Families often worry about a multitude of problems when parents and children set about learning French at different levels. Speech therapist Sarah McKeown, who deals with bilingual children and adults and has worked with the Poitou-Charentes language support group Accents, suggests 20 key points which could help ease fears
WHILE learning a second language like French may seem a daunting task it is important to remember bilingualism is normal.
All over the world, millions are bought up to speak two or more languages as part of their natural life.
However, many people in France are concerned about issues raised by the learning of a second language, particularly as they get older, and I aim to give some reassurance.
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It is not important for children to learn French before they start at nursery or school – however, it is very important that they learn to understand and use at least one language from an early age. It does not matter which language they learn first.
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Parents should be encouraged to talk to their children in whichever language feels most natural. That way, they provide natural and fluent models of how to talk. Adults naturally emphasise important words and use their voices to hold a child’s attention. This is much easier to do in your mother tongue than in another language.
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One person – one language. Parents (and other family members) should be encouraged to stick to this guideline as it helps children distinguish between the different languages they are hearing. A child with an English-language parent and a French-language parent should hear the two languages from birth.
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Children learning two languages will often mix the two within the same sentence – it is common because they are not yet really aware they are learning two languages. For example, they will says “Can I have a gout of that?” or “Where are my gants?” This is natural – all children mix up words and sentences as they learn to talk.
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It is important not to correct children if they make an error – model back the appropriate sentence, without any pressure on them to repeat. So, if the child says: “I manged that at school today”, repeat back, “Oh, you ate that at school today, did you?”
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Contrary to stereotype, adults can be good foreign language learners. The context in which adults learn is the major influence on their ability to acquire the new language. Adjustments in the learning environment, attention to factors such as motivation and self-confidence and the use of effective teaching methods will have a positive impact on any difficulties they might have experienced in the classroom.
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Adults studying French are usually learning it for a specific purpose – often because they live, or are planning to live, in France. Adults need learning materials and methods that give structures and vocabulary that will be of immediate use to them. Activities that do not incorporate real life experiences will succeed with few older learners. And …
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Studies comparing the rate of second language acquisition in children and adults have shown that although children may have an advantage in achieving native-like fluency in the long run, adults actually learn languages more quickly than children in the early stages.
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Beware of missing developmental speech and language delay in children with French as a second language. Often, parents become so concerned with how their child is managing at school with French, that it becomes easy to lose sight of how their English skills are developing.
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Any difficulties in English are likely to have an impact on the rate and success of learning French.
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More than a third of all English words are derived directly or indirectly from French, and it is estimated that English speakers who have never studied French already know 15,000 French words. So you are already half-way there.
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Most children make some speech sound errors as they learn to talk, such as saying “tar” for “car”. This may also be evident as they learn French. The advice is the same for both French and English. If a child makes an error, model back the word correctly without pressure on them to repeat it.
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Children learning a second language after the first has been established can go through a “silent period” which may last quite a long time but has importance in developing true understanding of the new language. It may cause anxiety to some teachers, but should be treated as normal, like any settling-in period in a new environment.
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Many children go through a phase of “normal non fluency” between the ages of about two and four. Parents can become very worried that their child is stammering. Certainly, it can be a shock when your child starts speaking differently, “out of the blue” and sometimes they may get quite stuck. This can be painful to witness and you may feel helpless and worried as a parent. Some days, or time periods, may seem more difficult than others. The non-fluency and sticking may come and go. Evidence shows that the majority of children outgrow this phase of non-fluency over a few weeks or months – although at the time this can be hard to believe.
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Children who are exposed to learning a second language may be more likely to go through this phase of non-fluency. It is important not to put any additional pressure on a child if that happens and to remember the phase is most likely to pass. It will also pass more quickly if you do not show anxiety about it. You should try to show your child you are giving them your full attention when they are speaking and resist the urge to finish the sentence for them, or to tell them to slow down and start again. The more attention you draw to any fluency issues, the more likely it is that it will become more established.
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Exposing a child to more than one language will not cause a long-standing speech and/or language delay.
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There are many professionals with a range of expertise to contact if you have questions or concerns.
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Being bilingual protects your brain. Being fluent in two languages may help to keep the brain sharper for longer.
Researchers from York University in Canada carried out tests on 104 people between the ages of 30 and 88. They found that those who were fluent in two languages, rather than just one, were sharper mentally.
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Foreign language learners have enhanced listening skills and sharper memories than their monolingual peers. Language learners illustrate greater cognitive flexibility, problem solving and higher order thinking skills.
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Finally: if, like me, you have children here in France, what more of a motivator for learning French is there, than the fear of that day when they come home from school and chat with you with phrases that you simply cannot understand.
Share you experiences of bringing up bilingual children with other readers. What tips do you have for learning French? What methods could you recommend. Let us know at contact@connexionfrance.com
