Is Bi-Lingual Education Important to You?...

[OurPreciousHand]

My daughter has been speaking/learning Spanish since the age of two- I started learning Spanish at age 10 and always wished I'd learned it earlier. I think it's very important for kids to be bi-lingual.

What do you all think? I know being bilingual or tri-lingual is common practice in Europe but it seems in the US like we don't care as much because English is "all we need." I think that's kind of shortsighted and putting kids at a disadvantage. I wish I had grown up speaking five languages!

 

[Dadu2004]

If it's not important now, it will be very soon as Spanish becomes more common-place in our country.

 

[Claire64]

My kids have been learning Spanish in school, starting in 4th grade. They also know some people who speak a lot of Spanish, so they get some in the community.

I speak both English and French (my mom is from Quebec) so my kids get some French too.

I do think that speaking more than one language is very important. I love learning languages and at one point, I could communicate pretty well in Italian, German and Spanish, but I haven't kept it up.

I encourage my kids to speak Spanish and French whenever they have the chance and they actually like it.

 

[fallon]

my daughter started learning Spanish at 2. I think it's wonderful for children to learn more then one lang. I also think it's very important for them to learn about the cultures also

 

[Trina]

I took 3 years of Spanish in high school, and have taught my kids a little. They also have good friends from Columbia who speak Spanish, so they get a little practice there, but other than an occasional "Spanish for kids" course through our local rec. department, there are no formal language classes for kids until Gr. 7 in our district. DS is going into Gr. 7 next year, and because he's concerned about his regular classes (one of them Honors) and the Middle School work load, he decided to wait until Gr. 9 to start a language. I support his decision. Although I think learning a different language can be an asset, I also think regular studies come first.

 

[Amber]

If it's not important now, it will be very soon as Spanish becomes more common-place in our country.

I agree with this. Also, you're seeing a lot more French on package directions along with Spanish.

Once I start back to college in August, I'm thinking of taking a foreign language course, even though it's not required. Just can't make up my mind if I want to take Spanish, French or German. I think Spanish is more predominant, but French is so pretty and German is my ancestor's language.

I think I'll want my children to take a foreign language as well. Bilingual skills are always helpful in jobs.

 

[budnkota]

absolutely. More and more jobs are REQUIRING spanish. You are at a disadvantage in the job market if you are not bilingual, and that is only going to be more the case by the time children my son's age are running the world. I wish my son where learning spanish. He learned a tiny bit of urdu when being watched by a Pakastani neighbor, which was amazing, because she'd only make a comment now and then to her son in her native language. When they go home, that kid will have it made in his home country, b/c he speaks english like a native.

 

[Mindy]

My daughter has been speaking/learning Spanish since the age of two- I started learning Spanish at age 10 and always wished I'd learned it earlier. I think it's very important for kids to be bi-lingual.

What do you all think? I know being bilingual or tri-lingual is common practice in Europe but it seems in the US like we don't care as much because English is "all we need." I think that's kind of shortsighted and putting kids at a disadvantage. I wish I had grown up speaking five languages!

Totally agree with you and yes, it's very important to me They've got nothing to lose and so many opportunities to gain.

 

[Nikita]

I definitely wish I had learned more French as a child. Since it's Canada's second language, a lot jobs look for people who can speak both. Although, I did take it all through High School, so I can do okay if I am stuck somewhere that is all French. There will be some words I don't understand, but I could figure things out from context.

I will definitely encourage both of my children to learn other languages, but I won't force them.

 

[sensoryintegrat]

Hello,

I'm a teacher in Japan, and I definitely think bilingual education is important. I think this is going to play an increasing role in people's success as the world becomes more globalized.

More languages means more opportunities. And more opportunities means a better chance at meeting goals and doing what we want to do in our lives.

This is definitely important for children. Expose them to other languages while they are young, and keep letting them hear them as they grow. Immersion is the best method, but even just learning words is great exposure.

Jessica
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http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?B=81760&U=272547&M=12666

 

[budnkota]

Hello,

I'm a teacher in Japan, and I definitely think bilingual education is important. I think this is going to play an increasing role in people's success as the world becomes more globalized.

More languages means more opportunities. And more opportunities means a better chance at meeting goals and doing what we want to do in our lives.

This is definitely important for children. Expose them to other languages while they are young, and keep letting them hear them as they grow. Immersion is the best method, but even just learning words is great exposure.

this is a really good point! It hadn't even occurred to me until reading her post, but I have had roommates from all over the world. Japan, Argentina, Laos, Vietnam, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Virgin Islands. My first boyfriend was an exchange student from Italy.. Most of these people would have had the opportunity to come to the US and have these experiences if it were not for their introduction to other languages. So many possibilities open for a child who is taught other languages.

 

[mandrsmom]

In Texas, Spanish is a must. Everyday I wish I knew more so I could communicate with co-workers and customers. My oldest daughter will be starting her 3 year soon, she wants to be a vet, so it will be important for her to be able to communicate in Spanish. She is teaching me some. Also she must take 4 years of a language to be qualified to graduate from the IB program at her school.

 

[Xero]

Wow I am so opposite from everyone. This is probably going to sound crappy to you guys, but this is honestly how I feel. I hate how they're making kids learn Spanish in grade school now in my district. And it irritates the crap out of me that 3 out of 4 infant related toys at Wal Mart speak Spanish. I hate it! My son is American, was born in America, and lives in America where people SHOULD be speaking English. I don't mind people that speak Spanish, but if I wanted my son to have to speak another language, I'd be living in another country. A lot of other countries make it necessary for their kids to learn English because it's their second language. And because English is an important language in most parts of the world for many reasons. Spanish would be nice to know, and if Eli wants to learn it, he can go for it! When he's older. Right now, I just want him to learn ENGLISH and as much of it as he can get! If he's going to learn a new word, it's going to be hello and not hola. If he's going to expand his vocabulary, it's going to be the words he really needs to get by in the world. When he's older and he's basically mastered the language he really needs, then he can look into learning a new one if he feels like it.

I absolutely refuse to buy toys that speak Spanish or any other language. English only, that's it. I don't need those other languages taking up any time that he needs to learn his language.

I don't know, I just get frustrated also with how horrible a lot of kids are with their OWN language. Maybe if they cared solely about their native language, they wouldn't spell everything wrong in an e-mail, or speak with incredibly wrong grammar when telling someone about a movie they saw.

I think it's cute when little kids say Spanish words, and there's nothing wrong with other people teaching their kids other languages, but I would rather not worry about all that with my son. Just personally. =)

 

[Mindy]

But Xero, what if your son ever wants to live anywhere else than America? I don't see how being Bilingual can be against you. It can only open more doors for you.

And to be honest, many many jobs in America now require being bilingual. Do you realize your son may not be able to get a job when he's older if he can't speak Spanish? I really would not be surprised if that is the case by the time he's old enough to work. I would be sad if they didn't teach Spanish in American schools, I only wish it was mandatory like learning French is here in Canada.

Being American doesn't mean you can only speak English. I know Americans who speak French, Spanish, and a whole bunch of other languages. JMHO

 

[dinanasrini]

hi to all of you well i think if you watched some of the kids educational shows you will have your answer i mean dora , diego and lots more are encouraging kids to explore new languages as for me two languages is not good enoug i am working on two languages with the basic arabic that my children learn from me i work on english and french , at this early age i never sit and teach them the words .. nor i talk to them in that language or have a person to speaks only that language with them .. i use cartoon i only let them watch cartoon in the language i want them to learn then i use the words that they heard at the show again and again until i know they learned it then i let them watch the same show in another language ... it's amazing .. my Mido now recognize the difference between the three languages and sometimes he asks me to play a dvd in a specific language " like Dora francais , or english cars " and he tells the difference between the arabic letters and english letters .. why do i do all that ... well i believe that as much as i can teach him now by playing having fun the more free time he will have when he starts school and everything will be easy for him so he won't be frustrated by homeworks and study i wish i try to make him like the learning process .

 

[AmyBelle]

DH is teaching Rebekah Italian, as its what he speaks with his parents. The primary school near us teaches Chinese, and she's most likely to go to that school. I think its brilliant, I see no disadvantage to opening her mind to other cultures and giving her to oppotunity to go to abroad confidently.

 

[Xero]

But Xero, what if your son ever wants to live anywhere else than America? I don't see how being Bilingual can be against you. It can only open more doors for you.

And to be honest, many many jobs in America now require being bilingual. Do you realize your son may not be able to get a job when he's older if he can't speak Spanish? I really would not be surprised if that is the case by the time he's old enough to work. I would be sad if they didn't teach Spanish in American schools, I only wish it was mandatory like learning French is here in Canada.

Being American doesn't mean you can only speak English. I know Americans who speak French, Spanish, and a whole bunch of other languages. JMHO

Like I said, I'll never KEEP him from learning Spanish or any other language if he wants to. And he's got plenty of time for that before he gets a job. I'm saying I don't really like how society is forcing it on infants, toddlers, and little kids. It's not needed. When he gets older, he can learn whatever he wants. English first by itself, that's all. He'll probably learn Spanish in grade school though, because that's how their doing it now.

I was not forced to learn any other language and was given the choice in high school to take one if I wanted to, and I was told the benefits of it and the need for it in order to get into certain schools or jobs. And that's when I decided if I did or did not want to.

I don't think it's harmful for kids to learn other languages, especially if it's spoken in their family or anything important like that, but my child doesn't need it for right now.

Maybe I'm weird, maybe I'm wrong, I've just always felt that way.

 

[Xero]

Being American doesn't mean you can only speak English. I know Americans who speak French, Spanish, and a whole bunch of other languages. JMHO

Oh yeah and I didn't mean that he COULD only speak English if he was American, only that he SHOULD speak English and speak it darn well before he ever decided to speak something else.

 

[budnkota]

one of the reasons is that kids are much more receptive to learning languages at a young age. Brain synapses that aren't developed die off. Children who learn it when they are small are at a distinct advantage over an adult learning it at the same time.
Studies have found that children in bi-lingual homes are a bit delayed in language at first. it's beleived that they are "sorting," but often soon exceed their uni-lingual peers. Lots of theories for that too. But it's not because they don't understand. Children understand far more than they can verbalize. THey are absorbing.

Languages change and evolve. If you are in a country b/c English is the language, then you should probably be in England. English became the language of the US because people came in using it. Native Americans didn't start out speaking English. As a matter of fact, Spanish was the primary language in many of our states before we took them over due to the Mexican-American war (Utah[/URL].) (wikipedia)

English is NOT a second language in most countries. Not officially, at least. It is taught because it has become the most international language of business. But you won't find many homes in other countries where English is what they speak at home. Most of those countries also teach more than English. My Italian ex, he spoke Italian, English, French, Spanish and some Japanese. America is probably the most ethnocentric modern country in teh world.

I would argue, however. that SPANISH is a second language in the US. It's the second most common, and is the primary language used at home by 34 million Americans 5 and older.

 

[Xero]

Well, you know. That's cool.

I knew three different foreign exchange students from three different countries (Norway, Germany, Japan) and all three of them told me in person that the reason they knew English so well was that it was their second language (for whatever reason). I think they know better, considering they actually live there. But that's fine, it really doesn't make a big difference to me what's going on in other countries since it doesn't have much to do with me.

Lol you are seriously taking this overboard. In a country just because they speak English? Move to England? Calm down. I'm not teaching my son Spanish just because a lot of other people speak it, sorry. It's not a big deal.

If it's the most international language of business, well then I guess he's good to go.

I just wanted to throw it out there that I don't think my infant son NEEDS to learn Spanish. I'm not saying it would be BAD and I'm not looking for reasons why it would be GOOD. I would just rather he focused on English, and easier or harder as it will be when he gets older, if he wants to bad enough, HE CAN LEARN SPANISH. Or any other language.

But right now, I don't think he needs toys or tv shows that teach him a language nobody around him speaks.