language that your child gets to speak less in the day. The goal is to get more exposure to the target language. And if that doesn’t exist locally to you, think about starting one yourself.
You can also arrange playdates with other children who speak their second language. The more your child needs to use it, the more they’ll feel like speaking that language ’is useful’ and be interested in learning it.
Books, movies, music, and games
Create an environment where you welcome the language all the time. Play music in your child’s other language, read books in it, and play games, puzzles, or watch shows online that use that language too. Children will never learn simply by ‘soaking’ up other languages, so you will have to teach yourself more actively. But all of this sounding in the background will help.
Learn the language yourself
If you live in a country that speaks a different language than yours, it will increase your and your child’s motivation, especially when he gets older. Use online language programs, watch movies/TV in the language, volunteer in your child’s bilingual class, and travel in the country.
