subject: Is it Better to be Bilingual? [print this page] It's under debate whether or not raising a child bilingual is beneficial or confusing for a child. However fact is that children who grow up in bilingual households are given a wide range of advantages. Choosing to raise your child in a bilingual environment can have benefits such as the child developing tolerance, becoming open to different ideas about other cultures, developing communication with a broader range of people, and more career opportunities available as an adult.
People who are bilingual had the opportunity to develop the rare skill of processing information in two different languages thus enabling them to communicate with a wider spectrum of people. Globalization is increasing more and more every day therefore the children who are growing up bilingual will have a communication advantage over any person who only knows one language. Becoming bilingual is more than just learning to speak in another language, it is learning, understanding, and respecting another culture.
Another benefit a child bilingual is that once one language is master is becomes that much easier to learn more languages. Learning another language of the same type can be easier when vocabulary, words, and sounds of both languages are similar. For example, French and Spanish are both classified as Romance languages therefore share similar characteristics. Additional skills that tend to come natural for the bilingual include better classification skills, better concept formation, enhanced analogical reasoning, advanced visual-spatial skills, exceptional storytelling skills, and great semantic development.
Raising your child bilingual may be frustrating and confusing at times, however will be most beneficial in the end. Make language fun for your child and try introducing the new language through a bedtime story using a bilingual book. Bilingual books for children tell the story in two different languages.
Bilingual books available for you to purchase at Lee and Low Books, child book publishing company, include Toddler Two/Dos Aos, Poems to Dream Together/Poemas para soar juntos, and Gracias Thanks. These books are great for children in grades ranging from k-7th grade.
