Supporting multilingual families in the summer

In a previous post , I addressed the fact that for many families, having a bilingual or trilingual child is not a choice, but a necessity, particularly when the parents are newcomers and don't speak the language of their host country at all. Then, for many other families, teaching their child more than one language is a choice, and this choice requires effort.

But what can we do as professionals to properly advise parents, particularly in the summer when there may be a service interruption?

What are the ways to stimulate a minority language, or maintain a majority language?

Focus on the bond with the child

Several methods can be discussed, and then choose what best suits each family, according to their wishes for the languages ​​that are maintained and taught within the family.

I would like to remind you that the development and maintenance, particularly of a minority language, requires motivation, resources, and opportunities with consistency over time.

However, as a speech-language pathologist, I know that children learn best when we make learning fun, when it follows their interests, and when we focus on connecting with the child. That being said, varied exposure is important and contributes to these factors of connection with the child. Therefore, simple and engaging methods could include using audiobooks, podcasts, music, or programs in the target language.

Free activities

Then, if parents ask for activity suggestions, why not offer videos without dialogue, or even images without text like in this summer search and find game? which you can download for free from the free tools area. These activities allow children to target vocabulary in one language and then transfer that knowledge to the majority language by reviewing the same videos or images after returning from vacation. Another popular activity is visiting the local library. Memberships are free, and you can search for books written by native speakers of the target language. If families don't see any books in their target language, they simply need to ask to obtain them. Libraries are often more willing to purchase bilingual books than you might think.

Travel

For some families, traveling back to their country of origin during the holidays is a great option. The stimulation and exposure to the culture and language are undoubtedly incredibly enriching. However, for many families, this isn't necessary or even feasible. In these cases, short local trips can be considered, such as visiting a local restaurant where the owner speaks the target language, or even going to a specialty grocery store from their country of origin to discuss the food, and so on.

Ultimately, it is essential to prioritize the parents' wishes, to help and encourage them to follow their plan, and to ensure they know that even if it requires effort, it is not in vain and will inevitably contribute to providing numerous benefits for their child.