The description of the code-switching techniques the children used were fascinating; I can’t believe they were able to adapt so quickly! Of course, not all parents can afford to travel with their families to a foreign-speaking country, but if we were at least introduced to something like French or Spanish in our elementary school years, that would be a start. And it would be a step—down the admittedly long road—towards easing the stigma against minority language speakers.
My girlfriend’s mother who is white and American born was adopted by a Spanish family who spoke predominantly in Spanish. Due to the environment she was raised in she grew up with the capability of speaking both English and Spanish fluently. She is able to make flawless transitions from language to language, adapting her accents along with it.
This article goes to prove how being a model and speaking in those languages, genuinely in their required situations can lead others to picking up a second language with ease. It is a challenge to learn a second language, but it is doable. I wonder what the Caldas clan have added to their research after 22 years.
What happens in a child’s brain when, early on, they get to be exposed to and learn how to differentiate between two different languages? And what makes bilingual children more intelligent? Every person, place, thing, and idea would each have two words assigned to them. Does double perspective mean double understanding? Also, maybe individual morphemes would aid bilingual children in understanding new vocabulary more quickly. For example a child who speaks both Spanish and English would know the Spanish word “para” for the English “stop”, so maybe it would be a little easier for that child to comprehend the function of the parasympathetic nervous system while in his/her psychology class in junior high or high school.
I was also fascinated by all the code-switching these kids did, especially once they were able to speak both languages. For a child so young to be able to know when to speak which language is amazing, but I guess that when kids are raised that way it just comes naturally.
The ease in which the children picked up two different languages and then learned how to differentiate between them is astounding. We’ve brought up a child’s ability to pick up language before, but this account of it happening makes it more personal and real to me.
Although I have always heard that being taught a different language as a child will make it so much easier to learn, I think this article proves that point with not only the author’s children, but the other couple’s child.
I loved this essay. I was interested the entire time. I enjoyed visualizing the children's development. One thing I thought was really strange, mostly thinking in the children's perspective, was that they would listen to English all through out the day, then come home to speak in French. I guess it's mostly because I'm not bilingual, but I feel like I wouldn't learn a single thing. It's amazing thinking about how strong a child's mind actually is, being able to absorb and learn so much information.
It was interesting that John never mentioned his bilingual-ness at school, and he did exceedingly well on his end of the year tests. I would have thought that his speaking French only at home would have impacted his ability to learn in English or, at the very least, his ability to comprehend written English. This article has made me really want to learn a new language and then raise my children only with that language in my home.
As time went on, it did get easier for my friend to speak Spanish to us, but she said she didn’t like speaking Spanish anywhere away from home. It seems like bilingual children feel as though they have two identities, one for each of their spoken languages.
The description of the code-switching techniques the children used were fascinating; I can’t believe they were able to adapt so quickly! Of course, not all parents can afford to travel with their families to a foreign-speaking country, but if we were at least introduced to something like French or Spanish in our elementary school years, that would be a start. And it would be a step—down the admittedly long road—towards easing the stigma against minority language speakers.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend’s mother who is white and American born was adopted by a Spanish family who spoke predominantly in Spanish. Due to the environment she was raised in she grew up with the capability of speaking both English and Spanish fluently. She is able to make flawless transitions from language to language, adapting her accents along with it.
ReplyDeleteCody Baggerly
This article goes to prove how being a model and speaking in those languages, genuinely in their required situations can lead others to picking up a second language with ease. It is a challenge to learn a second language, but it is doable. I wonder what the Caldas clan have added to their research after 22 years.
ReplyDeleteWhat happens in a child’s brain when, early on, they get to be exposed to and learn how to differentiate between two different languages? And what makes bilingual children more intelligent? Every person, place, thing, and idea would each have two words assigned to them. Does double perspective mean double understanding? Also, maybe individual morphemes would aid bilingual children in understanding new vocabulary more quickly. For example a child who speaks both Spanish and English would know the Spanish word “para” for the English “stop”, so maybe it would be a little easier for that child to comprehend the function of the parasympathetic nervous system while in his/her psychology class in junior high or high school.
ReplyDeleteI was also fascinated by all the code-switching these kids did, especially once they were able to speak both languages. For a child so young to be able to know when to speak which language is amazing, but I guess that when kids are raised that way it just comes naturally.
ReplyDeleteThe ease in which the children picked up two different languages and then learned how to differentiate between them is astounding. We’ve brought up a child’s ability to pick up language before, but this account of it happening makes it more personal and real to me.
ReplyDelete(Emily Callan)
Although I have always heard that being taught a different language as a child will make it so much easier to learn, I think this article proves that point with not only the author’s children, but the other couple’s child.
ReplyDeleteI loved this essay. I was interested the entire time. I enjoyed visualizing the children's development. One thing I thought was really strange, mostly thinking in the children's perspective, was that they would listen to English all through out the day, then come home to speak in French. I guess it's mostly because I'm not bilingual, but I feel like I wouldn't learn a single thing. It's amazing thinking about how strong a child's mind actually is, being able to absorb and learn so much information.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting that John never mentioned his bilingual-ness at school, and he did exceedingly well on his end of the year tests. I would have thought that his speaking French only at home would have impacted his ability to learn in English or, at the very least, his ability to comprehend written English. This article has made me really want to learn a new language and then raise my children only with that language in my home.
ReplyDeleteAs time went on, it did get easier for my friend to speak Spanish to us, but she said she didn’t like speaking Spanish anywhere away from home. It seems like bilingual children feel as though they have two identities, one for each of their spoken languages.
ReplyDelete