Parents may need help understanding the process which their children go
through while learning a new language. Parents may see different behaviors
than we see at school. The following information is geared specifically
to helping parents understand what their children are experiencing. Feel
free to distribute the following information to families who may benefit
from it.
Learning a new language takes time and patience. Your child faces a
great task-learning information in a different language. Not only does
he/she have much to learn about social studies, math, and science, but there
is also the fact that this information is given in a langugae that they are
just beginning to learn. Although the development of the English language
varies Hafor each child, there are some general patterns.
The Critical Period
"The Critical Period Hypothesis," is a term coined by liguistic researchers
Burt and Dulay. The theory supports the notion that the period of time from
birth up to the beginning of puberty (11-13 years of age) is the window of
opportunity for learning a second langugae like a native speaker. According
to this theory, it is far more difficult to learn a new langugae fluently
after the critical period is over. While this seems true in general, there
are many individuals who are able to learn a second langugae successfully,
although not like a native speaker, in adulthood.
The Silent Period
Language learners also go through a silent period. There are periods of
time when the learner needs to stop interacting and take in the environment
around them. Although it seems that your child is not working during these
times, they are. S/he is doing some of the most important work in language
development-processing the langugae. This silent period is a good sign that
your child is on his/her way to becoming proficient in a new language.
Learning a second langugae may take a child three to seven years. A
child's ability to master the language depends on factors like their age and
the similarity of the new language to their first language. It is amazing
that in just a few years, your child will understand and speak English almost
as well as a native speaker!
What To Do At Home
The best thing you can do for your child during the language transition
is to listen. Allow him/her to speak in the first language(L1) about
everything s/he is experiencing. Speaking and reading in L1 helps your
child's brain process in a way that is not yet possible in English. It is
very important that your child has the opportunity to speak in his/her native
tongue in order to allow for cognitive development.
In addition to listening, it is also important for you to take notice of
your child's behaviors that may indicate that your child is struggling in
adapting to his or her environment. It is probable that your child will need
to talk about the changes s/he is experiencing with the new culture and
his/her new life in the United States.