Bilingual education for children

Teaching a second language to children is the goal of many parents to provide a bilingual education for their children. Thinking and speaking in two languages ​​is easier if you learn both languages ​​since childhood. To achieve this, it is essential that the children "eliminate the translation poin

Teaching a second language to children is the goal of many parents to provide a bilingual education for their children. Thinking and speaking in two languages ​​is easier if you learn both languages ​​since childhood. To achieve this, it is essential that the children "eliminate the translation point" and be able to think directly in the language in which they are speaking. How bilingual education is for children Elvira López

, Communication Director of the Brains School, clarifies the most frequent doubts that parents have about

bilingual education for childrenand its advantages.What is bilingualism? What are its advantages in the education of children?The Royal Spanish Academy defines the concept of Bilingualism as: "habitual use of two languages ​​in the same region or by the same person".

This concept is
relatively abstract

and does not help parents differentiate a bilingual education from a non-bilingual education.E-lingualismis the ability to use with full competence and no interference and in any situation,two different languages ​​. This level represents Perfect Bilingualism (Halliday, Macintosh & Stevens).What are the characteristics of an equilingual student?The Brains School has developed an equ English-Spanish equilingual competence system

where students are immersed in absolute bilingualism. They live the two languages ​​as one, that is, they acquire a single linguistic system with two output channels: English and Spanish. Thus we find that an equilingual student:
- Think in English or Spanish indistinctly.

- It is expressed in the language in which you think. - Does not translate

.

- Master the own locutions and phrases madeof each language.

- Assimilates the cultural worldview of each of the two languages ​​and makes a selective use according to their needs and decisions.

At what age is it appropriate to teach a second language to children? To get a student to reach an equilingual level, that is, a perfect bilingualism, it is very important to take advantage of the de learning of the mother tongue stage, that is until 5 years of age.

A young child learns naturally, does not translate, and can internalize without effort and with the greatest naturalness words and phonemes without major effort. It is of vital importance that at these ages you are exposed to a pronunciation of a native teacher, since you will learn to speak alanguage by imitation. What should be the strategy of parents who speak different languages ​​so as not to confuse the child?In these cases,

the child identifies the language of the interlocutor and will respond consistently in the language of his father or mother in all naturalness

. The key is naturalness.If at some point the child mixes languages, parents should not scold him but the child should perceive that there are different ways of saying the same thing. For example, if in the supermarket your child says "Mommy, I want milk", a perfect answer would be: "Now we buy milk, do not worry". In this way, the child will verify that it has been understood and the mother will have taught her child to use the word milk in either of the two languages ​​as normal.

When it comes to introducing a second language in children's education, what should NOT be done?The most important thing when introducing a second languagein the education of children is to monitor and prevent the establishment of a translation point. In addition, it is convenient that the child is exposed in a systematic and as long as possible to the new language. To follow these steps, the Brains School exposes the youngest students to English during 100 percent of their school day and are always attended by two qualified teachers: a native teacher and a bilingual teacher.

If the child lives with parents who speak different languages, what advice would you give them to choose a school for their child?If the children live in a
bilingual environment regardless of the language spoken at home, the best option would be to choose a biling bilingual school as it has developed a great facility to incorporate and learn any other language or to reinforce the mother tongues It is a great advantage that parents should take advantage of, since it will be an added value for the child.

What can be done so that bilingualism does not delay the development of a young child's speech?The most appropriate way to prevent the development of the child's speech is delayed is that there is a disagreement of the people le who speak to him in each language. As we have said, the child identifies the language with the interlocutor, so it is very easy for him to change the language record according to the interlocutor, be it his teacher or his parents. It is important that there is a differentiation of people and languages: if you speak with the mother in Spanish that is always maintained in that language, and if with the father you speak in English that communication between them is maintained in this language. How is the teaching done and what can be expected from a bilingual school? The organization of teaching in a bilingual school such as the Brains School is programmed taking advantage of the own abilities of the children in each age and their communication skills. Up to 6 years old children follow a

British modelwith an exposure to English in 100 percent of the day. In this way, the natural ability to learn the mother tongue to acquire a second language is used.With the passage to primary school, it is important to divide the subjects in English and in Spanish

placing great emphasis on the fact that learning a second language is not to the detriment of the quality of learning or the amount of global content to be acquired. A parent should expect their child to be bilingual when they graduate and can continue their studies in Spain or abroad. A bilingual school must guarantee the possibility that its students have an international projection.At home, how can parents encourage the learning of a second language in children? It is important to differentiate between the parents who dominate that second language and the one who does not. If the father is not perfect with the language or pronunciation is not adequate, it is better to provide your child with audiovisual programs that allow the child to enter and navigate in that language. The father can give his son emotional support and a follow-up of the learning, but it will be counterproductive if he takes the lead if he is not bilingual. If the father is fluent in the language, it is as easy as speaking to him in that language and developing playful activities that allow him to learn while playing.