image credit: reading time, via flickr

Those of you who are regular readers of our blog know that we like to interview bilingual families to showcase their trials and triumphs because we believe we can all learn from one another. As bilingual publishers we get the chance to meet lots of interesting people, and we often feel the need to share their insight and stories with others who may be going through the same thing. So when I read a blog post by writer Jeannette Cook at ceci n’est pas un cuisine about how her nine year old daughter finally became enthusiastic about reading in English, I knew I wanted to hear more about this bilingual family.

I was especially touched by the following lines from Jeannette’s post, “But I have to say that with raising kids bilingually, especially when they are schooled in a language that is not yours, the pride you feel in their ability is tempered by a bittersweet feeling that they are missing out on something you enjoyed, and hoped they would one day share. I’m talking, I suppose, mainly about books, and reading in English. And specifically, reading children’s books in English…I get a pang in my heart when I see Clover’s older sister reading French translations of childhood classics. But of course she reads faster and better in French, and I’m glad she likes reading, so I won’t force the originals on her…But I wonder, did she not love Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books because she tried them in translation? I want her to love (eventually) the great wealth that is Anglo literature — Dickens and Austen and Catcher in the Rye; I want her to go through a Hemingway phase, and an E. E. Cummings one, and even (should they still be in print) a Judy Blume one.”

I’m sure many bilingual families have experienced similiar sentiments about their children missing out on part of their language and culture. I left a comment on her blog and Jeannette was kind enough to get back to me and answer a few questions about her bilingual readers.

Jeannette’s story in her own words:

In our own home, I’m American and my ex-husband, my girls’ father, is British (English).  So our home language is two sorts of English.   Our girls are being raised bilingually however because we decided to send them to local Belgian schools.  As we live in French-speaking Brussels, they have been immersed in French.

Brussels is a marvelous place if you are interested in the dynamics of bilingualism, or multi-lingualism.  Because of the European institutions, people from all over Europe come here, resulting in all sorts of variations on the bilingual theme:  mother and father with two different languages; mother and father with same language but the language of the place where they are living is different; mother and father with two different languages PLUS the language of the place is different.  This is in addition to the language friction which exists between the French and Flemish speaking parts of Belgium.  Brussels is officially bilingual, but the two languages divide themselves not only geographically, but socio-economically. There’s a lot of language going on here!

My own level of French is fair, though far from fluent.  I used to read to the girls mostly in English when they were very small — say, pre-school age — but once they were about 6 or 7 I didn’t push the English because I wanted them to be very solid with reading and writing in French, because that is the language they are schooled in.

I have no doubt that my oldest daughter (12) finds it easier to read in French at the moment and that is why she tends to read more in that language.  That being said, she has discovered that many books she likes have been translated from English and that she can get the latest in her favorite series faster if she gets it in English. So she’s motivated now to be able to do both with similar ease.  Because of the interest my youngest daughter (9) has shown in reading, and the positive reinforcement she gets from being able to read beginner’s books, I will keep encouraging her to read to me now.

Another thing about why my eldest leans towards reading French: her peer group is reading in that language.  If she wants to exchange books or talk about books with her friends, it’s going to be French language books, not English ones.

In general, reading is a big feature in our lives… books everywhere in the house, Amazon orders, hanging out in bookstores… It would have been hard for them not to be interested, one way or another.

Thanks so much to Jeannette for sharing her story with us, and we wish you the best of luck!

image credit: kindergarten is fun, via flickr

This is the second post in a two part series on finding creative new ways to expose kids to the minority language. Yesterday we talked about the importance of letting your kids know why it’s important for them to learn the minority language you are trying to teach them and gave you a few fun suggestions on how to do this (click here to read yesterday’s post if you missed it). Today we’re going to talk about the other golden rule for effective language learning: make it fun.

Unfortunately not everything parents have to teach their children is a barrel of laughs and, if you have made the decision to speak a minority language to your child, I’m sure you’re aware that there will be times when you will have to scold your child in that language. That said, you’ll also have many, many opportunities to do fun activities with your children in the minority language which will inevitably affect the way they view that language. The more positive your child’s view of the minority language is, the more likely he will be to continue speaking that language as he grows older. Making language learning fun is one of the most important things parents in a bilingual home can do to increase a child’s interest in the minority language. Here are a few fun summer activities to get you inspired:

*Take your kids on a treasure hunt. This requires a bit of planning, but it’s a great interactive way to reinforce vocabulary in the minority language. Make a list of items with their names and photographs, then hide those items around your home or yard. Help your child study the list and go searching for each item one by one. The complexity of the items and their hiding places can increase as your child grows older, but children of all ages love a great treasure hunt. You can include a special prize for the child at the end of the hunt (we suggest a book), although it’s really not necessary.

*Get cooking. It’s amazing how many of the foods we eat are so linked with language and culture. Why not take advantage of this by spending some time with your kids in the kitchen this summer? You can print out a list of ingredients in advance and let your child help you check off every item on the list as you cook. This will reinforce food vocabulary and initiate your child in the art of cooking from a young age. It’s also a great opportunity for your child taste recipes from countries where the minority language is spoken.

*Make the minority language seem like a secret code. Of course, as we discussed yesterday, it’s very important for children to realize that learning another language will allow them to communicate with many people in the world who don’t necessarily speak the majority language. But it can also be fun to let children feel like learning the minority language is part of being in a secret club. If your child responds well to this idea, you could even set up a real club with passwords, membership cards and rules (one of which should be always speaking in the minority language, of course!)

*Read to and with your children. We’ve said it many times before, and we’ll continue to say it until it sinks in. Shared parent-child reading is one of the most important tools you have to help your child’s language development along, not to mention all of the other wonderful skills reading helps to develop. Just this once I’ll spare you the drill on why reading is so very important to focus on the fact that reading out loud to your children can also be a lot of fun. If you choose your books wisely, nightly storytime at your house can be one of the most enjoyable parts of both your days. Click here for a few tips on how to make storytime a more interactive experience.

*Relive childhood memories with your children. Remember all those fun games you played when you were a kid? How many of them had little songs and rhymes to go along with them? It doesn’t matter whether you played Ring Around the Rosy or Al corro de la patata as a child, your kids are going to have a great time either way. And they’ll not only be learning the minority language; they’ll be learning your culture too!

*Keep a summer journal. Help your child create his first bilingual journal, so that he can write about all the fun activities you are doing together every day in both languages. Encourage him to describe these activities in detail. If your children are not old enough to write yet, ask them to describe these things for you to write down. You can even help your child decorate the journal to make it even more special.

Have a blast, and let us know if you have any great ideas of your own!

image credit: yield to children, via flickr

Summer is here and the kiddos are out of school, which for many families means establishing a new routine until school starts up again in the fall. But just because they’re not going to class for a few months doesn’t mean that your kids’ little sponge-like brains aren’t just waiting to absorb all sorts of new information. Summer can be a great time for bilingual families to find creative new ways to expose kids to the minority language and see their language skills grow by leaps and bounds. There are just two golden rules for effective language learning: make it necessary and make it fun. In this two part article, today we’ll be taking a look at ways to let kids know how necessary it is for them to learn another language and tomorrow we’ll be focusing on how to make it a fun.

Making it Necessary: As most of us know, children are often much smarter than we give them credit for. Most young children look for logic in the world around them, as is evidenced by their constant queries as to why things are the way they are. When it comes to learning a minority language at home, kids are naturally going to question why this is necessary when Mommy and Daddy and everyone around them can all speak the majority language. Your job is to show your kids why learning another language is necessary. Here are a few ideas to help you out:

*Sit down with your kids and explain to them that there are many countries in the world that speak many different languages. Let them know that each new language they learn will allow them to communicate with new and interesting people. You’d be surprised how much even the youngest of children can understand if we explain things to them clearly.

*Make it personal. Look for other families in your area that are raising their children bilingually in your minority language and try to set up a playgroup or organize other activities where your children can hear the minority language spoken in a natural context (I realize this may be much easier said than done in some areas). Making friends in the minority language will help your child see how useful speaking that language really is. Note: Please check out the Bilingual Communities section on our website for more options. Those of you who live in Madrid can also check out Kids in Madrid for English speaking activities in Madrid.

*Times are hard but, if you can afford it, traveling to a country where the minority language is spoken is hands down the easiest way to get maximum exposure for your children. A visit to the grandparents, aunts and uncles can be just what the doctor ordered for a child who no longer sees the need to use the minority language. If you aren’t able to travel yourself, a visit from family or friends from abroad can also do the trick. Speaking the minority language in a natural setting also has the added bonus of boosting your child’s confidence in that language, which will make it much more likely for him to keep speaking the language at home.

*Encourage your children to keep up with friends and family abroad by helping them write letters and postcards in the minority language. This is a great way to practice writing skills and has the added benefit of keeping families strong despite the distance. Even if your kids are too young to write, you can let them help you write down what they would like to say. Of course emails also work in the same way, but receiving a real letter or postcard in the mail is a pretty exciting event for a child.

*Be an example for your kids. The more your children hear you speaking the minority language in many different settings, the more they will want to be a part of that. Making the minority language a part of everything you do will make it much easier to convince your kids to actually speak that language. We can’t expect our children to value something that we don’t value ourselves, so be sure to nurture the minority language and use it as often as possible in your home.

That’s it for today, but be sure to tune in tomorrow for creative ideas on how to make learning the minority language fun for you and your kids!