Read Why Three Families Value Multiple Language Skills
Chances are that a child will never grow up and say, “I really regret that my parents made me learn a second language.” In fact, grown children will likely be thankful that they were encouraged to learn multiple languages at a time in their life when it was easiest for them to master linguistic skills.

According to recent research, the earlier a new language is introduced in a child’s life, the easier it is for that child to attain native-like proficiency. Economic, social, and educational benefits are just a few of the reasons why children should learn more than one language. And the families who are teaching their kids multiple languages are passionate about the choice they have made.

Expert Advice from a Multilingual Mother
“The decision to raise our children to be multilingual was based primarily on giving them opportunities,” said Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, a professor of Education and Neuropsychology at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in Ecuador. “Languages open doors to cultures, jobs, and intellectual insights.” Tokuhama-Espinosa is a mother of three children who were raised speaking English, Spanish, German, and French.

Tokuhama-Espinosa also says families should consider the benefits that come from the connection between learning a language and developing an increased global awareness and understanding. “Around the world, second, third, and even forth languages are the norm in education,” says Tokuhama-Espinosa. “Unfortunately, in the U.S. we have been slower to get on the bandwagon.”

Writing and Raising Bilingually
Celina Penovi, mother of four and an Argentine poet and storyteller, has taken her enthusiasm for raising a bilingual family to a new level by writing books that other parents can use to help their children embraceboth Spanish and English. Penovi, who lives in Washington, D.C., has published three Spanish/English children’s storybooks to facilitate learning both languages through the colorful illustrations, bilingual rhyming verse, and activities that are designed to engage families in thoughtful learning.

Penovi has actively worked to teach her own three children Spanish in addition to English. They are enrolled in a Spanish immersion school to help them maintain their language skills, in addition to speaking Spanish around their home. But even if parents are not native speakers of the language they would like to introduce to their child, Penovi encourages them to do it anyway. “Don’t hesitate if you don’t know a second language,” says Penovi. “Just because you didn’t have the opportunity does not mean your child should miss out. Many immersion programs offer classes for parents. Or let your child be your teacher and bond with him or her while you learn together.”

Based on her own experience, Penovi offers some suggestions for parents who are considering a multilingual upbringing for their children, such as finding an immersion program and community support where kids can go and be surrounded by other kids who are also learning a new language. She also suggests befriending someone that speaks the language and setting an informal time to get together for conversation. “I live in a community where people are aware of the importance of mastering different languages,” Penovi remarks. “By speaking more than one language, children become more well-rounded thinkers.”

Family of Four
Jae Rin Park and her husband are working together to teach their two children Korean, Spanish, and American Sign Language, in addition to English.

Park was born in the United States and her parents tried to teach her Korean and English. Her first grade teacher told them to stop the Korean lessons because she wasn’t speaking English very well. “They stopped for a year and then tried again,” says Park. But by then, she was in second grade and they didn’t see additional value in having her learn the Korean language. Little did they know that when Park became an adult, she would regret not having a second language expertise.

A combination of heritage, family, and regret is what drives Park to start this process early in her children’s lives. She feels that learning a different language should be fun, and integrates it into their daily life as much as possible. She suggests making up games, reading books, watching cartoons or regular television shows, and listening to music in that language. Encouraging visits from extended family helps her children’s language development as well.

Start Now
Experts agree that being multilingual will give a child a significant economic, intellectual, and educational edge. Through the use of bilingual picture books, immersion classes, or conversations around the dinner table, the benefits your child will reap from learning a second, third, or even fourth language are well worth the effort and investment you make during their formative years.